American Gladiators (1989)

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During a marathon of the show on ESPN Classic, they featured several behind the scenes notes from Dan "Nitro" Clark. He said that "Human Cannonball" was the least favorite event of the Gladiators, because of all the punishment they took.
Laser is the only Gladiator to appear in every season.
Laser, Sabre, Siren, Sky, Turbo, and Zap are the only Gladiators that competed in every single event introduced throughout the show's seven year run
Former contestant Rico Costantino went on to become a professional wrestler, and even won two WWE Tag Team Titles.
Tower was the only Gladiator that couldn't compete in the "Skytrack" event, because he was too big to fit in the harness.
Prior to become Gladiators, Laser and Nitro played football together for the Los Angeles Rams.
Mike Adamle was the only host to appear in every season. Originally, he was billed as the co-host with Joe Theismann being the main host. However, when Theismann left after the first season, Adamle became the main host.
During the first season, producers made a deal with Universal Studios to make American Gladiators (1989) part of the tour in exchange for free publicity on the show.
To hide their lack of an audience during the first season, the set designer had plywood set up around the arena, and had faces painted on the plywood to make it look like more people were in the audience. They also dimmed the lights to further the illusion.
During season two, when the show started becoming a hit, all ten Gladiators demanded a pay raise. When Samuel Goldwyn said no, they walked out on the production. They later reached an agreement and bumped them up from the union minimum of $700 per episode to $1,000 per episode.
Because of the steroid scandal that rocked Vince McMahon and the WWF, sponsors started demanding the Gladiators be drug tested. In his autobiography, Nitro, who now openly admits his steroid abuse problems, said they were given six weeks advance notice before the tests. While he didn't out anyone else, he explained that this allowed him to get the drugs out of his system, and then after the tests were over, get right back on them.
Nitro was the first 'American Gladiators' action figure produced by Mattel.
During the show's run, creator 'John Ferraro' sent the Gladiators on a ten month, 150 city tour of the country that started at the Superdome in New Orleans.
Sabre, Jazz, and Hawk started on the tour, and then were later added as Gladiators to the TV show.
Two days before production on season four began, Gemini, Nitro, Ice, and Zap held a secret meeting. According to Nitro in his autobiography, they demanded that the producers give the Gladiators a portion of the merchandising revenue, or they were going to leave. Samuel Goldwyn said no. Gemini, Nitro, Ice, Zap, Lace #1, Blaze, Gold, and Thunder walked out. Zap changed her mind and went back right away. Ice sat out one season, but went back. Nitro went back after two years when they offered him a deal to compete one last season as a Gladiator, and then co-host the final year with Mike Adamle. The rest never returned.
According to Nitro, season seven was supposed to be his last season as an active Gladiator, but he got convinced into going overseas for a season of "International Gladiators." This version of the series was filmed in Manchester, England, and featured Gladiators and contenders from all over the world.
Lisa Malosky was the only female host throughout the series run, and was also the only one without NFL experience.
In the Human Cannonball event a contestant, Brian Hutson, used both of his feet, which struck Gladiator Malibu in his chest, to force Malibu (Deron McBee) off his platform. As Malibu landed on his back his knee struck his forehead above his eye requiring him to receive stitches. He was replaced by Bronco (real name unknown) to continue the event. Bronco was never seen again on American Gladiators after this event. Malibu returned to action in The Eliminator event.
Raye Hollitt (Zap) was not in this episode; she injured herself in an earlier episode.