05-22-2005, 11:33 PM
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Back in Black
Industry Role:
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 9,976
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by galleryseek
at the time that was recorded he hadn't killed himself yet, right?
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He committed suicide before the show even aired. They had a small blurb at the end of the episode he lost in, but that was all.
LOS ANGELES--One of the boxers on NBC's upcoming series "The Contender" committed suicide Monday (Feb. 14) in his hometown of Philadelphia. Police in Philadelphia say Najai Turpin, 23, shot himself in the head about 4 a.m. Monday while sitting in a parked car, according to several news reports. NBC says the show is still scheduled for a Monday, March 7 premiere.
"Nothing changes. I'm not even going to make any edits because it's real," executive producer Mark Burnett tells The New York Times.
Turpin's death will likely be acknowledged at the end of an episode, and NBC has set up a fund to aid his family, the paper reports. Turpin's biography on "The Contender's" web site says he has a young daughter and helps take care of his younger brother and sister, as well as a niece and nephew.
Turpin's trainer, Percy Custus, tells the Philadelphia Daily News that the fighter was frustrated about not being able to box again until "The Contender" finished its season in May. Save for a live finale, all bouts in the show have been taped.
"Fighters want to fight," Custus says. "He was frustrated, because he was, like, training for nothing. He had no motivation. I don't know if that had anything to do with what happened [Monday] or not."
http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/t...elevision_heds
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