April 14, 2003
MEANWHILE, IN NEWS OF INTEREST MAINLY TO ALI:
Masked Wrestler Wins Japan Assembly Seat (Reuters, Apr 14, 2003)Who is that masked man? One of Japan's newest politicians.A professional wrestler who fought his way to victory in local assembly elections under his ring name and wearing his trademark mask has vowed the mask will not leave his face even after he enters the staid halls of Japanese politics.
"This is my face," the wrestler -- known as "The Great Sasuke" -- was quoted by the Nikkan Sports newspaper as saying of his black and white full-face mask with bright scarlet streaks and golden wings by the eye holes.
"I won support from voters with this face, and to take it off would be breaking promises," the 33-year-old wrestler, whose real name is Masanori Murakawa, said of his victory in conservative Iwate prefecture, some 460 km (290 miles) north of Tokyo.
C'mon Sasuke, even Robert Byrd removed his hood once he was elected. Posted by Orrin Judd at April 14, 2003 11:31 AM
Sasuke won? Wow, I was just watching one of his old matches on tape.
Pro wrestlers have been pretty successful politicians what with Jesse Ventura here and Antonio Inoki in Japan.
I think a former WWF guy called Tony Halme (he used to go by the name Ludvig Borga and was presented as a quasi-Aryan environmentalist who didn't like America) was recently elected to the Finnish parliament.
The bit about removing the mask was cold. Funny, but cold.
Posted by: Chris at April 14, 2003 6:01 PM