June 3, 2008
The Hell of Endlessly Signing Autographs
Posted by pete at June 3, 2008 9:44 PMKung Fu Panda screened tonight. As Dreamworks cartoons go, it wasn't bad. 'Course, when your competition consists of shit like Shark Tale and Madagascar, that's not an accolade I'd go out of my way to publicize.
I got there late, thanks to a few last minute beers at Harlow's traffic, so I didn't know a member of the cast was in attendance (though it would explain why all those seats were blocked off). Upon emerging from the theater, I saw it was none other James "Lo Pan" Hong himself:
Houston's got a lot of hells. And Lo Pan's got a lot of daughters.
And yes, of course I got a picture.
He said I was the only person to identify themselves as big fan of Big Trouble in Little China, and his mystical powers are obviously still in full effect, as he somehow managed to sign the picture a full day before I actually met him. At least he didn't say, "Shut up, Mr. Vonder Haar. You were not brought upon this earth to 'get it.'"
Thankfully, Pete doesn’t have green eyes.
Oh sweet Nelly Jesus on a pogo stick, I would have KILLED to catch that screening for a Lo Pan sig.
Do you get him to say ‘Broccoli’ for you? I used to work with someone who knew him and somehow managed to get an answering machine message of him saying ‘Bloccori’ on tape…
Did he instead say “shut up, Mr. Haar. You were not brought upon this earth to ‘get it.’” That would be rad.
Dude, that fucking rules. There is a Thai food place I go to here in O-town all the time and they have the same picture autographed by him, placed right above the register.
David Lo Pan is the single greatest movie hero ever. Bar none. As Maddox put it, every single movie in Hollywood would be better off with Lo Pan in it. Image….
The Godfather, with Lo Pan as Vito Corleone
Unforgiven, with Lo Pan as the Sheriff
Casablanca, with Lo Pan as Rick
ET, with Lo Pan as the alien
To Kill a Mockingbird, with Lo Pan as Atticus Finch
You get the picture. James Hong is sadly, sadly underworked in Hollywood. Now that Tinseltown is just about out of DC Comics characters to defile, I think it’s just a matter of months before they succumb to the inevitable.
Knowing there are other Big Trouble fans out there makes my life worth living.
Wow, Pete, great autograph to have! I am long overdue for another viewing of “Big Trouble”, thanks for reminding me with this cool story.