Paul Heyman Explains Why WWE Deserves Emmy Award Consideration

Wrestling is comprised of several different elements, with the in-ring performers essentially being actors, athletes, and stunt-people, all tasked with performing live. Despite the fact that kayfabe is almost entirely dead now, wrestling is still taken seriously by most wrestlers, and winning an Emmy Award for a storyline might be the furthest milestone away to many, but Paul Heyman believes this shouldn't be the case.

Appearing on the "Sports Media with Richard Deitsch" podcast, Heyman pointed out how wrestling today has many complex scenes that play out in front of thousands of people, and suggested that this factor should make the athletes considered for awards as actors are. "If you're gonna consider them, then the question has to be asked, could they do their scenes in one take where bloopers go live?" he pointed out. "And I don't know if the answer to some of those people is gonna be yes. (...) I know that we do it."

Heyman then added that if performances are taken into consideration, then the impacts of performance also need to be taken into consideration, and made the case for how WWE merchandise has major effects on pop culture. "So, when you think about the fact that we're also commerce facilitators, we're on the cover of major video games, the merchandise that is sold by The Bloodline, by Seth Rollins, by CM Punk, by Cody Rhodes (...) that has to be taken into consideration!" he added, noting how WWE has a global impact on culture. "And when you look at that, how can they (...) ignore that?"

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Sports Media with Richard Deitsch" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.