Episode 8: The Entertainment of Wrestling

Since the gladiatorial days of the Roman Empire, there has been a public fascination with displays of physical prowess, brute strength and virility. Onward through history, Greco-Roman wrestling continued to be an honored sport, later evolving into an entertainment form drawing crowds at 19th century European vaudeville and sideshows, and by the mid 20th century, the popularity of televised boxing saw rise to a new stylization of the ancient arena display: professional wrestling.

What do we really know of this entertainment form, what it seeks to provide the viewing audience, and what many of those devoted audience members expect from it?

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