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Piper Stuns Fans at Marion, IN Event; Walks Out In Middle of Show

Posted: Nov 18th 2007 By: CMBurnham

The following items were posted on the EWF message board late Saturday night and early Sunday morning:

From Brandon King:

"I went to the Indy show in Marion, IN tonight where Roddy Piper was advertised. The show was good for an indy show and you could tell the promoter had a packed house because of Piper being announced.

Things didn't go exactly as planned. PIper comes out with his son Colt and talked about how he is here to help the younger guys and how someone has to do it. He builds himself up to be this great legend when he pulled the ultimate no-no.

Piper was interrupted during his promo by a wrestler and was thought to have a match later on in the night. Piper takes it on himself during intermission to take his nights pay and say he is going to the Circle K gas station near by....to never return.

The promoter sat there on the ring apron and told us what had happened and all of us were stunned. None of us thought Piper would pull such a stunt. EWF offered us free attendance next Saturday to make up for it. The promoter and the crowd were devastated and the night ended pretty abruptly. Figured I would get this online as Piper is thought to be a classy legend, but clearly this isn't the case."

That post was followed by one fro Jayson Maples, the promoter of the event:

"Since Pipers "disapearing act" has already hit the internet I feel like I need to say somthing, I was going to gather my thoughts tonight and issue somthing in the morning but here it goes...

I had Piper booked now for several weeks,and began to handle some other appearances for him as well. Communication with him over the past several weeks was fine, I also arranged for him to keep a 3 day booking another booking agency had got for him in Indianapolis which he had forgot he was booked on and had no intentions on going to it * I kept it secured for him so....by the way....Your welcome Horror Hound ! Rod did some press for me with the local newspaper and radio everything was looking good....

All Roddy had to do was come up here tonight do a pipers pit segment and do a autograph session for our fans and then go back to Indianapolis so he could be at "Horror Hound" tomorrow....

so great he shows up.... we stand out in the parking lot Piper talks with me for 10 min. or so about what is expected of him...HE GETS 100% of his pay "Somthing I normally take care of after the show", but Piper said he needed his pay now ? so I take care of it, Piper then comes into the locker room...we talk again with the guys who are involved in a pre-intermission spot with him and then with the wrestler who will be in "Pipers Pit" with him tonight...everyone is clear whats going down....then Roddy goes around the locker room like a pro , shakes hands with everyone in the back offers to watch their matchs and give out words of advice...(at this point , I was sure i'd made a good choice by bringing in the Hot Rod) so he goes out to the ring and does his "Pipers Pit segment" to a standing ovation...he comes to the back (asks me to inform the fans he will be doing Poloroids / selling gimmiks after the main event)...I go on with the show * and if you dont know, promoting a show is always hectic and any promoter will agree that you cant be everywhere all night and keep tabs on everything...tonight was no exception" I got the camera crew for four TV Stations here, a college student doing a video project here shooting video, the local newspaper who sent a reporter and a photographer here to do a follow up for tomorrows front page, all while I'm trying to finish up a raffle.... "a replica belt Piper signed"....

So at this point im watching my monitor when I notice Roddy is gone? One of the boys tells me Rod said he is headed over to the store to get something to drink and will be right back....3 matches later..........no Rod...........Ok....now the show is over, 8 phone calls made to both Pipers phone and his son Colts phone "No Answer".......I find myself in the not so happy position of telling the fans that Piper bailed.....i am really shocked , due to how he had acted earlier in the night that he would just do that with no explanation.... I sat on the side of the ring and talked with the fans for 10-15 minutes or so and explained the situation inviting every fan who attended tonight to next Saturdays show and told them not to worry about admission next week because I felt bad that none of them got to get their pictures taken with him......I really did not know what else to say........?

Finally 40 minutes after the show was over and with about 5 or so fans left in the lobby....I get a phone call through to Rods cell phone...I am told by someone who answers the phone....That Rod was back in his room already in Indy, which is 1 hour away from our venue ...and that he had a emergency he had to take care of , which is why he left ? no other explanation given...but that he will let Rod know I am unhappy and get Rod to call me later ?????

Ok....As upset as I am about this situation , I do not want to throw stones and I pray that (if) there was an emergency that everyone in Pipers family is ok...and that nothing serious is wrong....But Rod I do expect a phone call A.S.A.P. to explain why you left a full arena of fans who wanted Photos / autographs and Hot Rod Merchandise with not so much as a bye or anything....

Thank you fans who showed up tonight and sorry if anyone was upset that Piper left before he fullfilled his obligations....."

Oklafan will provide further information on this event as it becomes available.

Tags: Roddy Piper