The subcultures of stand-up comedy and professional wrestling have a lot in common. So, it should be no surprise that we’re finding out about the same kind of rampant, institutional abuse in both worlds.

As someone who has spent time in both, they value secrecy, fraternal loyalty, aversion to emotional attachment, and concepts of “fierce individual expression” that are covers for terrible behavior. They also both have extensive histories of creating barriers for entry to women.

If this all sounds suspiciously like the culture of law enforcement, well...you’re starting to catch on.

Organizations and professional groupings that bristle at accountability, cultivate secrecy, and romanticize selfishness shouldn't be trusted and run counter to everything I believe in as an adult.

If your job hands out special rings, has a clubhouse with a secret handshake, or doesn't trust outsiders, guess what? It's probably hiding some awful shit for the sake of continuing to propagate that moral bankruptcy.

Also, "paying your dues" is another way of describing emotional abuse and grooming. That counts for every single industry across the board. It excuses treating people like shit under the guise of "toughening them up." No, it just melts your brain and turns you into a loyal stooge

You are not a "free thinker" if you go along with whatever someone says because they're richer and more successful than you are.

It’s worth noting the many egalitarian, open communities of comedy and wrestling out there, trying to fight back against this. And there’s the numerous traditionalists within comedy and pro wrestling that spend time complaining about those communities, who end up being abusers.