The Germans have David Hasselhoff and now Chuck Norris is big in the Czech Republic. No one ones why the Germans love “the Hoff,” but I think I know why the Czechs have recently embraced Chuck Norris as a national icon (or at least the T-Mobile spokesmen). He is the living reincarnation of Jára Cimrman. Who is Jára Cimrman?
I stole this from the Wiki:
“According to his biographers, Jára Cimrman made extensive contributions to mankind, in all areas. He proposed the Panama Canal to the U.S. government, including a libretto for an opera of the same name. He reformed the school system in Galicia. With Count Zeppelin he constructed the first rigid airship using Swedish steel and Czech wicker (the wicker being for the cabin). He was deported from Germany as an anarchist, and his personal documents carried a note that he was "a source of unrest." This led the Swiss company Omega to offer him a job to improve the balance wheel for their Piccolo line of ladies' watches. (N.B. the Czech and German words for a watch's balance wheel ("nepokoj", "Unruhe") mean "unrest.") While in Switzerland, he introduced (and practiced for some time) the profession of obstetrician, under the difficult Alpine conditions. He conducted investigations about the life of Arctic tribes who eat their fellows; and once, while running away from a furious tribe, he missed the North Pole by a mere seven meters.
In Paraguay he supposedly created the first puppet-show. In Vienna he established a school of criminology, music and ballet. He corresponded with G.B. Shaw for many years, but unfortunately the dogged Irishman never replied. He invented yoghurt. He generously helped many great scientists: On his own back he carried 45 tubs of pitchblende to the basement of Mr. and Mrs. Curie, he assisted Prof. Burian with his first plastic surgery, he reworked the electrical contact on Edison's first light bulb, and he found an under lease for Mr. Eiffel. He is the creator of the philosophy of Externism. Because of his enthusiasm for natural sciences, he discovered the monopole (as opposed to the then well known dipole), but this discovery fell into oblivion until it was confusedly revived by 20th century economists. He is also known for having advised Mendeleev, having seen the first draft, that the Periodic Table should be rotated to its current orientation.
Another one of his great inventions is also the Internet itself, [citation needed] although without widespread usage of computers, he had to rely on telephones. His internet basically consisted of an old circus tent where he had a telephone aparate and various pensioned high school teachers, who answered all kinds of question people had. Also the well-known WWW prefix originated here. One of the teachers' names was Weber and since he stuttered, he also introduced himself as "W-W-W.Weber."
Now compare these awesome feats of prowess to those of CHUCK NORRIS
1. Chuck Norris does not wear a condom. Because there is no such thing as protection from Chuck Norris.
2. Some people wear Superman pajamas. Superman wears Chuck Norris pajamas.
3. Chuck Norris will never have a heart attack. His heart isn't nearly foolish enough to attack him.
4. Chuck Norris can set ants on fire with a magnifying glass. At night.
5. Chuck Norris doesn't breathe, he holds air hostage.
6. When Chuck Norris crosses the street, the cars have to look both ways.
7. Chuck Norris is the reason why Waldo is hiding.
8. They once made a Chuck Norris toilet paper, but it wouldn't take shit from anybody.
9. Chuck Norris can win a game of Connect Four in only three moves.
10. Chuck Norris has already been to Mars; that's why there are no signs of life there.
(stolen from http://www.chucknorrisjokes.net/)
I’ve been trying to figure out why Chuck is so popular here; he doesn’t speak Czech in the commercials, and usually seems genuinely bewildered most of the time. But after learning about Jára I think I am beginning to understand both “why” Chuck? But also Czech cartoonist like Kaja Saudek and others who achieved sort of cult status as underground cartoonist in America.
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