Wrestling Darkness

How did the lowest standards for accuracy and authenticity, like those of professional wrestling, become the standards for cable news, politics, and the U.S. federal government? World leading scholars and historians offer insights and clues in this "cultural forensics" investigation into how professional wrestling and its imitators transformed media, and thus all aspects of American life that depend on media.Wrestling Darkness (available with video via https://ericbyler.substack.com) begins with cultural shift that began with the runaway success of the World Wrestling Foundation (WWF) in the 1980s. Wrestling's engrossing approach to melodrama — reflecting current political conflicts with scripted scenes and violent choreography prescribing good guys, bad guys and avenues for fan participation — was then emulated by the Fox News channel, countless reality TV programs, and TV talk shows, also with meteoric success. Social media platforms have since deployed addictive algorithms that ex

Wrestling Darkness is a society podcast hosted by Eric Byler, with 17 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Eric Byler hosts Wrestling Darkness, a society show with 17 episodes published.

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  Episode #12

  The truth about Hulk Hogan — Episode 12

  Sep 28, 202545 minS1

  <p>The most famous and emblematic American hero of his time, he defended us against the offenses of foreigners, fairies, and egoists. He abused illegal steroids, but denied it so he could be a good role model for generations of children for whom he recommended more traditional vitamins. </p><p>Behind the scenes, he ratted out his fellow wrestlers as they sought healthcare and labor protections from a boss who exploited them. Disgraced and erased after leaked audio of his bigoted remarks surfaced in 2015, he was later redeemed and reclaimed, as attitudes shifted to make room for bigotry, even in...

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  Episode #12

  White genocide, Black fatigue — Ep.11

  Jun 19, 202534 minS1

  <p>In part 1 of my interview with Sisonke Msimang, I brought up the phenomenon of “Black fatigue” by telling her a story about a white man who had attended a Black Lives Matter rally during the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder. After the police shot him with a rubber bullet, he decided he would no longer attend such rallies.</p><p>From there, Sisonke and I agreed upon a basic definition of “Black fatigue” — the expression of annoyance or exhaustion with the awareness and/or attempts to address the legacy of white supremacy. Confronting the past and the present in an honest...

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  Episode #10

  Black fatigue, White genocide — Ep.10

  Jun 11, 202542 minS1

  <p>Attempts to address racism are fruitless unless we find paths that lead to healing. This is one of many epiphanies I found in reading Sisonke Msimang’s acclaimed memoir, Always Another Country. We talked at length about South Africa and the United States, our two, sister nations each struggling to free themselves from caste systems that date back to colonial times.</p><p>The emotional heart of Always Another Country is in South Africa, but Sisonke’s revolutionary father and accountant mother raised their three daughters in exile during Apartheid. Born in Zambia, Sisonke also grew up in Canada and...

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  Wrestling Darkness

  Remarks prior to arrest at the U.S. Capitol by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber

  Jun 3, 202521 minS0

  <p>On the evening of April 2nd, 2013, Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II proposed what would become the Moral Monday movement to an emergency gathering at a North Carolina church. Within three years, they had taken down a governor and transformed the national conversation about the role of morality in civic life.Today, Rev. Barber faces the challenge of his life as the leader of the Repairers of the Breach movement, which is organizing civil disobedience actions at the U.S. Capitol on the first Monday of each month this summer.“This sacred action is a bold response to an im...

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  Wrestling Darkness

  This molten thing about interracial sex — Ep.9

  Apr 29, 202545 minS0

  <p>“This molten thing about interracial sex” was always at the core of fights about integration and equality, explains historian and author Dr. Timothy B. Tyson.</p><p>“The Southern Rape Complex” fueled a century of hate crimes & white dominance of our political process. But this racist lie and covenant was gradually vacated by white women, and its simmering rage now targets women in general, as well as nonwhite men.</p><p>The ritual of sexually charged political violence echoes throughout this episode as it does throughout American history, as it continues to deform our psyche and our culture. The historic...

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