Any adult still watches professional wrestling probably started doing so during childhood, so their parents seemed to think it was OK for their young eyes.
But even as those fans become parents themselves, they ask the same question: Should we let our children watch pro wrestling at a young age?
My parents let me watch it, maybe because they saw early on that I didn't mimic too many wrestling moves on my siblings, or that I could distinguish good and evil characters. Or maybe they knew it would keep me occupied. Even as an 8-year-old, I preferred to call it "entertained," but that's beside the point.
World Wrestling Entertainment's specific brand of pro wrestling has evolved from wholesome entertainment specifically aimed at youngsters to way edgier and often sexually-oriented content during periods like "The Attitude Era" back to what's known today as "The PG Era," in which kids remain the primary audience.
who grew up a huge wrestling fan in Memphis, about why he lets his youngest son (age 9) watch and keep up with WWE characters and storylines and how he and his wife often talk about it.
"My wife and I are both like, 'OK, it doesn't interfere with school.' It is sometimes used as an incentive, quite honestly," Brown said. "This is a balancing act just like anything else in parenting. You have to put limits on it. You certainly have to be cognizant of it getting in the way of life.
"I think with my son, he understands in the back of his head the reality of what this is. Whether it's fake or real is not that important to him. It's entertaining. That's what really matters to him."
Brown says it isn't just wrestling that drives this conversation, especially with how many television and streaming platforms exist to give young people as many options as possible to find exposure to potentially mature content. He says you have to have the same conversation about shows like "Breaking Bad," "House of Cards" or anything with adult themes, not just wrestling.
"My son does not typically watch WWE in any way, shape or form without some parental supervision there," Brown says. "I think the most objectionable part of WWE product is when the wrestlers are interacting with each other verbally. I don't think the 'violence' is that extreme because when a wrestler gets piledrived or whatever, for the most part, they get up. While that's nothing much different than a video game in the way we look at it and the way our son has processed that, we're always there to be mindful to the fact that when and if language does become objectionable, our son knows it.
"You don't suspend reality completely here, but the truth of the matter is these are conversations that your parents should be having with you beyond WWE. It doesn't start and end with these shows."
Brown also offers sound advice to parents who might remain on the fence about letting their kids watch pro wrestling on television.
The former tag team champ and Florida Gator is currently serving a 60-day suspension that will keep him out of WrestleMania after an incident that occurred during the Daniel Bryan retirement/career celebration weeks ago.
Our friends and "Rammer Slammer" contributors Ben Stark and Will Nevin break down what happened and discuss the long-term ramifications it could have on O'Neil's career and the WWE. We also replay my interview with Titus O'Neil from 2015, when the "Celebrity Dad of the Year" winner talked about tag teams, SEC football and fatherhood.
Do you let your children watch wrestling? Why or why not? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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