Chuck Norris Facts
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chuck Norris Facts are an Internet phenomenon of satirical "facts" about martial artist and actor Chuck Norris. The "facts" tend to involve absurdly exaggerated claims of Norris' toughness, attitude, virility, and masculinity stated in an absurdly serious tone.
- Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he never cries.
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Background
Chuck Norris Facts were originally seen on IRC, and on websites like the Something Awful forums, in early 2005. Conan O'Brien's Chuck Norris jokes on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (which generally center on Walker: Texas Ranger) have been seen as an inspiration for the fad. Chuck Norris Facts followed "facts" based on actors Vin Diesel and Bob Saget, and spawned similar "facts" about fictional character Jack Bauer from the television series 24, Mr. T, and other personages. The exaggerated style of these facts is similar to a recurring Saturday Night Live sketch called Bill Brasky. These are similar to "Tall tales" such as those of Paul Bunyan.
The Chuck Norris Facts generator was a spin off a Vin Diesel Facts generator made by members of the "Life, the Universe, and Everything" message board at GameFAQs. After the success of the Vin Diesel generator, the creator asked fellow members for a new celebrity.
Norris's response
Chuck Norris responded to the Chuck Norris Facts on his official website, chucknorris.com, with a statement. He was generally surprised and flattered by the attention. Admitting some of the statements were indeed humorous, he tries not take any of them seriously, and he hopes that such statements will interest people in real facts about Chuck Norris contained in his literary works. [1]
On October 23, 2006, Chuck Norris' first column for WorldNetDaily consisted of yet another response. It began similarly to the above quote from chucknorris.com, but then disclaimed Norris' own prowess in favor of God and Jesus Christ.
In response to "There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live." Norris said
It's funny. It's cute. But here's what I really think about the theory of evolution: It's not real. It is not the way we got here. In fact, the life you see on this planet is really just a list of creatures God has allowed to live. We are not creations of random chance. We are not accidents. There is a God, a Creator, who made you and me. We were made in His image, which separates us from all other creatures.
By the way, without him, I don't have any power. But with Him, the Bible tells me, I really can do all things – and so can you.[2]
In response to "Chuck Norris' tears can cure cancer. Too bad he never cries. Ever." Norris said
"There was a man whose tears could cure cancer or any other disease, including the real cause of all diseases – sin. His blood did. His name was Jesus, not Chuck Norris.
If your soul needs healing, the prescription you need is not Chuck Norris' tears, it's Jesus' blood."[2]
Famous mentions
- Norris has appeared on The Tony Danza Show and The Best Damn Sports Show Period, and has been questioned regarding the satirical facts. In the latter show, he read up the current Top 10 facts, as well as mentioning his favorite one was "They once tried to carve Chuck Norris' face into Mount Rushmore, but the granite wasn't hard enough for his beard".
- Rolling Stone magazine featured a short blurb regarding the "facts". (See image above.)
- In the March 20, 2006 issue, TIME magazine interviewed Chuck Norris, calling him an "online cult hero." In the answer to their last question, he called the Chuck Norris Facts "weird but wildly popular sayings" and quoted one: "Chuck Norris can divide by zero."[3]
- On an episode of The Daily Show in a parody of Alaskan senator Ted Stevens' comments about the Internet being a "Series of tubes". John Hodgman stated that beneath every American home there were indeed a series of tubes and they could be used to send various pieces of information, mainly Chuck Norris Facts.
References
- ^ Chuck Norris. In response to the "Random facts" that are being generated on the Internet. Retrieved on 2004-12-04.
- ^ a b "On Chuck Norris 'mania' sweeping the Net", WorldNetDaily, October 23, 2006.
- ^ Keegan, Rebecca Winters. "People", Time, Mar. 20, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-06-20.
