Andre The Giant Knows Kung Fu!

Anyone under twenty years old may think of Andre The Giant as just another unlock-able character in a video game, but for those of us who are old enough to remember watching him entertain in the world of pro wrestling, he is a legend. Billed as 7'4" and well over 500 pounds, Andre was obviously not your average guy. There are so many stories about Andre's super-human strength from the men and women who knew him, yet they all seem to agree he was a gentle giant who appreciated his privacy. Reports of Andre lifting a car to allow a fellow wrestler to change a flat tire, to his ability to put away enough liquor to kill a man five times over, are truly remarkable pieces of professional wrestling lore. It seems everyone who shares a memory of Andre does it with a great deal of love and respect to the man known as "The Boss". That is a testament to the life of André René Roussimoff, a man with a keen wit, infectious smile, and a kind heart.

Andre The Giant and the greatest wrestling manager
of all time (in my opinion) Bobby "The Brain" Heenan

I came across this video one day, and had to share it here, on this site. For a guy who grew up watching Andre The Giant beating down the Hulkster in his later years, the following video seemed a little surreal to me. Due to Andre's age and condition (Acromegaly, a syndrome that results when the pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone), he reached a point where he could not move around the ring as fast or easily as most men in the sport. That was Andre in his 40's. Andre appears to be in his 20's in this clip from "Casse-Tête Chinois Pour Le Judoka", and was pretty light on his feet. It's cool to see a young Andre The Giant doing Kung Fu! (And spare the e-mails about, "He's NOT doing Kung Fu!" I don't know what form of exaggerated movie martial art he's doing...I just like the idea of Andre doing Kung Fu. Anyone who doesn't like the sound of it should be slapped in the face with a boiling pot of gravy.)

To the readers, enjoy. To Andre, thank you for the fond memories. I am proud to be a part of your Posse!

-Administrator

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