Exposed! Pro Wrestling's Greatest Secrets
Encyclopedia
Exposed! Pro Wrestling's Greatest Secrets is a 1998 documentary
about professional wrestling
. It was first aired on NBC
television on November 1, 1998, and released on VHS
on September 22, 1999 to overwhelmingly negative reviews. Nick Bakay narrates. The program reaired January 16, 2008 on MyTV
.
and work under pseudonyms to conceal their true identities. The reason given is that, by breaking kayfabe
, their careers and even their well-beings are at risk.
The documentary was roundly criticized for being sensationalist, misleading, and outdated in the presentation of the "secret tricks." Critics in and out of the wrestling business contend that many of the "secrets" exposed were already widely known by fans to begin with, and others were so obscure as to be non-notable.
Exposed! Pro Wrestling's Greatest Secrets was filmed mostly in an empty Los Angeles
arena, although an audience was present for some scenes.
This program has achieved a certain level of notoriety among professional wrestling fans as an object of ridicule.
entered the ring during WCW Monday Nitro
and sarcastically shouted in a melodramatic tone to the audience, "Now you know all our secrets!"
Mick Foley
on WWF Monday Night RAW
announced, to tag
partner Al Snow
, "We didn't do so well last week, but last night, the secrets of professional wrestling were revealed to me!" Foley also poked fun at the program several times in his autobiography, Have a Nice Day!
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
. It was first aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
television on November 1, 1998, and released on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
on September 22, 1999 to overwhelmingly negative reviews. Nick Bakay narrates. The program reaired January 16, 2008 on MyTV
MyTV
MyTV may refer to:*MyNetworkTV*WBIN-TV, an affiliate of the above network that formerly branded as MyTV since before the network's announcement*MYTV International, has branded MYTV digital signage networks...
.
Plot
The stars of Exposed! Pro Wrestling's Greatest Secrets are eight real-life professional wrestlers who wear masksWrestling mask
A Wrestling mask is a fabric based mask that some professional wrestlers wear as part of their in-ring persona or gimmick. Professional wrestlers have been using masks as far back as 1915 and they are still widely used today, especially in Lucha Libre in Mexico.-History:In 1915 a North American...
and work under pseudonyms to conceal their true identities. The reason given is that, by breaking kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
, their careers and even their well-beings are at risk.
The documentary was roundly criticized for being sensationalist, misleading, and outdated in the presentation of the "secret tricks." Critics in and out of the wrestling business contend that many of the "secrets" exposed were already widely known by fans to begin with, and others were so obscure as to be non-notable.
Exposed! Pro Wrestling's Greatest Secrets was filmed mostly in an empty Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
arena, although an audience was present for some scenes.
This program has achieved a certain level of notoriety among professional wrestling fans as an object of ridicule.
Reactions
While most of the professional wrestling world refrained from acknowledging the program, the night following its airing, Ernest "The Cat" MillerErnest Miller
Ernest Clifford Miller is an American actor and former professional wrestler who worked for World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment better known by his ring name, Ernest "The Cat" Miller....
entered the ring during WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
and sarcastically shouted in a melodramatic tone to the audience, "Now you know all our secrets!"
Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
on WWF Monday Night RAW
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
announced, to tag
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
partner Al Snow
Al Snow
Allen Ray Sarven is an American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment and currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a road agent.-Early career:Sarven...
, "We didn't do so well last week, but last night, the secrets of professional wrestling were revealed to me!" Foley also poked fun at the program several times in his autobiography, Have a Nice Day!