RIP Ken Raper

[Alyce: Old Media Enthusiast]

slamwrestling.net/index.php/2022/01/25/memphis-veteran-ken-raper-dies/

Probably one of the more infamous jobber names of the 90s WWF.

Kenneth Clay Raper, who had a long list of names as enhancement talent in the 1980s and 1990s, has died. He was 67.

At various times, primarily out of Memphis, he was known as Ken Raper, Ken Reaper, Master of Terror II, Frankenstein, and Galaxian Beta in the Galaxians tag team with Ken Wayne.

["Sweet & Sour" ImSoFudginGreat]

Rest in peace the man with the most unfortunate surname. There were a few jobbers I recognised from the 90’s WWF (Duane Gill and Tony DeVito being the others) so it was either his name or work that left an impression on me.

[Aceorton]

I suppose going from Raper to Master of Terror isn't much of a gimmick change.

[tafkaga]

In the world of pro wrestling, why would you simply not change your last name? Ken Draper? Ken Rapper? Mr. X?

[wildojinx]

Jan 26, 2022 11:18:00 GMT -5 tafkaga said:

In the world of pro wrestling, why would you simply not change your last name? Ken Draper? Ken Rapper? Mr. X?

Vince McMahon made a point to pronounce his last name as Rapper.

[Fake Jesus]

He's not even the only Ken Raper I'm aware of, you know.

[Deleted]

If your surname was unfortunate enough to be RAPER, why the hell would you call your son KEN of all names?

[hassanchop]

RIP. I wonder if OSW will pay him some tribute.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

"Not A." is the only reasonable thing you can name your child when handing down the last name Raper to them

[ISO Mid Thigh Pull]

RIP Ken Raper, if you were young today WWE would have definitely called you Raper no first name.

[john84]

R.I.P. Ken with an unfortunate surname.

[tafkaga]

If he was that proud of his name he could have at least wrestled as The Masked Raper.

[jimmyjackezekiel]

This reminds me of that episode of Squidbillies were Early and the Sherrif went to visit a therapist only for it to be revealed at the end there was actually supposed to be a space between e and r.

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

He ended up changing his name at the end. He became Ken Peddaphile.

[greyfmdan]

Growing up, there was a guy named Tom Raper who owned a huge eponymous RV dealership in Richmond, Indiana, a town on the Ohio state line not far from Dayton. His business was said to be the largest RV dealership in America, and his ads were all over TV in my area. So I really never thought anything of that last name, until I was about 11. My mom was driving my cousin & me up to Chicago, we passed by the dealership, and my cousin & I started laughing uproariously about it like boys that age do.

FWIW, Tom passed away in 2015. His business is now part of Camping World.

[Mozenrath]

Jan 26, 2022 11:18:00 GMT -5 tafkaga said:

In the world of pro wrestling, why would you simply not change your last name? Ken Draper? Ken Rapper? Mr. X?

I think WWF made a point of having jobbers perform with shoot names at that time, though even Mick wrestled as "Jack Foley" when he was jobbing for them, so there must've been some level of wiggle room. He probably should have considered it, though I am guessing his career would have been about the same.

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

Jan 26, 2022 21:34:07 GMT -5 "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik said:

He ended up changing his name at the end. He became Ken Peddaphile.

Then he saw the problem, so he had another go.

Peter File.

[Kyle Butler]

Jan 27, 2022 5:30:32 GMT -5 Futureraven: Beelzebruv said:

Jan 26, 2022 21:34:07 GMT -5 "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik said:

He ended up changing his name at the end. He became Ken Peddaphile.

Then he saw the problem, so he had another go.

Peter File.

[horsemen4ever]

Jan 26, 2022 6:31:01 GMT -5 "Sweet & Sour" ImSoFudginGreat said:

Rest in peace the man with the most unfortunate surname.

Yeah right up there with Striker.

[moonpies88]

R.I.P