There is a question/comment that keeps coming up that I want to clarify. It is about the timeline of my firing and coming out. I hope some reputable websites and newsletters (other than my friends at Tha O Show) print this to clear up the rumors, mistruths and propaganda that continue to surround this sitution.
I'm tired of reading people's opinons who don't have all the facts straight.
Although I officially came out of the closet as gay to the public in February and March of this year (2006), the process started way before that in 2001. The tragedy of Sept. 11 inspired me to start my coming out process because of the loneliness I felt on that day. Soon afterwards in Oct of 2001, I was injured. I thought it might be a good opportunity to take the time off and get some nationwide publicity while rehabbing my knee to come out of the closet nationally as the first ever ACTIVE Legit Openly Gay Wrestler in the US. And since my homosexuality was not a well kept secret within pro wrestling, I felt comfortable asking some wrestlers and some WWE management what they thought of the idea.
For those of you (like Ric Flair) who don't think my sexual orientation was somewhat common knowledge in the locker room, ask Terry Taylor and/or Raven, who were the only two guys with enough balls (insert joke here) to ever ask me point blank if I was gay. The rumors were everywhere and I knew everyone was accusing me of being gay behind my back, but at least Terry and Raven had the guts to ask me to my face. I have total respect towards both of them for that. This all happened in WCW around 1999. Anyway, since it was not a big secret, I asked some wrestlers and some WWE management what they thought of the idea. Overall the response was positive, although some warned me Vince might not be cool with it. I tried to get a straight response from Vince but it never came....at least not verbally.
When I finally wrestled again on National TV on UPN on SmackDown, in my return match, Vince had me dress up like a known homosexual (Boy George), had me come out of a large wooden closet he had built in the middle of the ring (come out of the closet, so to speak), had his agent tell me to "sing like a faggot" and than had The Undertaker beat the shit out of me, including a chair shot to the head that was so brutal, they had to edit the camera angle for UPN so it wouldn't appear so violent. That chairshot gave me the most severe concussion of my career and actually knocked me out. I wasn't 100% sure if that was a message from Vince for me to NOT come out of the closet, so I continued to pursue the idea, hoping to get a verbal answer from Vince. Soon after this, I was fired....
Thus for those so-called "Internet journalists" who say my being gay couldn't have been the reason for my firing based on the "fact" that I didn't come out until after I was fired, maybe next time you should just pick up the phone and give me a call, and as always I would tell you how it is. Or you can just keep writing your propaganda, disregarding facts and sources, and continue to be bitter towards a business that the fans and I still love.
11 comments: on "Clarifying The Timeline"
Hey Kanyon;
While this looks like pretty damning evidence, many people are still confused by the fact that there are several well known homosexual individuals in fairly significant positions of power in WWE.
There are performers in the company right now who are pretty much "out", and there are other individuals like Vito who "play the part".
With that said, why Kanyon? When there are others who still work in the company who share your orientation, why were you singled out?
Kanyon has said before, on the record ... none of the others have ever been "openly gay" and active.
Gay characters in wrestling were always portrayed by straight wrestlers...
sure everyone knows about Patterson, but he's become the punchline to a joke everyone's heard. Plus, he isn't an active member of the roster.
Anyone else - Sylvain, Orlando, etc have always been closeted.
The message here is - as long as the fags stay in their closet they are fine - once they want to come out, get em out.
They aren't OPENLY GAY if their character isn't gay!
Think about it.
Dude get over it! You were good once upon a time. You should have kept the mask on. If you were as good as everyone claims to be, wouldn't you have been picked up by another promotion by now? It's in the past, live in the now! Who betta than Kanyon? Who cares!
It's like this... if someone, be it a McMahon or Jarrett, thought they could make a profit off of Kanyon being an "Openly Gay" Character and not lose revenue (fans, advertisers, etc...) they would... I know myself and the majority of wrestling fans would hate it and probably stop watching (at least turn the channel til the next segment)... It just doesn't appeal to the target demographics...
We know how well the "Chuck & Billy" storyline paid-off... and it's failure wasnt due to the fact that they were actually straight... Its because when you're watching wrestling (unless you're gay) you don't want to see dudes kissing, dating, etc
It's just like in our everyday life... if you're gay thats fine... But we dont want to watch your sexuality unfold in our living rooms...
We already hate the majority of the storylines in wrestling... God knows there is enough complaining on this site... Be realistic... I went back and watched a few Kanyon matches from WCW... He had some skill... innovative moves... good delivery... Why can't that be sold as a gimmick?
It's a sob story that no one is losing any sleep over. It was done to create a Matt Hardy-esque fan response, but it didn't work out. I don't know if that speaks towards the homophobia of the stereotypical wrestling fan or the fact that wrestling fans are ok with not seeing Kanyon on their TV's weekly.
So we get into disputes about what it means to be actively gay, with some insisting that a wrestler must portray a gay character if they are gay in their personal life.
I'm sure it's no secret to anyone in the WWE what Sylvan's sexual preference is, if it is no secret to the fans. He has not been fired.
Pat Patterson has been accused of sexual harassing straight male wrestlers, and that wasn't enough for Vince to fire him.
I am not sure where else you can go with a gay character that hasn't been explored already. You've had Goldust kiss men and paint a heart with their initials on his chest while he rubs himself down. You've had Billy and Chuck use about every gay spot there was. You've had the Christopher St. Connection in ROH flat out make out in the ring with one another. Hell, Mark Henry got blown by a transvestite. I am not arguing that these guys are gay, or this is evidence that vince likes gays, I am just saying, what more that is new and interesting can Kanyon give to us as an "openly" gay pro wrestler.
Gay people are people the same way as anyone else. Essentially, the best way it could play out is he told someone like Benoit that he was gay, and Benoit was really accepting and remained his friend. The question that leaves is would it help redneck wrestling fans accept homosexuals, or lead them to turn on Benoit?
The list of superstars released since the Invasion is extensive, and there is a large number of them that I felt had potential to make a lot more money than Kanyon. Hell, there are guys hardly being used on the WWE roster that I would be more excited about than Kanyon.
In the end, the WWE is interested in making money, and if Vince will let Eric Bischoff work for him, he'd sure as hell let a gay man work for him if there was money to be made.
If there was a fresh way to incorporate a gay character into wrestling, and if it would help to create better relations and make the stereotypical wrestling fan more accepting of gays, I would be all for it. The best way to accomplish this storyline would be to take a guy that fans care about (gay or not) and make his character gay. Fans would be more conflicted if Carlito or Lashley wound up being gay (not that I necessarily want to see that). Would fans who love them turn against them just because of their sexual preference?
If Kanyon wants to go to the WWE and just portray a negative gay stereotype, that's his business.
If Kanyon wants to get back on Television, I suggest he take out his Mortis mask and find a really good mouthpiece.
I would be much more intrigued if James Vanenburg or whatever he calls himself now found himself obsessed with dethroning Sting, and when Abyss fails, brings in Mortis and other dark wrestling characters to get the job done. If they get over, give them contracts and build a stable.
Then again, for the amount of TV they have, TNA already has a roster that is much too big.
I wish Kanyon the best in everything, but the majority of fans are skeptical, and I can be thrown into the group. We don't care that you are gay, and the stunts that have been pulled haven't done anything to rally us to your cause.
Amen!
Additionally, if I have to sit through another "gay" angle, I would like to see Val Venis do it.
Think about it, Val has a great look and is excellent in the ring, and he is relegated to being a jobber.
What if this whole pornstar thing is just an act because he's afraid of people finding out?
Remember that he was a member of Right to Censor years ago? Was this just an effort to create and environment where he wouldn't have to pretend he was a sexual alpha-male?
Maybe years ago Val did a gay film, and wound up preferring it.
Don't turn him heel, just give him some air time. Have babyfaces be cool with the fact he's gay. Have them feel a sense of relief that he can relieve himself of this burden.
Then have him go out and start picking up some wins because of his new found confidence in himself. Possibly push him back towards the Intercontinental title.
Let him call himself Sean Morely again. The only thing that stood between him being the future of the business was being saddled with the pornstar gimmick.
Maybe have a few characters weary of being in the ring with Sean, and have him shatter some myths.
He can explain that he is there to wrestle. Not get a dude in a hold and start humping or trying to grab his balls to frazzle him. Yes, he is a gay man, but that's not his identity. He is the same guy as always, except he sleeps with men, not women.
Maybe the world's largest love machine is afraid that Morley will want to sleep with him. Sean can explain that being gay doesn't mean you want to have sex with every man in the world.
MTV's Real World has explored this homosexual/homophobe relationship extensively, and often by doing it in a real way that shows that gay men aren't going to run up on you and start sucking your balls for absolutely no reason, they change the minds of the homophobes in the house and in the viewing audience.
I think Onslaught just singlehandedly revived Venis' career right there. Man the E should get someone to look at some of you guys' storylines.
i don't think kanyon would be much of a draw on tv now...it's all about the money and i don't think he's got it...or if he ever had it to begin with.
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