Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Before making a name for himself in Hollywood with the Rush Hour franchise, Jackie Chan was already an international superstar, thanks to Hong Kong films such as Police Story and its sequels. While not quite up to par with that film, Police Story 2 (released in 1988) still manages to pack quite the punch, picking up where Police Story left off.
Jet Li. Jackie Chan. Donnie Yen. Quick. Which one of these action film stars grew up in the United States? Or, more appropriately, which one of these stars had to leave the United States before he could make a name for himself in Hollywood? That would be Yen. Sure, while he’s not as famous in the United States as either Li or Chan, he has a loyal following worldwide and an impressive resume of films — the best of which were made in Hong Kong.
“Without a question, Bruce Lee was the uncontested idol for a lot of little black boys growing up in the ’70s. We absolutely accepted him as Soul Brother No. 1.”
Though Jackie Chan is hesitant to show off his dexterous martial arts moves when he’s not on set filming, he’s game for just about anything else. Last week, the popular actor helped Fox news anchor Tamron Hall celebrate her birthday by presenting her with a cake. Later that day when a reporter asked him to sing, he broke into a pitch perfect rendition of “Always on My Mind” that was more Willie Nelson than Elvis Presley.
Crouching tiger, not-so-hidden Madonna. That’s the vibe Madonna wanted for the “Sky Fits Heaven” number of her Drowned World Tour. Never mind she had never taken a kung fu, tae kwon do or karate class.
Who would’ve thought that a turtle could go up against Jackie Chan and hold his own? Not long after battling evil as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, former Chicagoan Ho-Sung Pak found himself playing the heavy opposite Jackie Chan in “The Legend of Drunken Master.”
James Sie has Jackie Chan’s moves down pat. Vocally, anyhow. As Chan’s voice double in the animated series “Jackie Chan Adventures,” which will air at 10 a.m. Sundays on WCIU-Channel 26 starting this weekend, the former Chicago actor captures Chan’s energetic nuances so well that the casual listener would have a difficult time figuring out whether it was Chan or Sie doing the talking.
A. Magazine: Inside Asian America features “Martial Law” star Kelly Hu as its December/January cover girl. The former Miss Hawaii appears in a fashion layout that showcases Asian-American models posing in a “holiday masquerade” theme.
The October issue of Playgirl screams “Leonardo DiCaprio Nude!” But that’s not the whole truth. The slender star did not pose nude for the magazine. Rather, the magazine printed stills from 1995’s “Total Eclipse,” a little-seen art-house film in which he portrayed bisexual poet Arthur Rimbaud.
The three musicians in Ash are so young that when their record label signed them two years ago, their contract stipulated that the kids could finish their school exams. In fact, the Irish teens turned down the chance to tour with Pearl Jam so they could graduate.