If you look back over the history of the mat sport, many terrific competitors have been saddled with all sorts of silly shticks. We've had more than our fair share of Mummies, Frankenstein monsters, Wolfmen, clowns, hobos, and even ne`er-do-well superheros, but these poorly developed acts usually died a quick and painless death. The exceptions to this rule are Kane and the Undertaker, two of matdom's weirdest gimmicks. There is no easy way to explain their popularity other than to say that it has been consistent.
In fact, on paper, there is really no explanation ar all. At the height of his dark and brooding phase, the Undertaker was, at best, a monosyllabic lumbering giant, with Brother Love, and later Paul Bearer, doing all of his lip work for him, and if the truth be told, Kane has been even worse!
The Undertaker has finally come out of his crypt and started talking over the past few years (not that he's saying anything worth listening to, but it's a start). I suspect that before long, the WWF announcing crew will begin referring to him as "Undertaker" Mark Calaway, as he distances himself ever further from his brimmed hat and trench coat and makes his transition from gimmick to bona fide grappler.
Kane is another story. There has been talk recently that he'll unmask and try to retain the character, which seems implausible. The painted hockey mask and black & red threads are the whole blamed gimmick! Take away the costume and you've got just another guy named Joe (or in this case, Glen Jacobs), depending totally on his gift of grappling.
In the case of both men, that's not such a bad thing; there are definite ring abilities lurking beneath the freaky facades, but shifting gears from lumbering around the ring in a ponderous stupor to physically taxing yourself in every match will be hard to adjust to. Imagine getting paid a sizable sum to stumble around the ring for years and then being asked to work up a sweat for the same amount of dough. Fuggettaboutit!
The goofy ghoul gimmicks have served the two athletes well, and most assuredly, "Undertaker" Mark would like the fans to see some of the talent which has been buried under this marketing machinery for all those years. The same can probably be said for Glen, who did more with a very limited gimmick than anyone could have ever dreamed possible. Even under tons of makeup and special effects, the boys have been able to shine almost in spite of the creepy characters assigned to them.
The chapter is finally coming to a close on such gimmicks as grapping ghouls, wacko rasslin` clowns, and weirdos. (Oh, yeah. Goldust is back. Hurray…zzzzzzzz.) What will be left in their wake? Hopefully, athletes who are able to draw crowds based on ability, talent, and natural charisma.
If Kane and the Undertaker can let go of the security found in the form of their gimmicks and succeed (now, that's the hard part), there is a great chance that change looms ahead.
While the ghastly getups will eventually fade, the memory of Mark and Glen will linger on. Many fans will recall their exploits. A few will even wonder about the popularity of the characters.