It’s Dark Outside the Spotlight
It’s been four days now since the body of WWE wrestler Chris Benoit was discovered along with the bodies of his wife and son, who were murdered at his hands.
It’s taken four days for me to get to the point where I’m sitting here and composing and organizing the thoughts and the facts and the feelings to a point where it’s hopefully coherent and readable.
I think everyone reacted to the initial news of the deaths of the Benoit family the same way. Someone must have broken into the house and killed everyone. No one even considered that the cause could have been murder-suicide. By the time WWE Monday Night Raw went on the air, there still wasn’t any discussion of what investigators now believe to be the causes of death: strangulation, suffocation, and suicide. Vince McMahon praised Benoit and dedicated the evening’s programming in tribute to him.
Two hours into the 3-hour broadcast, investigators told the media that they believed that Benoit killed his wife Nancy and son Daniel over the weekend, and then killed himself on Monday. At that point, the responses to these incidents have ranged from merciful (to forgive him for making a bad choice, possibly in the heat of the moment) to delusional (police cover-up for a criminal at-large) to ignorant (I could care less who he murdered because he was a great wrestler) to hateful (people hoping that he burns/rots/is located at this moment in Hell).
Pro wrestling is at a crossroads. The death of Eddie Guerrero was in the mainstream media for a day. The killing of the Benoit family has had legs for four days now across major network and cable news programming, as well as the print media. In fact, Benoit’s picture is on the cover of People magazine last week. There is truly an opportunity right now to correct the ills of the pro wrestling business so that it never happens again.
Sadly, WWE already seems to be moving on and sweeping any mention of Benoit under the rug.
There’s no excuse for what Benoit did to his family and to himself. What’s worse is that all of us want closure and to know the reason why he did what he did. That reason went to the grave with Chris. We are unable to accept that someone whose performances we enjoyed in a wrestling ring would have the capacity to do what the authorities allege. Chris Benoit the performer (who we only know from watching on TV and from the accounts from his friends) was obviously different than the Chris Benoit that was violent with his wife and ended up killing his family.
Regardless of whether you believe he committed these acts or what your judgment of these acts are, you have to believe that his employment indirectly contributed to these actions. Pain management issues and the grind of life on the road seem to be the most obvious ones in my mind.
The wrestlers and employees of WWE have discounted their own issues of pain and working hundreds of days on the road per year because they are just “part of the job.” The problem is that it is obvious that wrestlers are overworked and underprotected. They don’t know any better that they are in an intolerable working environment because they have been bred to believe that it is okay. If those issues are okay and just a part of the business that you have to put up with, then I guess you can say that there’s nothing wrong with a weary, mentally unstable guy rushing home to be with his family (who is crying out for him to come home more often) to kill them. I guess in that case, murder-suicide is just “part of the business.”
The common argument from the other side is that wrestlers choose their career, and they have to accept such risks as pain and the possibility of broken families as part of that career. If you agree with that point of view, then you must also believe that the workers depicted in Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle had to accept the risks of becoming packaged in Durham’s Pure Leaf Lard. WWE owes their employees a duty of care as all companies do for their employees. That includes protecting their health and well-being. Now, I wouldn’t argue that if an employee willingly chose to work 60 hours a week could sue their company for ending up with a heart attack and a divorce, but the organizational culture of pro wrestling is such that it is encouraged to overwork yourself, which leads to overmedication, injury, and trouble at home.
I don’t know Chris Benoit personally, but by all accounts, his actions have shocked everyone who knew him because it was so uncharacteristic of his personality. If this could happen to him, I think it could happen to any of them. It seems that a particular combination of physical, mental, and psychological fatigue set him off.
It is time now, while the media attention is on WWE, for the company to step forward and hold its wrestlers further accountable for their personal well-being. For example, the Wellness Policy needs to account for both physical and mental health. Granted, with a man as private as Benoit, he might have denied that there were any troubles at home, but look at a guy like Randy Orton who has consistently had issues with anger management over the past year. Same goes for Rhino, who got fired from WWE after throwing a plant at his wife in public. What about Kurt Angle, who was not only on the verge of divorce, but he was also a prescription drug addict? What about Edge, who has been divorced twice within four years?
These aren’t far-off incidents… they’ve all occurred within the institution of WWE’s Wellness Policy. There are probably a lot more guys in WWE with mental health, family, and marital issues than the company wants to admit. Still, having a counselor or therapist who is trained to deal with psychiatric and sports psychological issues would be a good thing to have available on-site at the shows.
If the company is unwilling to take the step of amending the Wellness Policy, then the next step needs to be taken by the wrestlers themselves: finally form a union or at least petition to become part of the TV union. Pro wrestlers are actors, stuntmen, and athletes all rolled into one. I’m sure that the stuntman jumping 5 stories out of a burning building is in the union. Why can’t pro wrestlers? Of course, there are always rumors that nobody would agree on anything and you’d have boys stooging off to management, but you have that already in some of the trade unions. A lot of these arguments are also coming from old-timers that would have a lot to lose if there was a union and the playing field became more level.
The WWE wrestlers are probably too scared to do that, though. They’ll tell you to your face that they like their jobs and they like the company and they would never end up doing anything like Benoit did. The real reason is that they don’t want to lose their jobs, but they are most likely protected by labor laws if they want to unionize now that WWE is a publicly traded company. With three brands now, WWE can afford to let wrestlers have more time off per week. Instead, Vince is seeking to choke as much money out of his circus animals as he possibly can before taking them out behind the tent and shooting them.
On top of that, this is the perfect time to stage a walkout. Public opinion is against WWE management right now, and the spotlight is on them to see what their next moves are. If the talent got in front of the cameras and told the media that they don’t want to end up like Chris Benoit, the media would have a field day, and McMahon would likely have to bend to public pressure to allow a union to form if it was done on the basis of protecting the health and well-being of the performers. If even half the roster walked out, WWE could not continue to put together 5 hours of programming per week with scabs and whatever developmental guys they could call up to take their places. It wouldn’t be the same. Vince might believe that a few main eventers and a bunch of the undercard guys are replaceable, but WWE fans would not.
People will probably say that a wrestler’s union would be bad for the business, but it would be better than federal regulation, which could be closer than you think. Anyway, this isn’t a pro wrestling opinion… it’s a business opinion and an ethics discussion. Is it ethical for WWE to continue to let its performers lead a lifestyle that is ultimately self-destructive?
There is a reason why World Championship Wrestling was such a destination for wrestlers in the ’90s. Their work schedule was much lighter than WWE’s. Guys were tired of working 300 days a year. WCW only required half that schedule. You see the same phenomenon now in TNA. The money may not be as great, but for guys that have already made themselves financially secure in WWE, it is extending their careers and their lives. While it could be argued that Kurt Angle hasn’t changed much mentally since his release last fall from WWE, one hopes that the lighter schedule is helping him to recover physically and helping his family to recover emotionally from his years on the road.
Finally, if WWE and the wrestlers don’t take some sort of action to correct the situation, then the only thing we can do as fans is to petition the company and boycott it, if necessary. Normally, boycotts are organized by religious fanatics, but there needs to be a message sent to WWE that we as fans are tired of our heroes dying young and full of life issues. We also realize that our heroes are human beings, and when they need help, it should be provided to them.
In closing, if you continue to personally support the WWE product by purchasing pay-per-views, buying their merchandise, attending live event shows, or doing anything else that puts new money into Vince McMahon’s pocket, you are as guilty of perpetuating this abuse as WWE is.
How many more need to incur health issues from unprescribed steroid usage to make you cheer louder for them and be in awe of their size and build?
How many more need to end up in wheelchairs like Billy Graham and Dynamite Kid?
How many more need to become addicted to painkillers so they can wow you with another high spot that’s bigger than the last one they performed for you?
How many more need to end up dead from drug overdoses and heart attacks related to prior drug use?
How many more children need to be away from their fathers 12 days at a time, only to get 2 days with them before they start all over again?
How many more wives need to wonder whether their husbands are cheating on them while they’re on the road, either with co-workers or with groupies?
How many more men and women need to die in order to entertain you?
I am now embarrassed to call myself a wrestling fan.
June 29th, 2007 at 10:53 am
One problem with this tragedy is that the media is going to glom onto the EASY explanation, which is that Benoit went into a ‘roid rage (there’s no lack of evidence that he was on them), while completely ignoring the other, and just as likely, explanation: chronic traumatic encepalopathy. In layman’s terms: repeated concussions causing irreversible brain damage. This is a concern that is starting to grow in volume in the NFL, given recent events with high-profile names like Tank Johnson or the recent suicide of Andre Waters. Christopher Nowinski, the only Harvard grad to ever graduate into the WWE (whom I’ve met just before he graduated and who, after suffering a pair of concussions in the ring, subsequently retired), has asked for Benoit’s brain after the autopsy, to determine if it shows evidence of the tangles and deterioration evident from chronic trauma. As Nowinski, who knew Benoit, said: “The guy used to take chairs to the back of the head!” How many wrestlers have suffered concussions and have gone on to exhibit personality changes, mood swings, violent behavior, etc? Probably many many more than are willing to admit.
Now, while your op-ed about the state of the WWE and what should be done about it contains valid points, one of the problems is the players themselves. You’re a wrestler, you’re on the stage making millions of dollars and playing to the roar of a crowded auditorium. How likely are you to say, “I can’t do it anymore. I’ve had 3 concussions and I have to walk away from this.” Probably just as likely as a starting lineman to give up his position as well. I’d be interested in seeing a study comparing number of concussions between pro-wrestling and football and rugby and see which is the worst, cross-analyzing these stats with complaints/documented episodes of off-field violence, mood swings, etc.
Don’t forget there’s a litigious component, as well. Many corporations don’t want to suffer a lawsuit by pulling a player because they failed a test of cognition or a blood test came back positive for an illegal chemical or a marker that indicates the body is breaking down. Simply put, what if they’re wrong? It’s the same mentality behind the relatively lax IOC steroid testing policies with ridiculously high levels of markers allowed before a red flag is set off. Pull an athlete and declare them broken down or a user or injured and you do, sometimes, irreparable harm in the form of sponsorship and playing time. For the majority of these athletes, they don’t have an MBA to fall back on or a college degree that qualifies them for a position of any more importance than a pool cleaner nor have they probably been making wise investments with their lucrative contracts to set them up for a life of relaxation. All they have is the field of play and only when they’re dead will you be able to drag them off.
And while I agree that the corporate suits may be an evil master to bow down to, unionizing for the sake of the players may not put much of a dent in the disability quotient. Like I’ve said, no one is going to turn away from fame and fortune because of a few aches and pains that can be alleviated by pharmaceuticals. It’s AFTER the fact that they take stock of their lives and say, “Hey, you should have looked out for me! Now I want to be compensated!” Look at the NFL. While there are a few who look back with 20/20 precision, for the greatest majority of retirees who now have arthritis, decreased mobility, obesity, etc., look at interviews with these players. When the reporter asks the question: “If you knew then what you know now, would you still have played?” the answer is nearly unanimously a variation of “Are you kidding? It’s the N. F. L, man. Of course, I’d have done it.”
For the NFL, it’s a little easier. A player has suffered trauma? Pull him. You’ve got a depth chart 3 deep at each position. In the WWE, though?
Benoit’s case, although horrible, has the potential to be a blessing in a macabre disguise. If his brain can be examined and a link drawn between head trauma and personality changes/extreme violence, we can put that knowledge to use and defuse ticking time bombs before they have a chance to go off.
June 30th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
“If this could happen to him, I think it could happen to any of them.”
I think this is probably the most important line in the article. For a seemingly mild-mannered, quiet guy to carry out these horrific acts does make you worry about the more aggressive wrestlers.
You make plenty of valid points about them working long hours and compared to regular working folk it is ridiculous. Even compared with other athletes making around about the same region of money such as soccer players or American footballers it is crazy.
You are also very right in saying that there needs to be a huge overhaul in terms of health and number of hours they work but with Vince making easy money from live events and PPVs (there was just recently 3 in about 4/5 weeks), sadly it looks like not much will change. You just need to look at the shocking number amount of wrestlers that have died young, you would have hoped that they would have at least learned something over the years but sadly that is not the case.
Oh yeah, apologies if my original comment (that was made when the details were a bit sketchy) came across as being ignorant. That was certainly not the intention. I was under the assumption that there was a mass murder and was paying tribute to Benoit, much like RAW initially did. At no point was I ignoring that innocents died, especially a seven year old boy. Just want to clarify things in case people thought I was being a heartless dick.
July 1st, 2007 at 5:26 am
Thought the op-ed was very well written, and the following opinions as well. I just wanted to add that I don’t feel that I’m ignorant for remembering Benoit for the performer he was. I do think that much needs to be learned from this tragedy and I hope that we and the WWE can learn and move forward from this. Not to mention most importantly the Benoit family and Nancy’s family (can’t remember the last name right now).
I’m not ashamed to be a wresting fan. If I started pointing the finger at every instution that had an individual perform a horrendous act that the institution probably enabled I wouldn’t be able to listen to a single note of music again in my life.
July 2nd, 2007 at 7:27 am
Delvin, there’s a difference between remembering Benoit for who he was to some of the more delusional responses I’ve seen out there. I copied some over from my blog:
To me, Chris Benoit was one of the greatest techincal wrestlers to have ever lived. I am a wrestling fan, I am not a media whore. I refuse to read all these articles speculating about what happened when the proof is not there. In the grander scheme of things, I really don’t care if he did kill his wife and child and them himself. What Benoit did has no effect on me as a person what-so-ever… The only way a wrestler will ever lose me as a fan is if they lose it in the ring.
Or this one:
“I, being a wrestler myself, refuse to believe that a consumate professional the likes of Chris Benoit, the one man I modeled my entire career after, would murder his family and kill himself. I refuse to believe it, and I will deny it until my own death comes. My finishing move is the crippler crossface and out of respect for the superstar that is the rabid wolverine I named it the Ode Benoit. I refuse to believe that Chris Benoit would murder his family, and I believe with all my heart and soul, that Benoit rushed home to save his family Sunday night… Not kill them…”
I’m not trying to be preachy or anything, but I didn’t watch any wrestling at all last week, not even Smackdown. I tried to watch some on DVD over the weekend, and I just couldn’t. I just keep thinking that it’s all vanity…
July 2nd, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Not to be overly cliche..but I feel your pain Russ.
I believe this is hard, not only because of the circumstances surrounding Benoit’s death, but also the timeframe.
We are hardcore wrestling fan’s, and in the past few years we’ve lost - Henning, Eddie, Shari Martel, Miss Elizabeth, RW Hawk, and Rick Rude. I mean I watched the DVD Heroes Of World-Class/The Story Of The Von Erich’s and I totally felt the same way! Wrestlers/Sports Entertainers put a lot on the line to put on the show! And it tears at their body, both physically and emotionally.
So, I totally understand where you’re coming from, if ‘I didn’t feed into’ watching this program then these terrible things may not have happened.
I will say this..I am not totally done with it..hell, I watched the FULL Smackdown show this past Friday…but the business needs a revamp around its scheduling, its use of talent, expectations of the performers and its drug/wellness policy. Yeah, it sucks to have limitations, but ultimately they need them.
July 3rd, 2007 at 4:47 am
I’m thinking that this has to make McMahon wake up a bit. Because if Congress is going to get in the weeds with the NFL/MLB for pete’s sake then wrestling isn’t too far of a stretch.
Russ, I hear you man. I have read the articles because I want to learn more about his tragedy. I know nothing about the man Chris Benoit was. I do know about the wrestler he was and that’s what I’ll remember. If for no other reason than there are plenty of people that seem to get pleasure out of taking a dump on the guy. Benoit, if he did do what he’s accused of, is paying for it right now (and will for all eternity).
I won’t close my eyes to what happened and I hope we all learn from this.
July 3rd, 2007 at 6:59 am
The worst part is that it sounds like the doctor’s going to be put on trial for Benoit’s crimes. Sure, if he was Benoit’s drug mule, then he probably deserves to be put on trial, but if there were medical reasons why he prescribed all these drugs, you’re opening a huge can of worms by making him liable for the effects. Nobody sues doctors when schizos DON’T take their meds… I’m sure that someone will also go after the “you should have stopped him since you saw him last” angle too, which is just stupid.
And, this also should wake up McMahon, because if the Feds are looking into what this guy prescribed Benoit and they’re already looking at the guy in Florida that prescribed steroids to Kurt Angle, Rey Mysterio, and Randy Orton, then they’re going to start connecting the dots and coming after some of his guys, and I’m sure that they’d love to have another crack at putting Vinnie behind bars.
Somebody needs to take a look at the working conditions in WWE. Jim Ross says everybody gets 3 days on and 4 days off now, but you have to figure that half of 2 of those days are spent traveling to and from home. He also says that people get time off when they ask for it, but I would argue that 90% of the guys in wrestling are workaholics because if they take the time off, they’re not looked at as company guys and subsequently don’t get pushed or promoted as much. Is WWE to blame that they’re workaholics? No, but they need to protect these guys from themselves.
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July 3rd, 2007 at 3:38 pm
As a former fan (I stopped watching when WWE bought out WCW, being unwilling to support Vince McMahon’s machine), I had a huge amount of admiration for Chris Benoit. He was an amazing technician. Unfortunately, I do believe the pressure, drug use, and the deaths of some very good friends just combined to make a volatile man lose what tenuous grasp he may have had on his rage. This industry needs a wake-up call. Vince McMahon’s machine is rapidly consuming talent and sending a message to young people who aspire to be professional wrestlers. “The bigger the better!” Technical skills don’t count when t-shirts are being sold. Agilty matters for not when a chair, a ladder, a table or another prop is being used. How many wrestling matches end in a pin? How many are being portrayed as legitimate. Obviously it’s all entertainment, but more and more the matches are all being “interfered” with by some fantastical story plot involving some horrendous attack with a prop or weapon. Didn’t I just read that McMahon was recently “blown-up” in a car bombing as part of a story plot?
As for WWE’s testing policy, the WADA (WorldAnti-DopingAgency) says that a 4:1 ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone is grouds for a violation and yet a 10:1 ratio is allegedly acceptable for WWE performers. What mesage are they sending? Another supposed loophole says that a performer can be excused from a positive test by showing a prescription from a physician. How many more physicians, such as Dr. Astin, are perpetuating this addictive behavior?
I’d love to see fans stand up behind their wrestling idols and ask the cable channels that air the WWE’s shows to demand their own testing or refuse to air any WWE programming until an outside agency tests all the performers by WADA standards. The men and women who entertain us deserve to live better healthier lives.
July 4th, 2007 at 7:25 am
I think they are looking for someone to punish. The bad thing is that this guy is going to look worse than Dr. Mindbender from teh GI Joe days. That means that every pill he gave out was evil and wrong, and we’ll never know what Chris Benoit took that was legit and what wasn’t.
As far as McMahon? The irony is that we the consumer could see a better product than before if McMahon were smart. Actually give his workers legit days off from getting pounded. Get more wrestlers time in the spotlight. I know you guys hate Cena, I happen to respect that he took a failed gimmick and turned it into gold and wish he’d go back to it (I digress), so maybe more people could come in to share the spotlight instead of the show having to revolve around John or the star du jour.
As things stand now if I were a wrestler and ‘hot’ I wouldn’t want a day off either, because you might lose your limelight.
Again, great article Russ.