Chyna

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Chyna
Joanie Laurer at the 2007 Scream Awards
Joanie Laurer at the 2007 Scream Awards
Statistics
Ring name(s) Chyna
Chyna Doll
Chynna
Chynna Doll
Joanie Laurer
Joanie Lee
Just Joanie
Billed height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Billed weight 180 lb (82 kg)[1]
Born December 27, 1969 (1969-12-27) (age 38)[1]
Rochester, New York
Resides Los Angeles, California
Trained by Killer Kowalski[1]
Debut 1996[1]
Retired October 26, 2002
(final match)

Chyna[2] (born Joan Marie Laurer on December 27, 1969)[1] is an American actress and retired professional wrestler. A former bodybuilder, she is best known for her career with the World Wrestling Federation from 1997 to 2001, where she was billed as "Chyna: "The Ninth Wonder of the World" (with the eighth wonder being André the Giant). She was notable for wrestling in intergender matches.

Contents

[edit] Early life

As a child, Laurer and her siblings had a structured, fairly affluent upbringing. She learned to play both the violin and cello.[3]

Joanie Laurer left home at age 16 for Spain, under a scholarship with the United Nations. By 1987, she had graduated high school in Spain. She spent the next five years at the University of Tampa, graduating in 1992 with a major in Spanish Literature.[4] During college, she also studied French and German; Laurer can converse in either language.[4] She originally wanted to use her knowledge of foreign languages to work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation or Drug Enforcement Administration.[4] Subsequently, she joined the Peace Corps, and was assigned to Costa Rica to teach literacy.

After college, Laurer began to regularly enter fitness competitions. In 1996, Laurer competed in the New York City regional level of the Fitness America competition.

[edit] Professional wrestling career

Chyna in the ring at the USAir Arena, Landover, MD, September 15, 1997
Chyna in the ring at the USAir Arena, Landover, MD, September 15, 1997

Joanie Laurer trained at Wladek "Killer" Kowalski's wrestling school in Malden, Massachusetts. During this time, she briefly dated Perry "Saturn" Satullo. She debuted in the year 1995 and worked for various independent promotions as Just Joanie and Joanie Lee.

[edit] World Wrestling Federation

[edit] D-Generation X (1997-1998)

Main article: D-Generation X

Laurer met (then-) World Wrestling Federation performers Triple H and Shawn Michaels in a bar in 1997. Struck by her appearance, they helped her get into the WWF. She made her WWF debut on February 16 at In Your House; her character emerged unannounced from a ringside seat to viciously choke Marlena, the manager of Goldust. Her original role in the promotion was as Chyna, the laconic enforcer/bodyguard for Triple H, and later, his D-Generation X group (which included Sean Waltman, a.k.a. "X-Pac"). She often helped Triple H (then, a rising villain character) cheat to win by physically interfering in matches during his feuds with Goldust, Mankind, Owen Hart, and The Rock, by executing her trademark low-blow uppercut to the crotch. At WWF No Way Out of Texas in 1998, she became the first woman to receive Stone Cold Steve Austin's finishing maneuver, the "Stone Cold Stunner". Around this time, Laurer underwent plastic surgeries to enlarge her breasts (a common move amongst female performers) and to re-shape her jawline.

[edit] Intercontinental Champion (1999)

In January 1999, Chyna was the #30 entrant in the Royal Rumble, becoming the first woman ever to enter the contest.[4] The day after the Royal Rumble, Chyna turned heel by betraying Triple H and aligning herself with his enemy Vince McMahon and Kane, his future opponent at WrestleMania XV. Laurer teamed with Kane in her WWF in-ring debut at the St. Valentine's Day Massacre pay-per-view against former allies X-Pac and Triple H. The Corporate pair were successful, although a Triple H vs. Chyna encounter did not occur. At WrestleMania XV, Chyna turned on Kane in his match by helping Triple H defeat him, appearing to rejoin DX. However, Chyna and Triple H turned against DX later that evening when they helped Shane McMahon defeat DX member X-Pac. The duo became part of The Corporation, and later Shane McMahon's Corporate Ministry, feuding with faces such as Steve Austin, Kane, X-Pac, and The Rock. Following the dissolution of the Corporate Ministry, Chyna remained at Triple H's side, implying there was a romantic relationship, though the two were never affectionate to one another on-screen.

In late 1999, Laurer became a face again during her long feud with Jeff Jarrett. At Unforgiven 1999, she had a match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship against Jarrett, which she lost. The next night, Chyna and Debra took on Jeff and Tom Prichard, hoping to be rewarded a re-match at No Mercy 1999. She defeated Jarrett for the title in his last WWF match, a Good Housekeeping match, on October 17 at No Mercy 1999, in the process becoming the first and only woman to win the Intercontinental Championship.[5] She also gained the services of his valet, Miss Kitty. According to her autobiography If They Only Knew, Laurer claims that Jarrett demanded (and received) $250,000 from Vince McMahon in order to lose the title cleanly to a woman. His contract had expired on October 16, 1999, and he was therefore not contractually obligated to appear on the pay-per-view.[6] If he had not appeared, the WWF would have been criticized for false advertising, and the lineage of the title would have been broken.

Chyna then feuded with Chris Jericho over the belt, defeating him at the Survivor Series, but losing the title to him at Armageddon. The two faced off again in a match on the December 28th edition of SmackDown!, which ended controversially with both wrestlers pinning each other. As a result, then "head of authority" Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley declared them co-champions.

[edit] Eddie Guerrero; Playboy covergirl (2000)

At the Royal Rumble, Jericho and Chyna defended the title against Hardcore Holly in a triple threat match to determine the Intercontinental Champion, which Jericho won. Laurer briefly teamed with Jericho before becoming the on-screen girlfriend of then-heel, Eddie Guerrero, thus making her third heel run.

Guerrero and Laurer, originally heels, became very popular during the summer of 2000, with Guerrero dubbing her his "Mamacita". The couple both faced off against Val Venis and then-rookie Trish Stratus in an intergender tag team match at SummerSlam 2000 with the Intercontinental Championship on the line. Chyna won the match, but lost the belt two weeks later to Guerrero in a triple threat match with Kurt Angle, causing friction between the two. They officially split in the autumn of 2000 after Eddie was found cavorting in the shower with two of The Godfather's "hos", Mandy and Victoria.

At the same time, Laurer posed nude for Playboy magazine's November 2000 issue; this had been facilitated by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, as a crossover marketing strategy. (The strategy was based on the fact that WWE and Playboy naturally share the same primary audience -- young males. Therefore, featuring a popular WWE female could: give WWE large, mainstream media exposure, and potential new customers; and, give Playboy a fresh novelty draw that could help it stay afloat against rivals like Maxim and FHM. WWE has repeated this tactic with several of its female stars, since initially using Sable; nudity is optional.) Chyna's Playboy modeling was also worked into an on-air WWE storyline, in which it drew the ire of the "Right to Censor" (a group of morally conservative and self-righteous wrestlers -- actually, a parody of the Parents Television Council, a chronic WWE critic). Shortly after, Laurer was announced as injured after a double team piledriver at the hands of Ivory and Val Venis.

[edit] Women's Champion (2001)

Laurer returned a few weeks later and began a feud with Ivory over the Women's Championship. This culminated in an angle at the Royal Rumble where Laurer appeared to re-injure her neck while performing a handspring back elbow. In order to sell the injury, color commentator Jerry Lawler left the commentators' booth and entered the ring to check on Laurer's condition, something he had not done since the in-ring accident that killed Owen Hart in 1999. The highly publicized return of Laurer from the (kayfabe) "injury" culminated in her winning the Women's Championship from Ivory at WrestleMania X-Seven in a squash match.

Laurer was presented as an extremely dominant champion, defeating challengers Molly Holly and Trish Stratus with little problem. She also defeated Lita, arguably the WWF's second-toughest female at that time, at Judgment Day 2001. She vacated the WWE Women's Championship in the process, as this was Laurer's final WWF match.

[edit] WWF departure

During her contract re-negotiations, it was said that Laurer was unhappy with the pay she was offered, and that she was expected to resume performing mainly in women's matches (instead of against men). It was also rumored that the relationship between Triple H, her former real-life boyfriend, and Stephanie McMahon (with whom Laurer claims he had an affair and then left her for), was another major factor in her departure.[5] She left World Wrestling Federation on November 30, 2001, several months after contract negotiations had broken down and she had been taken off of television. Jim Ross later confirmed that she was not fired, but rather chose to leave for personal reasons.[7]

[edit] Independent circuit (2001-2002)

Laurer's in-ring career after WWE was quite limited. She sang and wrestled at an Ultimate Pro Wrestling event. Laurer also was scheduled to appear on a talk show hosted by Jonny Fairplay, on a Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) pay-per-view; she did not appear.

[edit] New Japan Pro Wrestling (2002)

In 2002, Laurer joined New Japan Pro Wrestling. She made her first appearance at the New Japan Thirtieth Anniversary Show, refereeing a bout between the Steiner Brothers and Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kensuke Sasaki. In September and October 2002, she wrestled four matches for the promotion. After losing to Masahiro Chono on October 14, 2002, Laurer performed her final match on October 26, 2002, teaming with the Fake Great Muta in a loss to Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kenzo Suzuki.

[edit] In wrestling

  • Finishing moves
  • Signature moves
  • Wrestlers managed by Laurer
  • "Break it Down" by the DX Band
  • "No Chance in Hell" by Jim Johnston
  • "Higher Brain Pattern" - used with Triple H until it Was Remixed to "My Time"
  • "My Time" by the DX Band
  • "Who I Am" by Jim Johnston

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

  • International Wrestling Federation
    • IWF Women's Championship (1 time)
  • Pro Girls Wrestling Association
    • Rookie of the Year (1996)
  • Pro Wrestling Illustrated
    • PWI ranked her #235 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1999.[8]
    • PWI ranked her #106 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 2000.[9]

[edit] Acting and modelling careers

Laurer modeled nude, notably for Playboy; her first issue, which featured a pictorial of her, was purportedly one of the ten best-selling issues in the magazine's history. In 2002, following her departure from the WWF, Laurer also appeared in a Playboy adult documentary, entitled Joanie Laurer Nude: Wrestling Superstar to Warrior Princess, which followed Laurer on the set of her second Playboy nude pictorial.

In 2001, Laurer was a guest on a special celebrity edition of Fear Factor. Each contestant played for a charity of his or her choice; she garnered $25,000 for the Freedom Families Scholarship Fund. Her competition included Brooke Burke, David Hasselhoff, Kelly Preston, Donny Osmond, and Coolio (the winner). She also appeared on the celebrity game show, Hollywood Squares, where she was introduced as "Joanie Laurer of New Japan Pro Wrestling". She also appeared on MTV Cribs, showing off her home.

In 2002, Laurer was reportedly up for a part in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, but lost out on the role to Kristanna Loken.[10]

In 2004, it was claimed that Laurer and her then boyfriend, the semi-retired pro wrestler Sean Waltman, made a sex tape during a vacation to China earlier that year, but Laurer did not go to China with Waltman. Eager for a repeat success, the company that released Paris Hilton's celebrity sex tape obtained the footage, edited it, and released it under the name 1 Night in China. The video sold over 100,000 copies, with both Laurer and Waltman earning a share of the profits, and boosted both their careers when she was cast on the popular VH1 reality show "The Surreal Life".[11]

In early 2005, Laurer debuted on The Surreal Life, with house mates Da Brat, Jane Wiedlin, Adrianne Curry, Christopher Knight, Marcus Schenkenberg, and Verne Troyer. She remains good friends with Adrianne Curry, and made a brief cameo on her reality show My Fair Brady. In March 2005, Laurer re-appeared on The Howard Stern Show, where Stern noted that not only did Laurer look better than she did during her previous visit, but her entire general appearance and attitude were much better.

In late 2005, Laurer signed to star in a new movie entitled Illegal Aliens, Anna Nicole Smith's last movie before her death. She did a lot of promotional work for the movie, including appearances on talk shows and radio shows.

On August 31, 2006, she appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live as a singing barber singing with three other veterans. Laurer also appeared on The Howard Stern Show, Queer Edge, and Opie and Anthony. In November 2006, Laurer claimed on the Dr. Keith Ablow show that she did not leave the WWF because of money issues, but left because of the aforementioned issues between herself, Triple H, and Stephanie McMahon. Also in November 2006, Joanie announced a new musical project with the band "Plastic Jones".

Chyna autographing her issue of Playboy, on October 8, 2007.
Chyna autographing her issue of Playboy, on October 8, 2007.

In January 2007, Laurer conducted an interview with Lifted magazine in which she talked about finding religion, overcoming a past full of drugs and violence, and promoted her new movies and TV series The Surreal Life: Fame Games, which began to air on VH1 in January 2007. The filming took place in April 2006, during which she formed a close friendship with actress Brigitte Nielsen. Her elimination from the show, which occurred in the seventh episode, was controversial. Andrea Lowell had accumulated the lowest score in the "Celebrity Call-Back-A-Thon" challenge, but she manipulated Kennedy, the judge, to increase her score and got Laurer eliminated in the process.

On the November 6, 2007, edition of TMZ on TV, it has been documented that Laurer filed papers to change her name legally to Chyna.[2]

In early 2008, she appeared on the reality TV show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew on VH1.

[edit] Personal life

In her best-selling autobiography, If They Only Knew, Laurer revealed that her breast implants were custom-made for her after she complained to her plastic surgeon that their largest implants didn't suit her frame in the way she desired. Laurer's custom implants became the model for the Chyna 2000's, a model of breast implant now marketed to large-framed women and female bodybuilders. Laurer claims to have paid $6,000 for them.[3] Later in the book, Laurer revealed that the structural integrity of the Chyna 2000 prototypes was relatively weak; one of them ruptured during a wrestling match, necessitating corrective surgery.

Since 2003, Laurer has had a tumultuous relationship with semi-retired pro wrestler Sean Waltman. They were engaged for a period in 2003,[12] then broke up, then became engaged again, a pattern which continued for the next two years. In January 2005, Laurer was arrested for domestic assault after allegedly beating Waltman.[13][12]

On February 8, 2007 (the date of Anna Nicole Smith's death), a visibly upset Laurer appeared on Larry King Live to speak about her late friend. On the program, Laurer claimed that she "knew it was coming" because of the way the media had ridiculed Smith, and she drew parallels between the plight of Anna and herself. However, the wife of the CEO of Trim Spa, Monique Goen, claimed that Smith did not consider Laurer a friend.[14]

Six days later, on February 14, 2007, Laurer and Shane and Sia Barbi led an animal rights protest at the University of California, Los Angeles. The trio led other protesters to the door of the Neuropsychiatric Institute, a scientific lab where they perform tests on monkeys. The group had to be split up by the police, but not before a violent protester, who was nowhere near Laurer or the Barbi twins, shouted obscenities and attempted to harm the workers.[15]

On a February 2007 edition of the Bubba the Love Sponge radio show, Sean Waltman claimed that Laurer also previously dated Ed "Brutus Beefcake" Leslie.[16]

[edit] Media

Books

Movies

Television

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Chyna profile. Online World Of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-03-13.
  2. ^ a b Chyna Changes Name, Tells McMahon to "Bring It!". TMZ (2007-11-07). Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  3. ^ a b The parent's guide to WWF. Sunday Mirror (April 29, 2001). Retrieved on 2007-07-04.
  4. ^ a b c d Thomas Chamberlin (December 2000). Chyna's Dynasty. Wrestler's Digest. Retrieved on 2007-07-04.
  5. ^ a b Lilsboy (May 2005). The truth about Chyna. The Sun. Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
  6. ^ John Powell (January 30, 2001). Chyna's book for fans only. Retrieved on 2007-05-14.
  7. ^ Jim Ross (July 8, 2007). Jim Ross' Blog. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  8. ^ Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 500 - 1999. Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  9. ^ Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 500 - 2000. Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  10. ^ Cindy Pearlman (July 8, 2003). Terminatrix won't totally dematerialize. Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved on 2007-07-04.
  11. ^ Lola Ogunnaike (March 19, 2006). Sex, Lawsuits and Celebrities Caught on Tape. New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-02-11.
  12. ^ a b Paige Wiser (August 28, 2005). Caught in the act. Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved on 2007-07-04.
  13. ^ Madigan, T.J. (January 29, 2005). Chyna over the edge. The Calgary Sun. Retrieved on 2007-03-16.
  14. ^ "The Death of Anna Nicole Smith", Larry King Live transcript, CNN, aired February 8, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-30.
  15. ^ Cops Respond to Chyna Doll's Rabid Protest (includes video). TMZ.com (February 14, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-02-15.
  16. ^ Sean Waltman Reveals Dating Former WWE Diva (February 11, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-02-11.

[edit] External links

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Cast
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Persondata
NAME Chyna
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Laurer, Joan Marie (birth name)
SHORT DESCRIPTION Wrestler, actress
DATE OF BIRTH December 27, 1969
PLACE OF BIRTH Rochester, New York, United States
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH