Shraman Mitra
Netflix’s ‘Muscles & Mayhem’ takes us behind the scenes of the much-loved 1989 competitive reality show ‘American Gladiators,’ and showcases how the popular show was conceived in the first place. However, even though ‘American Gladiators’ enjoyed an impressive viewership during its runtime, things weren’t rosy on the backend, and the show had to endure rumors about scripted challenges and drug abuse. Since the Netflix show reveals the truth through one on one interviews, we are introduced to several interesting personalities, including former Gladiator Danny Lee Clark, known better by his stage name Nitro.
Who Is Danny Lee Clark?
Although Danny was born in the City of Zama, located in the Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, his family moved to the United States when he was still a child. Besides, readers will be interested to know that Danny did not get into athletics until his university days, which is when he discovered his passion for football. Since the former bodybuilder attended San Jose State University, he began his career as a standout defensive lineman for the university’s football team. Moreover, since Danny was exceptionally dedicated to the sport, it did not take much time for him to shine as a brilliant player, and he even got an opportunity to play in the National Football League when he joined the Los Angeles Rams.
Later, Danny also competed in the Professional European League, but he was slowly discovering his love for bodybuilding at this point. In fact, lifting weights and building muscles was of immense help in his football career, and this was what introduced Danny to the art of bodybuilding in the first place. As a professional bodybuilder, Danny joined the cast of ‘American Gladiators’ in 1989 and became immediately popular as Nitro, his stage name. Moreover, even though Danny left the show after being an original cast member from 1989 to 1992, he returned as Nitro between 1994 to 95 before becoming an analyst and co-host in the show’s last season in 1996.
On top of it, Danny remained associated with ‘American Gladiators’ during its 2008 revival as a coordinating producer. Naturally, his appearance in the show propelled him into the spotlight and paved the way for a successful career in the entertainment industry. In fact, after earning much fame as Nitro, Danny went on to appear in numerous other movies and TV shows, including ‘Death Becomes Her,’ ‘Equilibrium,’ ‘Walker, Texas Ranger,’ ‘California Dreams,’ and ‘The Brother’s Garcia.’ Moreover, while Danny got an opportunity to come on as a contestant on a few reality shows, he wrote, directed, and produced the movie ‘Looking for Bruce,’ while also writing several other screenplays on the side.
Danny Lee Clark Has Evolved Into a Motivational Speaker
While reports mention that Danny Lee Clark has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, he has also been associated with the Young Story Tellers program since 2002. On top of it, in 2009, the former bodybuilder published his memoir titled ‘Gladiator,’ which received great critical acclaim. In 2013, Danny and his loved ones received a horrific shock when the entertainment star suffered a severe heart attack. Yet, he has since recovered from the scare and even wrote the book ‘F Dying,’ which chronicles his life after the incident.
While Danny currently shares an excellent bond with his son, Tyler Clark, and appears to reside in Los Angeles, California, he owns and operates Gladiator Rock’n Run, through which the former bodybuilder designs obstacle courses for amateur athletes and the general public. Furthermore, he is credited with establishing the program, Ten Thousand Pounds, which educates the youth against childhood obesity. On top of it, sources mention that Danny also offers his services as a motivational speaker, and we wish him the best for the years to come.
Read More: Raye Hollitt AKA Zap: Where is the American Gladiator Now?
