Ed "Brutus Beefcake" Leslie causes Anthrax scare
 

The following is from the Boston Herald:

He was the pec-perfect model for a toy action figure and a cartoon character puzzle, but it's former pro wrestling giant Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake who's gone to pieces.

Beefcake - these days Edward Leslie, 46, of Winchester - voluntarily checked into a treatment program Monday, according to a source, after cocaine he admitted was his created an anthrax scare at the MBTA's Downtown Crossing subway station.

Sources said the man who acquired his stage name for hacking off the hair of his enemies in the ring had been working there part time as a fare collector - a job that pays $25,000 a year.

"He was a big star for the World Wrestling (Federation)," Buck Woodward, a columnist for an online pro wrestling magazine, said yesterday of Leslie.

"During the '80s wrestling boom he became popular because he was very good friends with Hulk Hogan.''

But behind the colossal bronzed chest and TV set of his own wrestling talk show, "The Barber Shop," Leslie's life was headed for the ropes. In 1990, his face was reconstructed with plates and bolts after a freak parasailing accident. Last April, the IRS slammed him with a lien for $57,425, according to records.

The MBTA confirmed yesterday they have an employee named Edward Leslie, but would not say if he was the one they suspended without pay after cocaine turned up Sunday afternoon on the counter of a Downtown Crossing fare booth, prompting an emergency hazmat response.

"Right now it's only an internal disciplinary matter," said MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo. "He has been cooperative with police."

Although the subway station was evacuated, MBTA Deputy Police Chief Thomas McCarthy said the fare collector - who he also would not identify - spared commuters further inconvenience by coming clean and dispelling terrorism fears.

Leslie's wife, Barbara, did not return a call yesterday.

Leslie was easily earning "six figures" in his heyday, said Woodward, noting that such falls from fame in the world of wrestling "have happened before. There are guys who wasted their money, just like a rock star."

It's a shame to hear that.

I shouldn't be laughing but :lol:

I hope Ed gets help for his problem before it become any worse,
and he becomes another wrestling statistic. You could see over
the last couple of years that he's had his share of problems,but
it's a shame that it's come this far. :(

I hope for his sake that he actually WANTS to get the help,bec-
ause without wanting to do it,it can't/won't work. I wish him the
best of luck,and I pray that he makes a change to his life and he
can get back on the right track. :y:

I go to college here in Boston and I wish I knew he worked up here before he f*cked up. I would have gone to meet him. Stupid Beefcake.

But to quote Rick James, "Cocaine is a helluva drug." "I'm Rick James, B*tch"

Beefcake was the man back in the day.

Honestly I wouldn't be surprised to see him on a list of wrestling deaths of 2004. :(

Well, hopefully his help does indeed help him. It's a shame to hear about that, but it just goes to show you what can happen in the biz, and after the biz.

what he said

"Beefcake - these days Edward Leslie, 46, of Winchester " Woo hometown, **cheap pop** But yeah, seriously, it's a shame this happened. He comes into the video store I work at and he is a really nice guy.

Damn shame...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

It's ok, he had subway for lunch.

LMFAO!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Oh you guys :D

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

What happened isn't funny but this thread is. :D

I feel bad for the guy though. Hope he'll be ok. Too many sad stories regarding 80's wrestlers.