Chuck Norris facts

Chuck Norris facts originally appeared on the Internet in early 2005, though jokes surrounding Norris's toughness and strength are claimed to have existed since the 1980s. Initially distributed in the Something Awful forums, the "facts" centered on Vin Diesel, in response to his film The Pacifier. After a few months, forum members chose Chuck Norris to be the new subject. Conan O'Brien's Chuck Norris jokes on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (which generally center on Walker, Texas Ranger) have been seen as an inspiration for the fad. The exaggerated style of these claims is similar to a recurring Saturday Night Live sketch called "Bill Brasky". Due to the popularity of this phenomenon, similar jokes have been created for various other celebrities, as well as fictional characters.

Humorist Ian Spector has been credited as "the author of Chuck Norris facts" due to his role in creating online Chuck Norris fact generators.{{Citation |title=Spector, the man behind the Chuck Norris' meme |url=https://revision3.com/internetsuperstar/ispector/ |accessdate=January 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206081057/https://revision3.com/internetsuperstar/ispector/ |archive-date=February 6, 2015 |url-status=dead }} Spector has also written several books of Chuck Norris facts, including The Truth About Chuck Norris: 400 Facts About the World's Greatest Human (2007) and Chuck Norris Vs. Mr. T: 400 Facts About the Baddest Dudes in the History of Ever (2008).{{Citation |title=In Chuck Norris, Mr. T book, Spector '09 pities da fool | url=http://www.browndailyherald.com/2008/10/28/in-chuck-norris-mr-t-book-spector-09-pities-da-fool/ |accessdate=January 22, 2015}}{{cite book|title=The Truth About Chuck Norris: 400 Facts About the World's Greatest Human|author=Ian Spector|publisher=Gotham|year=2007|isbn=978-1-59240-344-8|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781592403448}}

Norris responded to the Chuck Norris facts on his official website with a statement. Admitting some of the statements were indeed humorous, he said he tries not to take any of them seriously, and he hopes that such statements will interest people in real facts about him contained in his literary works.{{cite web|url=http://www.chucknorris.com/html/events.aspx?type=3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040618064640/http://www.chucknorris.com/html/events.aspx?type=3|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 18, 2004|title=In response to the "Random facts" that are being generated on the Internet|author=Chuck Norris|access-date=2006-12-04}}

On October 23, 2006, Norris' first column for WorldNetDaily consisted of another response. It began similarly to the above statement from chucknorris.com, but then disclaimed his own prowess in favor of those of God and Jesus Christ.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

In December 2007, Norris filed suit against Penguin USA, the publisher that had released The Truth About Chuck Norris through its Gotham Books imprint. Norris alleged that the book contained "trademark infringement, unjust enrichment and privacy rights".{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2129580420071222|title=Chuck Norris sues, says his tears no cancer cure|date=2007-12-21|access-date=2007-12-23|author=Kearney, Christine|publisher=Reuters}} Norris dropped the lawsuit in 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/chuck-norris-kicks-suit-brown-university-student-long-island-article-1.326780|title=Chuck Norris kicks suit vs. L.I. student|work=NY Daily News|date=28 May 2008 }}

On October 7, 2009, Tyndale House Publishers issued The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book, which was co-written and officially endorsed by Norris.[https://www.amazon.com/Official-Chuck-Norris-Fact-Book/dp/1414334494 The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book]. Tyndale House Publishers. {{ISBN|978-1-4143-3449-3}}

In the March 20, 2006 issue, Time magazine interviewed Norris, calling him an "online cult hero". In the answer to their last question, he called the Chuck Norris Facts "weird but wildly popular sayings" and quoted one: "Chuck Norris can divide by zero."{{cite news| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1172246-2,00.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930031339/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1172246-2,00.html| url-status=dead| archive-date=September 30, 2007| title= People| first=Rebecca Winters| last=Keegan| date=2006-03-20| publisher=Time| access-date=2006-06-20}}

In 2011, a commercial for World of Warcraft featured Chuck Norris and included its own "Chuck Norris facts" in the dialogue.{{cite web |url=http://ingame.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/21/8937607-chuck-norris-lends-his-face-fists-to-world-of-warcraft |title=Chuck Norris lends his face, fists to 'World of Warcraft' |first=Winda |last=Benedetti |work=In-Game |publisher=MSNBC |date=November 21, 2011 |access-date=December 10, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111219142855/http://ingame.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/21/8937607-chuck-norris-lends-his-face-fists-to-world-of-warcraft |archive-date=December 19, 2011 }}

In the 2012 movie The Expendables 2, there is a wink at Chuck Norris facts when one is attributed to Norris' character Booker. In one scene Booker saves Barney Ross's (Sylvester Stallone) team in a firefight. After introductions all around, Ross says to Booker, "I heard another rumor. That you were bitten by a king cobra." "Yeah, I was", Booker replies, adding, "But after five days of agonizing pain, the cobra died."{{cite web| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feZB6eWSk_w&t=164 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/feZB6eWSk_w |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live| title= Chuck Norris scene in The Expendables 2 HD 720p| date=2012-11-26| publisher=OfficielFirat | access-date=2019-08-29}}{{cbignore}}

In 2017, UnitedHealthCare released an ad in which two men in a diner spot Norris in the establishment and begin exchanging hyperbolic "facts" about him, such as "Chuck Norris wears a hat to protect the sun from him." One of the men then throws a salt shaker at Norris to test his martial arts prowess, and winds up needing medical attention as a result — the whole being an instance of UHC's Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity-award-winning “Ways In” campaign.{{cite news |last1=Costello |first1=Colin |title=Burnett unleashes Chuck Norris on United Healthcare |url=https://reelchicago.com/article/burnett-unleashes-chuck-norris-united-healthcare170203/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=Barbara Roche's Reel Chicago |date=February 3, 2017}}

In India, there exist similar jokes in the form of factoids and quotes about Indian film actor Rajinikanth which are widely circulated in text messages and memes over the Internet.{{cite web |title=Rajinikanth: Who Really Is the Super Star? |url=http://business.in.com/article/person-of-the-year-10/rajinikanth-who-really-is-the-super-star/20452/1 |accessdate=9 April 2011 |work=Forbes India |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041717/http://business.in.com/article/person-of-the-year-10/rajinikanth-who-really-is-the-super-star/20452/1 |url-status=dead }} These satirical jokes have also inspired several mobile applications for iOS and Android.{{cite web |date=10 January 2011 |title=New Year Diary |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?269772 |accessdate=28 March 2011 |publisher=The Outlook}}{{cite web |title=Dabangg ideas bloom in New Age Bollywood |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-12-29/india/28251608_1_abhinav-kashyap-movies-peepli-live |accessdate=28 March 2011 |work=Times of India |location=India |archive-date=2013-10-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015111116/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-12-29/india/28251608_1_abhinav-kashyap-movies-peepli-live |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |date=17 March 2011 |title=Rajinikanth global warming |work=Times of India |location=India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/people/Rajini-jokes/articleshow/6713262.cms |access-date=28 March 2011 |archive-date=25 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025122749/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-03-17/people/28364173_1_rajinikanth-global-warming-titanic |url-status=live }}{{cite news|title=Rajinikanth vs Chuck Norris|date=October 11, 2011|first=Meena|last=Iyer|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Rajinikanth-vs-Chuck-Norris/etarticleshow/10301957.cms|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103134145/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-11/news-interviews/30263638_1_tamil-superstar-rajinikanth-chuck-norris-jfk-assassination|url-status=live|work=The Times of India|archive-date=January 3, 2013}} The factoids about Rajinikanth are inspired by Chuck Norris facts in that those follow the same pattern as Chuck Norris facts.{{cite news|title=I am what I am|work=The Times of India Crest Edition|url=http://www.timescrest.com/culture/i-am-what-i-am-3770|first1=N.|last1=Venkateswaran|first2=Bhama Devi|last2=Ravi|date=October 16, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430194700/http://www.timescrest.com/culture/i-am-what-i-am-3770|archive-date=April 30, 2012}}{{cite news|title=Rajini humour|url=http://www.timescrest.com/culture/rajini-humour-3776|work=Times of India Crest Edition|date=October 16, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110909050658/http://www.timescrest.com/culture/rajini-humour-3776|archive-date=September 9, 2011}} While some Rajinikanth jokes are original, many of them are circulated with Norris' name replaced by Rajinikanth's.{{cite web|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/rajinikanth-jokes-sell-out-faster-than-his-tickets/131891-3.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101001115328/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/rajinikanth-jokes-sell-out-faster-than-his-tickets/131891-3.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-10-01|title=Rajini jokes sell out faster than his tickets|work=IBNLive}} Chuck vs Rajini, a 2012 promotional animated video by Expedia, played on the jokes by pitting Norris against Rajini.{{Cite web |title=Rajnikanth and Chuck Norris fight it out in Expedia video - Exchange4media |url=https://www.exchange4media.com/digital-news/rajnikanth-and-chuck-norris-fight-it-out-in-expedia-video-46387.html |access-date=2023-08-21 |website=Indian Advertising Media & Marketing News – exchange4media |date=16 May 2012 |language=en}} The beginning of 2013 saw similar cluster of jokes gaining trend in the country on Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja after Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni tweeted a few "facts" about him on his Twitter page.{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/ipl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130416070811/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-04-14/news/38528255_1_sir-ravindra-jadeja-chennai-super-kings-royal-challengers-bangalore|url-status=live|archive-date=2013-04-16|work=The Times of India|title=Dhoni cracks jokes on 'Sir' Ravindra Jadeja}}

During the 2012 Armenian parliamentary election, some ballots with Norris's name written on them as a candidate were found.{{cite web | url = https://news.am/eng/news/104400.html | title=Armenians prefer to see Chuck Norris and local model in parliament – voters' ballot | date = May 6, 2012 | publisher = NEWS.am | access-date = July 11, 2012}}{{cite web | url = http://www.tert.am/am/news/2012/05/06/chak-noris/ | script-title = hy:Խորհրդարանական ընտրությունների "հայտնությունը". ոմանք ընտրել են Չակ Նորիսին և "Եկատիրինին" (լուսանկարներ) | date = May 6, 2012 | publisher = Թերթ.am | access-date = July 11, 2012 | language = hy | archive-date = July 8, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120708052428/http://www.tert.am/am/news/2012/05/06/chak-noris/ | url-status = dead }}{{cite web | url = http://www.mediamax.am/am/news/elections2012/4889/ | script-title=hy:"Չակ Նորիսը" որպես հայկական ընտրությունների ֆենոմեն | date = May 6, 2012 | publisher = Mediamax | access-date = July 11, 2012|language=hy}}

In Egypt, and prior to the Egyptian presidential election, 2012, similar jokes were made upon Omar Suleiman, the ex-director of the General Intelligence Directorate in the same style of Chuck Norris facts, making fun of the powers and skills that his supporters claimed to be his to promote him before the elections.{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com.eg/search?&q=%D9%87%D9%84+%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%85+%D8%A7%D9%86+%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1+%D8%B3%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86|script-title=ar:بحث جوجل : هل تعلم ان عمر سليمان|trans-title=Google search: Did you know that Omar Suleiman|language=ar}}

In the episode "The Weird World of Wyrm" of the 2012 CGI series version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a holographic Chris Bradford – a parody of Norris – delivers a Norris Facts-esque quotation: "Chris Bradford fact #48: Chris Bradford always carries around four weapons of mass destruction: His arms and his legs."

Buffalo Bills fans began promoting similar tall tales about former linebacker Kiko Alonso during the 2013 season, after Alonso joined the team as a rookie. The tall tales were collectively known as "The Legend of Kiko Alonso".[http://www.oregonlive.com/nfl/index.ssf/2013/10/kiko_alonso_wreaking_havoc_as.html Kiko Alonso quickly wreaking havoc, becoming 'legend' as rookie with Buffalo Bills]. Associated Press (October 2, 2013). Retrieved October 3, 2013.

Makmende, a Kenyan fictional hero, has been purported to perform locally related feats and more, including in Sheng.

In 2006, a naming poll was held to decide the name of a new bridge in Hungary. Since nominations were accepted from everyone, "Chuck Norris" soon became the top candidate for the bridge's name{{cite news |url=http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=2006-08-01T094605Z_01_L01355692_RTRIDST_0_OUKOE-UK-HUNGARY-BRIDGE.XML |title=Chuck Norris leads vote for Budapest bridge name |publisher=Reuters |date=August 8, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051225103258/http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews |archive-date=2005-12-25 }} (beating the names of several historical figures along with candidates like David Hasselhoff and Eric Cartman), before being taken over by Stephen Colbert after he called his fans to vote. The bridge was eventually named Megyeri Bridge.{{Cite web |date=2006-10-13 |title=M0-ás híd portál |url=http://www.m0hid.gov.hu/elsofordulo |access-date=2025-03-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061013175930/http://www.m0hid.gov.hu/elsofordulo |archive-date=13 October 2006 }}

In 2014, after Argentina reached the final of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, memes containing Chuck Norris facts directed at defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano emerged on social media. Similar "facts" were attributed to another soccer player, Zlatan Ibrahimović.

WWE wrestler Brian Myers, known as Curt Hawkins, incorporated the Chuck Norris facts into his gimmick in August 2016, where he uses his name instead of Norris, e.g., "Children have to put sunscreen on at the beach to protect themselves from Curt Hawkins".{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}

• "Chuck Norris was once bitten by a king cobra; after ten excruciating minutes, the cobra died." — Believed to be the first Chuck Norris "fact", dating from the early 1980s.
• "They tried to put Chuck Norris's face on Mount Rushmore, but the granite wasn't tough enough for his beard." — Stated by Norris to be his personal favorite "fact".{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA_hMq-JUOE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/TA_hMq-JUOE |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Chuck Norris facts read by Chuck Norris |date=11 March 2006 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=June 29, 2013}}{{cbignore}}{{User-generated inline|date=March 2025|certain=yes}}
• "When Chuck Norris does push-ups, he doesn't push himself up, he pushes the Earth down."
• "Chuck Norris has a polar bear rug at home. It's not dead; it's just afraid to move."
• "Chuck Norris once threw a hand grenade and killed fifty people; then it exploded."
• "There was once a street named after Chuck Norris, but the name was changed as nobody crosses Chuck Norris and lives."
• "Chuck Norris doesn't flush toilets; he scares the shit out of them."
• "Beneath Chuck Norris's beard is another fist." — Another early Norris "fact" dating from the 1980s, later parodied on the American animated TV sitcom Family Guy.
• "When the bogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris."
• "Chuck Norris's Social Security number is the last nine digits of pi."
• "There is no such thing as evolution, only a list of species Chuck Norris has allowed to live." — Upon hearing this "fact", Norris responded by revealing that he was a creationist.{{cite web |title= Private: The Chief Export of Chuck Norris is Creationism |url= https://www.acslaw.org/?post_type=acsblog&p=3330 |date= November 2, 2006 |quote= here's what I really think about the theory of evolution: It's not real. It is not the way we got here. In fact, the life you see on this planet is really just a list of creatures God has allowed to live. We are not creations of random chance. We are not accidents. There is a God, a Creator, who made you and me. }}
• "Chuck Norris actually died 20 years ago, but Death hasn't built up the courage to tell him yet."
• "Chuck Norris can believe It's not butter."
• "Chuck Norris once played Russian roulette with a fully-loaded gun and won."
• "Chuck Norris's diary is called the Guinness Book of World Records."

In 2008, Gameloft produced Chuck Norris: Bring On the Pain, a video game for mobile devices, based on the online Norris cult elicited by Chuck Norris facts.{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/07/17/gameloft-releases-chuck-norris-bring-on-the-pain|title=Gameloft Releases Chuck Norris: Bring on the Pain|author=|date=17 July 2008}} The player takes control of Norris in a side-scrolling beat 'em up. The game was well-reviewed.{{cite web|url=http://www.appspy.com/review/3651/chuck-norris-bring-on-the-pain-review|title=Chuck Norris: Bring on the Pain! Review}}{{cite web|url=http://www.knowyourmobile.com/games/5746/chuck-norris-bring-pain-review|title=Chuck Norris: Bring on the Pain review|date=4 October 2022 }}{{cite news|last1=Myers|first1=Meghann|title=Chuck Norris: Bring on the Pain for IPhone|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/183784/article.html|work=PC World|date=December 4, 2009|access-date=November 16, 2017|archive-date=December 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201221757/https://www.pcworld.com/article/183784/article.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2008/08/27/chuck-norris-bring-on-the-pain-cell-phone-game-by-gameloft.htm|title=Chuck Norris: Bring on the Pain cell-phone game by GameLoft|website=www.videogamesblogger.com|date=2008-08-27}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gamefaqs.com/iphone/979925-chuck-norris-bring-on-the-pain/stats#rate|title=Chuck Norris: Bring on the Pain! My Games Statistics for iOS (iPhone/iPad) - Collections, Tracking and Ratings - GameFAQs|website=www.gamefaqs.com}}

In 2017, Flaregames produced the second such game, Non Stop Chuck Norris, an isometric action-role playing game for mobile devices, also well reviewed.{{cite web|url=http://www.entertainment-focus.com/games-section/games-reviews/nonstop-chuck-norris-review/|title=Nonstop Chuck Norris review - Entertainment Focus|website=www.entertainment-focus.com|date=2017-04-20}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gamezebo.com/2017/04/25/nonstop-chuck-norris-review/|title=Nonstop Chuck Norris Review: Deja Chuck|date=25 April 2017}}

• Ian Spector: The Truth About Chuck Norris: New York: Gotham Books: 2007: {{ISBN|1-59240-344-1}}
• Chuck Norris & Todd DuBord: The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book: 101 of Chuck's Favorite Facts and Stories: Tyndale House Publishers: 2009: {{ISBN|1-4143-3449-4}}

• Bill Brasky
• The Stig
• The Most Interesting Man in the World

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{Official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20220107131739/https://chucknorrisfacts.net/}}
• {{cite news |last= Farhi |first= Paul |date= Jan 2, 2006 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/02/AR2006010200282.html |title= Tough Love: Norris Fans Board the Chuck Wagon |newspaper= Washington Post }}

{{Chuck Norris}}

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