The Progressive Liberal is still the bad guy, but Harnsberger and James said the audiences have changed. "The last five years, it's just got out of hand," James said. People have become more frustrated, more divided, he said. And the Progressive Liberal offers an outlet for that built-up energy.
"The crowd has taken on a more violent approach towards me," said Harnsberger, who plays the Progressive Liberal in the ring. "I had rocks thrown at me. A lady pulled out a lighter, tried to light my trunks on fire while they are on me. And had someone else pull out a switchblade."
on a recent night in Stickleyville, Virginia, where Trump's share of the vote rose from an already overwhelming 78% in 2016 to 84% in 2020, it did turn ugly, and fast. As Harnsberger tried to engage with the people who'd paid to watch, he was drowned out by boos. A lot of that was expected. A man in the audience, Alex Adkins, told CNN the Progressive Liberal's opinions would not go down well: "Everybody wants to punch him in the face!" And a man with a Trump flag who didn't want to give his name said he wanted to see Harnsberger beaten up. "We love wrestling, first of all," he said as to why he was there. "But to come and show the liberal like, hey, we know what we stand for. Yeah, and definitely not the left side." When some in the audience told their neighbors to let Harnsberger speak, it boiled over. Punches were thrown. Someone was hit with a chair. "It got beyond the point of heat to it's dangerous," James said, explaining why they cut the bout short. More fights broke out and the brawling spilled into the parking lot.
https://www.kten.com/story/47755982/pro-wrestlers-used-to-love-to-be-hated-but-todays-political-tensions-make-that-dangerous
Harnsberger must have massive balls to play that character in Appalachia.
"The crowd has taken on a more violent approach towards me," said Harnsberger, who plays the Progressive Liberal in the ring. "I had rocks thrown at me. A lady pulled out a lighter, tried to light my trunks on fire while they are on me. And had someone else pull out a switchblade."
on a recent night in Stickleyville, Virginia, where Trump's share of the vote rose from an already overwhelming 78% in 2016 to 84% in 2020, it did turn ugly, and fast. As Harnsberger tried to engage with the people who'd paid to watch, he was drowned out by boos. A lot of that was expected. A man in the audience, Alex Adkins, told CNN the Progressive Liberal's opinions would not go down well: "Everybody wants to punch him in the face!" And a man with a Trump flag who didn't want to give his name said he wanted to see Harnsberger beaten up. "We love wrestling, first of all," he said as to why he was there. "But to come and show the liberal like, hey, we know what we stand for. Yeah, and definitely not the left side." When some in the audience told their neighbors to let Harnsberger speak, it boiled over. Punches were thrown. Someone was hit with a chair. "It got beyond the point of heat to it's dangerous," James said, explaining why they cut the bout short. More fights broke out and the brawling spilled into the parking lot.
https://www.kten.com/story/47755982/pro-wrestlers-used-to-love-to-be-hated-but-todays-political-tensions-make-that-dangerous
Harnsberger must have massive balls to play that character in Appalachia.
