EVERYTHING'S FAKE BUT THE DEATHS: Professional wrestler Curt Hennig, known as "Mr. Perfect" to his fans, was found dead in a hotel room yesterday. One of the more talented technical performers of the past two decades, Hennig had been scheduled to perform at an exhibition at the Florida State Fair last night. Hennig was 44 years old.
His former colleague Sean Waltman remembers Hennig here.
While the cause of death has not yet been established, this continuing run of wrestling deaths at early ages -- Rick Rude, Davey Boy Smith, Louie Spicoli, Owen Hart, Brian Pillman, Rick "the Renegade" Wilson, Bobby Duncum Jr. and Yokozuna all dead in the past few years by their mid-40s, and almost all related to steroids and/or painkillers -- is a severe indictment of an industry in need of reform.
Professional wrestling puts terrible pressure on these men's bodies -- to both be as big as possible and to absorb as much pain as possible, across a grueling travel schedule -- and these deaths are a sad, but now predictable outcome. I was a big wrestling fan growing up, but I can't imagine encouraging my children to watch wrestling when it's their turn.
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