Paredyse Lost

Yesterday’s article described Jimmy Jacobs, who is smaller and less masculine than other wrestlers, yet finds a way to win many matches, and most importantly, to entertain and excite the fans.  Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) has a similar personality in Paredyse.

He is a lean, long-haired, and effeminate pretty-boy, often sporting the most revealing little speedos, dancing and prancing around with abandon, and wearing plenty of make-up and hair coloring.  He takes flamboyance to a new level of sexy and silly.  And while gender-bending wrestlers have often played the vicious, catty Heel (i.e., Gorgeous George, Adrian Street, Adrian Adonis, and Goldust to name a few), Paredyse is the Baby-Face, the Hero, the Good Guy.  Is our society perhaps growing more accepting of gays and the gay lifestyle?  Is the crowd’s willingness to cheer for the wrestling sissy an indication of increased tolerance?

On his Ringside at Skull Island blog, Joe has described the interesting feud between Paredyse and another colorfully dressed (but ostensibly straight) wrestler: Brandon Espinosa.

Brandon must be the queerest looking wrestler in OVW outside of Paredyse, yet he also mocks and insults Paredyse for being such a femme.  This irony is perhaps intended to point out that the most hateful homophobes are often closeted homosexuals.  Perhaps Brandon is jealous of Paredyse for living his life so care-free, guilt-free, and on his own terms.  Or perhaps Brandon is threatened by the overt homo-erotic sexuality of Paredyse and the possibility that this fatal attraction may “out” him.

On the 2/4/12 episode of OVW, Paredyse — all 210 pounds of fabulous femininity — was thrown in the ring with this superior beast: Rob Terry  — whose 260 pounds of raw hyper-masculine power is barely contained by his black pleather trunks. If you like your wrestlers huge and powerful looking, your jaw must be sore from hitting the floor every time Terry flexes his way to the ring.  What is the point of this one-sided and unfair contest?  It’s like throwing a kitten wearing a pretty bow into a hungry gorilla’s cage.

Undaunted, Paredyse danced to the ring in snow white boots, shiny blue tights and a matching scarf.  Despite the unfair odds — the likelihood of his destruction — he remained positive, fabulous, and gay.

The reason many fans have fallen in love with Paredyse is his untamed spirit — his unbreakable positive energy.

Paredyse can’t resist exploring Terry’s spectacular body, running a hand gently and temptingly down his well-developed pectorals while feeling up his own body with the other hand in comparison.  Terry doesn’t react immediately — perhaps enjoying the body worship as most body-builders do, or perhaps considering the offer.

These antics by Paredyse provide an explanation, an impetus, for his painful defeat.  While the fans love his colorful clothing and sissified antics, he has crossed a line here, imposing his sexuality on his heterosexual opponent.  The events will unfold to show Paredyse being punished for his indiscretion — for trying to recruit Rob Terry.

The name “Paredyse” sounds like “Paradise,” and the word Paradise is defined as: “a place of extreme beauty, delight, or happiness.  A state of supreme bliss.”   So the name of the wrestler implies ecstasy, enjoyment, and pleasure.  The implication, the subliminal advertising, is that this man can take us to “paradise” — he can provide happiness and eternal pleasure.

As expected, Rob manhandles the smaller and weaker man, easily throwing him around like a bag of garbage — a bag of very sparkly, brightly-colored garbage, but garbage none-the-less.

Inserting his hand between the legs of Paredyse to repeatedly scoop him up and “Body-Slam” him implies a penetration — an act of violation by the more masculine and dominant person on the recipient — the feminine — the violated person.

Seeing their once happy and dancing Hero now rendered helpless, his celebration prevented, his lovable flamboyance muted, further endears Paredyse to the fans.  It’s like a wonderful party has been interrupted by a big ugly cop, and everybody loves a good party.

Except for a few beautifully executed Drop Kicks, his white boots driven into the big man’s face and chest, Paredyse is utterly defenseless and helpless.  His efforts to slam Terry, to assume the dominant role, are easily ignored, as if Paredyse is nothing more than an annoying gnat trying to bother a moose.

The match represents the clash of masculine and feminine.  The Male Archetype, Rob Terry, is huge and bulging, with the very symbol of his manhood prominently displayed.  The Female Archetype, Paredyse, is seductive, beautiful, submissive, and weaker.  The match reinforces to the (primarily male) fans that Testosterone trumps Estrogen, that might makes right, that our Patriarchal society, such as it still exists, is logical.  The assault and destruction of Paredyse is the re-affirmation of the superiority of masculinity.

But Paredyse represents the inner girl in all of us — the vulnerable, the easily crushed, our hidden weakness.  Seeing his defeat inspires our compassion for the bullied and beaten (we’ve all been there, done that).

So, while we enjoy the affirmation of manliness that Rob Terry provides, at the same time our hearts go out to the helpless sissy utterly crushed by these over-whelming odds.  Paredyse is at once our whipping boy and the object of our affection.