# Robert Downey Jr.



## Bumblebee (May 13, 2010)

Okay, so some people don't like him because of his troubled past, but I for one am part of the general public that loves a comeback.  It looks like in Robert Downey Jr.'s case he attributes his recovery and comeback to Wing Chun.  Or so it seems in May's issue of Men's Journal.  

http://www.mensjournal.com/in-the-may-issue-robert-downey-jr

And I was thinking about it, and thought that this scene from Sherlock Holmes is all Wing Chun.  






I thought it was kind of interesting to read about how Wing Chun helped turn his life around.  I should probably buy the issue of Men's Journal so I can finish reading the article.  I was getting a haircut when I read it so I didn't get to finish the whole thing.


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## Jade Tigress (May 13, 2010)

I've always liked Robert Downey Jr. as an actor and am very glad for his recovery and comeback. That practicing Wing Chun has been instrumental in that is fantastic! 

I haven't seen the Sherlock Holmes movie (yet) but I've heard it's excellent. Great clip! :asian:


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## OnlyAnEgg (May 13, 2010)

Downey's had a tough road, to be sure; but, he seems to have made the turnaround successfully.  That he attributes any of it to a martial art is both pleasant to see and not a great surprise.

And, Pam:  you need to see the movie.


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## shesulsa (May 13, 2010)

Yeah, that, plus he's _HAWT!_ :fanboy:


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## wkmark (May 13, 2010)

It's always great to see how martial arts are able to turn around someone's life.


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## Miles (May 13, 2010)

Just saw Iron Man 2 and Sherlock Holmes last weekend ( my daughter thinks like Shesulsa).   I did notice what appeared to me to be Wing Chun in Sherlock Holmes.  Good to have the martial arts get some positive publicity.


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## El_Nastro (May 13, 2010)

1. Great movie in just about every way. 

2. RDJ did a good job.

3. The fight scene was cool.

4. It wasn't Wing Chun, & it's frustrating that there's a famous guy out there misrepresenting the art. I know he's not doing it on purpose, but did you guys see him on Letterman talking about "Bil Jee"? Embarrasing.  

As I expressed in agonizing detail on the "False Teaching and secret knowledge"-thread, the stuff RDJ does can't truthfully be labeled "Wing Chun" anymore than Jeet Kune Do could be labeled as Wing Chun. Granted, the William Cheung system has _some_ WC in it (just like JKD), but it's _not_ really Wing Chun, anymore than Frank Dux's "Koga Ninjitsu" is Ninjitsu. 

RDJ can call what he does Wing Chun....he can go on Letterman and talk about "Bil Jee", but that's not really what he's talking about. It's misleading, and straight-up false information. it's just frustrating to have a guy out there totally misrepresenting WC, and naively drumming up business for a con-man.


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## KamonGuy2 (May 14, 2010)

Yeah I was about to mention the Robert Downey Jr interview (its on youtube - im too lazy to find the link) with letterman

It was painful watching that interview. He was basically making out that wing chun was all about bil gee!! 

Guy Ritchie (director of Sherlock Holmes) trains at the Gracie Barra (Kevin Chan knows him) and has had influence in films with various martial arts

The bad guy in Sherlock Holmes also had a wooden dummy in Kick ***!

I personally have always found RDJ very entertaining. Iron Man is excellent


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## blindsage (May 14, 2010)

El_Nastro said:


> 4. It wasn't Wing Chun, & it's frustrating that there's a famous guy out there misrepresenting the art. I know he's not doing it on purpose, but did you guys see him on Letterman talking about "Bil Jee"? Embarrasing.
> 
> As I expressed in agonizing detail on the "False Teaching and secret knowledge"-thread, the stuff RDJ does can't truthfully be labeled "Wing Chun" anymore than Jeet Kune Do could be labeled as Wing Chun. Granted, the William Cheung system has _some_ WC in it (just like JKD), but it's _not_ really Wing Chun, anymore than Frank Dux's "Koga Ninjitsu" is Ninjitsu.
> 
> RDJ can call what he does Wing Chun....he can go on Letterman and talk about "Bil Jee", but that's not really what he's talking about. It's misleading, and straight-up false information. it's just frustrating to have a guy out there totally misrepresenting WC, and naively drumming up business for a con-man.


We know you've got a big chip on your shoulder against William Cheung, but you gotta relax.  It is a style of Wing Chun, and what is in the movie is heavily influence by RDJ's training in it.

For those 'embarrassed' by RDJ's interview on Letterman, again you've gotta relax, he wasn't discussing it for your benefit, he was talking as an entertainer about a subject that the vast majority of people have 0 knowledge or understanding of in a context where the host doesn't really give a **** and he's just asking for conversation.  RDJ's been doing the interview circuit a looonngg time, he's not an idiot.


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## El_Nastro (May 14, 2010)

blindsage said:


> ...you gotta relax.



Dude, what does that even mean? 

The title of this thread is "Robert Downey Jr.", & it's in the "Wing Chun" thread, so I was honestly discussing the subject.




blindsage said:


> It is a style of Wing Chun



That's where we disagree. I think there's a distinction between a system with some WC in it, and actual, bona fide WC. JKD has some WC in it, but it's not accurate to call it WC. 

Cheung's system has Ip Man WC in it, but it's not accurate to call it WC, anymore than it would be for me to take a couple years of BJJ, make up a bunch of stuff, add stuff from other systems, and call it "Authentic Brazilian Jiu Jitsu" - just because I call it BJJ doesn't make it so. Just because RDJ calls what he does WC doesn't make it WC. 




blindsage said:


> ...and what is in the movie is heavily influence by RDJ's training in it.



Agreed. And it had some badass-looking fight sequences. Everyone involved with the production of that film did a great job. It was an awesome movie and I liked it a lot - bought the DVD. 




blindsage said:


> For those 'embarrassed' by RDJ's interview on Letterman, again you've gotta relax...



I am totally relaxed. 




blindsage said:


> ...he was talking as an entertainer about a subject that the vast majority of people have 0 knowledge or understanding of...



Exactly. And he wasn't helping. I don't care if he was just making conversation. He was misrepresenting WC. 

Regardless of whether or not RDJ was being serious, regardless of whether or not Letterman was interested, I care about WC so it was a bit of an embarassing facepalm-moment to see him up there saying & doing those things. 




blindsage said:


> RDJ's been doing the interview circuit a looonngg time, he's not an idiot.



Never said he was. He is grossly misinformed on WC though.


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## mook jong man (May 14, 2010)

Such a damn shame the bloke is being taught by "Billy The Kid".
You would think a bloke with all that money would be able to shop around and find himself a real master.


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## geezer (May 14, 2010)

El_Nastro said:


> 1. Great movie in just about every way.
> 
> 2. RDJ did a good job.
> 
> ...


 
OK, maybe it isn't exactly Wing Chun as some of us understand it, but it's close enough to spur some interest. Right after the movie came out, some guys came peeking into the door of my little YMCA class. Later one of them talked to me and mentioned that what we were doing reminded him of the _Sherlock Holmes_ movie. Next thing you know I had a couple of new students!

After all, that's what we teachers do every day, we fight against ignorance, one mind at a time.


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## mook jong man (May 14, 2010)

geezer said:


> OK, maybe it isn't exactly Wing Chun as some of us understand it, but it's close enough to spur some interest. Right after the movie came out, some guys came peeking into the door of my little YMCA class. Later one of them talked to me and mentioned that what we were doing reminded him of the _Sherlock Holmes_ movie. Next thing you know I had a couple of new students!
> 
> After all, that's what we teachers do every day, we fight against ignorance, one mind at a time.


 
Any publicity is good publicity I suppose.


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## El_Nastro (May 14, 2010)

geezer said:


> ...one of them talked to me and mentioned that what we were doing reminded him of the _Sherlock Holmes_ movie. Next thing you know I had a couple of new students!



OK, that is awesome. Now that you've got 'em you can train 'em _right._


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## El_Nastro (May 14, 2010)

mook jong man said:


> Such a damn shame the bloke is being taught by "Billy The Kid".
> You would think a bloke with all that money would be able to shop around and find himself a real master.



That's what I'm talkin' about.


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## bully (May 15, 2010)

He is a very charismatic guy, I understand what he was doing on Letterman. As said he was talking to the masses, they don't really care about the ins and outs of Wing Chun....they want to watch RDJ entertaining them which is what he did.

Been a fan since the brat pack stuff, The Mrs never moans when I ask her to watch the latest RDJ movie, pretty sure she finds him easy on the eye. A win win situation here for me, I get to watch movies that I like and she doesn't hassle me.

As for the Lineage, who cares what he does?

Must get Ironman 2 booked in to watch.


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## Haakon (May 15, 2010)

I've enjoyed the movies I've seen him in, and it's great to see that martial arts have helped him do a complete 180 on his life.

I liked this quote from the article:


> On being an actor:
> This is still art for commerce, at best. I consider myself to be a pain-in-the-*** artist whos self-aware enough to still be tolerable. While I have a little bit of juice, I try not to rub it in anyones face, because its just disgusting. And I use the term artist loosely.



If only more actors had such views of what they did and weren't so full of themselves!


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## dungeonworks (May 16, 2010)

If you look at the martial artist regardless of style, sub style, physique, and athletic ability you can see where the traditionalist roots begin to spread and the apex of the arguments over what is REAL martial art x and what is not.  There are quite a few highly regarded Wing Chun teachers in the world that have honed their martial skills by addition and subtraction to and from the mother art of Wing Chun.  Boztepe and many others have added/cross trained elements of Filipino styles, Orr has molded his into MMA, Chan has added BJJ and other aspects from what I understand from Kamon's posts, Bruce Lee added everything and the kitchen sink to his JKD....ect.  

Wether you stay in one system and lean towards a set of techniques within your that system or use other arts to fill your individual inadequacies it is the same thing in my opinion.  Obviously RDJ has found something beyond the martial side of Wing Chun to fix a HUGE imbalance in his life and it happened to be in William Cheung's system.  I say GOOD FOR HIM!  I see many people in my daily life that could use the same balance he has found.  The fact that he is a GREAT actor and his missing piece is a martial art that I love, all the better.

The Wing Chun world (...and the WHOLE WORLD in general) could be further lifted to higher levels if people could set their own opinions aside and open their eyes and ears, then walk at least a few steps in another's shoes before passing judgments or shooting from the hip.  For example, the MMA guy that bashes and discredits Wing Chun should try each others arts before dismissing them or the Chunner under Sifu X should train and mix it up with a student of Sifu Y for the same reasons.

My line of thought fits JKD because we try anything once if it is available and stick with the things that work for each of us individually.  That being said, there are a LOT of things I have not seen in Wing Chun that I want to see, hence my interest in the art....and I don't care if it is Cheung's, Boztepe's, or whomevers!  ....but I would LOVE to train with Sifu Ali Rahim and Kevin Chan someday!


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## yak sao (May 16, 2010)

dungeonworks said:


> If you look at the martial artist regardless of style, sub style, physique, and athletic ability you can see where the traditionalist roots begin to spread and the apex of the arguments over what is REAL martial art x and what is not. There are quite a few highly regarded Wing Chun teachers in the world that have honed their martial skills by addition and subtraction to and from the mother art of Wing Chun. Boztepe and many others have added/cross trained elements of Filipino styles, Orr has molded his into MMA, Chan has added BJJ and other aspects from what I understand from Kamon's posts, Bruce Lee added everything and the kitchen sink to his JKD....ect.
> 
> Wether you stay in one system and lean towards a set of techniques within your that system or use other arts to fill your individual inadequacies it is the same thing in my opinion. Obviously RDJ has found something beyond the martial side of Wing Chun to fix a HUGE imbalance in his life and it happened to be in William Cheung's system. I say GOOD FOR HIM! I see many people in my daily life that could use the same balance he has found. The fact that he is a GREAT actor and his missing piece is a martial art that I love, all the better.
> 
> ...


 
There....it is that kind of open mindedness that gives this forum a bad name


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## KamonGuy2 (May 17, 2010)

yak sao said:


> There....it is that kind of open mindedness that gives this forum a bad name


 
I would disagree with that (even if it was a joke). I find this forum very very good and full of insightful individuals. I go on a lot of other forums and to be honest have not been that impressed. On here, you will often get a response from several individuals who will all give a slightly different point of view, which is useful and productive. On 'other' forums, wing chun is usually shot down before it is even discussed because the bullies on there think they know it all

It is true that wing chun does not always work and I get frustrated by people who call it a complete system. It is not. No art is. But I believe strongly that wing chun is an extremely efficient and excellent system for training certain elements of martial arts

Those that know me on here know that I train in many arts, but I still think of chun as my core art. It has given me the most tools out of all the arts I have learnt. 

Be proud of your chun, wing chun brothers


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## qwksilver61 (May 18, 2010)

Hey, whatever it was or wasn't at *least* Wing Chun *is* mentioned,"good job Downey Jr. for coming back from the brink of despair" I only wish they would include more Wing Chun in modern action hero movies,it beats bad press and a bad rep.somethings better than nothing?


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## coffeerox (Jul 1, 2010)

so what is different about Cheung's system that makes it a style that includes WC in it?


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## Touch Of Death (Jul 1, 2010)

Lou Reed does that stuff too.
Sean


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## geezer (Jul 2, 2010)

Touch Of Death said:


> Lou Reed does that stuff too.
> Sean



Lou Reed, the singer? "Walk on the Wild Side"? Does WC? That's totally awesome.


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## dungeonworks (Jul 2, 2010)

geezer said:


> Lou Reed, the singer? "Walk on the Wild Side"? Does WC? That's totally awesome.



And the Sifu's said doo doo doo do do do doo doo doo do do do doo doo doo....Chisau on the wild side. :ultracool


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