MY ONLINE INTERVIEW WITH GARY (16 november 2002)

K: Gary hi. Let me ask you some questions about your trainings, movie and life o'couse?

G: Keo, hi. Yes, o'cause.

K: Is it true that you had only $400 in your pocket when you arrived in USA?

G: Yeah i had about 3 or 400 bucks.

K: I know you like dancing, had you ever worked like dancer?

G: I worked as an entertainer at a nightclub in Florida for about 1 and a half years which included dance routines.

K: What year did you step into the ring last time? What title do you have?

G: I havent fought competitively since 91 when i won the W.K.B.A light heavyweight title.

K: You are training a lot and now. Do you have students and what style do you teach your students? What part of martial arts do you do an accent?

G: I have a small group of private students and i teach an eclectic system tailored to each individual.

K: Can you tell me more about your eclectic system? What is the base of your system? What style and techniks of martial arts does it include? It's conception of phisical and spirit?

G: There is no set syllabus, i have guide lines but a lesson can change format in the middle depending on how i see the student performing at any given moment. The nucleus comprises of Boxing with Muay Thai, footwork training, then moves on to trapping into striking and grappling. Basically i cover all 4 ranges. The sessions include a lot of fitness, stretching and strength training also.

K: You told that you like to train at Jet-Center and prefer guys from there when you are shooting the fight scene in the movie. Are trainings at Jet-Center like your eclectic system? Tell me please does Benny The Jet have highest titles in kickboxing? When did you meet Benny?

G: I met Benny in the early 90's and just trained kick boxing there. Benny has many titles and was a great champion. The jet center closed down a few years ago. I like to use guys who study JKD with Dan Inosanto for movies as they are well rounded.

K: Have you heard about Tai Bo? What do you think about it? Do you know Billy Blanks?

G: Yeah, i know Billy, nice guy. If tai bo works for you then it is good for you.

K: What do you think about three brothers from HK (JC, Sammo Hung and Yean Biao)? You worked with JC but have you met Sammo or Yean on the set?

G: I think all 3 are great and very talented. Yes i met Sammo in Cannes, he seemed nice.

K: I have heard that JC only the one who don't link with HK's Triads, but Jet Li is in, what do you think about it?

G: I wouldn't be suprised if they were all involved with the triads in one way or another.

K: How often have you been to Cannes?

G: I have been to Cannes 7 or 8 times to promote various projects.

K: What blockbuster-action you were invote but didn't take a part?

G: I have not been invited to any blockbusters.

K: Who was the best master with whom you did a fightscene?

G: I guess Jackie was the best to fight with.

K: I have heard many masters don't like Steven Seagal, he had a conflict with Chuck Norris, so tell me please what do you think about Seagal's aikido and aikido as martial arts?

G: Keo, obviously Seagal is very good at Aikido but like most systems aikido represents a small peice of the pie.

K: You worked with great oldmasters Gerald Okamura and Tadashi Yamashita in several films. Did you learn from them anything? Do you often get a invitation to DragonFest?

G: Tadashi and Gerald are both good people. I did not learn a lot from them that i didnt already know or stuff that could fit my way. I get invited to Dragon fest every year but i have only been once , to the 1st one.

K: What do you think about van Damme, what are rumours about his martial arts practice in Hollywood?

G: I really do not think about Van Damme but he has been very succesful and i haven't heard any rumours about his training.

K: Who is your best friend in martial arts? Who you has comprised of the best quintuple of masters of past and today?

G: My best friend in martial arts is my teacher. I am not qualified to answer who are the best masters as i have trained with only a few people and everyone has their own idea of who is the best based on their own personal criteria.

K: Ok, can you tell me who are the best old masters in your own personal criteria, who you will choose for your training? With whom do you want to train?

G: Thats a tough question, i think my teacher Wong sifu is the best.

K: Ok, in some interview you told that if you have a time you will go to the East and practice other styles. What style will you choose and if you will go to which master on East?

G: I would go to Malaysia and train with my sifu.

K: Can you explain the difference between martial arts and oriental wrestling?

G: Any kind of fighting art can fall under the heading of martial art, i think it is ridiculous to get hooked on different styles, fighting is fighting, anything goes.

K: What do you think about women in martial arts? Who can you pick out from women? It your opinion who is attain some perfection in martial arts? May be it's Cynthia Rothrock or Karen Sheperd?

G: I dont really know any women martial artists, i thought Kathy Long was a good fighter. But in movies anyone can look good if they are shot right so it is hard to say who is good. Personally i like Michelle Yeoh.

K: Yeah i have heard about Kathy Long, she's a good fighter. OK, you told me that you trained with Richard Norton, i know that Cynthia Rothrock is his friend. Don't he told you anything about her?

G: Richard and i never talked about Cynthia, i have chatted with her a few times and she is real nice.

K: How often do you fly to London? Who can you be if you didn't go info martial arts?

G: Keo, i try to get home to London every year, if i didn't do martial arts i would probably have been a footballer.

K: After which movie did you decide to practice martial arts?

G: It was after seeing a trailer for 'Enter the Dragon' i started training.

K: How do you think is martial arts have an affect on violence on the streets?

G: We learn martial arts to protect ourselves from street violence.

K: Thanks you very much for your kindness and openness answering on my question.

G: Thank you.

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