Shane Helms Speaks On The Importance Of An Audience To Pro Wrestling
Shane Helms says there are some performers who are learning just how important the audience is to professional wrestling shows.
Recently furloughed WWE producer, Shane Helms spoke to Chris Van Vliet and expanded in greater detail how he feels about no audience professional wrestling events. Helms would say that he’s always understood the importance of the audience and there are some performers, who always thought they were good bell-to-bell, that are learning just how necessary of a component the audience is to the show.
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“You’re getting a one-sided story. post stories have two sides, and you’re only getting one. Pro-wrestling needs an audience more than any form of entertainment that exists out there, except stand-up comedy,” Helms began. “That’s what this is right now. If you go to a stand-up comedy show, I don’t care how hilarious this guy is, if you’re the only one in the audience. It’s not going to be as funny. It’s just not. That’s what we’re dealing with right now with the COVID era of watching wrestling with no fans. Fans are a huge part. I’ve always known that, and I think a lot of people that might have taken up the audience for granted thinking that they’re good no matter what, they’re learning. They’re learning a hard lesson right now. That audience is super important. They’re a powerful part of the equation of what makes pro-wrestling what it is. A powerful part.”
He continued. “It’s definitely better than nothing and my hat’s off to all these companies and these talents that are going out there are working to give us some form of entertainment in the form of pro-wrestling. My hat’s off to them. Like I said, it’s better than nothing and it’s brave because it’s a weird time that we live in and nobody has all the answers. Whether you agree with it or disagree with it, nobody on either side of that argument has all the answers.”
Helms was furloughed back on April 15 along with Kurt Angle, Lance Storm, and many other producers and talents. On a recent live stream with Chris Jericho, Helms admitted that he never officially retired and would like to continue wrestling in the future.
Transcription credit for the above quotes should go to Robert DeFelice of WrestleZone.