Bestfriend's Brother (Michael Jackson)

chapter 30: the magic of karate kid on Oprah

29th august 1993

"so you three worked together on the first karate kid... what was that like?" oprah asked us, looking between the three of us with a smile on her face.

"honestly?" ralph asked "it was absolutely amazing. we had a blast together and really made some memories and made a whole new group of best friends!" he added

william and i nodded "yeah that's right... the cobra kai's, the group of friends i have in the movie, are my best friends. they're great guys!"

"yeah those are great people!" i nodded

"didn't they attend your wedding with michael?" she asked me and i smiled widely "they did! william organised a surprised because i hadn't seen them since 1984 at the uk premiere of karate kid. so william planned a surprise, it was sweet. they was invited to my wedding anyway, but they all continently told me they 'couldn't make it'" i laughed making ralph, william and oprah laugh

"normani, when you was filming the karate kid did you except it'd have this much of an impact on popular culture looking back a decade later??" oprah asked me crossing one leg over the other, like my legs were. my hands was still resting on my bump.
"well- i never really thought about the success it could possibly have. i just went to work and enjoyed every moment of it." i smiled brightly

"this is a question for all of you.. when did you all know that it was going to become a huge hit?" oprah asked.
i sighed "well.. i would say when we left the building that the tournament was held in, there was members of the public watching the tournament as it happened, and everyone was coming out imitating the crane kick technique!" i exclaimed "i was just going to say that!" ralph agreed with me nodding and shaking his finger in agreement "and that's the moment the director put his arm around me and was like 'we'll be making a few of these' so he planned on making a few of these, even saving a clip we filmed which was supposed to be for the end of the first one and he saved it purposely to open the second film up.. so i think the creators knew deep down there'd be more." ralph nodded and william and i agreed.

"for me... i knew it was going to become huge and be a big deal for popular culture when people was coming up to me in the streets recognising me, i was even recognised at disney land about a year after his release, and when they say a line of the film to me that i either said or another member of the cobra kai gang." william spoke up making oprah smile

"and what's the most popular scripted line that is said to you all?" oprah asked and we all thought about it

"i get 'get him a body bag, yeah!' quite a lot," william laughed "which was said by our friend rob, who played tommy - johnny's cobra kai friend, and i also get 'An enemy deserves no mercy!' and 'no mercy, man. no mercy'" william added

"yeah i often get the 'get him a body bag, yeah!' line thrown at me because it was said to johnny, by tommy, about daniel" ralph agreed, then shrugged "i also get the classic, 'wax on, wax off' 'No Such Thing As Bad Student, Only Bad Teacher.' 'If Karate Used Defend Honor, Defend Life, Karate Mean Something. If Karate Used Defend Plastic Metal Trophy, Karate No Mean Nothing' 'Daniel-San, You Look Revenge That Way, You Start By Digging Two Grave.' and probably the most popular one, behind wax on wax off is 'It's Okay To Lose To Opponent! Must Not Lose To Fear!'" ralph explained

"what about you?" oprah asked me and i shrugged "i was never really a meaningful character, i never had any scripted lines that really stuck... but i do get 'hey ali i want to talk to you!' quite a lot when i'm in public.." i smiled

"of course you was a meaningful character!" william laughed nudging my arm gently
"yeah!" ralph agreed and bent forward look at my face better even though he was right beside me "if it wasn't for you i wouldn't of been getting my arse kicked nearly everyday."