Every Monday and Friday I have a column in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Today’s talks about WWE Tough Enough and where it’s gone wrong. The following is an excerpt:
The concept of WWE Tough Enough is a great one. The execution is a different story.
Reality show competitions for all walks of life have proven their value. A show where guys and girls try to become professional wrestlers is as good as any.
I often come across people casually aware of professional wrestling but have a lot of questions in how you get into it. The same as how do you become the guy who gets shot out of a cannon at the circus. People want to know and that provides solid potential in television programming.
Unfortunately, WWE continues to fail in Tough Enough, whether it be on MTV or USA Network. Whether it be moderated by a panel of judges, hosted by Stone Cold Steve Austin or Chris Jericho. The results have been the same. No winner has produced any type of career to hang the reputation of the show on.
In fact, the only stars Tough Enough has provided are those who have been eliminated before the finale. Guys like Ryback and The Miz. That means, as we’re approaching the final stretch in the current season of Tough Enough, history tells me it doesn’t matter because anyone who will become anything in the business is already eliminated.
The hardest part in the formula of Tough Enough is the range of subjectiveness in what makes a good professional wrestler is large, or at least larger and more unknown than most other occupations.
CLICK HERE for the rest of the column with the problem in judging talent in pro wrestling & more.
