Line #13 Wrestling/Kamala


1	[[quoteright:240:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kamala_7089.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:240:"The Ugandan Head Hunter"]]
3
4	James Arthur Harris (May 28, 1950 – August 9, 2020) was an American {{professional wrestl\|ing}}er from Senatobia, Mississippi best known for his work in the 1980s and 1990s as '''Kamala'''. His [[TheGimmick gimmick]] was of an UsefulNotes/{{Uganda}}n "[[HollywoodNatives savage]]" (and was in fact nicknamed "The Ugandan Giant"). He competed primarily in Memphis, in World Class Championship Wrestling in Dallas, Texas, in Mid-South Wrestling (Louisiana/Oklahoma), in the Wrestling/AmericanWrestlingAssociation and for Wrestling/{{WWE}}. He made his PPV debut at ''Wrestling/{{SummerSlam}} '92'' against Wrestling/TheUndertaker. He was a four-time [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/uswa/uswa-uh.html USWA (Memphis) Unified World Heavyweight Champion]]. His last run with a major promotion was as a member of the Wrestling/DungeonOfDoom in Wrestling/{{WCW}} from June through October 1995. He also competed for Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling, Wrestling/JuggaloChampionshipWrestling, various Wrestling/NationalWrestlingAlliance territories, W*ING, Wrestling/RingOfHonor and many independent promotions, including defeating Ring of Honor[=/=]Wrestling/{{CHIKARA}} regular [[Wrestling/LarrySweeney "Sweet 'N Sour" Larry Sweeney]] at a [[Wrestling/{{WSU}} Women Superstars Uncensored]] event, ''WSU Ultimate Impact Phase 2'' on May 18, 2007, when the promotion was still known as Wrestling Superstars Uncensored. He was inducted into the Texas Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2012.
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6	He held the distinction of being one of the few wrestlers who slammed Wrestling/AndreTheGiant before Wrestling/HulkHogan did it at [=WrestleMania=] 3.
7
8	A hypertension, diabetes and COVID combo cut his life short, passing away at 70.
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10	[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant No connection whatsoever to]] UsefulNotes/KamalaHarris.
11	----
12	!! "Head Hunting Tropes":
13
14	* {{Acrofatic}}: At his best. His speed and agility were often acknowledged by commentators during the 1980s. He was usually over 400+ lbs. and regularly came off of the top rope.
15	* AFriendInNeed: After losing both legs due diabetes, it was Wrestling/KokoBWare who get him a power scooter so he could take care of his trucking business, thus still supporting his family.
16	* AnimalMotifs:
17	** As Sweet/Ugly Bear Harris: {{Bears\|AreBadNews}}, obviously.
18	** As Kamala: Leopards, as his [[MagicPants animal print]] {{Loincloth}} lets you know.
19	* ArchEnemy:
20	** in {{Kayfabe}}: [[Wrestling/JerryLawler Jerry "The King" Lawler]], [[Wrestling/VonErichFamily Kevin and David Von Erich]], Wrestling/BruiserBrody, Wrestling/HulkHogan, Wrestling/SgtSlaughter, Wrestling/AndreTheGiant, Jerry "The Crusher" Blackwell, Wrestling/HacksawJimDuggan, The Undertaker, [[Wrestling/RandySavage "Macho Man" Randy Savage]] and [[Wrestling/JakeRoberts Jake "The Snake" Roberts]].
21	** in RealLife: Various promoters who he claimed never paid him, also Wrestling/AbdullahTheButcher.
22	* AscendedFanboy: Both him and his mom were ''huge'' wrestling fans, to the point the lady always thought wrestling was real, Jim [[MommasBoy never had the heart to tell her otherwise]].
23	* BaldOfEvil: To help his skull paint
24	* BashBrothers: He teamed most often with Giant Kamala II, Wrestling/KevinSullivan, [[Wrestling/TheWildSamoans Wild Samoan Sika]].
25	* TheCameo: Went to a double-DQ with [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/roh/roh-h.html Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Champion]] Wrestling/BryanDanielson at a [[http://www.wrestlingonfire.com/ Liberty States Wrestling (now NWA On Fire)]] show in Bridgeport, CT on September 30, 2006.
26	* ChokeHolds[=/=]NeckLift: A regular feature of his matches. He actually did an early two-handed prototype of the chokeslam for years before the move was officially named in the U.S.[[note]]The regular chokeslam was invented by former Sumo wrestler Hiroshi Wajima.[[/note]]
27	* CoolMask: A fearsome African tribal-style mask was part of his entrance attire.
28	* DiceRollDeath: An unfortunate and ''literal'' case. Jim's father was killed while playing craps over a gambling dispute when he was only 4.
29	* DoNotAdjustYourSet: While doing commentary for an early Kamala match in [=WWE=], Wrestling/VinceMcMahon said:
30	--> "Ladies and gentlemen, don't adjust your television sets!! This is KAMALA!!"
31	* DrugsAreBad: In his song "Push It" (see below under TakeThat), he explains that he never used steroids because he didn't want to mess up his body, adding "What might work for you might not work for me."
32	** Unfortunately, his body ended all messed up in another way via diabetes. Losing both legs during his last years for that cause.
33	* DumbMuscle: Tried to pin guys when they were face down, leg hook and all.
34	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Originally, his gimmick's name was ''Kimala''. Incidentally, that was the name he was known with while working in Mexico.
35	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Introduced to WWE on its Creator/USANetwork talk show ''Tuesday Night Titans'' in 1984 in an interview with manager [[Wrestling/FreddieBlassie "Classy" Freddie Blassie]] and his "handler", Friday (Later renamed Kim Chee in 1987 and played by [[Wrestling/SteveLombardi Steve "Brooklyn Brawler" Lombardi]] since 1992). Blassie had brought a cage with a live chicken in it and said that "it was time for the chicken to do a disappearing act. He's going to eat him alive!," with host Vince [=McMahon=] [[BigNo saying "No! No! No!"]] as Friday opened the cage and Kamala reached for the chicken. Cut to Kamala still sitting on the couch with feathers around his mouth and [[EyeTake a completely insane look in his eyes.]]
36	** It's worthy to note this wasn't an ArtisticLicenseAnimalCare case obviously. The trick was in the timing and camera cuts.
37	* {{Expy}}:
38	** According to [[http://www.kayfabememories.com/TapeReviews/shootinterviews/jjdillon.htm JJ Dillon]], Lawler had done a guest shot in Florida against Dillon's [[ForeignWrestlingHeel Japanese heel]] Kendo Nagasaki, giving Lawler the idea to create his own face-painted "foreign" monster, leading him to turn Harris, then a struggling {{Jobber}}, into one of the most famous wrestling monsters ever.
39	** His gimmick was, in a sense, a [[AlternateCompanyEquivalent re-invention]] of that played by Abdullah.
40	** Later spawned several copies, most famously Giant Kamala II aka Uganda, "The Botswana Beast" and Atkie Malumba (real name Ben Peacock), best known for his work for All Japan Pro Wrestling.
41	* FinishingMove: ''Air Uganda'': A ''Big Splash'' either performed at ground level or top rope... even when his opponent was prone (See DumbMuscle).
42	* ForeignWrestlingHeel: In his very early days as "The Mississippi Mauler", he was an evil American wrestling in [[UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom Great Britain]]. More specifically, an evil ''Creole'', which must've been very foreign and exotic to the British audience, while in Memphis, he was an evil ''Ugandan''.
43	* TheGiant: It was part of his name, after all. He was a bit on the short side for a giant, being billed as 6'7", but he was massive enough to pull it off.
44	* GimmickMatches: His first Pay-per-View was up to ''Summer Slam '92'', in a Casket Match against the Deadman.
45	* HeelFaceTurn: Split from manager Wrestling/HarveyWippleman in late 1992/early 1993, taking Kim Chee with him and siding with [[Wrestling/{{Slick}}Reverend Slick]], who told Kamala "You are a man!" and tried to teach him to bowl.
46	* HiddenDepths:
47	** Jim Harris was also an accomplished musician, singer and songwriter.
48	** Despite of his apparently limited moveset, he knew and perfomred a quite decent amount of throws, locks and holds in Mid-South, Southeastern and Britain.
49	* IHaveManyNames: "The Mississippi Mauler", "Big" Jim Harris, Sugar Bear Harris, Ugly Bear Harris, Bad News Harris, Superfly, [[GratuitousSpanish El Gigante]] Kimala and Giant Kamala 1.
50	* ImAHumanitarian: Implied in the gimmick's early years - the cover of one issue of ''WWF Magazine'' featured a picture of Kamala cooking Hulk Hogan in a cauldron.
51	* LegacyCharacter
52	** Giant Kamala II
53	** Also, "The Nigerian Nightmares" (Maifu and Saifu).
54	* LightningBruiser: By the standards of his day. When many other giant wrestlers did little besides punch and stomp, Kamala could throw superkicks, hook kicks, ''dropkicks'', and even come flying off the top rope.
55	* MonsterHeel: After winning his match against [=Motoshi Ohkuma=] (As described on the Awesome page) he was walking to the back when a fan tried reaching out and touching his hand and he reacted with surprise.
56	* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: "The Ugandan Headhunter."
57	* NoSell: In his match with Wrestling/{{Yokozuna}} on the May 17, 1993 ''Raw,'' they did the big collision spot, and, even though Yoko was fatter, wider and outweighed Kamala by probably around 100 lbs. or so at the time, Yoko looked to be on the verge of falling over while Kamala wasn't visibly affected at all.
58	* OneSteveLimit: Called "The Ugandan Headhunter" because of the presence of Andre The Giant
59	* PapaWolf: Toward anyone who threatened his managers or "handlers".
60	* PowerStable: Was part of many over his career:
61	** (as Bad News Harris): [[Wrestling/PaulBearer The Pringle Dynasty]]
62	** (as Kamala):
63	*** The First Family, led by Wrestling/JimmyHart in Memphis
64	*** [[Wrestling/PaulJones Paul Jones' Army]] in Mid-Atlantic
65	*** The Sheik's [Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie] Army in the [=AWA=]
66	*** Devastation Inc., led by Wrestling/GeneralSkandorAkbar in WCCW and Mid-South/UWF.
67	*** The Dungeon of Doom in [=WCW=].
68	*** The International Squad of Terror in the late 1990s's version of [[Wrestling/NationalWrestlingAlliance NWA Mid-Atlantic]].
69	* RedBaron: The Ugandan Giant/Head Hunter.
70	* {{Retcon}}: Made his [=WWE=] debut in 1984 managed by "Classy" Wrestling/FreddieBlassie, and they appeared together on [[Wrestling/RoddyPiper "Piper's Pit"]] on the August 25th (taped July 30) episode of ''WWF Championship Wrestling''. During his second run, in 1986, he, the Wizard (aka King Curtis Iaukea) and Kim Chee ([[Wrestling/SteveLombardi Steve "The Brooklyn Brawler" Lombardi]]) appeared on Piper's Pit on the November 22 (taped October 28) ''WWF Superstars'', and Piper had to act like he had never seen him before. But then, every time Kamala returned it seemed like his previous runs with the company were forgotten.
71	* RingOldies: Started in the late 1970s and competed in independents up until 2010.
72	* ScaryBlackMan: The dude was a wrestling monster and was also black.
73	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Left WCW in October 1995 right before the ''Halloween Havoc'' [=PPV=] out of frustration with not getting paid.
74	* SignatureMove: He threw a lot of chops of various types, which he was instructed would be good for the gimmick because no one wanted to tell him his working punches sucked...his real punches were alright, as Andre could tell you, but he couldn't throw a good working punch without hurting people. Back kicks were also a regular feature in his matches. Oh, and let's not forget ''[[ManBitesMan biting people]]''!!
75	* SpotTheImposter: Played for laughs: Weirdly enough, at CWA he had a feud with the original "Giant Kamala 2"... one who was [[Wrestling/UncleElmer nothing like him]].
76	* SquashMatch: Often. Especially when [[EstablishingCharacterMoment first entering]] a territory.
77	* {{Squee}}: Just ''listen'' to the crowd's delight in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2pr93If6jc this old Mid-South clip]] of Kamala beating up on a young Wrestling/ShawnMichaels as he and manager General Skandor Akbar throw various referees out of the ring and Kamala beats up on whoever tries to save Shawn until Terry Taylor is able to take out Friday.
78	* StoutStrength: Kamala was fat, but very strong. He was one of the few men to slam Andre, doing the deed in Mid-South.
79	* TakeThat: His song "Push It", where he slams [=WWE=]'s Wellness Policy as a sham and bashes Pat Patterson, the Brooklyn Brawler, Hulk Hogan and the Wrestling/UltimateWarrior, among other targets.
80	* ThisMeansWarPaint[=/=]TribalFacepaint: A skull on his face, stars over his pectorals and a moon on his stomach - his paint is some of the most recognizable of wrestling's last 30 years.
81	* TheVoiceless: Rarely spoke ''intentionally'' while in character, since he wasn't supposed to be able to speak English, thus providing work for his various managers, though at times something beyond grunts and screaming came out, such as when he shouted "HEY REF!" during a match with Lawler at a [[http://www.japw.net Jersey All Pro Wrestling]] event on January 18, 2003. What makes it funny is the name of the event: ''Actions Speak Louder Than Words''.
82	** There is a famous interview from his WWE days in 1986 with Kamala, Sika, the Wizard, Kim Chee and [[Wrestling/GeneOkerlund "Mean" Gene Okerlund]] where Kamala is grunting and Sika is speaking Samoan and Gene asked if they were actually communicating with each other.
83	-->'''THE WIZARD''': '''[[NoIndoorVoice "THEY COMMUNICATE ON THE HIGHEST FORM, WHICH IS THE 39TH LEVEL, AND THE MORE COMFORTABLE YOU GET WITH US, MEAN GENE, YOU WILL BE ON THE 41ST LEVEL!"]]'''
84	** [[AvertedTrope Averted]] in the documentary ''Film/CardSubjectToChange,'' where he is interviewed in full makeup and sings in the ring.
85	* WrestlingDoesntPay: A rather sad TruthInTelevision case: Despite of his notoriety and fan support, he claimed in his book "Kamala speaks" he wasn't very well paid, even in some cases [[BadBoss never paid at all]]! The biggest figure he'd reach to was in his ''Summer Slam '92'' match against The Undertaker. He made ends meet off-season owning two trucks he made local deliveries with, reporting him sweeter earnings at times.

Context Wrestling / Kamala