ABC's 20/20 Exposes Pro Wrestling Part 2 of 2

[ECWnWWF]

not for one second would I believe that the producers of 20/20 gave two shits about the well being of the professional wrestling performers. This whole report had to do with money. Professional Wrestling was on an all time high, especially the WWF, and they were rolling in with cash. This story with 20/20 was probably set up by someone who was trying to find away to get a piece of the WWF's pie. Don't for one second think they actually cared about the Wrestlers.

[dapunisher1000]

two slaps caused ear damage.

[flipgood89]

you can tell that the phrase 'sports entertainment' was born out of stossel stumping Vinny Mac when he asked "what is it (wrestling)?", and Vince didnt have an answer @ 2:45

[TheBaddude11]

this is what the media does today, they bullshit so much, they make up so many things and put words in peoples mouths because if they do that the newspapers will sell, the magazines will sell etc. Stossel got what he deserved, he had no right in call pro wrestling fake, there are plenty of pro wrestlers that are in wheelchairs and have had major operations due to the toughness of the business, and morons like stossel calling the business fake just pisses on pro wrestling.

[flipgood89]

@TheBaddude11 ...that wasnt the main focus of the story tho....the main focus was the mistreatment of the wrestlers and how seedy the business was becoming.  This would prove to be quite prophetic given the number of deaths that would follow. The fake angle was just a hook to bring in viewers.

[RegaLPleX08]

Yea let me come to your job and say its fake...youll stab me with a microphone...bitch got what he deserved...dont fuck with Dr. D

[RegaLPleX08]

LMAO Fuji smirking in the background

[RegaLPleX08]

LMAO they hooked 20/20...Marks

[Venom101002]

I remember watching this show with my father when it originally ran on 20/20. We were both surprised about them blading back then. I was always told the blood was fake. If I remember right, Stossel sued the wrestler who hit him, and won. He was kicked out of wrestling soon after that.

[UnionMetalhead]

@Venom101002 im glad he sued the wrestler for doing that. i admit he shouldnt of used the word fake - maybe a more tactful way of putting it would of been better but you could clearly tell that wrestler was a bully and a complete scumbag. im guessing it wasnt a work either.

[motleyhar]

This is before the birth of the term "Sports Entertainment".

[MurrayHerts]

lol wtf slapped the shit out of him

[kobinho07]

LOL oh john stossel i miss his interviews and then for it to totally come out years later it cracks me up!

[motleyhar]

@kobinho07 Jim got bitch slapped. Come on, everyone has always known that it's fake. It's still fun (sometimes).

[AlphaMaIe]

hahahaha his earth hurt what a lier

[natureboy19831]

what the hell is wrong with you thats an opened hand slap? lmao

[natureboy19831]

DAVID SCHULTZ the original stone cold!!!!

[Tom6093]

@natureboy19831 I wonder what David Schultz thinks about that now. Ooh and about Andy Coffman wrestling women, that was back in those days ..wasn't it ? I know Edge and certain other wrestlers have admitted that wrestling is fake. But it's also not about it's livelyhood anymore. Getting rid of JoHn Cena and John Luranitus is...Lol

[ECWnWWF]

Wrestling is fake and no one ever gets hurt from wrestling and no one ever dies from wrestling. They are all wealthy millionaires; the promoters are wealthy billionaires.

[TheBaddude11]

@ECWnWWF

'no one ever gets hurt from wrestling and no one ever dies from wrestling' what the fuck?? U have watched ecw and you still think that? Explain to me why edge had to retire? Why HH had to have 8 back surgeries and why rey had to have 8 knee ops and why kurt angle broke his kneck 2 times in the wwe along with lesnar.

[WILBURSNYDER]

JOHN STOSSEL WENT FOR THE MONEY ON THIS PIECE.. BACK THEN WRESTLER WERE TOLD TO PROTECT THE BUSINESS .. DAVID SHULTZ DID NOTHING WRONG..JOHN STOSSEL OVER STEP HIS BOUNDS.. ..AND BY THE WAY FOR THE MOST PART I RESPECT JOHN STOSSEL.....

[nameanking]

I seen this as a kid and until this day, I thought Sid Vicious was the guy that slapped Stossel.

[TheBlanco85]

@nameanking Fail

[nameanking]

Ear damage? lmao bull$hit Stossel

[XblCheeseofdeath2008]

@nameanking Yeah If you hit someone an open hand slap to the ear it will really fuck your ear up.

[hjmoors]

Why are you guys calling him a wimp and a pussy? The guy that slapped him is 6' 6" and 250+ pounds of muscle. I'd like to see you dumbasses stand upright when you got a hand the size of your head coming right at you, especially when it's unexpected.

[RegaLPleX08]

@hjmoors No because I know better than to fuck with Dr. D. You bitch ass cry baby...

[Bloodsport1]

I wish Stossel ask New Jack if wrestling is fake? "Hey New Jack are a cartoon character? Do you really stab your opponents?"

[Bloodsport1]

Barry got a easy paycheck that night. Didnt he have to take his jacket off.

[acedast]

Stossel = whimp.

[acedast]

Why did stossel have such a bug up his ass about wrestling? Probably not an athlete...probably a chess player!

[Ali74]

And there we have it. Sue culture indeed. Googled the fuckers name. No surprise he sued and claimed 425,000 dollars. Thats two very expensive slaps

[Ali74]

"every time a bus goes by or people talk loudly it hurts". *now wheres my lawyer*.

Typical merkan smells compensation.

[Misanthropyish]

Roid Rage

[Misanthropyish]

Why would anyone ever want to become a wrestler. 

[phatz631]

ahhaahah go doctor "d"...smack that fool..talking smack like he's sum crusader or something

[cjs10228]

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, THATS AN OPEN HAND SLAP!! HA

[LMDNYC82]

lmfao muthafukka got his head slapped into next week, "i think its fake" SLAP!!!

[HowardWolowitzFan]

Does this guy complain when he finds out Movies are fake?

[machiavelli316bg]

what is this shit, didn't they know back in the days, that wrestling was fake? Idiots...

[lildwayne21]

@StanHowser kept it professional. Wrongs were committed on both sides here. As far as I'm concerned, no one's innocent. As a reporter doing this type of piece you have to know what the fuck ur getting into when you start asking wrestlers whether its real or fake, and as a wrestler you have to learn how to dodge those bullets on some subtle shit with some sarcasm, and if the reporter keetps comin' at you, shut em' down, but don't resort to violence.

[lildwayne21]

Stossel did take it a lil too far. His job as a reporter is to be objective and get the facts, not give his opinion on wrestling is real or fake. You start acting wrestlers whether pro wrestling is real or fake and that's when they start taking it seriously, because their livelihoods are at stake, and that's when the drama pops off, so @StanHowser you are kind of right and I kind of agree with you, but there was wrong committed on both sides. Stossel should have been objective & Dr D should have

[Tanmart82]

Jim Barnett was probably the promoter Wilson was talking about.

[MattSingh1]

@Tanmart82 There's no "probably" about it ;)

[TheOpener89]

"my ears hurt when buses go past" he could of made himself look a little more manly on national television

[SKiLLiGEstaz]

I kinda feel for that guy, I mean there was no need to do that no matter how funny hahah

[matthew12358]

what a pussy he cant even defend himself and he call wrestlers fakers

[dega4amp]

John got bitch slapped that's funny as shif

[MrCarl220]

@ml3276 Ok, I don't buy they've overcome ANYTHING, and believe it still goes on! Adults make their own choices, fine, but why do you think they took drugs? Hmm, could it be the long stretches on the road and demanding schedules that make them turn to the uppers and even cocaine so they are alert and ready to go? The unecessary risks the promoters want with hardcore and other stuff that causes these guys to take pain killers? Steroids, because McMahon and Johnny Ace like big buffed guys?

[TuTone222]

I wish someone would slap Bill O'Reilly like that

[dontabaltimore1974]

This is when Pro Wrestling was very secretative and was well protected. Doc`s career was done after this situation and he had the chance to be a MONSTER heel in the 80`s.

[tmack77]

Wow wrestling is fake???? What bullshit

[BlingToYoRing]

that's kayfabe son!

[bink]

Happens every time in this business- you don't put white balls on your chin, you get blackballed.

[mikemalibu1]

Wrestling might be "fake" as far as outcomes and of course the punches etc..but its not about that,the skill is not fake,the bumps and talent and personality are all real.I still watch my old wwf vhs tapes,the paul orndorff- hulk hogan feud was one of my favs!

[Kaynos]

of course in the 80's wrestling was more secretive.

[ZachNight726]

6:08 - 6:20 best part of this whole thing

[zacwp]

what a pussy

[Mogh]

Don't fuck with a man's livelihood son.

[akuma4u]

lol at stossel stealing a page from the pro wrestling book and over selling the slap.. vince should hire him, he knows how to sell so well, he got millions out of it.

[LLlap]

wait what? wrestling is fixed?

holy shit!

[YoungGrizzly82]

Seems like a really grimy, shitty life; the life of a wrestler :(

[kev3145]

Whoa shit! Some wrestlers put the razor blades in their mouth?! Fucking worst idea!

[bluepastry]

i hope he sued and made allot of money.......dr favid was used by vince mcmahon.....mcmahon told ds to slap stossel then he fired Schultz

[bluepastry]

stossel is great, McMahon is a simeball, he denies fixing matches? lol

Mc Mahon is a slimeball

[bluepastry]

EVERYONE KNEW THE MATCHES ARE FIXED....McMahon should be in jail, linda mcmahon is a piece of crap, gop should disown her and her slut daughter

[chubbylilloser]

who over the age of 10 didnt know this was faked? >< Who do they thinking there breaking news too apart from the odd hillbilly who think's it is..

[tebowisgay]

that bitch is hard to watch

[Fauxpat]

You can tell Walters wanted to laugh her ass off.

[draes34]

6:09 and 6:16

LOL!!!

[jrrodriguezwwe]

@draes34 thats what he gets

[draes34]

The nigga took a couple hard slaps to the face, but got an Emmy for his report.

He who laughs last...

[DFILL450]

Interviewer "What is it if it's not a sport?" Vince "I don't know"

Well eventually he figured out it's sports entertainment

[Blackjesus3]

THE SLAP PART IS ACTUALLY FUNNY

[Blackjesus3]

VInce looks so young here

[gowwe12]

Their not sopose to cut all the way acrost their forehead, you just make a small nick on your hair line and take a couple tylanol so its thinner blood and it drips more. But the 80's wrestlers wern't real wrestlers... They were fat, beer drinking idiots body slamming eachother.

[gowwe12]

Theres a difference between fixed and fake ass cocks.

[madg27ny]

He didn't ask a question to David Schultz. He intentionally aggravated Mr. Shultz in his element, and John Stossel felt a real repercussion for assuming it was fake. Never assume John, or else you'll learn your lesson. Your biased remark wasn't a question. Stay objective and you'd have been in the clear.

[Luis89142]

1:30 wuz that festus? O_0

[lweezy2040]

Shultz is a loser, he could have defended his proffession better than that and this guy going around getting mad at pro wrestling cuz its fake needs to relax, I was an amatuer wrestler in high school and I watched wwe because it was entertaining, wrestling is nothing but a soap opera, yes its scripted, your an idiot if you think otherwise, some of the bumps are real however and that's why I respect these guys

[2alger]

hahahahaha slap

[TheSeveredArm]

John Stossel, what a tool. Barbara Walters could probably beat him up.

[madg27ny]

@TheSeveredArm Barbara told John to be more partial, but she looked at him and kinda said told you so.

[davide9727]

men how you gonna ask a wrestler if what they do is "fake"? are u out of your mind John Stossel

[Joeyg50]

Schultz got his receipt and then some for those hits. Trust and believe he wishes he had never hit Stossel. In the long run it probaly saved his life not to work in that steroids environment.

[dupont4sure]

it looks like she was about to say bitch slapped

[svendeddy3]

Eddy Mansfield seems like a really nice guy

[lycanfan]

2:51 - 2:59. Exactly. That's what it is.

[ubuntungbelele]

In order to succeed in the WWF you have to enter The Tunnel. that is what Pat Pattersons asshole is nicknamed. UBUNTU

[officialvangcreative]

it's legal to fire someone who complains? jesus christ... not where I come from.

[philaman1972]

I remember watching this back when it first aired in late 1984. The Mansfield blading part was pretty graphic, especially for 1984 standards.

[bleu0632]

Kayfabe . . . Nuff said!!!

[stevedrums]

@bleu0632 Too bad Vince fired Schultz lost his job and his career over this.

[Keepitgreasy11]

Protecting the integrity of the business, that's what Dave Schultz did @ 5:49 he did what Vince McMahon told him what to do "make an example out of him" couple weeks later he was let go. The mastermind of one VKM

[ViperOrtonRKO]

LOL AN OPEN HAND SLAP CAN BE ALOT MORE EFFETIVE THAN A PUNCH TO THE FACE. Yeah, sure, with a punch to the face you might get a burst lip, or black eye etc, but with a hard open hand slap.. that can give you ear damage, and maybe a colyflower ear haha!

[BaronTurco]

The fact he couldn't work was why he was NEVER offered the NWA title, and I mean NEVER.

[WWEISPPV]

John is a fucking asshole, He disrespected the business saying it's fake.. It's Scripted, Not fake. And he deserved to get slapped. I Hope he continues to get slapped.

[superfela]

@WWEISPPV john is a cocksucker

[zackvanhalen]

Stossel had that coming in my opinion. He acts like Dave hits him because he asks him if wrestling is fake...uh let's see; could it be because you were filming him when you asked him? Schultz probably knew that a famous reporter was trying to get him on camera saying it's fake. At the time, that could have cost him everything. Funny how Stossel thinks he's a badass because he wrestled in high school. Yet, he gets slapped twice by a real badass and acts like he got ass raped...He's a bitch.

[81kasen01]

mae young should humble barbara walters just like stossel was

[2pacisthebest90]

wwe is real..

[wtf66611]

Stossel is a pussy. All pussies work for Fox News.

[terrybrass]

Dr. D = Hero. He risked his carrier for our "sins".

[Sabuamaniac]

What a pussy, he antagonizes people until their mad and then cries about it later. He said it himself that he confronts "fakers and cheats", common sense should say dont "confront" a pissed off wrestler because he might "fake" kick the shit out of you.

[emmit127]

@Sabuamaniac

Yea, because the rational response to being asked a question is to slap the shit out of the interviewer. You call stossel a "pussy", yet you overlook the fact that he was cheap-shotted by a guy with at least 100 pounds on him. I "think" you should "stop" "quoting" things, it makes "you" look like an "asshole."

[StanHowser]

@emmit127

Someone had to slap the piss out of him. Stossel had no idea what he got himself into. Their livelihoods were on the line.

[emmit127]

@StanHowser

Apparently not, pro "wrestling" is still going strong. Actually, he seemed to have a good idea what was going on, it's not his fault that cavemen Schultz can't deal with grown up questions like a ....grown up.

[lildwayne21]

@StanHowser Yeah, but Dr. D took it too far. I understand he was trying to protect the business and that he's a legitimate tough guy, he took it too far. When the news does a piece exposing the wrestling business, when they ask you whether or not its real or fake, as a wrestler, you've gotta keep it professional no matter how personal the questions might get. You can't resort to violence fam. You've got to dance around those questions & be subtle by using sarcasm, not hitting a guy.

[Metallimeister]

@StanHowser That doesn't justify assaulting a journalist who is doing his job.

[AliceNchainz011]

@StanHowser How were they on the line? You take it way too seriously

[vindelextreme]

@StanHowser ur a dumbass redneck

[rathemagnificent]

@Sabuamaniac You can't go around slapping people just b/c someone ask you a question. Shutlz is an idiot! That's why Vince fired him b/c he did that.

[jrp2390]

@Sabuamaniac Vince told him to stay in character and to slap him, i just watched an interview with the guy in it. the reason was because the reporter was coming in and trying to "make the business look bad" so vince said on this interview stay in character and he did then 2 weeks later he was fired.

[Tratz]

@Sabuamaniac Assault is assault.

[rogertayloRRR]

Stossel is really injured? lol bs

[joeymcnew37209]

Another video that's killing the business. Pure BS!

[matrix4022]

@joeymcnew37209 It's not really killing it - ever since pro wrestling "came out" as being sporting entertainment, it's gained much more respect in the mainstream, because people now know the real skill that goes into becoming a pro. wrestler like Bret Hart or Ric Flair. It's an art form, when done right.

[smilelkumeanit26]

@joeymcnew37209 this is from 1984...I don't think this is relevant anymore. We all know its SPorts Entertainment ;-)

[StIdes811]

these 2 can go suck a fucking cock and die

[krazygreen]

Load the video and keep pushing 6.

[johnnyrainbow50]

stossel's such a pussy

[ShaolinDynasty]

This is common knowledge today...now it's about how the match can be pulled off as oppposed to question if it's real or fake. Every fan knows that.

[oldschool6804]

@ShaolinDynasty it isn't fake it's fixed thats the proper term.

[ShaolinDynasty]

@oldschool6804 Fixed is a good term for it, but we also know they call "spots" during the match...it doesn't stop me from watching. It's like watching a kung fu fight pulled off well, except it happens it front of your eyes...taped or live, it's still awesome.

[flipgood89]

wow....you hear when stossel asked, "if its not a sport, what is it" VInce was like, "I dont know!"...Well Vince, changed that "I dont know", into the sports entertainment designation. I am sure this interview was the impetus for that.

[bigroy38]

And baby killer Beniot isn't blackballed?

[flipgood89]

@bigroy38 ...how can u blackball a dead guy? Also, Benoit has been completely erased from WWE history...

[possade]

This Stossel is a tool. The jobber that showed him the ropes and tricks is a loser. Just goes to show, you insult the wrong person and there are consequences. Dr. D was always hardcore. Sorry to say I loved it. He deserved to get hit.

[flipgood89]

@possade ...how is he a loser? But you know whats sad, all these wrestlers spouted this right wing, anti-union nonsense and brought into conservative propaganda. Now they're all dead. Had they had health benefits and better conditions and standards, back then, a lot of them would still be alive today. Wrestling is a prime example of what happens when businesses arent regulated and not forced to adhere to basic human standards --- manipulation and abuse becomes standardized in its place.

[Ghalcrow]

HAH man I wish this douche would have been beat more. Stossel is a puss!

[80swrestling]

F*CK BABA WAWAS and Stossel the Wus!!!!

[johnyaztec]

To bad John Stossel is a far right-wing douche bag now.

[Sanguiluna]

I want to see Stossel in Japan interviewing the Great Muta. Hope he has life insurance.

[teknashend]

lmao this is so UNLIKE the current John Stossel,

now, he would criticize the Georgia legislator and talk about the merits of WWF as a free enterprise, and perhaps even say that these wrestlers aren't being exploited at all, since its their voluntary choice to work there.

And he even borders on paternalism as he implies that WWF causes "violence among kids", but John Stossel did a report last decade (2000s) talking about how video games DONT cause violence.

did a 180 john, for the better.

[deuce2469]

WHo the hell cares if its fake??? does it really matter?? its called entertainment, they try their best to entertain the people and the fans, they bring happiness to their fans and thts all tht matters i dont give a fuck if its fake!!! i kno its fake since i was a littel boy so ive always known about the fakeness but i dont care i still love it!!

[oldschool6804]

@deuce2469 why are so many wrestlers and ex wrestlers crippled up it isn't FAKE IN IT'S PHYSICALITY STOSSEL CAN SUCK MY COCK!

[xXMaxEvansXx]

@oldschool6804 It's not fake in terms of nothing's going on. It's not completely real, they're trained to do the moves in a way that won't majorly injure them. Most of the physicality is real. The moves can be botched though, which can cause bad injuries. But, if done right, they're fine. But that doesn't mean it's "fake."

It's like skaters, if they don't do the tricks right, they could easily get hurt bad. So, if wrestling is fake. Skating is fake too. xDD

[oldschool6804]

@xXMaxEvansXx THEY GET MAJOR INJURIES YOU'RE WRONG!

[xXMaxEvansXx]

@oldschool6804 Not really major. The most common injury in wrestling is a torn pectoral muscle. That keeps most of them out for nearly a year sometimes. Six months if they recover quickly. But that, isn't exactly major. My point was that they train to keep from having those injuries often. From time to time, they do get injuries. But if they weren't trained so well, they'd get hurt a lot more. So, no, I'm not wrong. You just took what I said wrong.

[oldschool6804]

@xXMaxEvansXx yes there are major injuries there are multiple concusions and broken necks are common! you need to do your research!

[xXMaxEvansXx]

@oldschool6804 Stop acting like a fucking knowitall douchebag. I have done my research, and I never fucking said they don't get injured. Learn to read, dumbass. You have completely missed my point entirely. And I'm on your side.

[oldschool6804]

@xXMaxEvansXx  you said there were NO MAJOR INJURIES I DIDN'T CURSE YOU YOU'RE THE ARROGANT ONE NOT ME!

[xXMaxEvansXx]

@oldschool6804 What the fuck does cursing have to do with it. And show me where I said there were no major injuries. I would love to know where the fuck I said that. Because I didn't.

[oldschool6804]

you said not really major you're an IGNORANT MOTHER F UCKER!

[xXMaxEvansXx]

@oldschool6804 As I recall, and as I can read what I said where I said it. I said they were trained so that they can do the moves without causing injuries. That does NOT in any way mean they don't get injured. But as I said before, dumbass, if they weren't trained as well as they are, they would get injured MORE OFTEN.

[oldschool6804]

@xXMaxEvansXx thats a fallacy you're the dumbass they are trained to protect each other, but that doesn't mean they  alweays do!

[oldschool6804]

@xXMaxEvansXx they get hurt every night you're ignorant. they are always sore and hurting! you're wrong!

[xXMaxEvansXx]

@oldschool6804 See, what I find funny is I'm on your side, and you say I'm wrong. I know they get hurt every night.. show me where the fuck I said they didn't.

[clash360]

I used to think the same thing untill I actually gave it a chance and watched it. Now I love it.

[funkiersnoog]

*Sigh* I miss kayfabe.

[VancouverJames]

The Iron Sheik will make you humble Stossel!!!!!

[carpetbeggar]

Hey, John Stossel and Barbara Walters...That in the biz is what they call, 'working stiff.'

[colemckelviedotca]

They show these bitter indy losers then compare the promoters they work for to Vince. This show is retarded. Vince is the tits and every promoter in the the world knows it. Oh and he totally pays for everyone's health care, even guys who used to work for him. And that David Schultz guy only got on to make pro wrestling look like shit, and this John Stossel needs to quit crying and shut the fuck up.

[colemckelviedotca]

KAYFABE you dicks!!!!

[rockytheyorky]

David Schultz was always a mid carder and because of his antics like this thats why no promoter ever put him a higher position.He was always nasty to fans.in working for the Spectrum in Philly for 25 years David Schultz was the nastiest wrestler we ever had in our building.John Stossal was only asking him the question that everyone was asking at the time,and that slap got him fired from the WWF was that the smarts of a bright man-I think not..By the way where is David Schultz now. no one cares.

[oldschool6804]

@rockytheyorky was david hard to get along with to the other wrestlers, i have met dave and he was very humble i guess he has mellowed.,

[TheMan750]

20 years ago this was breaking news, now most of the population knows that it's scripted and still buy ticktes and merch