Last night I met Chuck Norris in person, also heard him speak.

[Curtis2011]

Last night, Chuck Norris came to my University to receive an award for his efforts in business and philanthropy, and President George Bush senior was there to give him the award.

Basically, the award was for his KICK-START program which is designed to teach middle school children self-esteem and discipline while learning martial arts.


While he was there, he told his whole story of success basically from childhood all the way til present day. In short, it was amazing and very inspirational, and very cool He was also a very funny speaker.

He told us that the reason he is now working to spread his martial arts program through public schools today, is because when he was a teenager he was incredibly shy and introverted, and had no self-confidence.

He said he was drafted to go to Vietnam when he was a teenager, so he went there. While he was there, he became interested in a local martial art now known as Tae Kwon Do. By the time he left Vietnam, he was a black belt in it. But he still had little self-esteem.

Once he came back to a military base in America, he started practicing martial arts with a few friends at the base, and pretty soon everyone there was interested and wanted to learn it from him.

He told us about a specific instance where it was the first time he was teaching it to anyone. Hundreds of soldiers at his military base were in a big auditorium-ish room, and they all wanted him to train them in martial arts. Everyone had seen him practicing body-twisting, awesome kicking and punching techniques and stuff like that, and back in these days (60's I think he said) martial arts weren't very well-known and everyone was interested in this new thing.

He realized then that he would have to make a speech to them about it, since he was the teacher. This was the first time he had ever spoken in public, and ever since then he new that when he had to speak in public, he just had to force himself to do it and be courageous.


After that, he told us about his fights in martial arts tournaments, and how he would win at one level and just decided "well I won this one, maybe I can win the next level up" and he went from local champion, to state champion, to national champion, to world champion and held that title for 6 years straight.

Then he told us about how he first got into acting. He had decided he would do acting about a martial arts hero-archetype who defeats bad guys and stands up for good guys. He searched for about four years before he found a producer for his first movie script.

He also told us some stuff about being friends with Bruce Lee in his martial arts days, and other things like about his faith (he is Christian) and how his favorite episode of Walker, Texas Ranger was the first one that introduced the idea of faith into the episode. He said that he had insisted to his producers (who didn't want anything spiritual in it) that they do just one episode containing a faith-based lesson, and if that wasn't the best episode ever then he would never ask for it again. As it turned out, it was the highest rated episode to that date and made Walker reach the Top 10 of shows watched (on all of television at the time, I think).

Then he reached talking about his present day pursuits. His idea of martial arts in public schools was rejected by the board of education in 1990 or '91, but a few years later he talked to President Bush (senior) who was his personal friend, and the President helped him get the program into Texas schools, where it has had very good reception. Chuck said he wants Texas to be an example so that he can get the program in schools throughout the nation.


Overall I was very impressed with Chuck Norris in person. He seemed to genuinely want to help people, and especially under-privileged kids who are susceptible to drugs and gang violence.

In fact his whole life right now is basically dedicated to helping build his program to help children build self-esteem and discipline the same way he originally did, by mastering the principles of martial arts. He came across as a very friendly and very caring individual.


He also told us a story of how he accidentally choked a soldier unconscious while they were posing for a picture in Iraq


A few people in the audience got to ask questions and one or two got their pictures taken with him, but the wealth of Corps of Cadets escorts (from my university) and especially Secret Service (because Bush was there) were quick to close of the perimeter after the award ceremony was done.



BUT... that didn't stop me

I left and waited outside in the exclusive gated-off parking lot for them to leave (I think Norris and Bush and their personal guests had like a private dinner after the event).

After waiting about an hour and twenty minutes with this other kid that I met outside, WE GOT TO MEET CHUCK NORRIS as he was leaving!

We both got our pictures taken with him!!!!!!!!!!!! (can you say "new profile picture" lol!)



What impacted me the most was the way he completely dismissed me when I tried to tell him that his story was inspirational.

He interrupted me as I was complimenting him and just said "You are the future" as if his accomplishments were nothing.



Overall I'd have to say Chuck Norris is a very caring individual, and one of the best public speakers I have ever met. (he told us at the beginning that he had no speech prepared and was just going to tell us his story.)

[Manomanman]

I talked with Joe Rogan for about an hour after a show in Hermosa beach. It's amazing how celebrity figures like this often have very small egos, despite the public perception of how "lofty" they are.

[Curtis2011]

Originally Posted by Manomanman

I talked with Joe Rogan for about an hour after a show in Hermosa beach. It's amazing how celebrity figures like this often have very small egos, despite the public perception of how "lofty" they are.

Yes most definitely. I have heard that so many times before.


Perhaps their small egos are part of the reason they became successful in the first place.

[timothydrake]

Someone give Kanye West a smaller ego plz.

[vMike]

That's awesome I envy you.. well, just a little

[Daffy Duck]

I love Chuck Norris. I have posters of him on my walls at work. People think it's a big joke but really, he's a cool guy. Thanks for sharing your story. I enjoyed it.

[ken nubo]

I read one of Chuck Norriss book when I was a read, I forgot what it was called but it he wrote it awhile ago. Highly recommended.

Also, [insert Chuck Norriss joke here]
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[vMike]

Ken, probably this one, I've ordered it recently. It was on my shopping list for a while. Hope it'll be a good read.