My Husband Married an American Gladiator
Thursday, August 21 2008 | Comments (0)
Beth Horn and husband Bruce Butler at home
"So, I married an American Gladiator." But life with strongwoman Venom is as 'normal as can be' her husband says.
The men Beth Horn meets usually fall into one of two categories: those who are afraid she'll beat them down, and those who want her to beat them down.
That's because Beth is better known as Venom, her character name on "American Gladiators," the TV/game show that pits Gladiators against normal Joes in sometimes excruciating physical feats. Beth delivers beat downs professionally, and on prime time television, no less. So which category, then, does sports agent Bruce Butler, her husband, fall into?
He says when you get married, you want to have your (butt) kicked from time to time, and it doesn't matter if you married a Gladiator or not.
But being wed to a beautiful spandex warrior has taken some adjustment. Last month, the couple attended Wizard World Chicago, a comic book/movie/pop culture convention, where wrestlers and reality TV stars abound. It was the perfect venue for "American Gladiators," a show that entered the cultural consciousness in the 1980s but recently was reborn with Hulk Hogan as a co-host.
For two full days, Beth signed autographs in her sexy Gladiator outfit: skin-tight silver shorts and an ab-flashing, barely there top. When she first saw the outfit, she had said she thought to herself 'Wow, it's very small. I can't believe how small the package it came in is.'
Fans lined up to pay $20 for a signed glossy and posed for photos with her. "A lot of them wanted me to flex, but I don't do that. I don't want to be known as a bodybuilder. It just seems so masculine, and that's not me." Beth told reporters. "But there were a lot of headlocks."
Fielding requests for headlocks just comes with the territory. Beth has said that many husbands would be jealous or not supportive, and she sees this all the time in other people's relationships. She adds how grateful she is to have a secure, supportive man in her life that appreciates her for who she is, what she does, and is a driving force behind her success - almost like a cheerleader. Her husband Bruce has said in the past, he's okay with her giving out headlocks, just as long as the people asking for them don't follow them home.
Crush and Venom (Beth Horn) on American Gladiators
For Bruce and Beth, home is Greektown, where they live with a pair of massive, aging dogs: Cleo, an Akita, and Gabriella, a golden retriever. All four just moved to a modest condo where Bruce works out of a small office that doubles as the guest bedroom. "People say we seem to be as normal as can be", Bruce has commented. But I don't think normal people keep a red-and-blue jousting stick in a corner of their office.
They both say they have busy schedules, so they split the housework, or rather Beth says they do. In reality, Bruce says he ends up doing most of the household chores, mostly because of Venom's taping schedule (the show tapes three times a year, six weeks at a time) and her numerous personal appearances throughout the year. In their condo just three months, the couple hasn't yet fallen into a domestic routine. Beth says they don't even have a real bed yet; they sleep on a mattress and box spring on the floor.
I'm sure everyone wonders if Beth's Gladiator costume gets use outside the show? Bruce has told press jokingly, "Y'know, I tried to put it on ..." and he and Beth heartily laugh about it.
Though married since 2005, most people close to Beth and Bruce say they still act like newlyweds. They met in 2004 at a Chicago publishing expo while she was promoting her fitness book and he was working as a consultant for a book company. She approached his booth at the end of the day, as everyone packed up, but business cards were exchanged. That night, Bruce read Beth's entire book, in anticipation of her return. When she did, he took her on a walk outside but couldn't quite work up the nerve to ask for date. They made small talk and ended up going out to dinner. The following day Beth said Bruce told her he was going to marry her. She didn't believe him at first, and also didn't let on she was just as smitten. On Oct.1, 2005, they exchanged vows on the 99th floor of the Sears Tower.
Two years later, after a series of auditions, Venom was born. In person, no one thinks Beth seems very Venomous. In fact, the word she's been described as "bubbly". And so Bruce became "Mr. Venom" (as NBC producers are known to call him) and Beth's biggest supporter. Failure is not an option; neither is self-doubt. He's told her to give him a frickin' break; because she can do anything. She's like the Bionic Woman referencing some reconstructive knee surgery she's had in the past. Both husband and wife were fans of the original "American Gladiator" series. They both used to watch it all the time, actually cheering for the Gladiators more than the contestants. In November 2008, Beth will be immortalized in plastic as an action figure. It's a smiley, exaggerated version of her Venom alter ego. She think it's actually kind of wild as she feels it makes it her look like she really is a superhero.
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