Madman by Jen Farhat Photos Courtesy of the Farhat Family

LIFE WITH A MADMAN BY JEN FARHAT PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE FARHAT FAMILY

is story starts like many the flow, Farhat went on to emerge as others. In 1926, Edward The Sheik, professional wrestling’s god- Farhat Sr. was born to Leb- father of hardcore. Everyone in wres- anese parents in the heart tling knew him, filled arenas all over of mid-Michigan. One of the world to see him and helped him elevenH children, he had big dreams and become one of the most recognized per- little opportunity. So he made his own. sonas in professional wrestling for over A bit of a rule-breaker from the start, he four decades. used his older brother’s birth certificate Along with the likes of Dick the Bruis- to enlist in the United States Army dur- er, Abdullah the Butcher and Bull Curry, ing World War II, since he wasn’t old he was known as an uncontrollable wild enough at the time. After the war, Far- man in the ring. He made most people hat worked as a laborer while he trav- wonder if the mayhem was for real — eled to Detroit to train for what would was he really like that outside the arena? become his eventual career. I’d like to tell you he was. I’d like to tell And that’s where his story gets inter- you he was ruthless to those he encoun- esting. I can assure you his career didn’t tered on the street and vicious to the take place in a machine shop, on an au- core. I’d like to tell you that what you tomobile production line or in an office saw was what you got. building. It took place in front of the But then…well, I’d be lying. Photo: Ray Assessor world. Never one to blend in or go with

64 Jack Detroit jackdetroit.com 65 ow do I know? I know, what made him so menacing. He never the world, this video diary of my grand- definitively and without spoke around fans, and if he did, it was pa’s business was quite the hit amongst question, because the mad- in either Arabic or, hysterically, gibber- my high school friends. In it, I’m all man we’re talking about ish. To the bystander, he was a nut who of two years old and as I wander, un- was my grandpa. For most wouldn’t hesitate to cross any line to scripted, onto the screen, you can see people,H it’s strange to think about some- maintain his dangerous image. the wheels turning as I fumble with the one like The Sheik as having been a fam- Of course, I know better. The same belt of my tiny kimono robe. And with ily man. For me, it’s strange to think of men he did battle with in the ring — a grin full of glee and eyes full of mis- The Sheik as anything other than the Bobo Brazil, Andre the Giant and Leap- chief, I whip open that robe to reveal I’m man I loved and had the pleasure of ing Larry Chene — were the same men wearing only a diaper underneath. That knowing for the first 27 years of my life. who commonly sat at our family dinner genius move made the final cut of the It’s a very different existence, having to table and hung around the house. They movie. Clearly, a penchant for the dra- share your loved one with the world. were all friends and businessmen who matic runs in our family. But I did all my life. It was all I knew. had one common goal — to make pro- It’s moments like this I’m grateful to In 1964 he bought the entire Detroit fessional wrestling in Detroit, and be- have. I remember sitting in an arena in territory and named it World Wide yond, successful and ever lasting. These Kentucky watching him wrestle. As it Sports — Big Time Wrestling. With an were the forefathers of the WWE. These often happened, the match spilled out of all star crew of wrestling icons like Jesse were the men who led the way. the ring and into the crowd. Within sec- “The Bull” Ortega, Bobo Brazil, Wild And I got to see it all first hand. Can onds people were running, screaming Bull Curry, The Mighty Igor, Leaping you imagine being a 3 year-old kid and and clutching their kids to their sides in Larry Chene, Mark Lewin, Bulldog Don having Andre the Giant want to give fear. Except for five of us — my mom, Kent and Dick “The Bulldog” Brower, you a hug? Can you imagine sitting in aunt, 9 year-old brother, 4 year-old cous- Detroit soon became the heart of profes- a locker room within Cobo Arena and in and me. I’m sure everyone thought

I’M SURE EVERYONE THOUGHT WE WERE NUTS, BUT TO US, THAT WAS JUST OUR GRANDPA SHEIK DOING HIS THING. AND AS HE TOSSED HIS OPPONENT AROUND LIKE A RAGDOLL, HE SNUCK IN A LITTLE WINK TO LET US KNOW HE LOVED US.

sional wrestling. being able to see a grizzly bear (soon we were nuts, but to us, that was just Of course, most of his glory years to be used in a match) walking up and our Grandpa Sheik doing his thing. And took place before I was born or during down the hallway? That was a part of as he tossed his opponent around like a the formative years of my life. But from my childhood. It was my normal. ragdoll, he snuck in a little wink to let us the start, I knew he was special. I knew How? The Sheik made wrestling a know he loved us. he wasn’t like other grandpas. And he family business. My grandma traveled And that was quintessentially him. wasn’t. He took his career as The Sheik extensively with him during the course For all his professional rage, at heart, he very seriously. The controversial way in of his career, even appearing in the ring was a loving man and a humanitarian which he wrestled — gauging eyes with as Princess Salima. My dad became Cap- ahead of his time. One of my favorite sto- concealed pencils he’d tuck into his sig- tain Ed George, a main-event attraction ries was about a time in Texas during the nature camel-embroidered trunks and of his own and co-promoter for the com- pre-civil rights era. The promoters had finishing opponents off with his “Camel pany, while my uncle learned everything segregated the African-American fans Clutch” — served to elevate his reputa- from ring set-up to business affairs. We in a balcony behind chicken wire. My tion to that of a lunatic. And he loved were all entrenched in it, in one way or grandfather got to the ring and saw the every minute of it. another. In fact, my dad and uncle still seating arrangements. He then climbed In fact, his unpredictable antics and run a wrestling promotion in Michigan up 15 feet and ripped down the wire. He out-of-this-world behavior are argu- called the All World Wrestling League. I was having no part of it. The best part is ably what gave rise to the ultra-violent think it’ll always be a part of our lives. that he got away with it, without ques- style of pro wrestling that’s so com- There even exists, much to my amuse- tion — simply because he did it as “The monplace today. Unlike the wrestlers ment, a “documentary” about Big Time Sheik.” of today, however, he never broke char- Wrestling called “I Like to Hurt People,” As I was learning to read, write, count acter when he was out in public; that’s in which I appear. Distributed around and use cursive, my grandpa was win-

66 Jack Detroit jackdetroit.com 67 ning countless heavyweight titles across a table, a folding chair or any otherwise — there have been marriages, divorces multiple wrestling organizations, while innocent object for a nefarious purpose. and great-grandchildren added to the maintaining his place as the greatest Whether that wrestler knows it or not, mix. There have been family reunions We think BIG of heel in wrestling. As I was entering mid- he is paying homage to my grandpa. where his presence is sorely lacking. dle school and battling braces and acne, When I think through his last years, There have been eight Christmas cel- he was battling kids half his age and it’s always with gratitude for the time ebrations, though a hole remains in our Small Business. running circles around them in the ring. we had together. And more often than hearts. Time marches on, but our memo- When I was in high school, playing vol- not, it’s with a smile. ries never fade. leyball and taking college prep courses, When I was in college and brought Above all else, I know this to be true: my grandpa was playing his role abroad home my roommate for Easter dinner, regardless of whether he remembered more and more frequently, most often in he’d put on his act and start praising Al- his own history, it lives on in me. And MONTHLY ACCOUNTING SERVICES WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE AND BROUGHT HOME MY ROOMMATE FOR EASTER DIN- PAYROLL PROCESSING NER, HE’D PUT ON HIS ACT AND START PRAISING ALLAH AT THE TABLE - LOUDLY AND INCOME TAX PREPARATION WITH VIGOR. I’D CALMLY REMIND HIM THAT WE WERE CATHOLIC. SPECIALIZING IN Japan where he is an unparalleled leg- lah at the table — loudly and with vigor. in my family. And in the countless fans end. And as I entered Michigan State to I’d calmly remind him that we were he amassed over the course of his unbe- SMALL BUSINESS NEEDS begin the next chapter of my life, he be- Catholic. lievable life. He was a man that loved his gan to live the final chapters of his. When I would come visit and tell family, loved his fans and dedicated his As he grew older, his lifetime of hard- him some story of accomplishment in life to perfecting a craft few others have core physicality began to take effect on my professional career, he’d come back been able to match. his body. From hip replacements to heart with something along the lines of “Nice On March 31, 2007, World Wrestling surgery, he became our own bionic man. work. You want a medal for that?”, after Entertainment inducted The Sheik into 248-557-7466 That also meant his career was coming which he’d laugh, grab me in a hug and their Hall of Fame. The next night, my 18444 W. TEN MILE to an end. Of course, he fought it out kiss my head, letting me know he was family attended WrestleMania 23 at SOUTHFIELD, MI 48075 until the last possible second, and didn’t truly proud. And I’d remind him I was Ford Field where he was honored. What end up wrestling in his last match un- just following in his footsteps. a wonderful way to celebrate my grand- til 1994, at the age of 68. In front of over And at the end of his life, when the pa’s life and accomplishments. It made 64,000 fans, he had his retirement match collective of his many ailments ravaged me miss him that much more. and said goodbye to the entertainment his once-strong body and wiped his So, as you drive by Cobo Arena or to side of the business. memory clean of who he’d once been, go to a show at St. Andrews, remember But even then, he wasn’t done. He I’d remind him who I was, that he was that once, not so many years ago, there Chill It & Spill It!

taught many other wrestlers how to be- loved and that he was safe. was a wild man that ruled the land come successful, including Michigan na- In the middle of a quiet night on Janu- with a palm full of fire and a head full tives Rob Van Dam and Sabu. He took ary 18, 2003, my grandpa died after his of dreams that helped put Detroit on the great personal pride in helping others longest and most hard-fought battle. It sports-entertainment map. develop their craft. His legacy is assured was the day our family lost our patriarch But most of all, remember, as I do, that of continuing for years to come — it and the world lost a legend. In the years he was a man of great love and sacrifice. www.HardLuckCandy.com can be seen every time a wrestler uses since, our family has gone through lots And that he was pretty damn fantastic. please enjoy responsibly 68 Jack Detroit jackdetroit.com 69