Paul Bearer (real name Bill Moody) is a
WWE manager and former wrestler, best known for his years managing
The Undertaker. During the course of his tenure at WWE he also managed
Mankind,
Vader and
Kane. In
kayfabe his character was portrayed as a funeral director with certain mystical powers centered around an urn that he carried with him that seemed to empower whoever he managed. He was also later revealed to be the biological father of Undertaker's half-brother
Kane.
He has also been a funeral director and mortician in
Real Life, which was the
inspiration for the gimmick.
The Other Wiki has a more detailed rundown of his career and kayfabe history
here
.
Tropes associated with Paul Bearer include:
- Acrofatic: He actually took some impressive bumps every now and then, and could dart away pretty quick when it looked like he was going to be attacked at ringside.
- Amplifier Artifact: The urn.
- The Artifact: By the end of the 90's as a manager he was basically the Last of His Kind.
- Big "YES!": His Catch Phrase.
- The Bus Came Back: Had surprise returns in 2004, 2010, and 2012.
- Catch Phrase: OOOOOOHHH YEEEESSSS!!
- When being interviewed: Oooooohhh, Mr. (surname of interviewer)...
- Chewing the Scenery: Tended to get very into his character.
- Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Ever since Summer Slam 1996 when he betrayed The Undertaker for Mankind.
- Corpsing: Bearer just barely made it out of the camera's sight before cracking up in this interview before the 1992 Royal Rumble, where he was acting so hammy he made himself laugh. The Undertaker remaining stoic as usual was an impressive feat. Paul Bearer has stated in interviews that he often tried to make Undertaker give in and laugh on camera, though it is unknown how many times he succeeded.
- Dye Hard: Is actually a redhead.
- Evil Is Hammy
- Evil Redhead: When he stopped dying his hair in 1997.
- Evil Sounds Deep: Completely inverted with his high-pitched voice.
- Fat Bastard
- Guyliner
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Amongst other things, he really hammed it up to get The Undertaker to laugh. In one memorable promo, he got the giggles himself.
- Honorary Uncle: To Mankind for a while.
- I Am His Father: Accidentally "revealed" that he was Kane's father while talking to Jerry Lawler, not knowing that the camera was still rolling.
- I Have No Son: Seems to go back and forth on this with his kayfabe son Kane.
- Large Ham: And how! I mean, just look at him!
- Last of His Kind: The last male manager for many years.
- Louis Cypher: One possible interpretation, given his sharp dressed looks and father figure role to both Kane and Taker, two wrestlers frequently described as demons from hell.
- The Load: The reason Undertaker gave for burying him in cement in 2004. He's also proven to be this to Kane after his 2010 return, which is partly why he didn't rush to save him in 2012 when Orton kidnapped him.
- Mean Character, Nice Actor: He is very open with his fans and actually talks to them on his Facebook group.
- Non-Action Guy: This was lampshaded on the May 10, 1999 episode of Raw is War when he was forced by Shawn Michaels to wrestle The Big Show.
- Porn Stache
- Punny Name
- Say My Name: KAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
- Sharp Dressed Man
- Sinister Minister: When presiding over Undertaker and Stephanie McMahon's "wedding".
- Talk Show With Fists: "The Funeral Parlor", an interview segment he had with The Undertaker in the early 90's.
- Wham Line: "He's alive! Kane is alive, Undertaker!"
- Wrestling Doesn't Pay: Inverted, as he is actually a certified mortician in real-life, and currently operates a funeral home in Mobile, Alabama.
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