World Wrestling Federation Entertainment (Were they on drugs when they changed their name?) announced on Monday a policy of random drug tests for performers. The shift comes in the wake of the death of Eddie Guerrero, a former WWE world champion. What took you guys so long?
In my interview with the Ultimate Warrior last year, he noted that road fatigue and the willingness of doctors to write pain-killer prescriptions contribute to the drug problems in wrestling. "There are ways other than hard work, diet, and discipline to achieve a healthy look on the outside, yet be messed up and damaged on the inside," Warrior explained. "This is what definitely happened to some of the guys I worked with who have since died. They get some juice and keep taking it and continue, as they always have, to practice unhealthy dietary habits. None of them really exercised hard. When they were young they could getaway with it. At 40-50 years of age, you throw in a bit of slimy street drugs and the fact you haven’t consistently practiced healthy exercise and diet habits and BAM!—the body says, 'No more.'"
Sometimes the picture of health is just that. Wrestlers sport impressive physiques that hide damaged organs. Drugs, performance enhancing and performance inhibiting, kill. They don't just kill 110-pound junkies and overweight comedians. They kill athletes with five percent body fat. They've killed an extraordinary number of wrestlers, giving the profession "wrestler" slightly more drug-related deaths than the profession "rock star" and slightly less drug-related deaths than the profession "drug dealer."
Did anyone catch Jake "the Snake" Roberts in the documentary Beyond the Mat or Chyna in The Surreal Life? Do you remember the cartoonish muscles of Superstar Billy Graham, Paul Orndorff, or Scott Steiner? How about the truly disturbing number of drug-related deaths in wrestling? In addition to the recent passing of Eddie Guerrero, the wrestling world has mourned the deaths of Rick Rude, Bobby Duncam, Jr., "Quickdraw" Rick McGraw, Kerry von Erich, Curt Hennig, Miss Elizabeth, Crash Holly, Road Warrior Hawk, the British Bulldog, and Brian Pillman, to name a few that come to mind. Their death certificates told different stories--overdoses, suicides, heart disease--but their lives had this in common: years of substance abuse.
Probably won't do much. I suspect most of what people take nowadays is entirely legal. They just load up on whey protein powder and other assorted powders.
Hawk is dead? I will never write another wrestling piece again!
Although I can't fathom how anyone can be entertained by wrestling, the reason for the name change, if I remember correctly has to do with a lawsuit. There is some wildlife organization that had the same initials and was known by them.
Haven't paid much attention to this as I'm not a huge wrestling fan, but this is an interesting topic as it sounds like professional wrestlers, by percentage of users, have more drug problems that most other professionals.
Ultimate Warrior's comments seems to tell the story as you look at these people and they do look perfect on the outside. To think that, for the most part, that "look" is drug enhanced is scary.
My understanding is that they changed their name because of a copyright lawsuit from the World Wildlife Fund, which was around first.
Great post. This is the type of diverse conversation that makes your blog a consistent good read.
Did you see the episode of Hogan Knows Best, where Hulk goes to a reception and notices how bad all his old Wrestling buddies look? It's a tough business. No doubt about that.
I just wonder if this is legit -- or if Vince McMahon is using "drug testing" to advance the story line the way radio stations "suspend" Shock Jocks -- to increase ratings ...
BTW, WWF is World Wildlife Fund.
Pro wrestling instituting random drug testing? Stop it. Please. I'm laughing so hard I can barely breathe!
Maybe I should have been more clear about my question. I understand the whole lawsuit with World Wildlife Fund. I don't understand why they settled on the new name of World Wrestling Entertainment. It's a really bad name.
Matt: I did see that episode of Hogan Knows Best. Although I didn't care for Hogan making a big deal of how much better he looked than Orndoff, Iron Shiek, etc., the fact is it's true. There have been years when I have been on the road for 50 or 60 events and it's really rough. These guys are on the road for 250-300 events. I can't imagine.
i actually feel bad for some of these guys who will do anything to jumpstart their careers. Riddling there body with juice and traveling ridiculous miles day in and day out. It almost seems like you have to be on some sort of drug just to make it through that day. maybe they should send that guy who goes to all those crap jobs and performs them for a while?
Interesting to note that long-time fat guys Dusty Rhodes, King Kong Bundy and Abdullah the Butcher (who's in his 70s) are still around and even wrestle from time to time.
Interesting that with all of the drug related deaths Mr. McMahon produced a DVD called the "Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior." Food for thought, eh? I mean, last time I checked and spoke with him Warrior was alive, healthy and in great shape.
Be well,
Sponge
Interesting indeed. Out of all the wrestlers I have seen come and go, I have the most respect for the Warrior. I've been a regular watcher of WWE programming for about 20 some odd years and he is the only guy who had extraordinary success in the ring and was able to walk away from the WWE machine with his head up, on his own terms and not on Vince McMahon's agenda.
I watched the so called "Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior" WWE propaganda DVD and laughed that they are STILL fixated on trying to get back at the Warrior because he won't come back to their little playground and play their game.
