Dan Nitro Clark

It’s funny how when I supposed to be writing… I find myself doing anything but writing.  Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started.  Staring at the ominous blank page can be intimidating.  Part of taunts me to write and fill its borders.  The other intimidates me… because there is so much space to fill.   Procrastination won the battle  today… so I started to flip through my photo album and thought I’d share a couple of photos.  

 Me on the set of ESPN hosting ESPN’s Gladiator Marathon! 

"Nitro is Coming for You!"

 Photo Shoot for FLAUNT magazine.  WTF!  I don’t even know what to say about these two pics??

I don’t care what anyone says — I think Jessica Simpson is hot!

Dan and Jessica Simpson backstage:

Kid Rock was awesome!!  I just got done asking him to BOX!

Kid Rock & Dan Clark backstage:

I had the Matt & Amy Roloff of "Little People Big World" over my house for a party.  I know, I know from Kid Rock to "Little People Big World."  But it’s one of my fav shows and my gf produces it!

Bull Riding!  What the hell is wrong with me?  Never again.  Well, unless they offer me a lot of $$$!

Dan Nitro Clark on Ty Murray’s Celebrity Bull Riding

The alternate cover of my book "Gladiator – A True Story of Roids, Rage and Redemption" I wished they used.   If you haven’t got it yet… you can still pick  it up here:  

Gladiator – A True Story of Roids, Rage and Redemption.    If you do read it, circle back and give me your feedback.  I’d love to hear from you!

Lastly, I leave you with an "old school" picture of me as a junior in 1980 at Saddleback High school in Santa Ana, California.  "Man, did I think I was too cool for school!"

Every enjoy the last weekend of summer!  

Be well!

Dan Clark

BTW — Everyone ask me about supplements and products I love.  I’m still on the Sun Warrior Protein powder kick.  It’s a little bit pricey but worth it as I haven’t found anything better!  It’s organic, from brown rice (makes the Asian side of me happy) and has the highest assimilation rate of any protein on the market!!!

Technorati Tags: Dan Clark, Nitro, American Gladiators, Sun Warrior protein, Jessica Simpson, Kid Rock, Gladiator A True Story of, Little People Big World, Matt Roloff, Amy Roloff, Saddleback High School, Espn, Flaunt magazine, TLC, Dan Nitro Clark

Can you tell a woman’s age by looking at her topless? This question was put to test this week when I went in for an interview on the Playboy Morning Radio show on Sirius Radio.  I didn’t know what to expect as I hadn’t listened to the show before, but I was relieved when it started off like any other interview.  We rapped about the Original American Gladiators coming to out on DVD and my new book "Gladiator – A True Story of Roids, Rage and Redemption" when out of the blue, the host Andrea Lowell, (Playmate, Surreal Life) asked me how old I thought she was.

When I hesitated her co-host Kevin Klein suggested she take her top off and perhaps that would assist me in guessing her age.  How her being topless – was supposed to help me guess her age was beyond me.  What were they thinking – that breasts were like trees – and you could count the rings around the nipple and tell its age? 

Well, I figured I didn’t really matter because there was no way she was taking her top off.   But no sooner had the words left Kevin’s mouth when Andrea proceeded to whip off her top.  The next thing I know she’s sitting across from me topless.  And all I could think was:  I’m in so much trouble – my girlfriend has Sirius radio. 

When I still didn’t take a stab at her age, Kevin suggested she go and jump on the mini-trampoline, as a way to help me along.   Before I could say, "That’s not necessary," Andrea was bouncing up and down on the trampoline egging me on to guess her age.   (Btw -This made it really difficult to count the rings)   After a while Andrea tired and sat back down and told me she wasn’t putting her top back on until I guessed her age.  Hmm.  Difficult proposition. What’s a guy to do?  I stammered, stuttered and then sucked in a deep breath and calmly said, "Twenty six."   Her face went blank, then one brow went up in curiosity.  She told me I was right, then asked me how I knew.  I smiled and said, "I counted the rings."   Andrea was quite impressed.  I didn’t have the heart to tell her, I looked her up on IMDB before I came on the show and already knew her age. 

On a more serious, but not less fun note, I want to give a shout out to two of my favorite radio shows — Up All Night with Jason Smith on ESPN Radio.  He’s a witty guy, who I always get a kick out of and am glad to go on with.  We’ll probably next rap when my San Jose State Spartans play the USC Trojans on Sept 5th.  I’ll be talking smack and cheering on my Spartans – even though they probably don’t have a chance. 

The other program Day-Break USA radio with Scott West.  Scott show is always fast-paced and fun filled and full of insight.  Check out both of their shows!

Be well,

Dan "Nitro" Clark

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I had an interesting interchange with a young friend of mine about whether or not he should take steroids. I know a little about the subject being that I took them for over 20 years.  

I say he's young – young to me, but he's not a kid.  I believe he's in his late 20's.  Not that I'm old like father time.  Hell, I just had my 45 birthday… but I'm wise in years of experience.  I've seen a lot in my life.  

Well, this friend of mine — we'll call him "Rick" — has been asking me a lot about steroids.  He's obsessed with them and what he thinks they will do for him and how they will change his life.  Just recently he said, "I'd love to be able to bench 500 pounds and scream and throw it on the rack, like you did when you were Nitro on "American Gladiators."  

The kid's a smart kid… he read my memoir Gladiator – A True Story of Roids, Rage and Redemption a few times.  So, I'm stunned my stance against steroids isn't crystal clear him.

I have to say, it feels odd now to be admired for being a Hercules who hoisted up heavy weights.  But at the time it meant everything.  I realize now it means nothing.  But what's different?  What's changed? And how do I share this with my young friend?  The best I could come up with is:  

I wish I would've spent more time building a life back when I was young — because eventually your body will fail you — it will grow old — but the life you build around will only continue to grow and blossom. 

I really hope he understands me.  It took me too many years to realize that: 

Steroids and drugs are a hopeless reach for happiness.  Because you'll never be big enough or strong enough or high enough to fill what is missing inside.  Eventually you'll have to learn the process of building a life, and realize that the honey, the reward, comes from putting your nose to the grindstone and walking toward a place you want to go.   

I dedicated my book to:

My son, my family, and that bright shining smile of nieces and nephews that became more important than the roar of the crowd.  

This distinction has made all the difference.   Even though he wasn't asking me for advice, I say this to my young friend: 

Build your life from the inside out.  Know that your enough.  And realize that where ever you go, there you will be. 

    Choosing a book cover in never an easy task.  We went through a couple different incarnations that I'll SHOW you in this post for my book - Gladiator – A True Story of Roids, Rage and Redemption.  Early on I had my ideas of what I wanted and then it changed as the content of the book changed.  The book became extremely personal and even though it's framed by "Gladiators and Steroids," the heart of the book is about: identity, love, family, addiction, and survivorship.

     I thought these themes would resonate with readers because I always knew the Gladiator audience was more sophisticated then the wrestling audience. I also believed if I made the book extremely personal and candid and made sure not matter how dark the journey got — that my humanity shined through — I would reach beyond the core audience and into readers who'd never watched Gladiators — but love a great story. By the feedback and reviews, I humbly think I've succeeded. Here is the INITIAL COVER the publisher came up with:  

    Again, the book is an extremely candid look at a life — that was pretty freakin' wild, astonishing, and at times heartbreaking — and I wanted the cover to reflect that. So as cool this cover was with the burnt edges, it just didn't do it for me. The SECOND COVER was intriguing:

   I loved the colors on this cover, the large font, the ominous feel. But at the end of the day, it didn't feel like it was the appropriate cover for a Memoir.  It felt like it was written by a reporter or someone not associated with the show, so I asked the publisher to keep trying.  

   This COVER is my FAVORITE and the one I fought to use. I lost the battle.  First off, I'd change the color of the font to red. But what I love about this cover is the juxtaposing of the images of "Current Me" and "Nitro" on the front. You get to see the "journey" in a snapshot. The journey from Gladiator to the man I am today. I think that's interesting and more appropriate for the book. Especially with the female readers. And, thank God, there's been a lot.

Here's the COVER THEY USED. I like it, but really believe the cover above is the best one.

That being said, I'm most appreciative of the people at Simon and Schuster — they've done a great job. Plus, there's always PAPERBACK!  

What do you think? Love to hear your feedback.

Be brilliant!

Dan "Nitro" Clark

DanNitroClark.com

Technorati Tags: Gladiators, Choosing a book cover, American Gladiator, Dan Clark, Nitro, Dan Nitro Clark, Simon and Schuster, memoir, best books, Gladiators, how to chose a book cover, writer, author

There seems to be a plethora of steroid books coming out on the market and still more being pitched. bpinvsm3kw  I’m not sure how I feel about the new book about A-Rod coming out: “A-Rod – The Many Lives of Alex Rodriquez.”  I’ll probably get it because I’m curious — but these unauthorized biographies are always to get a handle on how much is actually true.  Since A-Rod didn’t contribute at all — I’m always a little bit skeptical.  The bigger question is…  does anyone actually care?  I care.  A little.  I’ve purchased the book on Amazon.  

When I read a book it’s always about the “take-away” experience.  Meaning – what useful information can I learn by reading the book.  It doesn’t have to be about making me a better person — it’s often a reflection or a clue to who I am — or sometimes it’s just a great freakin’ ride that’s exhilarating and makes your heart pump.  Other times books take me into a new world, show me things I didn’t  know before.   There’s so many reasons to read. 

I believe m y book Gladiator: A True Story of ‘Roids, Rage and Redemption fulfills many of the criteria above.   Yes, it’s an honest look at steroids, both the great and the horrific.  But most of all it’s…   Well, I tell you why my friend thinks people should read the book:

Because it is, at its heart, a coming-of-age story.  It is an honest and compelling look at what it means to be a man learning how to be a father when his own father let him down.

Because it is a story about survival—emotional survival and physical survival and spiritual survival.  It is a journey of self-discovery that’s filtered through the prism of celebrity. 

Because it is a riveting read that has a conscience at its core—a call to arms that should galvanize parents and alert them to the dangers of steroids, even at the high school level of sports. 

Because it is a “triumph of the human spirit” story, a real life saga—as the title suggests—of ‘roids, rage and redemption.  It’s about forgiveness and hope and the will to change when life is not working.

And finally, because it is a book that captures emotion in the raw—a book that will make you cry and a book that will make you laugh.  But more than anything, it is a book that will make you feel.

And yep, you got it.  She’s a female.  I ecstatic that women are loving and getting this book as much as the males are.  It’s been the most surprising and unexpected thing about the entire book!

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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     Kicked it on the set of EXTRA with my long time bud Mario Lopez Friday.  We met at our first autograph session, a car show, in Ohio when he was 16 and I was uh… 17.  Well, I was just a little older than that.  But never in my wildest imagination did I think 19 years later he’d be hosting his own prime time show and I’d be on it because I’d just written:  GLADIATOR – A True Story of Roids, Rage, Redemption.  It’s amazing how life comes full circle.  I’m proud of Mario beyond belief – he’s doing a great job and still a great guy.   

Also, I did my first TV interview via satellite Thursday for a late night FOX show called "Red Eye" with Greg Gutfield. Satellite is a tricky thing.  I’m surprised most people, even those with a little media experience, just don’t incinerate right there on the sound stage.  Here’s how it’s set up.   I’m sitting on a stage at FOX in Los Angeles with an artillery of lights blasting my retinas — in the midst of them is one camera man.  That’s it.  Just him and I and — oh yeah — a really cute make up girl.   In my ear is a mic where I can hear the show live while it’s being filmed in NY.  It’s a round table comedy – news format, so there’s 4 people talking and jiving about the events of the day.  To me it sounds like I’m talking to a bud on the cell phone in the middle of a crowded airport.   In the face of the camera — the one that is point right at me –the one that I need to look into while doing the interview — is the live video feed of the show.  So basically you look into the camera and respond to the questions of the interviewer.  The only trick is there’s a THREE SECOND DELAY from what you’re hearing in your ear and seeing.  

Does that make sense?  

You are hearing the question 3 seconds before you see him actually ask you the question in the camera.   It’s freakin’ confusing.  Because you have to respond to the question in your ear when he asks it — not when you see him asking you it in the camera.  So, you’re actually answering the question in real time from what you’re hearing (and you can barely hear it because of all the static and poor feed)… while you’re watching him still ask you the question.   Finally , I had them turn the picture off in the camera, so essentially I was looking into a blank camera, pretending I was talking to someone, while answering the questions.   That being said, he was funny, and I think it went pretty damn good, even though all we talked about was steroids, and I didn’t get to go into depth on the book at all.  But I did work up a good sweat with nerves and adrenaline rushing full speed.   

Be Brilliant!

Dan Clark

Technorati Tags: Mario Lopez, American Gladiators, EXTRA, Red Eye, Steroids, Dan Clark, Nitro, Dan nitro Clark,  Greg Gutfield, FOX News, Steroids, Gladiator a True story of roids,

Man, do I have a lot to say about A-Rod.  So much I posted a blog on the HuffingtonPost.com.  

It starts like this…

Alex Rodriguez came clean this week, but there’s still some dirty business going on. It’s a little tough for me to swallow A-Rod saying, “To be quite honest I don’t know exactly what substance I was guilty of using…” The same way he was lying when 15 months ago he told CBS’s Katie Couric that he never used performance-enhancing drugs.

Alex is the highest paid player in baseball. His body is his business. At his level, I’m sure everything he does is microscopically analyzed. His swing, his workouts, his diet — to mold him into most perfect baseball machine ever. As a steroid abuser for 20 years, I can assure you he knew exactly what he was taking. Each and every time I took a steroid, I always knew EXACTLY what I was taking. In reality I became my very own science project. Here’s what I know…  

To read the rest click here…  and it will take you to the post.   Please comment if you like. 

Also Inside Edition ran a piece on me and the book.  I was surprised about how much they cut it and how they cut it.  But again, I guess I’ve been doing this long enough and should never be surprised.  Overall, people tell me it was a good piece and effective of getting the message across.

February the 9th 2009 is the official publication of my Memoir – GLADIATOR: A True Story of ‘Roids, Rage and Redemption.  There’s a couple of things you need to know about the book.  First of all, you need to know that I wrote the book.  There was no co-writer or ghost writer.  It was important to me that the words flowed from me straight to the page, in my voice, as a way authenticate the experience.  That being said, if it sucks… there is no one to blame but me, but that is a risk I take gladly.

Secondly, I didn’t write this book to “Pimp My Roid.”  If you’re looking for me to incriminate and throw people under the bus don’t read Gladiator.  Go read Jose Canseco’s book “Juiced.”  He throws everyone under the bus. But if you’re fascinated by an “insider” look or… What was it like to be a Gladiator? This book will be a revelation. There are parts (steroids) that are gut-wrenching, others that are gut-busting funny, and still others that are horrifying.  But most of all the book will be honest.  I felt the only way for me to really do justice to the subject matter was to really dig deep and open the vein.  So expect an powerful, honest, cathartic, frank, highly charged, emotional, experience.  It’ll be like a train wreck.  You won’t be able to look away!

Thirdly, the book is about so much more than Gladiators, and even though I take you on a dark journey in the book, my hope is that my humanity shines through. 

Lastly, I invite you to read a small excerpt of the book.  I really think you’ll be stunned. Thanks!

Read an excerpt now…