American Gladiators ‘curse’ where star was murdered and two others died
American Gladiators was a roaring success with audiences during its original run between 1989 and 1996. However, after it ended, some of its biggest stars suffered tragedies. American Gladiators saw ‘average’ contestants who were amateur athletes compete against bodybuilders who were given the title of ‘Gladiator.’ The winners would receive a cash prize (during the […]
American Gladiators was a roaring success with audiences during its original run between 1989 and 1996. However, after it ended, some of its biggest stars suffered tragedies.
American Gladiators saw ‘average’ contestants who were amateur athletes compete against bodybuilders who were given the title of ‘Gladiator.’ The winners would receive a cash prize (during the first series in 1989, it was $10,000).
WARNING: Content of a disturbing nature ahead
‘I don’t regret one second of American Gladiators’
A Netflix documentary titled Muscles and Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators was released earlier this year. “It’s not this VH-1, Behind the Music retrospective of how it broke us and how we’re sorry we did it,” Danny Lee “Nitro” Clark told Deadline.
“It was a glorious time. We were all a bunch of misfits. We were this group of people from different walks of life who somehow came together and changed the face of TV and became the first reality stars. All of us remember the times fondly. I don’t regret one second of American Gladiators,” said Danny Lee “Nitro” Clark, who served as the documentary’s executive producer.
But it wasn’t a happy ending for all of its celebrity contestants
MORE: Film star ‘suffers terrible tragedy’ as beloved son dies suddenly
Murdered at the hands of her husband
Cheryl Wilson, who competed in the series and won four times under the stage name Jasmine, died in 1997, only a year after the show ended.
She was murdered by her husband, Juan Minelli, who was a professional boxer. He killed her after becoming outraged that his wife might be having an affair with a woman. However, prosecutors say this wasn’t the case, and he actually wanted to make sure that Cheryl didn’t get custody of their daughter, who was three at the time.
After pleading with his parents for an alibi, who refused, he called the police on himself and was sentenced in 2000.
Devastating suicide
Shelley Beattie, who competed in the series as Siren, was one of the few deaf bodybuilders in the world. After the series ended, she lived on a farm with her girlfriend Julie Moisa in Oregon.
Shelley was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She tragically later took her own life in 2008 at the age of just 40.
Untimely deaths
Lee Reherman, who was also known by the name Hawk on the show, died in 2016. He had recently had a hip replacement, and his publicist said Lee hadn’t been feeling very well. He died in his home in Manhattan Beach, California.
His publicist said (per Gladiators TV): “It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I inform you of the sad and unexpected passing of my dear friend, PR client & business partner, Lee Reherman. Your prayers are greatly appreciated at this very difficult time. Lee was loved by everyone who knew him, and he will never be forgotten.”
No official cause of death was given, but it has been speculated that it could have been due to a blood clot that occurred because of his surgery.
Lee, who died at 49, wasn’t the only one to unfortunately die after having an operation as Billy Smith, also known as Thunder, died after having one on his knee. It is believed that he developed an infection that spread throughout his body.
Announcing the 56-year-old’s death, the official Gladiators X (formerly Twitter) account wrote: “It is with great sadness we report the loss of #AmericanGladiators legend and bodybuilding superstar William ‘Billy’ Smith aka Thunder. Our sincere condolences are with his family & friends.”
Doing jail time
In 1998, Shannon Hall, who appeared on the TV show as Dallas, was jailed after she failed to appear in court for driving with a suspended license. She was held without bail at St. Lucie County Jail.
She is now out of prison and has two children.
Another Gladiator was arrested 10 years later on drug-related charges. Marisa Pare AKA Lance was arrested by Los Angeles police and spent time in Van Nuys. She was held on bail of just $250.
She was not happy to see the paparazzi outside when she was released and shouted: “Should I just kick you in the b*lls now?” at them.
Star left homeless
Debbie Clark, who was known to fans as Storm, was left homeless after the series ended. She fled domestic abuse in 2008 and lived with her young son in her car for 10 days. They then found refuge in a homeless shelter before moving in with the CEO of homeless charity Embrace, Sean Sheppard, in 2011.
Talking about living with Debbie, who also struggled to find work after injuring her knee, Sean told Patch.com: “Debbie is not as tidy as I would like. She doesn’t tell the truth all the time. At times, she talks too much.
“She sings in her bedroom and in the bathroom. There’s food on the floor, on my couch and in my carpet. She watches garbage TV shows. All of their stuff is taking up space in my garage. Their shoes smell.”
If you are affected by any issues raised in the article or would like someone to speak to, please call the Samaritans for free on 116 123. You can also email them at [email protected] or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch in the UK. In the US, please visit Samaritans USA for more information.
You can also contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). Or text 741741 to get in touch with the Crisis Text Line. Americans can now call or text 988 to reach out and speak to a counselor.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website. For the UK, you can visit the Refuge website here, or Women’s Aid.
MORE: Pete Davidson’s tragic life story began when he was only 7 years old