Dan Nitro Clark

Taking a day off in Sedona Arizona for a little Rest and Relaxation after a mini-Book Tour Road Trip!  Started in Tampa, then onward to Orlando.   The CBS and FOX affiliates were both fantastic and supportive there, as well as, in New Orleans. 

New Orleans seemed full of life and vibrant.  There were still plenty of signs of Katrina’s devastation, but there was also a skip in the step of the people and the streets at night were alive.  I somehow ended up in the world famous Pat O’Brien’s drinking hurricanes at the end of the night.  I didn’t get hurt though.  It was one and done.  Now that is wisdom.   Or maybe it’s simply that I don’t like sweet drinks.  Give it to me hard on the rocks or give me wine or give me death.  Okay, being a little dramatic… but New Orleans does that to a guy.  However, as I pulled away from New Orleans, a wave of guilty washed over me.  I felt guilty that I didn’t do anything to help.  It’s weird how everything seems just like a story on the news until you live, eat, drink, and breath it.  

I wish I would’ve done something to help.  Does anyone else feel that way?

Galveston Island, Texas was the next stop.   It reminded me a bit of Rosarita Beach, Mexico.  A strip of hotels on a spit of land with brown mucky-water.  The saving grace of the beach town — were the people with their Texas-twang and Southern friendliness.  

From there we went on to San Antonio to do the “Great Day San Antonio” show  on the CBS affiliate.  They were the bomb.  The two female hosts, Bridget and Eileen read the book, gushed effusively about it, and were just fantastic.   I wonder if I would’ve said the same thing if they didn’t absolutely love the book?  LOL.  Here’s Great Day San Antonio Video.  It’s one of my favs from the entire tour.   

I also was able to give a shout out on air to my ex-in-laws.  Is that how you write it?  Ex -in-laws?  The marriage wasn’t so good — but the in-laws were always fantastic to me.  I miss them.  It’s sad that we also divorce the family when we divorce the spouse.  Sometimes the family is the best part. 

From San Antonio it was on to El Paso for a little publicity, the on to Tucson for a touch more, and as said earlier, I’m now in Sedona.   It’s absolutely stunning here!!!

Before I head off, I have to give a shout out to my favorite local producer in Los Angeles, Janet at KTLA 5.  She is a rockstar!

~ Dan

Fight Club, Pygmy, and Choke author extraordinaire — Chuck Palahniuk — read Gladiator – A True Story of Roids, Rage and Redemption and said:       

"If you only read one book… this year, this has to be it!" 

Here’s the full review in The Week Magazine or on the Daily Beast website.  I’m a little star struck that he’d pick Gladiator, but I honestly think the book is deserving of these kind words.  When I started writing the book — I wanted it to be an candid, frank look at a life — and have it be an illumination of the fragility of the human condition.  

I wasn’t interested in doing a tell-all.  I am interested in the art of story telling.  I’m glad I didn’t take the easy route and incriminate people — but instead bled on the page — exposed the inner machinations of my soul — and let light and life into places that were once dark.  

If you haven’t read Chuck’s books yet… you don’t know what your missing.  He’s one of the finest testosterone-driven authors we have.  The book "Fight Club" is so much better than the movie.   Go to his site now ChuckPalahnuik.net and check him out.    I’m most curious if women find him appealing?  Let me know. Also just got back from Florida.  

Did the morning show in Orlando on Fox, as well as, the morning show in Tampa on CBS.  My favorite radio station there is SportsChix on the AM Dial! Lastly, I know a lot of people have been asking for me to put up video of all the TV interviews.   It’s on my to do list when I get back from my Book Tour / Road Trip at the end of next week! 

Be Brilliant!  

Dan Clark

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In New York today to do the SEAN HANNITY on FOX NEWS.  It’s going to be interesting.  I’ve just received the topics.   And have a couple of hours to go over them and form my opinions.  It’s also intimidating because I’ll be on the Great American Panel which usually has 2 Political experts, then one celebrity type.  But I’m comforted by knowing I represent a slice of the American public.  And, I’m comfortable speaking my truth without being derisive of others points of view.   I’ll write later tonight on how it goes.

I know one of the topics will be the Miss America gay marriage controversy.

~ Dan

Saturday night is alright for Kung Fu Fighting!  You gotta read this review in the Orange County Register. It's the reason we are creative and write books. It's also fantastic because it's my home town paper as well! 

But I do have to admit it's been a Herculean task to actually get a review.  Because of the cutback at paper and the shrinkage of the book section — they just don't do that many reviews anymore — especially on books with a guy in spandex on the cover.  

They think they know the story.  I guess the adage is true, don't judge a book by it's cover.  

This guy from the paper, Peter Larsen, actually read the book, and buzzed me up and took a moment to look inside.  I'm glad he did.  

Media has become cheap and sensationalistic today.  Not this guy.  While everyone else led with Man-Boobs and steroids, he led with man behind the story. That would humbly be me. The article starts…  

Dan Clark stands on the deck of his modern, glass-infused Hollywood Hills home, bruised storm clouds moving fast through the Cahuenga Pass below. His smile is quick and his eyes flash as he tells his story. Yet you sense weariness, too as he describes his life. Or lives.

The story of Dan Clark – you know him as Nitro, one of the ripped bad boy stars of the original "American Gladiators" TV series – is one of many different lives, each a creation of Clark's demons, drive and desire. Clark, it turns out, is the ultimate self-made man, shedding skins like a snake, recreating himself (figuratively and literally) over and over in his 44 years.

He was a preschooler who bawled when his parents split, and then made himself into a boy who would not cry. He was a 10-year-old devastated by guilt and grief after witnessing the accidental electrocution of his older brother, who turned himself into someone who would not – could not – feel.

He was a chubby teen who, in the early 1980s, transformed himself into a football star at Saddleback High School, building his body even bigger after discovering steroids at Santa Ana College.

And, later, he was a washed-up would-be NFL player who created a new persona as Nitro, the bad-ass TV Gladiator who'd gladly knock you on yours, on or off camera.

And now Clark is this: the fading celebrity, who abused himself and everyone around him for years – with drugs and sex and brawls and such – remakes himself once more, writing a memoir to tell (and sell) his story everywhere he can, like a prophet warning others off the self-destructive path he'd followed…

You can read the rest of the OC article here.  

Access Hollywood interview was another story.  40 minute interview chopped to 15 seconds and one question about the side effects of steroids.  And Billy Bush was to cool fro school.  But at least they hooked a brotha up and showed the cover.   Off to dinner at the famous Spago in Beverly Hills.  Been there a few times.  But this is the first time I'm actually going there for dinner!

Please enjoy!

Dan Clark

Btw — if you still haven't gotten a copy of the book I know Amazon has GLADIATOR on sale in the bargain book area for $10 so now is a great time to get it just in time for Xmas!  Just click the link above – ignore the $20 price and go down to the box where it has the "bargain" price!

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