James Harris, known to pro wrestling fans the world over as Kamala, passed away yesterday only days after being hospitalized for COVID-19. He was 70.
Given that Harris wrestled the name under Kamala, this news did briefly cause some panic on Twitter as he was confused for the California Senator who might soon be named Joe Biden's running mate.
After wrestling as Sugar Bear Harris and Ugly Bear Harris with limited success in the late 1970's and early 1980's, the Kamala gimmick was the brainchild of Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett in which Harris was transformed into the Ugandan giant who couldn't wrestle, but knew how to fight and could barely be restrained. Kamala was an ideal heel and would have a successful run in Memphis feuding with Lawler and even body slamming Andre The Giant.
Kamala was best known for his stints with the WWF in the 1980's and early 1990's where he feuded with Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker, respectively. His interviews were fascinating to watch. While Kamala was usually represented by a manager be it J.J. Dillon, Bobby Heenan (pictured below), Mr. Fuji or Harvey Wippelman, he would often make loud noises and slap his belly. I can think of far worse ways to waste a Saturday morning.
While Kamala was usually presented as a villain, his comedic antics made him hard to hate. Eventually, during his WWF stint in the early 1990's, Kamala was given a brief run as a sympathetic babyface.
Sadly, over the past decade, Harris' health took a turn for a worse. High blood pressure and diabetes forced the amputation of both legs in 2011 and 2012. He nearly lost his life in 2017 when he required emergency surgery to clear fluid from his heart and lungs. Needless to say, Harris was susceptible to COVID-19 and it got him in the end. R.I.P.
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