Turns out the taunting discourse of pro wrestling in Appalachia—which flourishes there in community centers as in no other part of the country—is rooted in a mountain tradition of stylish insult that goes back more than a century. There is even a formalistic quality to the over-the-top bragging and physical threats, writes Emily Hilliard in her wide-ranging book Making Our Future: Visionary Folklore and Everyday Culture in Appalachia (2022).
