Wrestling legend and very early Beat crush Roddy Piper is not dead — although it was erroneously reported by some news sources this morning when someone with a similar name passed away. It was also reported that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, but that has also been retracted.

Piper, 55, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2006, has been advised by his doctors to take some time off. He finished radiation treatment in 2007 and the disease is considered 90 percent treatable when caught early.

Whatever Piper’s current medical status, let’s all let him hear what we would say if he wasn’t here: he’s simply one of the most entertaining wrestlers of all times, an aphorism spouting legend, a heel who influenced the stick work of everyone who came after, a bad boy you love to love, and a B-movie actor of range and legendary campiness whose opus is worthy of a retrospective all its own. Rowdy Roddy is carved into the Rushmore of Nerd Icons, and has done more cool shit in his life than most of us will ever imagine.

 

1 COMMENT

  1. while i’m happy that Mr Piper is alive and well, and have some fond memories of They Live, i do have to ask what this information has to do with “comic’s culture”

  2. In response to post #7 —

    Professional wrestling is part of pop culture. Many comic book fans are wrestling fans, too. And some wrestlers have appeared in comic books. And entire comic books series have been made about wrestlers from Mexico.

    That is the extent of my wrestling-combined-with-comic book knowledge.

    When I did watch wrestling, Piper was the most fun to watch. He really loved his role, and really loved playing up to the audience.

  3. Piper has gone to comic conventions too. He was at the Toronto Fan Expo a couple of years ago for autographs, signings and did a couple of panels. He may have gone to others.

    But this is Heidi’s blog and she’s a wrasslin fan. She has a history of posting life or death updates on major stars.

  4. If there’s been erroneous speculation about Piper’s health, the star himself might be partly responsible. His official Web site only has a blank page where upcoming appearances should be listed. There’s also some confusion online about the cancer he was diagnosed as having in 2006. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma are different types of cancer and can be treated differently.

    SRS

  5. Mr. Piper is my sister’s neighbor and they see him at the general store down the road from time to time. He is a good guy. I am glad to hear that he is alright, and will be sure to keep a closer eye out!

  6. On his Web site, there’s photos of him at Chicago Comic Con in August–with Greg “The Hammer” Valentine (I think).

  7. OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH RODDY. OUR SUPPORT WE WILL HELP YOU MAKE IT THROUGH THIS. PRAYER IS POWER. I KNOW YOU HAVE THE HEART AND CAN DO ATTITUDE. YOUR FANS FOLLOW YOU IF YOU NEED HELP JUST LET US KNOW.