When Fandom Goes Too Far: Advice from CM Punk and Ludwig Kaiser

There is this weird thing that happens within fandoms. Were fans build a parasocial relationship with the subject of their fandom? You see this happen in everything, from actors. to musicians, to athletes, and yes, to professional wrestling. This isn’t a new thing, as there have always been “super” fans. But over the last 20 years, social media has become ingrained in the everyday life of so many people.

It’s almost like you have to provide access to your private life if you want to remain relevant. I remember a few years ago, when it was reported that all wrestlers in the WWE had to have a Twitter account and attend social media classes. This kind of access has only made the parasocial behavior of fans worse.

Some of them act like they are entitled to access to their favorite wrestler’s life, getting mad when a wrestler doesn’t drop everything for them. On the darker side of things, you get personal attacks, stalking, and death threats. I think fans sometimes forget that wrestlers are humans, and deserving of empathy and respect. Human decency and empathy are seemingly in short supply in today’s climate, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do our part to bring them back.

The Right to Privacy

Wrestlers don’t owe us anything more than giving us the best show they can each week. They go out every night, giving it their all to deliver the best matches possible, good promos, and exciting storylines. We pay them back by watching the show, going to events, and buying merchandise. That is where the transaction ends, though.

Fans who think it is okay to swarm wrestlers at airports, when they are out with their families, or show up at their hotel are out of line. There are meet and greet events, conventions, autograph signings, and fan experiences. These are the places to get stuff signed and have a chance to talk to your favorite wrestler. It isn’t when they are having dinner with their spouse and kids.

CM Punk and Rhea Ripley have both posted recently about respecting the word no, and not badgering wrestlers for autographs. Especially when you are asking them to sign multiple things.

Privacy goes beyond that, though; it’s also the right to have a private life. The number of stories we see about wrestlers being stalked is just sad. Sonya Deville had someone break into her home. Liv Morgan’s stalker is awaiting trial. I’ve also seen Twitter accounts that post threatening messages related to certain wrestlers. Stuff like countdown clocks, and talking about how they were going to disguise themselves as security.

This stuff goes beyond just a right to privacy, and sadly, it’s nothing new. Angle and Bret Hart both have talked about being stalked by fans.

Empathy and Understanding

The other side of the coin to this is the amount of hate that gets spewed. Recently, it came out that Ludwig Kaiser and Tiffany Stratton may have ended their relationship. And then pictures surfaced of Kaiser holding hands with WWE’s Spanish Host Andrea Bazarte. This of led to “fans” saying some pretty horrific things about Stratton. Kaiser posted a message on his Instagram, reminding fans that words have power.

We live in a timeline where a young Japanese wrestler was bullied online until she decided to take her own life. Our words have power, and when I see things like wrestlers getting death threats, it makes me sad to be a fan. No one should be sending death threats, ever. But to do it to a wrestler for some perceived slight? To quote Jimmy Valmer “Come On.”

While I don’t agree with Nixon Newell’s handling of the situation with AEW, she doesn’t deserve to be getting death threats over it. Our world is severely lacking in both empathy and understanding, and it’s so easy to hide behind the anonymity of a computer screen. But we can all do better; if all you can do is be negative, walk away and take a break. If you feel the need to insult someone or wish death on them, just don’t say anything at all. There is a way to have discourse and provide feedback. And insults and death threats are never the right way.