You Can Run but You Can't Hide: An Exclusive Interview with Chuck Norris

Walker, Texas Ranger.

When Chuck Norris wants popcorn, he breathes on Nebraska.

Google won’t search for Chuck Norris because it knows you don’t find Chuck Norris, he finds you.  Your search – Chuck Norris – did not match any documents.  Suggestions: 

• Run, before he finds you

• Try a different person

Chuck Norris.

This man is nearly bigger than life.  He has been synonymous with Martial Arts and a tough guy persona for nearly five decades yet he is as popular now as ever.   My children, ages 27 and 28, may not know the names of the four Beatles but they were excited about my opportunity to interview Chuck Norris. 

As I researched this icon prior to meeting with him at the weigh-in of his World Combat League 2007-2008 kick-off in Denver, I found over 30 Google page references for him.  Many were spoofs on the legend that he has become (e.g.:    Chuck Norris sneezes electricity or The only reason the color pink still exists is because Chuck Norris is color blind), but others spoke of the character and background of this remarkable man.

Chuck Norris was born March 10, 1940 in Ryan, Oklahoma.  He developed an interest in martial arts following his 1958 enlistment in the Air Force and being stationed in Korea where he served in the military police.  In 1961 he returned to the U.S. with a black belt in karate and a brown belt in judo.  His legacy, to date, not only includes his well known television career as Walker, Texas Ranger, but a chain of karate schools and multiple entertainment, spiritual and literary credits. 

He has published three books:   The Secret Power Within, Against All Odds and his most recent book, a novel, A Threat to Justice, was launched in June of 2007.
In spite of the legendary tough-guy image, Chuck Norris is a man with a quick smile, a warm demeanor and highly approachable.  When Dan Magnie of Colorado Fight Events and I interviewed him on the eve of the League kick-off (no pun intended!), I asked him to prioritize the many pulls on his time.  They were as follows:

• God

• Marriage

• Children

• The Kick Start Foundation

• World Combat League

Chuck’s wife Gena, who we also spoke with at length, is a beauty—both inside and out.  She has been seen on their Total Fitness Gym commercials and is lovelier even in person.  She tells me that she and Chuck have been together since they were introduced by a mutual friend about 11 years ago at Mr. Sushi in California.  They cobbled together their 5 children, now have a pair of 6 year old twins and boast having 10 grandchildren between them.  They both conceded that chasing after the twins is a major component of their workout routines!

In a one-on-one interview with Chuck, without Gena present, he told me that Gena and her faith help to ground his life.  It was clear with how often he turned to her regarding the logistics of the weekend events, that they have a harmonious partnership – both personally and professionally. 

With the God and Family components stabilized with Gena, Chuck was able to move forward with his dream of the Kick Start Foundation that had its beginnings as long ago as 1990.  Kick Start’s focus is on the middle-school student where karate training takes the place of regular physical education to help the children resist using drugs, develop conflict resolution skills and to reduce youth violence.  The program gives students a sense of belonging within Kick Start rather than on the streets in a gang environment.  As of this writing, Kick Start has 5,000 participants in Texas inner city schools.  It is the Norris’ dream to expand this program nationally.  The Foundation sites the cost of $50,000 per year for a youngster to be in a detention center whereas it costs less than $700 per child to be part of Kick Start.  Funding for Kick Start comes from profits generated by the World Combat League as well as all profits from his recent book release of A Threat to Justice.  Both Gena and Chuck emphasized that although non-profits such as the United Way are supported by the NFL, that the World Combat league exists to support and finance Kick Start. 

This same Zen focus on quality of outcome pervades the qualification to be a fighter in the World Combat League.  In order to be chosen to compete, a fighter must fit the 3 C’s:  Competitive as a fighter, Charisma as a performer and Class as an individual.

All this background information was garnered at the pre-fight weigh-in on Thursday night 10/18 at ESPN Zone in downtown Denver.  The fight event was held the following Friday night at The Denver Coliseum.  It was an incredibly fast-paced series of matches in a format that enriched the overall local martial arts entertainment experience in that it was stand-up fighting, single 3 minute rounds and was structured in a team competition format.  Friday’s season kick-off event pitted The Denver Fury, coached by local fight promoter and coach, Steve Alley, against the Texas Dragons.  Also competing were the Oklahoma Destroyers vs. the Los Angeles Stars.

I admit to local reporter bias in my admiration of Steve Alley and his team.  I have seen many of his fighters train and was excited to witness phe-noms Colby Snyder, Katie Meehan, and Jack Johnson in competition.    Unfortunately, the Denver team lost on points when Colby Snyder, Jack Johnson and his alternative Tom Johnson all suffered TKOs.  Payback was partially extracted when Katie Meehan of the Denver Fury beat Gia Wilson in the first match-up.  In the second half, although Denver Jesse Miles dispatched Oklahoma alternate Matt Foshee; Denver Fury alternate, Kornelija Numic, fought hard but lost by points to Texas Dragon alternate, Angela Hayes. 

The Denver Fury may have lost their first team challenge but they have heart and talent – a combination that will surely catch their competitors flat-footed in future bouts.  Steve Alley’s fighters now have a better understanding of the unusual WCL arena without restraining ropes or a cage and they also have a flavor as relates to the skills of their opponents.  Steve made a prophesy to me that his team would make it victorious to the end of the tour with Denver reigning supreme as the Toughest City in the Nation in the play-offs currently scheduled for May 3, 2008.  Hey – if we can believe in the Rockies, we can certainly believe that Steve Alley has a vision of what his team can accomplish as the season unfolds.   I believe in Steve!