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   Jay Baker (mediaactivist@todon.eu)'s status on Monday, 18-Mar-2024 05:12:24 JST Jay Baker

   • The Left Fist :solidarity:

   My followers may not realise that I do podcasts, articles, pin badges and all kinds of fun stuff for @theleftfist (now also a Todon account), where I generally cover the weird and wonderful world of pro wrestling from a leftist/anarchist perspective! Loads of free content available, so if you or anyone you know is into wrestling, feel free to spread the word, or follow, sign up for the Patreon (free, not necessarily paying), or grab a pin (badge that is, not a three-count!) #ProWrestling #wrestling

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     Jay Baker (mediaactivist@todon.eu)'s status on Monday, 18-Mar-2024 05:54:12 JST Jay Baker

     in reply to

     I think what always struck me about pro wrestling - as I've covered in some of The Left Fist content - was how the fact it sits between "sport" and "art" left it to be shunned by much of the creative world for being low-brow, working class, and violent on one hand and on the other hand shunned by the sports world for not being competitive and lacking intent to harm. This lack of respect has for too long permitted promoters to exploit workers largely under the radar for decades.

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     Jay Baker (mediaactivist@todon.eu)'s status on Monday, 18-Mar-2024 05:58:44 JST Jay Baker

     in reply to

     The recent Wall Street Journal revelations about the disgusting, vile abuse of billionaire promoter Vince McMahon are sadly an anomaly in an industry that has exploited its workers on a massive scale - in the absence of a union - for decades. If you haven't watched the Vice series Dark Side of the Ring, I can't recommend enough (you don't have to be a wrestling fan at all to find it interesting). McMahon, a close friend to Donald Trump, built his billions on the broken bodies, minds, and spirits of his wrestlers. That alone deserves more scrutiny than it has ever been afforded.

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     Jay Baker (mediaactivist@todon.eu)'s status on Monday, 18-Mar-2024 06:04:50 JST Jay Baker

     in reply to

     It's hardly hip or cool for me to talk about this as an interest of mine; I mean, I've been ridiculed for decades about it - that confusion and contempt is what I correlate with the abuses in the industry hidden in plain sight. But at least respect the performance art and athleticism of the workers (who literally "work" the crowd), most of whom, as freelancers, live very much a punk lifestyle making their own gear, selling their own merch, and touring around getting bookings on the vast independent circuit. If we support them, they can have better working conditions too. (Hence I end every podcast episode with "power to the workers!")

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     Avi Rappoport (avirr) (avirr@sfba.social)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Mar-2024 08:43:11 JST Avi Rappoport (avirr)

     in reply to

     @MediaActivist Performance and participative art is such a great way to think about it. And I just realized what a long tradition it follows, feels very Punch-and-Judy to me.

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     Jay Baker (mediaactivist@todon.eu)'s status on Tuesday, 19-Mar-2024 08:43:11 JST Jay Baker

     in reply to

     • Avi Rappoport (avirr)

     @avirr Performance and participative art is a great way of putting it! And yes, very Punch-and-Judy. Like party politics...but less fake! Ha.