The November 1988 issue of WWF Magazine contained a summary of a feud that erupted between “Outlaw” Ron Bass and Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake. Some of you may recall this bloody war for Alpha Male dominance between the Outlaw and the Barber, which was shockingly brutal for its time.
The scene begins with the vicious cowboy Ron Bass defeating jobber Jim Evans and using his deadly bullwhip (which he called “Miss Betsy” for some reason) to punish and choke the poor kid. Before Bass can slice the helpless wimp with his sharp metal spurs, Brutus Beefcake (resplendent in zebra stripes) rushes into the ring to rescue the kid. Beefcake is portrayed as the savior, the Great American Hero, using his power and muscle to prevent the abuse of poor, helpless little Jim Evans.
The heroic rescuer tosses the Outlaw out of the ring. The many fans who supported (and/or lusted after) Mr. Beefcake are screaming “No Brutus, NO! Don’t pick a fight with Ron Bass! He’s only going to hurt you later and whip your bare back with Miss Betsy!”
“Beefcake” was just what his name implied: he was eye-candy meant to excite and entice the viewer. His muscular body was both covered and graciously exposed. He was a modern version of masculinity — beautiful, self-absorbed, and showy. It was easy to support and cheer for a man so willing to expose himself to the male gaze.
Beefcake next grabbed his big scissors (the very symbol of his masculinity and potency) and cuts the whip into pieces as Bass “howled” in pain — as if physically suffering from the cutting of his whip. This symbolic castration inflicted by Beefcake destroys the Outlaw’s instrument of strength and punishment, his weapon, his phallus. Note that the article uses the term “amputated” to describe the severed whip tip, to make the point that this was a mutilation of Ron Bass, a gelding.
The Outlaw is further emasculated because the man who is neutering and humiliating him, Brutus Beefcake, is dressed in effeminate tight clothing, laced up the sides to expose his bare flesh, with long hair pouring down his shoulders. Beefcake is meant to appear like a stereo-typical Homosexual icon, a male stripper. The destruction of the manly Outlaw’s long whip is even more degrading because it was performed by an apparent sissy-boy.
Ron Bass was a rough, tough, aggressive cowboy — the very symbol of masculinity, independence, and gumption in America. To intimidate his opponents (and the fans), he strode to the ring with spurs on his heels, carrying his dangerous bullwhip as the crack of leather striking flesh echoed across the arena. Mmm, kinky!
For the flamboyant Brutus Beefcake to emasculate this manly-man is unacceptable. Our patriarchal social order requires that masculinity reigns supreme. Therefore Beefcake must suffer. He must be shown being punished for cutting up the Outlaw’s big whip. The role of pro wrestling is to present the ideal of masculinity, followed by the loss of power and strength, and finally the redemption of masculinity as the dominant force of nature.
To be continued…