5 reasons wrestlers should make time for fans, and 5 reasons fans should leave them alone.
Are wrestlers obligated to take photos and sign autographs, or should fans leave them alone?
Everyone knows that Vin Diesel is not his character Dominic Toretto. They don't flash their headlights at him if they spot him in traffic for a street race, or attempt to apprehend him for the bounty put out by the fictional equivalent of the FBI.
But while most entertainers have the option of keeping their characters separate from their real personas, wrestlers are often under pressure to keep up their 'act' twenty four hours a day. They must be particularly careful when interacting with fans in public or on social media lest there be a backlash.
On the other hand, if it were not for the fans, the wrestlers would not have employment. Anyone who has ever worked on a set salary instead of hourly knows that you are never really 'off the clock' in those situations and sometimes you have to knuckle up and do your job.
Here are five reasons wrestlers should always make time for fans, and five that those same fans should know when to keep their distance.
Should make time for fans: Building the fanbase that lasts a lifetime
You never know when the random fan you come across will be the one that supports you for the next thirty years of your career.
Ric Flair is quite fond of speaking with fans and always tries to make time to do so. Legends of Ric Flair signing autographs while using a urinal, signing an autograph on a twenty dollar bill, and keeping in character when speaking about his opponents abound.
Every one of those fans has ended up supporting Ric through all of his trials and tribulations.