Tony Halme
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Tony Christian Halme (born January 6, 1963) is a controversial member of the Finnish Parliament. He is also known by the pseudonym Viikinki he used appearing in the Finnish version of the TV game show Gladiators in the 1990s. He has also been a professional wrestler as Ludvig Borga.
Career
His earlier career in show-fighting and boxing have given Halme a "tough guy" image, enhanced by well-publicized instances when he has defended himself in bar brawls. Halme does not hide his anti-immigrant views, and tends to speak in a rash, direct manner, which tends to catch the public eye. He has also suggested that Finland should send drug dealers to Russian prisons, as this would result in considerable cost savings, and a prison term in Russia would be a more effective deterrent. The populist party of True Finns took him as an independent candidate in the parliamentary elections of 2003. His share of about 17,000 votes was the 7th highest in Helsinki parliamentary district. Most of his voters are from the poorest suburbs where unemployment is high. Some political analysts believe the Halme phenomenon to be a form of protest, but some fear this marks the rise of a political racist right-wing movement.
During his parliamentary career, Halme has raised controversies. The day after the elections, Halme called president Halonen a lesbian. In July 2003, a hand gun was fired inside his apartment, probably after a domestic quarrel. Nobody was hurt, but the gun was unlicensed. It is also believed that Halme was not only drunk but had also taken a form of amphetamine before the shooting, as he was unconscious for several days following the incident. The police searched Halme's office at the House of Parliament. In January 2004 his trial was shown live on television by the MTV3 digital television channel. Halme was sentenced to pay a fine and continues to serve as Member of Parliament.
Tony Halme is also known as WWE wrestler Ludvig Borga, although his wrestling career was cut short by an injury. He has also fought in the UFC, though without appreciable success. He has also starred in the Finnish movies Ponterosa and Kohtalon kirja, and in 1995 had a little role overseas in Die Hard: With a Vengeance.
Pro Wrestling Championships
- 1-Time CWA Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time NJPW IWGP Tag Team Champion (with Scott Norton)
External links
- His imdb page (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0356844/)fi:Tony Halme