For Immediate Release
Contact: Victor Rook
Studio: Rook Communications
Tel/Fax: 703-368-0307
Email: victorweb@aol.com

NEW DOCUMENTARY ON FIRST OPENLY GAY PRO WRESTLER

January 31, 2006 - (Washington, D.C.) Rook Communications announced today the completion and release of a new documentary entitled, "CHANGING PERCEPTIONS: Profile of an openly gay pro wrestler."

For decades the professional wrestling industry has perpetuated a negative, flamboyant gay stereotype in many of its characters, mostly played by heterosexual men. Then along came Simon Sermon. Openly gay pro wrestler, Simon Sermon, defies flamboyant gay stereotypes in professional wrestling and talks about his career in this no-questions-barred documentary. CHANGING PERCEPTIONS is of great historical value, especially to the gay community, because Simon is the first openly gay pro wrestler in the history of the sport. All other "gay" characters were either played by heterosexual men, or were alluded to be gay; but until Simon started wrestling in 2001, there was never a completely out and openly gay pro wrestler performing for a paying audience. Simon has wrestled for NWA, AWN, NAWA and many other professional wrestling organizations in the southeastern United States, and garnered many titles--all without pigtails or perfume.

"I'm out here to tear down walls and change people's perceptions of what it is to be gay or to be a gay athlete," says Simon. "I'm out there, as a gay man, wrestling just like everybody else, getting hurt just like everybody else, hurting people just like everyone else, and that's why I'm doing what I'm doing. And if it's a little backache I have to go through, then so be it."

The documentary also features an interview with legendary pro wrestler, "Exotic" Adrian Street, who although self-proclaimed as heterosexual, played a gay character in pro wrestling for nearly four decades.

The official website for the documentary, which includes a video trailer for the film, is at http://www.gayprowrestler.com