Chris Kanyon, the professional wrestler who died Friday from a suicide by pill overdose, talked about his struggles with bipolar disorder and suicidal feelings during his most recent appearance on the Howard Stern Show, and even received one-on-one pep talks from Artie Lange.
Chris Kanyon visited the Howard Stern Show on October 6, 2006 to talk about his firing from the WWE at the hands of Vince McMahon. Kanyon said that during his time as a closeted gay man, he had both considered and threatened suicide multiple times. He also stated that he suffered from bipolar disorder.
Video: Artie Lange's 'Jack and Coke' includes eerie message
Kanyon's appearance gained him a fan in Howard Stern Show co-host Artie Lange, who contacted the wrestler in 2007 when he heard Kanyon was in trouble. On April 23, 2007, Artie Lange talked about an off-air conversation he had with Chris Kanyon during which he encouraged the wrestler to keep reaching out for help. Lange compared Kanyon's psychiatric problems to similar ones suffered by famed writers F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and Hunter S. Thompson.
Read a summary of Artie Lange's comments about his conversation with Chris Kanyon here
Artie Lange attempted suicide in January by stabbing himself in the stomach nine times. Lange survived after being discovered by his mother and rushed to the hospital. The violent attempt came after years of a public struggle with drug and alcohol addiction as well as severe depression that followed Lange's November 2007 on-air admission that he was an heroin user.
Artie Lange was off the wagon at time of suicide attempt
Kanyon's obituary in Wrestling Observer online stated that the wrestler known to fans as 'Mortis' had been threatening suicide earlier in the week while in the throes of a depressive phase of his bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder, formerly referred to as manic depression, is a condition in which an individual experiences short periods of extreme happiness and positivity followed by longer periods of severe depression.
Artie Lange: 'I have so much to live for ' (audio)
Chris Kanyon and Artie Lange even shared a few ironic laughs on air when Kanyon tossed Lange "gifts" of a fake bag of heroin (really just flour) and some Devil Dogs as to tease the comedian about his host of addictions.
More than 800,000 Americans attempt suicide every year. More than 35,000 Americans successfully complete suicide yearly, significantly more than the number of deaths caused by homicide.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a 24-hour toll free hotline that provides live, trained counseling for those considering suicide and those concerned about a friend or family member that might be. Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to speak to a counselor or visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.com to learn more.
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Comments
Maybe Artie tried to off himself because he's gay.
My penis is really small
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