In an exclusive interview with PWMania.com’s Lee Tarrier, former WWE star Luke Gallows shared his candid thoughts on Netflix’s new docuseries WWE: Unreal. Gallows gave his take on whether the show is scripted, the realities of backstage life at gorilla position, and how the series still manages to capture the essence of pro wrestling. You can read the entire interview by clicking here.
Here are some highlights:
On whether WWE: Unreal is scripted:
“I think it’s 100% scripted. But then again, all of reality television is scripted. That’s not even a knock on them—it’s just the nature of it. If you’re not scripting it, then what are you really doing?
I’ve always been skeptical about stuff like that anyway. Like, I don’t watch NASCAR, but when NASCAR comes to Atlanta, it’s a huge event. And my pro wrestling brain immediately goes, ‘If they’re not scripting this, what are they doing? Just slow down and let the guy pass you!’
You can create whatever narrative you want—so why not create it? That’s the essence of any reality show.”
On the reality of gorilla position:
“You know the gorilla position—I saw an episode of that. My son turned it on, and that part is completely legit. They’re all sitting right there. For years, it was Vince sitting there when you walked through the curtain, and then when you came back. Now it’s Triple H and his team. So all of that is absolutely real.”
On the narratives and suspension of disbelief:
“What I question are the narratives being spun—like, this person is mad at that person, you need to apologize, and so on. I don’t know how much of that is legit. But it makes for great television.
And at the end of the day, that’s the name of the game. Even when you pull the curtain back, the goal is still to suspend the fans’ disbelief. If you can take me from sitting on my couch to thinking, ‘Man, I believe Tiffany and Charlotte really do hate each other,’ that’s beautiful. That’s exactly what you’re supposed to do.
Whether it’s through a reality show, a promo in the ring, using social media, or bending the internet a little—that’s the goal. And it makes for good television.”
Gallows also discussed his iconic Festus character, working alongside CM Punk in the Straight Edge Society, his time with AJ Styles and Karl Anderson in The Club, and much more. You can check out the complete interview at this link.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this interview, please credit PWMania.com with a h/t to PWMania.com for the transcription.
