Pro Wrestling

"Things are funny - are comedic - because they mix the real with the absurd."
​                                                                      - Buzz "Lightyear" Aldrin during interview with Ali G (Cohen)

1996: A Year That Transformed Wrestling -
​Top Funny Moments List...

1996 was the definitive year for professional wrestling. The major overhaul of the industry through the emergence of Hollywood Hogan and the nWo resulted in almost a decade of the anti-hero "attitude" era. The era lasted that long with gusto and verve before the writing became trashy and hokey as well as the stars becoming generic and forgettable. Today, wrestling is more reflective of an outgrowth of its roots from the 1970s before Hulkamania - in fact, sadly it is almost as if all the development from the Hogan years is just lost forever. Wrestling fans wouldn't have consciously realized, but the developments in wrestling during the 1990s mirrored a shift across entertainment, media and culture generally as postmodernism became baroque, thumbing its nose at itself through ornate and overt design (what I have dubbed post-passe). Despite all the heavy theoretical analysis that can be applied, it is sports "entertainment" and the producers, directors, writers and actors in WCW wrestling provided a year of hilarity and priceless shenanigans and even classic botches in 1996. Here are ten of the more funny moments from WCW that year. 

10. Superbrawl - Jimmy Hart Interview

1996 was an important year for shedding the cartoonish elements of pro wrestling that had carried WWF so far. The Outsiders - Hall and Nash - was a big part of that. However, Jimmy Hart retained much of his Looney Tunes antics to the joy of the audience. 

9. Pat Tanaka Goldberg Theme

It wasn't a long way off from when Bill Goldberg was going to start down the road to his prolific winning streak, so when Pat Tanaka, an established jobber, was coming out to the memorable Goldberg theme in 1996, there was something really amusing about it. 

8. The Giant's Agility

The Giant (or Big Show Paul Wight) was something special when he was young. They say similar things about the young Andre The Giant. The Giant had great strength but was also quite agile. When he showed his acrobatic stuff, it was funny to see because of how unlikely it was, but it was also just plain awesome.

7. Bash At The Beach - The Giant Cracking Up

It seems universally funny to watch someone try to be serious but struggle to contain laughter. With kayfabe so critical to professional wrestling, The Giant almost breaking down a couple of times during his interview at Bash at the Beach becomes a classic. 

6. Halloween Havoc - The Giant's Clumsiness

Despite The Giant's incredible agility and excellent wrestling performances in 1996, he also notably botched a few times. His first faltered step shows up later in this list and after that, people were watching for more stumbling. They got it when he spilled half the ice water placing it on the mat before waking Hogan. 

5. Uncensored - Lex Luger Glove Botch

When something is embarrassingly bad, people tend to find it humorous. Lex Luger's botched punch on Flair epitomized the phenomenon. It was just plain bad and the following week, the broadcasters attempted to explain it in a convoluted way... but then just gave up. 

4. Kevin Sullivan Rage on Unnamed Opponent

Sullivan aka The Taskmaster clearly had some clout behind the scenes in the wrestling industry. It begs many questions regarding Benoit conspiracy theories. However, in 1996 there was a major story arc for Sullivan-Woman-Benoit that actually mirrored what was happening to them in real life. This made for great entertainment, however, Sullivan went from mean to just plain mad. They fed him the bottom feeders among jobbers and he exposed it for what it was. These matches were quick and very amusing. 

3. The Giant Tumbles Macho in Hand

The Giant was incredibly acrobatic for a huge man, but his confidence sometimes got the better of him. While carrying Macho Man Randy Savage over his shoulder into the ring, he stumbled on the metal steps and both men fell. It could have really injured Macho Man who was pretending to be a limp mass. So in that respect, not so funny... but it did play like a gag - so pretty funny as well.

2. World War 3 - The Giant eliminates Rey Mysterio

Just brutal... and brutally funny. Nuff said. 

1. Kevin Nash Manhandles Rey Mysterio

see above...
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