Lenny Lane

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Leonard Carlson, better known as Lenny Lane, is an American professional wrestler.

Contents

[edit] Career

Lenny Lane was trained by Eddie Sharkey and debuted in 1995. He first appeared in World Championship Wrestling as Lane Carlson, a jobber. He later changed his name to Lenny Lane and began to wear boots marked "LL", possibly due to his resemblance to Lex Luger in his early days, despite his smaller size. His first storyline saw him as Chris Jericho's lackey. He later began advertising a (fictional) product known as "Ab Solution Plus." It was a health drug that supposedly benefited the abdominal muscles.

In June 1999 he approached Lodi and stated "There's not doing much with me and they're not doing much with you. Why don't we form a gay tag team?" [1]. Lane had been inspired by a Saturday Night Live vignette featuring "The Ambiguously Gay Duo." WCW management were initially reluctant, but booker Kevin Nash approved the idea, and Lane and Lodi were renamed The West Hollywood Blondes (as opposed to the original Hollywood Blondes, "Stunning" Steve Austin and Flyin' Brian Pillman). The Blondes were implied to be homosexuals, wearing pink trunks and with Lane sporting pigtails, facial glitter and a lollipop. Controversially, the Blondes were later revealed to be brothers. The Blondes were an effective heel tag team, though they rarely won matches.

In an upset victory, Lane defeated Rey Mysterio, Jr. on the August 19 episode of WCW Thunder in Lubbock, Texas to win the WCW Cruiserweight Championship. With the assistance of Lodi, he defended the title successfully throughout the next six weeks. On the October 3 episode of WCW Monday Nitro, Psychosis was announced as having defeated Lane for the Crusierweight Championship at an unspecified House Show.

The Blondes were taken off TV in the same month following protests from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, who threatened to organize a boycott of WCW, claiming that "The character of Lenny is presented with the intention to incite the crowd to the most base homophobic behavior" and "the audience's reaction [to Lenny and Lodi being physically attacked by other wrestlers] gives permission to viewers to do harm to gay people in a very literal way." [2].

Lane and Lodi returned as Standards and Practices, a censorious duo who opposed the "adult themes" present in WCW. In a drastic departure from their previous appearance, they wore designer suits, carried briefcases and were accompanied by a secretary, Miss Hancock. Standards and Practices was supposedly an attempt to mock the conservative views of WCW management. Miss Hancock eventually abandoned the team, and both Lane and Lodi were released from WCW in August 2000. Lane briefly reappeared for a short feud with The Wall, but was released once more.

Lane moved on to Texas Championship Wrestling, in April 2001, where he formed a tag team with Shane Helms, winning the TCW Tag Team Championships. The team was split Helms was signed by the World Wrestling Federation.

The Blondes reunited in the now defunct World Wrestling All-Stars promotion in late-2001, and Lane was signed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2002 (Lodi would have been signed too, but he was injured). Lane formed a short-lived tag team with Bruce known as The Rainbow Express, and competed on the second ever TNA pay-per-view on June 26. However, Lane sustained an injury, and the team split on November 20, 2002 after Bruce turned on Lane. He left TNA soon after.

Lane competed for Steel Domain Wrestling throughout 2003, and for the New Age Wrestling Alliance in 2004 and early 2005. He also works for the American Wrestling League, which is in the same TV slot and wrestles in the same venues as Steel Domain Wrestling did.

[edit] Profile

  • Height: 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
  • Weight: 212 lb (96.2 kg)
  • Birthday: 1970
  • Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
  • Trained by: Eddie Sharky
  • Debut: January 28, 1995
  • Previous identities: Lane, Lenni, Lane Carlson, Luscious Lenny, Lenny Lane

[edit] In wrestling

[edit] Finishing and signature moves

[edit] Managers

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

  • French Lakes Wrestling Association
    • 1-time FLWA Tag Team Champion
  • Minnesota Independent Wrestling
    • 1-time MIW Heavyweight Champion
  • Northern Premier Wrestling
    • 1-time NPW Heavyweight Champion
  • Steel Domain Wrestling
    • 1-time SDW World Heavyweight Champion
  • Texas Championship Wrestling
    • 1-time TCW Texas Tag Team Champion (with Shane Helms)
  • World Championship Wrestling

[edit] Championship succession

WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Preceded by:
Rey Mysterio, Jr.
First Succeeded by:
Psychosis

[edit] Trivia

  • Despite depicting a homosexual in several different promotions, Lane is a heterosexual.
  • He refers to his fanbase as "Laniacs".

[edit] References

[edit] External links