Perhaps no one in the history of WWE has a more fascinating relationship with fans than John Cena. The 16-time WWE Champion is adored by tens of millions yet every arena he appears in showers him in boos.
Cena’s polarizing reaction from fans was unprecedented. Typically a wrestler gets cheers or boos, but Cena was getting sonic booms of both.
Videos by PopCulture.com
In an interview with Bleacher Report, Cena covered his unusual relationship with WWE’s live audience.
“It was backward! Because normally in our industry, when you hear a certain noise, you become a bad guy. My job wasn’t to do that, which was a bit of wandering into no man’s land.
“At the WWE, it’s our job to tell stories. I’m one of the few characters who can be in the WWE and can then take that experience and spin it out to real-life lessons. When you can clock into work and make a difference in someone else’s life, that’s a good way to make a living.”
“So, it was different at first. But I’m so glad it happened because now I can stand at events like this one.”
Bleacher Report followed up by bringing up Kurt Angle’s “You Suck” chant and how it’s an exclamation of endearment. But does the “Cena Sucks” chant feel like a compliment to the 16-time champion?
“I’ve always taken any sort of audible response as a compliment, and I always understand it is our consumers’ right and privilege to say whatever they want at our events. So as long as there’s no silence, I’ll keep being excited.”
However, Cena is less enabling towards internet trash talk:
“But that stuff in the arenas is one thing. The comments on the internet—the obnoxious, visceral comments—are baffling to me. I just don’t know why that’s the way it is.”
It sounds like as long as you make noise (other than negatively pecking at your keyboard) John Cena will be happy. Cena’s odd relationship with the fan base looks to have set a precedent. Roman Reigns now gets a similar treatment from WWE’s live audience. However, it seems like certain demographics of fans are intent on having the whole area boo Reigns, so he may actually have it tough than Cena in terms of disdain from the crowd.
Some day soon, fans will have the opportunity for both cheer and boo Cena and Reigns in the same match as it looks like WWE is marching towards that super fight.
