Wrestling with Criticism: The World Wrestling Federation's Ironic Campaign against the Parents Television Council

Sociologists have long studied how moral entrepreneurs construct claimsmaking campaigns. However, their opponents' strategies to mount counterclaimsmaking campaigns are less studied. This article examines how the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) used humor to attack its enemy, the Parents Television Council. By using narrative structures familiar to its fans, the WWF exploited characteristics of its opponent suitable for parody. It created a group of wrestlers called the Right to Censor who preached the moral values espoused by the Parents Television Council, yet were the most flagrant cheaters in the industry. This case study shows that under the right circumstances counterclaimsmaking using irony and satire can be effective.