Cheap Shots: Wrestlers Don’t Owe The Fans Autographs and Pics

So there’s been some grumbling in some parts about some superstars refusing to take pics with fans at airports, so let’s just put this out here: Fans are not entitled to pictures with WWE Superstars just because they run into them in public. That especially goes for female superstars. Many male fans seem to think that they are doing the women a service by cheering for them and therefore the women owe them a picture or autograph.

The sexist entitlement that some men have towards any woman is sickening on its own, but to think that a woman who has busted her butt, trained very had, and works a grueling schedule ‘owes’ a man their success and so should be honored to stop and take a picture when they’re in a hurry or tired from a long flight is on a whole different level. It also ignores the fact that female fans very often support female wrestlers. The wrestling fandom is not now, nor has it ever been, a boys’ club.

However, the guys have also been catching plenty grief for refusing lately. Roman Reigns, in particular, seems to plagued by fans claiming that he’s refused to take pictures with children. At least one of these stories was a pack of lies that was quickly discovered in the ‘evidence’ the accuser provided. Roman was accused on Sunday of telling a little girl to ‘get lost’ when she asked for a picture. Here’s the context: Reigns is on vacation with his wife and three children after barely being home for about a month due to the overseas touring. According to Reigns, who had to take time from his vacation to deal with this nonsense, he was feeding his sons and talking to his daughter (yeah, the guy asked Reigns for an autograph, even though he could see that Reigns was with his family), when a grown man approached him for an autograph. Reigns admitted that he refused, but tried to explain that he didn’t get a lot of time to spend with his kids  but the guy stormed off and called Reigns a ‘sell out’. When Reigns clapped back at the accusations, the accuser doubled down and said his daughter could verify his story, not really seeming to consider the very poor lessons he was teaching his daughter about how to behave in public.

The lack of self-awareness and sense of entitlement in people who get upset when celebrities refuse to sign autographs and take pictures while in a public setting, especially when they’re with family and/or friends is a whole article in and of itself, but to make up a whole story to generate sympathy for yourself while basically saying ‘I acted like an entitled brat’ is just…ugh, and especially to behave that way in front of your own child and the child of the celebrity you’re demanding something from.

Let me say it again: The WWE Superstars don’t owe fans pictures and autographs when they are out with their families, SOs, or when they are traveling to entertain other fans. If you happen to see a WWE Superstar out in public, treat them like you would anyone else. If you want a picture or autograph, ask and try using the word ‘Please’. If they say no, don’t take it personally or call them out on Twitter, unless they’re extremely rude about it. They’re humans too and are entitled to privacy when out with their families or even just going to and from work. You are not entitled to their time away from the ring. Period.