Arnold Schwarzenegger: A Life Beyond the Silver Screen
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the ‘Terminator’ star and former Governor of California, recently participated in an engaging Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Reddit. Schwarzenegger shared interesting insights from his life, ranging from his time in the fitness industry to his proactive response during the coronavirus outbreak, and even to his chess games with an unexpected companion.
Comedy Impressions and Schwarzenegger
Known for his unique accent and signature lines, Schwarzenegger has often been a subject of comedic impressions. In his AMA, he reminisced about Hans and Franz from Saturday Night Live and their memorable impersonation of him. Though the impression was not entirely accurate, Schwarzenegger admitted he found it hilarious.
Housing Veterans: A Real-life Action Sequence
In a notable segment of the discussion, Schwarzenegger shifted focus to his philanthropic endeavors. He spoke about his initiative to build homes for veterans, an effort which saw the construction of 25 homes in less than a month. This rapid response to veterans’ housing needs, occurring in November of the previous year, illustrates Schwarzenegger’s commitment to community support.
Fitness Industry Antics: Creating a Sensation
As a former professional bodybuilder and Mr. Universe winner, Schwarzenegger’s ventures in the fitness industry are well-known. He recalled his time running a gym in Munich, where competition was fierce. In an audacious publicity stunt, he strutted around a construction site in his posing trunks in freezing weather, causing such a sensation that it attracted journalists, photographers, and, ultimately, an influx of new gym members.
Responding to a Global Crisis: The COVID-19 Pandemic
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Schwarzenegger took immediate action. He expressed his frustration at the lack of preparedness for such a crisis, especially concerning the shortage of masks. Partnering with Flexport, Schwarzenegger rallied celebrities and wealthy individuals to purchase millions of masks, embodying his mantra, “If there’s a will, there’s a way.”
A Unique Chess Companion: Meet Lulu
On a lighter note, Schwarzenegger also shared his chess encounters with an unusual opponent: his pet, Lulu. While initially seeming disinterested, Lulu’s unpredictable moves often lead to Schwarzenegger’s unexpected defeat, proving her to be a formidable and fun companion.
Conclusion: Schwarzenegger Beyond the Limelight
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Reddit AMA offered fascinating insights into his life, far beyond his renowned acting career and political tenure. From his unconventional publicity stunts to his active role in crisis response, and even his endearing relationship with his pet, Schwarzenegger continues to entertain, inspire, and impress.
Arnold’s AMA Transcript
“Hey, this is Arnold Schwarzenegger and this is what people are saying on Reddit about me. That’s old. That’s news to me. But in any case, it sounds great. It’s a funny story. It made me laugh. Get in touch with Hans and Franz from Saturday Night Live. I remember they did the best impression of me. It was not exactly the way I sounded, but that’s what made it actually funny. Hold on…
It was on r/dad jokes. So their comment was, ‘I got booed off the stage, but I’ll return’ instead of, ‘I’ll be back.’ So it’s a terrible joke. Oh.
Well, first of all, I’m questioning if it is night school because it’s daylight outside. So it doesn’t look to me like it’s a night scene.
In November, I was asking them to build those homes and I wanted to see how long does it really take? It took literally less than a month and we built 25 homes. And how happy those veterans were when we gave them these homes. When they say it’s impossible and it would take years and years and years– you know, I don’t have much patience for this stuff. It’s a little flex.
I see that. Yeah. And it is a great idea. So it promotes fitness and of course it makes sure that the rear window is clean and that you can see out. So you have no accidents.
I always was in the marketing and publicity and the gym business was very competitive in Munich. I walked around with my posing trunks at a construction site in freezing cold weather and it created such a sensation and people thought that I was totally crazy. They called journalists and photographers that came, then took those pictures. All of a sudden we had an influx of members. So the whole thing worked very, very well.
When we had the coronavirus and there was the big breakout, everyone looked around and said, ‘Oh my God, we have no masks.’ I could find them. It sounded to me so ridiculous not to be prepared for a pandemic. I got in touch with Flexport. I said to them, I said, ‘Hey, can you help me find masks somewhere in the world?’ And then a few celebrities and other wealthy people came together, bought millions and millions of masks. If there’s a will, there’s a way. That’s what this picture is all about. All right, that’s good.
There’s one more, the chess game. I have to say that Lulu is not only a pet that I have a lot of fun with, but she also is a great chess partner. And I have to be very, very careful with Lulu because she does these things kind of like she’s not really paying much attention then I realize all of a sudden I lose the game.”
