Ralph Macchio joins us to talk Karate Kid: Legends and the impact Karate Kid has had on culture.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Live from the Mercedes Benz Interview Lounge.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Ralph Bocio right here, thank you to me.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Back home?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Well it is? Is it home?
Speaker 3 (00:10):
It sound of feels like it with you guys.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
I know that makes me feel New York is home.
So today's the big day. Karate Kid Legends is out today.
But that doesn't make sense. I saw it out yesterday.
Uh huh, it came out. What does that mean if
it comes out to you? Why did it come out yesterday?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I think there's this new normal is the movie opens
on the Friday, but you can go see it on
the Thursday. I don't get it. But it's you know,
and then you start you start reading, Oh so and
so did x amount in previews, so they could call
it that four day weekend. It's everything.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Oh it's an accounting money.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
That's kind of the bottom line. But I don't but
you know, the thirtieth is the release date. But you
know the popcorn bucket. No, but it looks cool. It
looks cool, right, It looks the way you got a
karate chopping in order to get champ and you get
to your popcorn, you have to work a little bit.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Yeah, snack, there's gonna be a lawsuit here. Jackie Chan,
what a badass. He's amazing, still does his own stunts.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Everything does he does? He does everything. They say, how long,
how long does it take you to training? He goes,
I don't need to train anymore. I'm doing a Jackie
Chan sixty four years And I, on the other hand,
need to train and need to stretch and need to
dive into injury prevention before the camera's roll. Ah. But
(01:30):
but my one of my favorite little moments. And I
don't wish ill on anyone, but I was pretty nervous
stepping onto the set with the you know, the master
and legendary Jackie Chan, who's broken like four hundred bones
and still is walking and has done his own stunts
forever is He did a move with with the wonderful
Ben Wong, who plays the kid in the film, and
(01:52):
he pulled his shoulder out and he winced and made
a sound of pain, and I half of my brain
is like, wow, I feel bad. In the other half
was like, yes, thank you, like I'm okay, Like you know,
he feels pain too. He's amazing.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
I love this.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
I did an interview the other day. I told everyone
how pleased I was it Jackie Chan felt pain?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
That's right, he's one of us, but he really is.
It's really incredible. At his age seventy one, he's done everything.
I mean, he's fallen off buildings, crashed through window. He
just you know, he's a stuntman early part of his
career before he became Jackie Chan film star. And and
he's the first one on this he's the youngest kid
(02:34):
on the set. Wow, he's like he is. He's there early,
he leaves late, he'll hang lights, he'll set the microphone,
he'll do whatever he wants. He's he's happy in the
environment and just loves making movies. And I pride myself
on that, but he takes it to the next level.
So between the two of us, it was pretty damn fun.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Have you ever broken a bone on set?
Speaker 3 (02:53):
I have not, So would you like I'll leave that
to Jackie. Okay, I've gotten like a splinter.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
From the dropping of the wood.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Could Jackie Chan kick all of our asses in this room?
Speaker 3 (03:06):
I think I think it's a pretty good shot. It's
good to know he'd know how to defend himself right
for sure, as I'd like to believe I would as well, how.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Advanced are you in martial arts.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
That's gotten I've gotten my black belto took forty one years.
I mean maybe maybe if I, if I, if I
didn't stop training somewhere in the late nineties in the
mid early two thousands, would have gotten it earlier. No,
let's stunt this stunt guy on Cobra Kai. The stunt guy.
Let me put it this way. The fight coordinator Don Lee,
(03:38):
who's trained in the very classic okanaw and Miagias kind
of style of karate, was like, dude, you need your
black belt. You have the you have all the skills,
You've done it, you know. And it was just it
was really cool. I wound up doing it, testing for it,
you got the presented. It was a whole ceremonial thing.
And then when I went up to Karate Legends, which
(03:58):
was the next day, literally after wrapping Cobra Kai, I
was like, all right, Jackie Chan, I have a black belt.
I'm cool.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Nice so you could kick all our asses too.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
It's just like a C certificate, you know what I mean.
Speaker 5 (04:11):
You have the.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Area or to be a favorite. This guy is scary, my proser,
come kick his ass. I have a question about the movie.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
So, is it like a Marvel movie where you're supposed
to stay for the credits because there's like a scene
that tells us something very possibly You're very possibly not,
but you should stay. You should stick around. Okay, stick around.
It's always good to stick around with anything that has
a universe as large as the Karate Kid cinematic universe. Okay, good.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
By the way, just turning us on Ralph Mancio is here.
Karate Kid Legends is out today, of course, with Ralph
and the legendary Jackie Chan.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
By the way, I was looking at the map coordinates
in Hollywood, Your Hollywood stars right around the corner from mine.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
How about that? Well, I gotta do it, you know
one stop shopping next time I'm out there. Do you
ever check on it? Because his head but water gun?
I had a clean you know. I saw someone posted
the other day on Instagram. Uh, you know their pictures say,
I must have tagged me. So it came up in
my thing and I was swiping through all these different
stars like Paul McCartney. It was big name and all
(05:18):
their stars were like glistening. Mine had like tar. It
was just it was just you know. I mean, I
just got it November. I mean, let's get like a
little buffer and clean.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
That up now.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Yeah, I think I'm gonna go down next time in
La you know, sneak in. I'm sure Pat Marita is
right next to mine, is absolutely pristine.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
That's cool, he's right next to you.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Yeah, it's really cool. We make it easy for those
karate kid fans.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
My stars outside the door of the club called Avalon,
so they all.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Wait in line.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Yeah, and then you know, we were happy helping our
friend Wendy Williams get her star when she was out there.
Hers is right across from the Hustler Club. So you
can't read too deep on Hollywood.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
You really can't because you don't have you don't have
much of a shot of being next to like the
Plaza right now.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Let's talk about Ralph, Let's talk about Hollywood.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Let's talk about the film industry and making movies now
compared to way back in the day, it's a whole
different world now.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
It's completely different, it really is. You know, there's such
studio and listen, there's always studio fingerprints on everything. But
now that opening weekend and I'm you know, we're at
it right now. For Karate Kid Legends, it's about that opening.
It's so that word of mouth sleeper that kind of builds.
Those are really rare. It's it's about, you know, grabbing
(06:38):
that real estate before the competition does, and keeping those
kids from looking at their phones or are grabbing their remotes.
It's you know, so it's it's challenging and you and
the editorial aspect of it. You know, you feel like
you're cutting films for the TikTok generation, you know.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Where you are in part I mean, but also we
were talking about social media. Social media of course not
as thing back in that voice when Karate Kid first
came out.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Yeah, and Karate Kid in that time in nineteen eighty four,
you either you know, you you went to the beach
or you saw a movie you know that was summer.
Right now, there's so much content, there's so many things
that that that distract. But in fairness, you know, with
with Karate Kid Legends, since it's you know, topical and
it's now, there is an element that that is very
(07:27):
entertaining for the next generation that still still ties into
all the themes from that original film and they and
the connective tissue of that franchise, and that's something I've
fought for throughout, you know, to make sure we still
try to land those those themes. Fish out of Water,
a kid overcoming obstacles, mentorship, single parenting, you know, dealing
(07:50):
with loss in the case of the original film, Daniel
Russo's father. In the case of this film, uh Le
Fong's brother. You know. So those relatable, huge human themes
are still in this movie, albeit cut for the kids
of today and the families of today.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
So, speaking of kids overcoming struggles, when Karate Kid came out,
you were.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
How old twenty two when it came out? Yeah, you're
twenty two. Yeah, Yeah, I got the Manchio curve. Okay,
I played sixteen for thirty seven years.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
Okay, but that's still that's still right around the age
where a lot of younger people, when they're in the industry,
they get this massive amount of fame. And then after
that it was my cousin Vinny.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Right, yes, yes, And then you pause.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
For a while.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Yeah, I paused longer than I expected.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
But how did you?
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Because I'm currently watching a show called Hollywood Demons. In
the last episode was about child stars who find this
massive fame and then when they paused, they a spiral
out of control. What did you do to keep yourself
from that?
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Yeah? Today today, I don't know how they do it
because you can't escape. It's so everything's instant. Everyone with
the phone is as a paparazzi, and you know, so
you could document anyone any time. It's really scary, but
it is what it is for me. I mean, I
think partly my sensibilities, my upbringings. So I got to,
(09:08):
you know, give props to my parents, my girlfriend now
wife at the time, give give props to the New
York Mets who were playing well, and I wanted to
get back home to see some games, you know what
I mean. So like I always kept one foot in
and one foot out. I and of Hollywood, if you will.
And there is a downside to that when I if
(09:30):
I was a little bit more diligent in it, maybe
that pause would have not have lasted as long. But
I think so it wasn't by design, But uh, that's
kind of when we started having kids, my wife and I,
and we raised the family, and so I got to
kind of be at all of that and still be
creative in my way, keep it working. But not necessarily
(09:51):
at that heightened level. And but I also knew that
I was planning this big resurgence a couple of years
later that that no, I'm it.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Was always in the plan.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
So it's I I got pretty lucky. But I think
I was just the seduction of all that I did feel,
that void I did have down, you know, darker times
where I just you know, it's just like when I
stayed away from Hollywood, just being there was just so daunting,
and you know, you you would drive on the studio
(10:24):
lot and the guy would wave. And now you get
to the studio a lot and they want your name
and they asked you to spell it for them, and
you're waiting in line, and they used to just go
right through that. You know that plays as someone in
insecure of mind that that starts playing. Or the billboards
are way bigger when other people's movies are on them.
They extend that twenty feet in east direction.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
Wow, Well, knowing what you know now and having been
through it, would you let your kids get into my.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Daughter, isn't it? But she's not a kid any anymore.
She's my kid, but she's an adult. Yeah, do as
I say, not as I do does not work, but
she's super talented. She did some episodes in the Cobra
Kai series, she played uh, the Jennifer Beals role in
the national tour of flash Stance uh, and did in
New Zealand. So she's she has a career. I wouldn't
(11:14):
advise it. It's it's a tough what's happened to me
is a like a bazillion to want. I mean you
think of you know, coming into the Outsiders at the
on set, and then the Karate Kid exploding that way,
and my cousin Vinnie, and and then now the Cobra
Kai the last eight years of that, and then back
on the big screen with the movie that kind of
launched it all for me. There's not many examples of that.
(11:37):
My cousin Vinnie, Let's go back, Let's go back. Yeah,
so you did say that a little talk you're having
conversations about a reboot. Yeah, I think that is kind
of that was that came up. It's come up a
few times. Joe pectually had some ideas he in the
studios of talking about it, but it never came to fruition.
You know, you never say never, but but it's really
(11:59):
got be right, And I worked with Cobra kai As.
Those those writers are such big Karate Kid fans. They
they cared so much to not let go of the
the origin and the source. And that's that's why it
It worked for six and you know six seasons.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Well, way, I have a call that wants to connect
with you, and I'm gonna do that in a second.
But as you listen to this Ralph Montio speaking, doesn't
he sound a little like Joe Pesci.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
To you know what you're talking about?
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Has anyone ever said that to you? Ever?
Speaker 3 (12:33):
So? Not not too often, but I do. You know,
I like to do Joe impersonations. It's fun, you know,
he's like, he's like even just like when I first
did my cousin Vinny uh he was. He brought a
bottle of wine. It was a Shasanya Montrochet. He liked
the French, you know, Burgundy white Burgundy's, which are essentially
(12:53):
Sharonay and he and we like have one glass and
for dinner, and then we have another glass. He goes.
I said, you know, just wine makes me tired. And
I have since really become a fan and wines of
a hobby of mine, tasting great wines and he goes,
he goes. It makes you tired. It's a depressant, Dan,
it's a stimulant, which is basically you're gonna fall asleep
(13:17):
and wake up at two o'clock in the morning and
you know it.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Joe passion is all right.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Uh Jennifer, Hi, Jennifer, are you still there?
Speaker 5 (13:27):
Yes, I'm here. Hello, just over.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Yeah, but you're also on with Ralph Maccio Say hello.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Hey, Jennifer, how are you?
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Jennifer? Is it true Ralph your number one crush in
the in the eighties.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
It's true. I mean I basically had Ralph Mattia wallpaper
in my bedroom. It's true.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Did your own line of wallpaper? I don't think.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
I don't think it was the actual wallpaper. I think
it may have a bunch of sixteen magazine tape taped together,
but the Ralph Montreal wallpaper would be imagine me like like,
this is the product I want to push.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Now in all the different poses.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Different movies.
Speaker 5 (14:07):
No, it was pretty crazy. I mean I remember like
me and my friend's going to the store. We would
buy all those teen books and you were the first
picture that we would pull out and just hang up
like I was. I just just love. I was convinced
we were going to be married. Basically, what, Daniel.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Whatever did you make out with the poster?
Speaker 2 (14:23):
And come on?
Speaker 5 (14:24):
I did not?
Speaker 3 (14:25):
I good good, that's not that's not the whole broken way.
Speaker 5 (14:32):
It's not. We don't. We don't go like that, Hoboken.
We don't have.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Daniel used to make out with posters? Oh yes I did.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
I had my Greg Evagan from b J and the
Bear post.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Okay, wound up with a little rip in his mouth
because how he kissed it all the time.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
You kissed it, I did.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Let's not go there. He went there?
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Well, Jennifer, do you remember when you first saw Ralph?
Of course? Which film did you think?
Speaker 5 (15:02):
I believe it was the Outside of Okay, what a
great film. Like to this day, I still watch those
movies as an adult. I'm fifteen now. I still enjoy
those films so much. And I have to say about
like those movies tied to my teeniors, Like I remember
my mom, she's passed away. She passed away in twenty twelve,
and we used to watch those movies together all the time.
(15:23):
Karate Kid, The Outsider, and there's just so many great
memories I tied to you and those films. And it's
not to say thank you for those movies because they
were just great.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
Thank you man. That's so that never gets old to
hear that, and that's uh, those films, films, movie, a
cinema can do that. You know, storytelling. It touches people.
You remember, you remember experiencing something, especially when you lose
someone you you know, that movie comes on again, we
see it and we go back. That's that's nostalgia right there.
But those films bring up, you know, kind of positive
(15:56):
feelings and certainly you know, the Karate Kid is always
been that because you know, you share that kind of
wish for film and aspirational kind of storytelling. So that's
what we're you know, we're planning to do with the
next generation as well. Thanks for sharing that.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Thank you, Jennifer, and.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
Not only you're welcome, and not only to Queity Kid,
like you've been in so many great things, my cousins.
Any one of the greatest comedies I love exactly right.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
It's Late for Dinner movie. If it's on you just
I love it.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
No, Jennifer, thank you, my favorite, my favorite show. Everyone
at Cobakai fabulous show. Anybody who hasn't seen that show
has to watch. You are great in that show, William
on our show. I love it.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
That's awesome you are You are my cheerleader and I
appreciate it and uh and uh yeah keep rocking it.
And it's so nice to vocally meet you.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Thank you, Jennifer.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Wow, Okay, mom, thanks you a plan.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
You know, you know our show. This show has been
on for about thirty years. I'm doing mornings here in
New York and so people we have people come up
and say they grew up listening to us.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Now their grandkids in senators.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
It's crazy, but you know, to be in this, I
guess this club of being around for a while, being
there to be a voice in people's lives or an
actor or a character in people's lives back in the day.
And they still go back to those days and the
feelings they had then because of you when they see
you today.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
That's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
It's amazing. It's amazing. And in a world not to
get too dark and deep that doesn't bring a lot
of joy on a daily basis, it's nice to be
on that side of it, you know. And that's that's
like people ask me about you know, this Daniel LaRusso
character that has become a piece of pop culture and
a piece of people's childhoods Now, I have ten year
(17:44):
old kids that are running up to me like they're
meeting Santa Claus, know who mister Miyagi is and think
he's cool. It's kind of and they'll talk about watching
the movie the movies with their parents, are watching the
Cobra Kai series and this was an inspirational story from
my brother who had a difficult time in high school
or whatever. Now it's like, you know what, why not
(18:05):
talk about? Why not celebrate that? And now you know,
with the new movie, you have a whole new generation
of kids that'll back themselves into that entire franchise, and
it's kind of a good at my age that feels
like a good thing to do.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Karate Kid Legends is out today and we love it.
When you come visit us, Ralph, thank you for the
entire
Live from the Mercedes Benz Interview Lounge.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Ralph Bocio right here, thank you to me.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Back home?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Well it is? Is it home?
Speaker 3 (00:10):
It sound of feels like it with you guys.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
I know that makes me feel New York is home.
So today's the big day. Karate Kid Legends is out today.
But that doesn't make sense. I saw it out yesterday.
Uh huh, it came out. What does that mean if
it comes out to you? Why did it come out yesterday?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I think there's this new normal is the movie opens
on the Friday, but you can go see it on
the Thursday. I don't get it. But it's you know,
and then you start you start reading, Oh so and
so did x amount in previews, so they could call
it that four day weekend. It's everything.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Oh it's an accounting money.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
That's kind of the bottom line. But I don't but
you know, the thirtieth is the release date. But you
know the popcorn bucket. No, but it looks cool. It
looks cool, right, It looks the way you got a
karate chopping in order to get champ and you get
to your popcorn, you have to work a little bit.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Yeah, snack, there's gonna be a lawsuit here. Jackie Chan,
what a badass. He's amazing, still does his own stunts.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Everything does he does? He does everything. They say, how long,
how long does it take you to training? He goes,
I don't need to train anymore. I'm doing a Jackie
Chan sixty four years And I, on the other hand,
need to train and need to stretch and need to
dive into injury prevention before the camera's roll. Ah. But
(01:30):
but my one of my favorite little moments. And I
don't wish ill on anyone, but I was pretty nervous
stepping onto the set with the you know, the master
and legendary Jackie Chan, who's broken like four hundred bones
and still is walking and has done his own stunts
forever is He did a move with with the wonderful
Ben Wong, who plays the kid in the film, and
(01:52):
he pulled his shoulder out and he winced and made
a sound of pain, and I half of my brain
is like, wow, I feel bad. In the other half
was like, yes, thank you, like I'm okay, Like you know,
he feels pain too. He's amazing.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
I love this.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
I did an interview the other day. I told everyone
how pleased I was it Jackie Chan felt pain?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
That's right, he's one of us, but he really is.
It's really incredible. At his age seventy one, he's done everything.
I mean, he's fallen off buildings, crashed through window. He
just you know, he's a stuntman early part of his
career before he became Jackie Chan film star. And and
he's the first one on this he's the youngest kid
(02:34):
on the set. Wow, he's like he is. He's there early,
he leaves late, he'll hang lights, he'll set the microphone,
he'll do whatever he wants. He's he's happy in the
environment and just loves making movies. And I pride myself
on that, but he takes it to the next level.
So between the two of us, it was pretty damn fun.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Have you ever broken a bone on set?
Speaker 3 (02:53):
I have not, So would you like I'll leave that
to Jackie. Okay, I've gotten like a splinter.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
From the dropping of the wood.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Could Jackie Chan kick all of our asses in this room?
Speaker 3 (03:06):
I think I think it's a pretty good shot. It's
good to know he'd know how to defend himself right
for sure, as I'd like to believe I would as well, how.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Advanced are you in martial arts.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
That's gotten I've gotten my black belto took forty one years.
I mean maybe maybe if I, if I, if I
didn't stop training somewhere in the late nineties in the
mid early two thousands, would have gotten it earlier. No,
let's stunt this stunt guy on Cobra Kai. The stunt guy.
Let me put it this way. The fight coordinator Don Lee,
(03:38):
who's trained in the very classic okanaw and Miagias kind
of style of karate, was like, dude, you need your
black belt. You have the you have all the skills,
You've done it, you know. And it was just it
was really cool. I wound up doing it, testing for it,
you got the presented. It was a whole ceremonial thing.
And then when I went up to Karate Legends, which
(03:58):
was the next day, literally after wrapping Cobra Kai, I
was like, all right, Jackie Chan, I have a black belt.
I'm cool.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Nice so you could kick all our asses too.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
It's just like a C certificate, you know what I mean.
Speaker 5 (04:11):
You have the.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Area or to be a favorite. This guy is scary, my proser,
come kick his ass. I have a question about the movie.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
So, is it like a Marvel movie where you're supposed
to stay for the credits because there's like a scene
that tells us something very possibly You're very possibly not,
but you should stay. You should stick around. Okay, stick around.
It's always good to stick around with anything that has
a universe as large as the Karate Kid cinematic universe. Okay, good.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
By the way, just turning us on Ralph Mancio is here.
Karate Kid Legends is out today, of course, with Ralph
and the legendary Jackie Chan.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
By the way, I was looking at the map coordinates
in Hollywood, Your Hollywood stars right around the corner from mine.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
How about that? Well, I gotta do it, you know
one stop shopping next time I'm out there. Do you
ever check on it? Because his head but water gun?
I had a clean you know. I saw someone posted
the other day on Instagram. Uh, you know their pictures say,
I must have tagged me. So it came up in
my thing and I was swiping through all these different
stars like Paul McCartney. It was big name and all
(05:18):
their stars were like glistening. Mine had like tar. It
was just it was just you know. I mean, I
just got it November. I mean, let's get like a
little buffer and clean.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
That up now.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Yeah, I think I'm gonna go down next time in
La you know, sneak in. I'm sure Pat Marita is
right next to mine, is absolutely pristine.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
That's cool, he's right next to you.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Yeah, it's really cool. We make it easy for those
karate kid fans.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
My stars outside the door of the club called Avalon,
so they all.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Wait in line.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Yeah, and then you know, we were happy helping our
friend Wendy Williams get her star when she was out there.
Hers is right across from the Hustler Club. So you
can't read too deep on Hollywood.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
You really can't because you don't have you don't have
much of a shot of being next to like the
Plaza right now.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Let's talk about Ralph, Let's talk about Hollywood.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Let's talk about the film industry and making movies now
compared to way back in the day, it's a whole
different world now.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
It's completely different, it really is. You know, there's such
studio and listen, there's always studio fingerprints on everything. But
now that opening weekend and I'm you know, we're at
it right now. For Karate Kid Legends, it's about that opening.
It's so that word of mouth sleeper that kind of builds.
Those are really rare. It's it's about, you know, grabbing
(06:38):
that real estate before the competition does, and keeping those
kids from looking at their phones or are grabbing their remotes.
It's you know, so it's it's challenging and you and
the editorial aspect of it. You know, you feel like
you're cutting films for the TikTok generation, you know.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Where you are in part I mean, but also we
were talking about social media. Social media of course not
as thing back in that voice when Karate Kid first
came out.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Yeah, and Karate Kid in that time in nineteen eighty four,
you either you know, you you went to the beach
or you saw a movie you know that was summer.
Right now, there's so much content, there's so many things
that that that distract. But in fairness, you know, with
with Karate Kid Legends, since it's you know, topical and
it's now, there is an element that that is very
(07:27):
entertaining for the next generation that still still ties into
all the themes from that original film and they and
the connective tissue of that franchise, and that's something I've
fought for throughout, you know, to make sure we still
try to land those those themes. Fish out of Water,
a kid overcoming obstacles, mentorship, single parenting, you know, dealing
(07:50):
with loss in the case of the original film, Daniel
Russo's father. In the case of this film, uh Le
Fong's brother. You know. So those relatable, huge human themes
are still in this movie, albeit cut for the kids
of today and the families of today.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
So, speaking of kids overcoming struggles, when Karate Kid came out,
you were.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
How old twenty two when it came out? Yeah, you're
twenty two. Yeah, Yeah, I got the Manchio curve. Okay,
I played sixteen for thirty seven years.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
Okay, but that's still that's still right around the age
where a lot of younger people, when they're in the industry,
they get this massive amount of fame. And then after
that it was my cousin Vinny.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Right, yes, yes, And then you pause.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
For a while.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Yeah, I paused longer than I expected.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
But how did you?
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Because I'm currently watching a show called Hollywood Demons. In
the last episode was about child stars who find this
massive fame and then when they paused, they a spiral
out of control. What did you do to keep yourself
from that?
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Yeah? Today today, I don't know how they do it
because you can't escape. It's so everything's instant. Everyone with
the phone is as a paparazzi, and you know, so
you could document anyone any time. It's really scary, but
it is what it is for me. I mean, I
think partly my sensibilities, my upbringings. So I got to,
(09:08):
you know, give props to my parents, my girlfriend now
wife at the time, give give props to the New
York Mets who were playing well, and I wanted to
get back home to see some games, you know what
I mean. So like I always kept one foot in
and one foot out. I and of Hollywood, if you will.
And there is a downside to that when I if
(09:30):
I was a little bit more diligent in it, maybe
that pause would have not have lasted as long. But
I think so it wasn't by design, But uh, that's
kind of when we started having kids, my wife and I,
and we raised the family, and so I got to
kind of be at all of that and still be
creative in my way, keep it working. But not necessarily
(09:51):
at that heightened level. And but I also knew that
I was planning this big resurgence a couple of years
later that that no, I'm it.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Was always in the plan.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
So it's I I got pretty lucky. But I think
I was just the seduction of all that I did feel,
that void I did have down, you know, darker times
where I just you know, it's just like when I
stayed away from Hollywood, just being there was just so daunting,
and you know, you you would drive on the studio
(10:24):
lot and the guy would wave. And now you get
to the studio a lot and they want your name
and they asked you to spell it for them, and
you're waiting in line, and they used to just go
right through that. You know that plays as someone in
insecure of mind that that starts playing. Or the billboards
are way bigger when other people's movies are on them.
They extend that twenty feet in east direction.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
Wow, Well, knowing what you know now and having been
through it, would you let your kids get into my.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Daughter, isn't it? But she's not a kid any anymore.
She's my kid, but she's an adult. Yeah, do as
I say, not as I do does not work, but
she's super talented. She did some episodes in the Cobra
Kai series, she played uh, the Jennifer Beals role in
the national tour of flash Stance uh, and did in
New Zealand. So she's she has a career. I wouldn't
(11:14):
advise it. It's it's a tough what's happened to me
is a like a bazillion to want. I mean you
think of you know, coming into the Outsiders at the
on set, and then the Karate Kid exploding that way,
and my cousin Vinnie, and and then now the Cobra
Kai the last eight years of that, and then back
on the big screen with the movie that kind of
launched it all for me. There's not many examples of that.
(11:37):
My cousin Vinnie, Let's go back, Let's go back. Yeah,
so you did say that a little talk you're having
conversations about a reboot. Yeah, I think that is kind
of that was that came up. It's come up a
few times. Joe pectually had some ideas he in the
studios of talking about it, but it never came to fruition.
You know, you never say never, but but it's really
(11:59):
got be right, And I worked with Cobra kai As.
Those those writers are such big Karate Kid fans. They
they cared so much to not let go of the
the origin and the source. And that's that's why it
It worked for six and you know six seasons.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Well, way, I have a call that wants to connect
with you, and I'm gonna do that in a second.
But as you listen to this Ralph Montio speaking, doesn't
he sound a little like Joe Pesci.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
To you know what you're talking about?
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Has anyone ever said that to you? Ever?
Speaker 3 (12:33):
So? Not not too often, but I do. You know,
I like to do Joe impersonations. It's fun, you know,
he's like, he's like even just like when I first
did my cousin Vinny uh he was. He brought a
bottle of wine. It was a Shasanya Montrochet. He liked
the French, you know, Burgundy white Burgundy's, which are essentially
(12:53):
Sharonay and he and we like have one glass and
for dinner, and then we have another glass. He goes.
I said, you know, just wine makes me tired. And
I have since really become a fan and wines of
a hobby of mine, tasting great wines and he goes,
he goes. It makes you tired. It's a depressant, Dan,
it's a stimulant, which is basically you're gonna fall asleep
(13:17):
and wake up at two o'clock in the morning and
you know it.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Joe passion is all right.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Uh Jennifer, Hi, Jennifer, are you still there?
Speaker 5 (13:27):
Yes, I'm here. Hello, just over.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Yeah, but you're also on with Ralph Maccio Say hello.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Hey, Jennifer, how are you?
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Jennifer? Is it true Ralph your number one crush in
the in the eighties.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
It's true. I mean I basically had Ralph Mattia wallpaper
in my bedroom. It's true.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Did your own line of wallpaper? I don't think.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
I don't think it was the actual wallpaper. I think
it may have a bunch of sixteen magazine tape taped together,
but the Ralph Montreal wallpaper would be imagine me like like,
this is the product I want to push.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Now in all the different poses.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Different movies.
Speaker 5 (14:07):
No, it was pretty crazy. I mean I remember like
me and my friend's going to the store. We would
buy all those teen books and you were the first
picture that we would pull out and just hang up
like I was. I just just love. I was convinced
we were going to be married. Basically, what, Daniel.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Whatever did you make out with the poster?
Speaker 2 (14:23):
And come on?
Speaker 5 (14:24):
I did not?
Speaker 3 (14:25):
I good good, that's not that's not the whole broken way.
Speaker 5 (14:32):
It's not. We don't. We don't go like that, Hoboken.
We don't have.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Daniel used to make out with posters? Oh yes I did.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
I had my Greg Evagan from b J and the
Bear post.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Okay, wound up with a little rip in his mouth
because how he kissed it all the time.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
You kissed it, I did.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Let's not go there. He went there?
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Well, Jennifer, do you remember when you first saw Ralph?
Of course? Which film did you think?
Speaker 5 (15:02):
I believe it was the Outside of Okay, what a
great film. Like to this day, I still watch those
movies as an adult. I'm fifteen now. I still enjoy
those films so much. And I have to say about
like those movies tied to my teeniors, Like I remember
my mom, she's passed away. She passed away in twenty twelve,
and we used to watch those movies together all the time.
(15:23):
Karate Kid, The Outsider, and there's just so many great
memories I tied to you and those films. And it's
not to say thank you for those movies because they
were just great.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
Thank you man. That's so that never gets old to
hear that, and that's uh, those films, films, movie, a
cinema can do that. You know, storytelling. It touches people.
You remember, you remember experiencing something, especially when you lose
someone you you know, that movie comes on again, we
see it and we go back. That's that's nostalgia right there.
But those films bring up, you know, kind of positive
(15:56):
feelings and certainly you know, the Karate Kid is always
been that because you know, you share that kind of
wish for film and aspirational kind of storytelling. So that's
what we're you know, we're planning to do with the
next generation as well. Thanks for sharing that.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Thank you, Jennifer, and.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
Not only you're welcome, and not only to Queity Kid,
like you've been in so many great things, my cousins.
Any one of the greatest comedies I love exactly right.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
It's Late for Dinner movie. If it's on you just
I love it.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
No, Jennifer, thank you, my favorite, my favorite show. Everyone
at Cobakai fabulous show. Anybody who hasn't seen that show
has to watch. You are great in that show, William
on our show. I love it.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
That's awesome you are You are my cheerleader and I
appreciate it and uh and uh yeah keep rocking it.
And it's so nice to vocally meet you.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Thank you, Jennifer.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Wow, Okay, mom, thanks you a plan.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
You know, you know our show. This show has been
on for about thirty years. I'm doing mornings here in
New York and so people we have people come up
and say they grew up listening to us.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Now their grandkids in senators.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
It's crazy, but you know, to be in this, I
guess this club of being around for a while, being
there to be a voice in people's lives or an
actor or a character in people's lives back in the day.
And they still go back to those days and the
feelings they had then because of you when they see
you today.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
That's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
It's amazing. It's amazing. And in a world not to
get too dark and deep that doesn't bring a lot
of joy on a daily basis, it's nice to be
on that side of it, you know. And that's that's
like people ask me about you know, this Daniel LaRusso
character that has become a piece of pop culture and
a piece of people's childhoods Now, I have ten year
(17:44):
old kids that are running up to me like they're
meeting Santa Claus, know who mister Miyagi is and think
he's cool. It's kind of and they'll talk about watching
the movie the movies with their parents, are watching the
Cobra Kai series and this was an inspirational story from
my brother who had a difficult time in high school
or whatever. Now it's like, you know what, why not
(18:05):
talk about? Why not celebrate that? And now you know,
with the new movie, you have a whole new generation
of kids that'll back themselves into that entire franchise, and
it's kind of a good at my age that feels
like a good thing to do.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Karate Kid Legends is out today and we love it.
When you come visit us, Ralph, thank you for the
entire
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