WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2006
KULTURE
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 5A
BY DIRK NEWTON
cdfine@dirknewton.com
Chances are you've seen this bearded beauty on TV. Whether he was sending an opponent to the mats with a roundhouse kick or propelling a ninja through a window in one of his numerous cheesy films, you know who Chuck Norris is.
His films have all been borderline embarrassing, but most likely you've caught a glimpse of one. He's appeared in 24 movies, dating back to 1969, and most notably starred as the title character in "Walker, Texas Ranger" from 1993 to 2001 on CBS. His real claim to fame has nothing to do with his acting, however. It's his martial arts expertise and devilish charm that catapulted him into stardom.
In a matter of months, the 65-year-old Norris has made it back to the masses. If you go to www.google.com and type in "Chuck Norris Jokes," you'll see why he's become widely popular again. Roughly 450,000 hits appear on most search engines, including Google.
Why is it that Norris became the butt of jokes all of the sudden? Was it his camoe in "Dodgeball" as a judge where he gave his notorious thumbs-up of approval that sparked fan interest?
"I think, as fans, we want everyone out there to know the truth about Chuck Norris," said Joe Dougherty, Olathe junior. "All we're doing
is recognizing his accomplishments. Who else can honestly say they've counted to infinity twice?"
The jokes have seen the likes of "Saturday Night Live" and many late-night talk shows. Even if you don't think they are funny, or maybe think they are just flat-out immature, you've still got to be impressed with their creativity.
Here's an example of a local Chuck Norris joke, compliments of Josh Walton, San Fransisco graduate student.
"Chuck Norris actually can touch M.C. Hammer," Walton said.
One Google search found a list of Chuck Norris jokes at www.collegehumor.com. "The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain," the Web site said.
Norris himself doesn't seem to mind at all.
"I'm aware of the made up declarations about me that have recently begun to appear on the Internet and in e-mails as 'chuck Norris facts,'" Norris said in a press release on his Web site, www.ChuckNorris.com. "I've seen some of them. Some are funny. Some are pretty far out.
"Being more a student of the Wild West than the wild world of the Internet, I'm not quite sure what to make of it. It's quite surprising."
Edited by Matt Wilson
Interested in making a difference in the world? And in yourself?
Attend this panel presentation to find out how.
Thursday, February 2
7-9 pm
Kansas Union, Big 12 Room
Representatives from Peace Corps, AmeriCorps and Teach For America will participate.
SO GOOD YOUR TOES CURL.
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