Beach Teen Hits It Big With WWE
Come Monday and Friday nights, it's easy to locate Denzel Parker - he'll be right in front of a television, watching World Wrestling Entertainment superstars hit the ropes, the mat, and each other.
Like many teenage wrestling fans, Denzel would like to someday step into the ring himself, in the oversized footsteps of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Triple H, or the Rock (now slowly becoming re-known as Dwayne Johnson to film fans as Johnson embarks on an acting career).
But a few weeks ago, the Landstown High student, 15, got closer to the sports entertainment world than the overwhelming majority of wrestling fans ever will - and didn't even have to strap on a pair of tights or get chokeslammed through a table to do it.
In early June, WWE frontman Vince McMahon ambled out to the ring as one of his shows rolled to the end. A master of the pompous stroll, McMahon's bounced back and forth between hated and loved by fans over the past few years, and he's currently in heel (read: bad guy) mode in the athletic theater.
But hey, even Scrooge McDuck and Montgomery Burns showed their generous sides once in a while.
McMahon, in all his infinite generosity, proclaimed that he'd be sharing his wealth - estimated by some to be in the billions - with the fans; the next Monday would mark a new beginning in WWE history: a giveaway of a million dollars.
Denzel couldn't believe his eyes or ears.
"That's a lot of money!" he said. He and seven figures' worth of wrestling fans ran for their computers to enter the contest, knocking in their e-mail addresses on the WWE web site.
"I thought I could win," he said. "I was confident, but you never know."
The next Monday, he was back in his regular spot. Just before the show began, he found that he'd beaten the odds in a way that would score among the biggest upsets in school history - a WWE representative called to tell him he'd qualified among the contest winners, and to expect a call from McMahon himself before the show's credits rolled.
"I had a feeling that I was going to get some money," he said. "I was rocking back and forth, about to lose my marbles."
He stepped into the kitchen, while his father and brother kept watch in the living room. Minutes into the show, they saw McMahon step out on stage and dial a speaker phone.
Denzel's cell phone rang.
"I was like, 'Oh my God!'" he said. "I was crazy. I was starstruck."
McMahon identified himself and Denzel. Then, for Denzel's final winning act, McMahon asked the youngster to bark like a dog.
"I did!" he said. "Hey, it was Vince McMahon! Whether you love him or hate him as a character, as a person, you still have to respect him, because if it wasn't for him, there wouldn't be a WWE."
His respect was about ro rise like an overpowered rocket: McMahon told Denzel he'd just won $125,000.
"I was screaming 'Wooh!' and 'Arriba!'" Denzel said. He and the rest of his family jumped around and cheered. The home and cell phones rang with congratulatory calls from friends and family members. His e-mail box filled up.
Then he got on the phone with longtime wrestling announcer Joey Styles to discuss Denzel's plans for the money. Denzel discussed giving some of the money to a few churches, and buy some guitars for his family.
"My dad and I are both Redskins fans," he said, "so we're getting some new jerseys!"
Assuming his musical career doesn't work out (he's an aspiring rapper), Denzel hoped the call wouldn't be his last interaction with McMahon's folks.
"I have certain ideas for the WWE," Denzel said. "I want to see the Rock and (longtime diva) Trish Stratus come back. I want them to bring back (former competitor) World Championship Wrestling and (current promotion) Total Nonstop Action. That way, we'll have wrestling on every night. I want teens to wrestle in WWE; it would keep them out of trouble. Some of the money from the wrestlers' salary and the money from merchandise should go to charities."
