The kung-fu star Jet Li, it is believed by many, would have been proclaimed the king of martial arts if Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee never ever made a film. The two superstars, sadly, overshadowed Li and made him play second fiddle to them courtesy of their popularity.
US president Nixon asked an eleven-year-old Jet Li to be his bodyguard
The former US president Richard Millhouse Nixon wanted Jet Li to be his bodyguard after he met Li in China when Li was only 11 years old. President Nixon found Jet Li’s martial arts skills so incredible that he wanted the 11-year-old kid to be his bodyguard.
However, long before he started starring in Hollywood movies, he showed remarkable promise at one event in 1974 when he met the American President Nixon.
Li was only 11 years old at the time when he travelled to America with the Chinese national Wushu team to perform in front of the President at the White House.
Nixon’s jaw reportedly dropped to the floor when he saw Li’s skills and immediately offered Li the job of being his bodyguard.
Nixon repeatedly said, “Young man, your kung fu is very impressive…How about being my bodyguard when you grow up?”.
But Li was unimpressed and replied, “No, I don’t want to protect any individual,” adding, “When I grow up, I want to defend my one billion Chinese countrymen!”.
The US Secretary of State at the time, Henry Kissinger, chimed in by remarking, “heavens, such a young boy and he already speaks like a diplomat”.
Li never became a bodyguard or diplomat, instead he went on to make a career for himself that protected the world from poor movies.
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