Quotes / Gorgeous George

"It's the early 1950s, and you are a regular, working class American Joe. You and your fellow countrymen are putting in long hours of back-breaking manual labor in order to pull the US out of the shadow of World War II. But on the weekends, you and your buddies decide to blow of some steam by taking in a wrestling show, and that's where you see him, his hair coiffed into delicate golden curls, his luxurious robe adorned with ruffles and roses. There's an arrogance to his stride as he stares down disdainfully at you and your working class brethren, and when he reaches the ring he refuses to enter until a mink rug is laid down before him and the canvas sprayed with perfume. This was Gorgeous George, a world class heel. Did he perhaps lean into some stereotypes that would later be found to be harmful? (laughs) Yes. But was he a master at making the working class America of the 50s despise him? Absolutely. He would cheat, he would hide behind his female valet, and he would refuse to acknowledge his own losses. The audience was so outraged after his first title win that he was swarmed and punched in the head, but if anything, that was only proof of how good a Heel George was. Millions would tune in to watch a Gorgeous George match, to the point where he was instrumental in popularising early televised wrestling. His impact could be condensed into a single piece of advice he gave to a 19 year old Muhammad Ali, one that would echo throughout not only Ali's career, but through the entire future of wrestling: "A lot of people will pay to see someone shut your mouth."

— Super Eyepatch Wolf, "Villains in Wrestling: The Art of Making People Hate You"