It's Just Whisky = Wrestling is Fake
There are three words that drive every whisky fan crazy when they're deep in the midst of a booze-related soliloquy: it's just whisky.
Why? Because when those words are uttered they're usually said in an exasperated or condescending tone, as if to deflate our excitement or put us in our place. They're used to combat levels of crazed enthusiasm, or to add a snarky accent on the end of a bewildered retort. When someone says to you "it's just whisky", they're likely a bit annoyed with your behavior. Your passion or your energy is probably getting under their skin. But why those words? It's not that we think whisky is actually something other than whisky. We just really like it. We obsess over it and spend half our day on the internet trying to learn more about it. Of course, many people just don't get how you could love whisky as much as you do, so they want to take you down a peg (likely because they're upset about something else in their life). It's no different than three other words that drive me crazy: wrestling is fake.
When I was about six years old, deep in the midst of a WWF binge, my parents told me that wrestling was scripted. I think I cried heavily for about three straight hours because, at that point, I did believe in the legitimacy of the sport. But after some serious tears and heavy sobbing, I went right back and started watching again. Very few people watch professional wrestling because they think it's real. Most of us watch it because it entertains the hell out of us; and the more we learn about how it actually works, the more we enjoy analyzing all of its intricacies. But when we try to share that excitement with others, to reveal exactly what it is that lights our fire, we often get rebuffed by the same three words we so often hear: wrestling is fake. Professional wrestling is definitely scripted, and the moves are obviously choreographed, but calling it fake is just misinformed. It's a quick synopsis based on five seconds of comprehension. That's to be expected, however, because the people telling you that wrestling is fake aren't doing so because they're trying to educate you. They're simply passing judgement.
There are a lot of people out there who find enthusiasm repulsive; especially when they don't understand the nature of that excitement. People like that often fear what they can't relate to, or at the very least feel left out. That resentment often causes them to spout off something quick and brash, much like they do with other hobbies or interests:
If you talk about your love of television: I don't watch TV.
Yeah, right.
If you talk about your love of books: Who has time to read?
Who has time to do anything?
If you talk about your love of fashion: I'd rather be comfortable.
Because my Cole Haan shoes with Nike Air soles are uncomfortable?
If you talk about your love of food: People are starving. I'd rather give that money to charity.
Let's go donate some money together right now! Oh, you're too busy? Maybe next time.
If you talk about your love of whisky: It's just whisky.
Sigh.
If you talk about your love of professional wrestling: Wrestling is fake.
You got me. You win. I guess I'll head over to Levi's Stadium this Sunday with 70,000 other screaming fans and give them the bad news.
-David Driscoll