WWE Superstar Chris Benoit & Family Found Dead

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by Buff

People are judging his entire life based on one incident and that is complete bullcrap. I am in no way condoning or making an excuse for what happened this past weekend, but it is not right to automatically assume that a person was always sick and evil. Obviously he had some problems and he couldn't or didn't know how to get help and lost control beyond despair, but his actions are inexcusable. I understand that he will forever be labeled as a murderer but it is sad that people cannot look beyond the label and see what a good man he once was.

He was an actor in a contrived drama . . . . . it's like saying Harrison Ford is a good guy because he's a hero on the screen.

His private life may well have been quite different than the persona put forward to the public by the WWE publicity machine . . . . . . just as the villians contrived by the WWE might be wonderful people on the street.

By the accounts we've seen so far, this marriage was described as "volatile." If so, the outcome by violence may not be that surprising.

Cowperson

[Russic]

Terrible news . . .
What's unfortunate to me is that Chris was a sick man who did not receive the help he obviously needed. It's so odd given the descriptions of him by everybody that knew him.

Condolences to the Benoit family.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Buff

People are judging his entire life based on one incident and that is complete bullcrap. I am in no way condoning or making an excuse for what happened this past weekend, but it is not right to automatically assume that a person was always sick and evil. Obviously he had some problems and he couldn't or didn't know how to get help and lost control beyond despair, but his actions are inexcusable. I understand that he will forever be labeled as a murderer but it is sad that people cannot look beyond the label and see what a good man he once was.

Because some actions are so dispicable it doesn't matter how good of a man he used to be. Hell I am sure that some rapists are good people, it doesn't change the fact that they are scum who I wouldn't piss on if they were on fire... this guy falls in the same category. I don't care about him and anything he has done that has been good, this one action has washed all that away. HE KILLED HIS OWN KID! He might have been an idol of yours (I assume he was by the way that you stand up for him) but he was a murderer and I don't care much for people of his ilk.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by Kobatuzzied

That is what OJ supporters say.

Robert Blake
Sid Vicious
Marvin Gaye


If you are a murderer, I should look beyond that why exactly? Because he was very nice to people that have met him?

Charles Ng was very nice to my friend's brother when he met him in his camp in Fish Creek park. Should I feel empathy for Ng?

Why is it different when a celebrity is involved?

[lifer]

Originally Posted by Buff

People are judging his entire life based on one incident and that is complete bullcrap. I am in no way condoning or making an excuse for what happened this past weekend, but it is not right to automatically assume that a person was always sick and evil. Obviously he had some problems and he couldn't or didn't know how to get help and lost control beyond despair, but his actions are inexcusable. I understand that he will forever be labeled as a murderer but it is sad that people cannot look beyond the label and see what a good man he once was.

The problem is this: the fact that so many people looked up to him (as can be seen from the early posts in this thread, before the murder speculation came out) as a wrestler and as a person forces many of those same people to feel personally betrayed by this. The act of killing your wife and son are most basically inexcusable, but for many people, this is as if somebody that they know has done it. So I think that as much anger and venom directed at Benoit right now, some of it is because many of us take this as a personaly betrayal of their loyalty and support towards Benoit for 2 decades.

[flames_1987]

http://www.tmz.com/2007/06/26/benoit...lence-exposed/

Before her grisly death, Chris Benoit's wife once told a judge that she was, "intimidated by threats of violence" from her 220 lb. husband.

In divorce papers filed in 2003, Nancy Benoit included a petition for protection from domestic abuse against Chris. In the papers, Nancy claimed that Benoit, "lost his temper and threatened to strike the petitioner and cause extensive damage to the home and personal belongings of the parties, including furniture." Nancy added that she was, "in reasonable fear for petitioner's own safety and that of the minor child."

Three months later, Nancy filed to have the divorce papers and the restraining order dismissed. A short time later, a judge granted her wish.

As TMZ first reported, law enforcement sources tell TMZ they believe Benoit strangled his wife on Saturday, smothered his son on Sunday and then hanged himself on Monday.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Why is it different when a celebrity is involved?

I often wonder that too. How many times a month does this exact same story get played on the news? A bunch. Of course none of those will get the same national air time as this one will. But because we have seen someone on tv/movies/etc it almost seems to hit closer to home for some. While I feel sympathy for everyone involved in this terrible situation, it is only the same sympathy I can offer to other complete strangers in the same situation. If this same thing happened to someone not known in the mainstream, everyone would be piling on top them and I don't think we would have anyone saying we should know the person before we pass judgement.

[flames_1987]

I have to say, that when I was younger it was sure easy to idolize wrestlers. I could only imagine when I was 13 if someone like Brett Hart did this, I would be a complete mess. Feel bad for this kids who looked up to this guy and I feel just as bad for his fellow wrestlers. Some of his close friends having to hear all this, that must be like hell on earth. What a bizzare story

[flames_1987]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I often wonder that too. How many times a month does this exact same story get played on the news? A bunch. Of course none of those will get the same national air time as this one will. But because we have seen someone on tv/movies/etc it almost seems to hit closer to home for some. While I feel sympathy for everyone involved in this terrible situation, it is only the same sympathy I can offer to other complete strangers in the same situation. If this same thing happened to someone not known in the mainstream, everyone would be piling on top them and I don't think we would have anyone saying we should know the person before we pass judgement.

With the acsess we have into celebritys and atheletes lives, I beleive as a society we feel we know them. There held on this pedastill, and although we only get glimpse's into there lives, it's easy to say "well he looks like a nice guy, and people seem to like him."

[Reaper]

What a tragic series of events this has turned out to be. My honest regrets and condolences go out to the families.

I am bothered by the dogpiling on Benoit despite all the facts not being available. I'm not defending acts of violence by any stretch but basing one's opinions and conclusions on rumours and hearsay is hardly good practice.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by flames_1987

I have to say, that when I was younger it was sure easy to idolize wrestlers. I could only imagine when I was 13 if someone like Brett Hart did this, I would be a complete mess. Feel bad for this kids who looked up to this guy and I feel just as bad for his fellow wrestlers. Some of his close friends having to hear all this, that must be like hell on earth. What a bizzare story

It shouldn't be too bad for them now. There are so many documentaries and specials they must know wrestling is fake. When I was a kid i actually thought Bad news allen was going to kill Bret Hart and Davey Boy. I once saw him at a chinese restaurant and I was going to call the cops.

Besides no one watches that crap they pass off as wrestling anymore do they?

[flames_1987]

Originally Posted by Kobatuzzied

It shouldn't be too bad for them now. There are so many documentaries and specials they must know wrestling is fake. When I was a kid i actually thought Bad news allen was going to kill Bret Hart and Davey Boy. I once saw him at a chinese restaurant and I was going to call the cops.

Besides no one watches that crap they pass off as wrestling anymore do they?

haha funny story about Bad news Allen.

Although more kids probablly do understand it's fake, if your an avid wrestling fan watching it 2 or 3 times a week, I'm assuming you'd feel some sort of attachment just like your favorite athlete or actor/actress.

[philip1985]

Tragic event, anways, CNN is now showing the press conference with the sheriff outlining the details of the deaths. Looks like it was a double homicide and then suicide. The sheriff is saying the wife was killed Friday and then the son was killed Saturday morning, wow.

[Bertuzzied]

I hope the tools at WWE got the ratings they were wanting. I still can't beleive they did a tribute show for a murderer. Pathetic company.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com is reporting that World Wrestling Entertainment will not distribute their three hour Chris Benoit tribute show that aired last night on the USA to their international affiliates for airing.
The Score in will also not air the program in its regularly scheduled RAW replay slots.

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I often wonder that too. How many times a month does this exact same story get played on the news? A bunch. Of course none of those will get the same national air time as this one will. But because we have seen someone on tv/movies/etc it almost seems to hit closer to home for some. While I feel sympathy for everyone involved in this terrible situation, it is only the same sympathy I can offer to other complete strangers in the same situation. If this same thing happened to someone not known in the mainstream, everyone would be piling on top them and I don't think we would have anyone saying we should know the person before we pass judgement.

Feel free to pass judgement on this murder-suicide situation in Toronto last night . . . . three dead.

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/229465

The aggrandizement of professional wrestlers is bizarre to me . . . .

Back in 1980, I actually reviewed one professional presentation passing through a small town, describing both the good (one guy having a big, bloody scrape across his forehead from a knife butt end, indicating genuine violence) to the bad (an obvious staged presentation to let the good guy win) to the humourous (a 15 year-old punk in the front row making an ass of himself while waving a whisky bottle had one of the wrestlers mysteriously land on top of him, smashing the bottle, the kid and the chair he was sitting on).

I was pretty surprised and filled with not a little trepidation (okay, my pants were filled) when a bunch of these guys stopped in a few days later for a little chat . . . . . turns out they wanted to shake my hand and were not at all offended that I had essentially characterized them as entertainers rather than athletes. Hit it dead on they said.

That's why I'm sitting in the middle of this thread wondering why you guys elevate these people to hero status when the outcome is generally pre-determined.

The tragedy part of this I can easily understand. The rest? Nope. And I was a fan of Stampede Wrestling before colour tv was invented.

And that's all I've got to say about that.

Cowperson

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

He was an actor in a contrived drama . . . . . it's like saying Harrison Ford is a good guy because he's a hero on the screen.

He was not an actor. He was a performer, and an athletic one at that.


It is nothing like claiming he's a good guy because he's a hero on the screen. It is like saying that he's a good guy because his performs his job, carries himself in public and has a good reputation just like how some hockey players are considered good guys.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Kobatuzzied

Besides no one watches that crap they pass off as wrestling anymore do they?

It's still hugely popular. I don't think it's lost any momentum. I thought no one watched until I looked at the ratings. I had just grown up and stopped watching it. Of course I forgot that their is always a new group of kids to watch it. Not saying that only kids watch it. But it seems like one of those things that you get into when you are young and it either sticks with you or it doesn't.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by Kobatuzzied

I hope the tools at WWE got the ratings they were wanting. I still can't beleive they did a tribute show for a murderer. Pathetic company.

When they decided to put on the tribute show they probably didn't know the details of the deaths. One of their most respected performers has just been found dead, what else are they supposed to do?

Continue on with the Mr. McMahon murder angle?

There are plenty of things to criticize Vince McMahon for but this isn't one of them.

[lifer]

Originally Posted by Kobatuzzied

It shouldn't be too bad for them now. There are so many documentaries and specials they must know wrestling is fake. When I was a kid i actually thought Bad news allen was going to kill Bret Hart and Davey Boy. I once saw him at a chinese restaurant and I was going to call the cops.

Besides no one watches that crap they pass off as wrestling anymore do they?

Haha. When I was younger I though the Ultimate Warrior was going to die when the Undertaker locked him in an "air tight casket" on the Brother Love segment. I was crying and my dad finally had to tell me it was fake.

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

He was not an actor. He was a performer, and an athletic one at that. .

Good Sweet Christ . . .

Cowperson