Comments on: Bruce Lee Plays Ping Pong with Nunchucks

By: Jon Cone

Jon Cone — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:16:07 +0000

Doc — We obviously see this clip through different glasses, though I find your choice of words telling: you ‘buy the clip.’ Which is precisely my point about the clip being an advertisement: a form that should immediately raise our critical awareness. Why would an ad make such a connection, between consumerist technology and a pop culture icon? Well, I would guess, on some level, the advertisers want us to believe that the coolness Bruce Lee demonstrates in the clip will become available to use if we buy their product; whether the ad is successful in making this connection is another matter. Your question — ‘To what avail?’ — suggests to me the ad is a failure, though it is tremendously entertaining. (I especially enjoyed Lee’s spin and high-kick combination.) As for the supposed ‘softballs’ that are fed to Lee: maybe, maybe not. Or perhaps certain shots had to be slowed down in order to better co-ordinate with Lee’s motions and so forth.

By: Doc

Doc — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:40:42 +0000

Sheila –

*brrrrrrap!* oh, excuse me – still full from yesterday.

…love to hear the gist. at your liesude.

By: Sheila Ryan

Sheila Ryan — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 03:58:35 +0000

Smiling a lop-sided smile here, Doc. I’ll drop you an email and share the gist of my exchange with Daryl.

By: Brandon Hobson

Brandon Hobson — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 03:57:48 +0000

I love watching all those old Bruce Lee movies. Even so, I never did want to take karate or tai kwon do or whatever. I don’t like being hit or kicked. Also, I was too afraid that if I actually really kicked someone that I’d end up apologizing all over the place.

By: Doc

Doc — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 02:47:34 +0000

Sheila –

no, i had not heard of it, as I certainly wouldn’t be a member.

; ‘ )

if i ever get out tro the left coast again, i’ll drop in.

Jon –

i tend to buy the clip; he was being fed, at times, “softballs” by his opponents, allowing him to slow down, speed up as necessary, yes – but i don’t see the hallmarks of film/video manipulation in this. if it’s a fake, it’s a george lucas-class fake. and to what avail?

By: Daryl Scroggins

Daryl Scroggins — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 22:01:34 +0000

Jon– The matter of accuracy is worthy of reflection, but if I were to doubt this clip it would be on other grounds, namely: why are we just now seeing this footage when several biographers have apparently not seen it? It may well turn out to be contrived, but it’s great fun to see it anyway and I think he surely could have done–and did do–many things that would have astonished all in equal measure.

Sheila: I haven’t seen that museum, but if we are ever out that way I will surely take it in. Thanks!

By: Jon Cone

Jon Cone — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 21:08:10 +0000

Lee was an absolute genius of the physical, no doubt. But I stil don’t believe the video. It is an advertisement, for starters. An advertisement. Lee’s display with the nunchucks is incredible enough on its own. I simply don’t believe the nunchuck could be used to direct accurately, again and again, a ping pong ball. In addition, there is something so contrived about the match: two sweating non-entities helpless before the god-like Lee — at one point he seems to rear as he holds his hands above his head directing the ball with insane accuracy downward at the table. And it is wise to remember a nunchuck can break bones! I’m sure it could easily break a ping pong ball.

By: Sheila Ryan

Sheila Ryan — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 20:27:43 +0000

Doc. Daryl: Have either of you had any contact with the Martial Arts History Museum (the outfit that recently moved from Santa Clarita to LA)? Just wondering. If so (or even if not), probably more appropriate for email conversation, but I'd be interested to know.

By: Doc

Doc — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 20:00:39 +0000

Sheila -

my apologies – i fogot to thank you for the kind words.

Daryl –

sorry about the disks; herniated l4/l5-l5/s1 myself few years ago and it took me 6 mos of rehab to get back in “shape”. i still don’t lift anything but my kids.

as for the dreams, you know it. i dream about being still able to run a 57 sec quarter mile; about running a 4:10 mile; about playing sets and sets and sets and sets of tennis in tennis in 90 degree heat/90 % humidity; about being able to close the gap on the receiver and either intercepting or teaching him how to call his momma; about being able to halo drop and then hump all day all night all the next day w/o a break and still deliver at the end; about a whole bunch of slow twitch muscles that allowed me lock a joint and pitch you headlong before you relized I had avoided your thrust…hell, i still dream of flying!

; ‘ )

aging does suck; perhaps more so for those of us who were ‘natural’ atheletes than ‘normal’ people. and i trust here you realize i’m not disparaging anyone – it is what it is…

i would have to dig out the belt certis, but, yeah, Norris called his style Tang Su Do for a while, then something else. last i heard he was calling it wang chuck or some such nonsense; it was a mishmash of 3 or 4 things really. and you’re right – the one time i talked with him he was aloof enough to almost be dismissive, not ‘humble’ in any sense of the word….

no, can’t say i got to work with Inasantos, but knew of him – who didn’t? he was out by Venice Beach and while that’s not that far away from SD, I didn’t much care for LA and avoided it.. tell you what, though, i do wish i had learned kempo from someone, i’d feel better about the rudimentary stick skills i do have and my cherry walking stick…

; ‘ )

By: Deron Bauman

Deron Bauman — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:09:51 +0000

Cindy, it is no accident, I think, we refer to physical mastery as a kind of genius.