Smark

From Free net encyclopedia

A smark is abbreviated professional wrestling slang. The term is a portmanteau of "smart mark," two other terms in their own right. A "smart" is a person who is privy to the behind-the-scenes operations and understands that professional wrestling is choreographed, whereas a "mark" is one who believes that professional wrestling is real. A "smark", therefore, is a combination of the two, a wrestling fan who enjoys following the on-screen product and the off-screen, backstage affairs equally.

Smarks are a subset of the professional wrestling fanbase. They come from many different social backgrounds and are often referred to as "smart" fans. Many smarks are part of the "IWC", or Internet Wrestling Community, a general term for the legions of fans of wrestling who use the Internet as their means of communication. Smarks also make themselves heard on TV, much to the chagrin of promoters and show producers. Cities such as New York and Philadelphia, as well as any city in Canada, are notorious for having an audience who knows just a little too much.

Smarks define themselves by embracing the "workrate", or talent level, of wrestlers. They will spite the celebrated "big men" in favor of smaller, faster wrestlers with a wider variety of moves. As well, as followers of off-screen politics, smart marks typically despise those whom they see as wielding too much power backstage and support underdogs who they feel have been overlooked by management.

Some smarks have turned to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and Ring of Honor rather than World Wrestling Entertainment, as their supposed wrestling-based meritocracy is seen as superior to WWE's sports entertainment orientation. Others also investigate foreign wrestling, particularly Japanese.

Criticisms of Smarks

Smarks have been looked down upon by wrestlers and other wrestling fans alike because they are seen as fans who are incapable of suspending their disbelief. As such, they are very critical of matches and often have negative reviews of wrestling matches, storylines, and wrestlers in general.

Also, smarks are often instinctively critical of wrestlers who are heavily "pushed", even if the wrestler in question is greatly over with crowds or even if they originally supported them before their push. For instance, John Cena was once well liked by a section of the smark community as a dedicated and underappreciated young worker with great charisma and significant potential in the ring. Today, he has become one of the industry's biggest stars and is one of the most hated wrestlers among that same section of smarks.

Also, many smarks are seen as hypocrites for decrying the fact that the WWE seems to have a prejudice for big men, while at the same time expressing similar feelings of their own about the smaller, faster wrestlers. These views, however, are broad generalizations and do not apply to all wrestling fans (for example, some smarks recognize talent in big men, such as expressions of hope for Bobby Lashley).

Smarks have been blamed many times by various wrestling promotions (mostly WWE) of killing kayfabe, or the suspension of disbelief within the business.