Gay Pro Wrestler Dies in Apparent Suicide‎

[CowboyUp]

Sad news of another life tragically gone too soon: http://www.advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Entertainment_News/Out_Wrestler_Chris_Kanyon_Found_Dead/

Rest in Peace Chris Kanyon.

 

http://www.accelerator3359.com/Wrestling/pictures/kanyon.jpg

[Guest OCBeachbody]

Wow.... sad to see him go. I know when I was younger wrestling was still kinda strong... apparently in the 8o's there was a cartoon with the WWF.

I barely remember it other than Hulk Hogan was in it. I know the times I did watch it it was always a family thing lol.

 

Well at least he is in that big ring in the sky now.

[Guest rohale]

The media cant blame this one on Vince McMahon or his wife Linda as they have done in the past with wrestlers who have died from drug related problems. Perhaps if Chris Canyon had seeked help by joining one of WWE Wellness Programs and was in it for the long haul and really took it seriously, he might be well alive today. The tragedies of people like Canyon, former WWE wrestler, Test and that monster, Chris Benoit. If only they had tried to seek out help from the WWE or elsewhere, their individual outcomes might have turned out differently.

[JackTwist]

Sad.

 

Heard about Chris Kanyon over the weekend. Very sad to hear about another relatively young person dying due to depression, drug overdose, suicide, other reasons. He's appeared on the Stern Show several times and he always seemed like a friendly, down-to-Earth, intelligent guy. Chris graduated from the University of Buffalo and was a successful physical therapist prior to pursuing a career in pro-wrestling. My condolences to Chris’s family and friends.

 

http://www.gerweck.net/beta/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/chriskanyon.jpg

[Guest rohale]

WWE executives did not fire Chris Kanyon out of the company due to the fact that he was gay. The reason he was released from his contract with the WWE is that between the years 2001-2003, he had been proned to injury. He made his return in 2003 and was a jobber at mid-card level. About a year later, the WWE evaluated his worth with the company and head of talent relations, Jim Ross felt that he wasn't drawing money for the company and also from a storyline point of view, the creative team couldn't come up with any fresh ideas for his character to remain on canvas. Sometime in mid-Feb, 2004, the WWE released Chris Kanyon from his contract.

 

About a year later, Kanyon approached WWE CEO, Vince McMahon with the idea of having an openly gay character in the WWE. Vince rejected his idea stating that the character Dustin Runnels was playing which was "Goldust" had already been established in that role and utilising the character "Goldust" had been a big payoff for the WWE over the years. Kanyon then approached TNA ( Total Non-Stop Action ) and the Jarretts completely rejected his idea. However they felt that Chris Kanyon could be an asset to the wrestling company and utilised his talent until he wanted out sometime in late 2005 or early 2006.

 

The moment Kanyon announced to the world that he was a gay wrestler, not just in character, but also in real life. As a publicity stunt in 2006, he claimed that both WWE and TNA released him because he was gay. It later back fired on him when he was asked about why he hadn't filed a lawsuit against Vince McMahon and the WWE over his firing. At the same time considering that he and a couple of other wrestlers had filed a lawsuit against the WWE over the lack of health care benefits. He later back peddled his story by recanting his accusation about the WWE and why he was originally released from his contract. Over the last few years he made apologies to the WWE and his former one time boss, Vince McMahon in an effort to make ammends.

[JackTwist]

WWE executives did not fire Chris Kanyon out of the company due to the fact that he was gay.

 

Thanks for that clarification, Rohale.