Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me

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This is not a memoir of Ralph’s life so much as it is a memoir of his life coexisting with Daniel LaRusso (how he came into the role and it’s effects thereafter). Or, as one could say, different but same. In this book, Ralph weaves together his experience on the original films and Cobra Kai interspersed with his life at that particular time. He includes anecdotes about his costars (including the cast of Cobra Kai), his hilarious thoughts on theories of “who is the real bully”, and encounters with fans (some even by name - how cool!) - to illustrate just how much these characters mean to people. Ralph also stresses how important the legacy of The Karate Kid is to him. He describes how Cobra Kai came to be, his initial reaction and protection of the Daniel-Miyagi relationship. I found myself starting to cry when he spoke of his friendship with Pat Morita and I think that speaks to the point of the magic they captured in their respective roles.

I mean, listen, fighting, Thomas Ian Griffith at 6'5" or 6'6", not the easiest day at the office. But I will say this much: He is a true martial artist. His control and his attention to detail makes it [so that] if that wasn't the case, I would probably be carried out on a stretcher. But yeah, it was so nice to be in control of those moments and, and give the fans and the story the justice that it deserved. So I'm glad. I'm glad it worked. Book Genre: Adult, Autobiography, Biography, Biography Memoir, Culture, Film, Media Tie In, Memoir, Nonfiction In 2022, Macchio published the memoir Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me ( Dutton), in which he reflects upon the legacy of the Karate Kid films and Cobra Kai. [27] Personal life [ edit ] Macchio is almost too pure for this world. He's avoided the usual child star scandals. Especially considering that for a huge chunk of time from "My Cousin Vinnie" until "Cobra Kai" his career was essentially over. That would cause a lot of folks to spiral (cough Corey Feldman cough) but Macchio is a family man who seems pretty grounded. I love my fellow “Greaser’, Ralph. But if I’m being completely honest, I’ve never gotten over the existential pain of The Karate Kid’s ongoing success and relevance. What does that movie have that Youngblood doesn’t?! Well, after reading Ralph’s fun and insightful recounting, I now totally get it. Long live The Karate Kid!”— Rob Lowe, New York Times bestselling author of Stories I Only Tell My FriendsI love Cobra Kai season 5. I especially love how all of Daniel's movie rivals, Johnny, Chozen, and Mike Barnes, all teamed up and became friends with him. Second chance: Netflix’s Cobra Kai season five premiere event with Courtney Henggeler and Mary Mouser. Photograph: Allen Berezovsky/FilmMagic Gonzalez, Sandra (April 29, 2013). " 'How I Met Your Mother' recap: The Barney". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 2, 2016 . Retrieved October 27, 2015. For 30 years and more, whenever the American actor Ralph Macchio attends a sports event, the chances are that a live image of his face will flash up on the arena’s big screen. Macchio’s name will appear, always accompanied by a three-word explanation of who he used to be. “Guys, remember the Karate Kid from the 1980s? He’s here, he’s alive, he watches baseball, too!” Macchio is a fan of standup comedy. But if he sits in the audience at a show he must always be prepared to be singled out. “Hey Ralph, didn’t I see you waxing on and waxing off at a car wash? You guys might know Macchio from The Karate Kid trilogy. And if you don’t know him from those movies, then you don’t know him at all…” Macchio appeared in the 2007 music video for the song " Sweep the Leg" by No More Kings as a caricature of himself and Daniel from The Karate Kid. [19] [20]

Obviously, as you said, if Pat were with us, he'd be part of the show. Have you ever discussed that "What if?" scenario with [ Cobra Kai executive producers] Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg? I learned some stuff about the movies and movie making and that was cool. I wanted to know more about him and the world he’s lived in. The humor was wry and self-deprecating—which to me is often the best kind. I could not help but realize that this is a really level-headed guy working in a very tough business. I reached the conclusion where I kept thinking, wow, his friends and family are fortunate. Seems like a good guy to go get a pint with or catch a baseball game.Ralph Macchio's personable and down to earth narrative makes you completely understand how he won over the producers, the director and the writer. He takes you through his life moments from getting the job and meeting his coworkers. It came off fresh as if it happened yesterday.

I have also become addicted to watching Cobra Kai which is a great continuation of the mythos (unlike other franchises which ruin and put down their fans). Maglio, Tony (November 30, 2018). "Watch 'Conan' Producer Jordan Schlansky Get Totally Owned by Childhood Hero Ralph Macchio (Video)". The Wrap. Archived from the original on December 1, 2018 . Retrieved December 2, 2018. Haddad, Vincent (February 11, 2019). "Masculinity on the Mat". Public Books. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020 . Retrieved October 19, 2019. Macchio was born in Huntington, New York. [1] He is the son of Rosalie (née DeSantis) and Ralph George Macchio Sr., who owned a few laundromats and a wastewater disposal company. Ralph has a younger brother Steven. [2] His father is of half Italian and half Greek [3] descent, and his mother is of Italian ancestry. [4] In a 1980 screen test, Macchio said his family was from Naples. [5] In 1979, Macchio graduated from Half Hollow Hills High School West in Dix Hills, New York. [6]Reading is my favorite hobby. I honestly don’t watch much TV these days and there is only one show I would watch over reading a book - Cobra Kai. So when I learned Ralph Macchio had a book coming out, I was beyond excited! I got an Advanced Listening Copy (narrated by Ralph himself) from Penguin Randomhouse and needless to say, I finished listening in less than a day. At a celebration of the 30th anniversary of The Karate Kid at the Japanese American National Museum in 2014, Macchio said that the yellow 1947 Ford convertible his character Daniel receives from Miyagi in the first film was sitting in his garage. [24] Being that I am the age demographic for the Karate Kid sequels (not the movie), and I love 80's movies, I didn't grow up with the Karate Kid film. I DID grow up with the Hilary Swank one since it was always on TV. As I got older, I knew that I had to eventually watch the first one, since the only thing on TV was the Part II and III. Never Part 1. The book will be Ralph Macchio’s joyful and celebratory reflection on the legacy of The Karate Kid in film, pop culture, and his own life. It will be a comprehensive look at a film that shaped him as much as it influenced the world. Macchio will share the untold story behind his starring role—the innocence of the early days, the audition process, and the filmmaking experience itself --as well as take readers through the birth of some of the film’s most iconic moments. So there’s a parallel-universe Ralph Macchio out there, with an Oscar and 10 seasons of Friends or ER under his belt – and a more distant relationship with his children? Macchio nods: sure. “Parenting is not seasonal, man.” His daughter Julia is now an actor and a dancer. His son Daniel works in data analysis. One of the more satisfying aspects of this recent turnaround as an actor, Macchio says, is that Julia and Daniel have seen it and shared in it. “They’re involved in Cobra Kai. They champion it.”