During his most recent “1 Of A Kind” podcast, Rob Van Dam touched upon an ongoing debate between terms ‘wrestlers’ and ‘superstars’ in regard to wrestling talent, a subject that Mercedes Mone also recently addressed in her newsletter.
Highlights from his discussion on the podcast can be found below:
Discussing the debate, Van Dam said, “I believe it’s open to interpretation. Perhaps that’s what those particular terms resonated to Mercedes as they’re merely two words, correct? During my tenure with WWE, which spanned from 2001 to 2007, it was a well-known fact that Vince had already dubbed us as ‘sports entertainment’. Hence, the term ‘wrestlers’ was forbidden… Everyone in 2001, 2002 and at least for the most part of the following years — if the directive shifted, I’m none the wiser, but during my time there, we were strictly instructed to refer ourselves as ‘superstars’. Whenever we participated in promotional segments and introduced ourselves as ‘wrestlers’, the director would halt everything and correct us. And that was the directive. Perhaps it has undergone a change since then.”
Further adding to his point, Van Dam said, “However, all of it boils down to a word, and meanings can vary for different people. It’s not possible to back up her claim or even ours with a dictionary because that wouldn’t be specific enough. Going by Mercedes’s argument, if a superstar is someone the fans gaze upon and exclaim, ‘Wow, that’s extraordinary!’ I’m paraphrasing as I can’t recollect the precise quote. But, just following that train of thought, can we term everyone on the roster a superstar? I don’t think so. However, if they regularly make appearances on TV, if people can identify them, if they have action figures and merchandise, and if they’re part of the show, then are they superstars? Personally, I’d say yes.”
Addressing the changing interpretation of the term, Van Dam said, “Such rules and norms are in a constant state of evolution. It has to be so in order to catch up with the ever-changing times. The pace at which the world morphs is tremendous. As I forecast about my own future, maybe ten years from now I may be engaged with something unimaginable as of now. This is how it has always been, isn’t it? In 2001, we held our first mobile phones which were a far cry from the smart devices of today, yet look where we are now. The future holds unimaginable possibilities.”