Drew McIntyre started breaking the fourth wall during the pandemic era to make a connection with the audience at home.
The former World Champion recently had an interview with Busted Open to promote Saturday's Survivor Series WarGames event. Among other things, he talked about his experience of wrestling in empty arenas during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Scottish Warrior discussed how it was an unprecedented time, and they had to figure out a way to make a connection with the audience at home:
The first night I started breaking the fourth wall and looking down the camera, because I was like 'Okay, we have to make a connection with people at home.' We're the only original content sports and entertainment out there right now. Everyone's scared. It was a different time.
We're Gonna Be There: Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre explained that everyone who performed during those times had to experiment with things to find their rhythm. For him, breaking the fourth wall and looking directly at the camera was a way to give assurance to the audience in the trying times:
We didn't know what was going on, and that was the first thing I thought, was, 'Let's make eye contact.' We can't feel them in the arena. We can't look them in the eye in the arena.
But we can look them in the eye at home and say, 'Hey, don't worry. We're gonna be there for you a couple of times a week and give you that escape.' So every week I would try something different. Everybody else will try something different. And we did what we had to do.