Napoleon Dynamite Fan Club

Do Ligers really exist? You would be surprised that they do exist and they were actually all over the national news in 1995 when around 50 Ligers escaped the compound in which they were kept outside of Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, and had to be hunted down.

As a child growing up in Idaho, I always remember driving by on the highway and looking down into the valley at the two statues of Lions that sat outside the home, imagining what kind of wild cats were inside.

Little did anyone know that the people that owned the place weren't caring for the animals. They were breeding out of control and not being fed. They were eating each other, and eventually they all escaped.

I'll never forget that day when I was driving down the Fish Creek Summit towards Lava Hot Springs. I had just finished visiting my hometown and I was returning to the University, when out of no where the largest cat I had ever seen ran in front of my Ford Thunderbird.

Luckily I have quick reactions and I slammed both feet on the brakes, but it didn't feel like it was enough. I was literally standing on the brakes with my rear end up off of the seat. For what seemed like an eternity, I watched as what I believed at the time was the largest African Lioness I had ever seen sprint across the road directly in front of my car.

It stood much higher than my car hood and the first thought that popped into my mind was the lion tamer in the valley down below lost one of his lions. Little did I know at the time that it was actually a liger, which would explain the size of it.

When I arrived at home I immediately called my step-father and told him about the incident. He advised me to call the sheriff so I quickly contacted him believing that time was of the essence in order to capture the cat, but to my surprise when I informed him of my experience he told me that he gets a report of escaped lions almost every month.

It was only one month after my run in with the liger that I was once again driving up that highway pass, but this time I was on my way to visit my hometown, when I saw giant spotlights set up all over and news crew vans from numerous different national and local TV stations.

As I arrived at home, I ran inside to find out what was going on, and what I saw was incredible. There was a Lion roaming back and forth on top of the roof of the compound that once held all of these cats. All of the animals escaped and were roaming around the area.

Many volunteers arrived to help catch the animals but what they found was that as they hunted down one, another would be stalking the hunter. Nineteen of the cats had to be killed, and twenty seven others were captured and placed in a refuge.

I soon found out along with the rest of the world of the animal abuse that was going on for years in that broken down trailer surrounded by fenced off enclosures. Almost every week my family would drive by that place, and I would peer down from the road imagining what kind of animals were kept there. For over twenty years I never imagined the cruelty inflicted on those animals by their owners.

"I'm Rex, founder of the Rex Kwan Do self-defense system! After one week with me in my dojo, you'll be prepared to defend yourself with the STRENGTH of a grizzly, the reflexes of a PUMA, and the wisdom of a man." -Rex

Rex has got to be one of the best characters in the movie, but how exactly did they come up with such a unique persona. Well inspiration usually comes from reality.

So who is the real Rex?

Well, if you are from the area and you put 2 and 2 together it makes sense. I don't know for sure, but the coincidence is just to great. The person I believe that Rex was based on is actually named Reb.

Reb just happened to help teach a martial art in Preston at one time that I also trained in, but I trained in another town close to Preston. I actually train in a few different martial arts and the first one I started to learn emphasizes breaking someones grip by slapping the hand away just like in the movie. In almost every other martial art I have seen, the most common technique for someone grabbing your arm is to apply a joint lock. This tells me that Rex was based on someone in this particular style.

Did I happen to mention that Reb always wore an American Flag do rag to workout in. There are so many stories to tell about Reb. There are his incidents as a bouncer in a rough bar, his mixed martial arts fight, and even when he would simply show up to class. He typically would carry an entire arsenal of weapons with him. As he would walk in he would begin to pull out numerous knives and guns hidden on his person.

Rex: At Rex Kwan Do, we use the buddy system. No more flying solo. You need somebody watching your back at all times. Second off, you're gonna learn to discipline your image. You think I got where I am today because I dressed like Peter Pan over here?
[points to Kip]

Rex: Take a look at what I'm wearing, people. You think anybody wants a roundhouse kick to the face while I'm wearing these bad boys? Forget about it. Last off, my students will learn about self respect. You think anybody thinks I'm a failure because I go home to Starla at night? Forget about it!

I grew up with tater tots as I'm sure a lot of people have also. I remember eating them just about everyday for school lunch every year. I never got tired of them.

One great thing about South-Eastern Idaho is the fry sauce! No, I am not talking about ketchup. Those of you from Idaho know what I am talking about and those of you that don't know what it is need to try it. It's great.

Fry sauce is a mixture of ketchup and mayonnaise. I think it is best with one part ketchup and two parts mayonnaise. Just about every fast food restaurant in South-East Idaho serves fry sauce including McDonalds, Wendy's, and Burger King. In fact, I noticed that Burger Kings in other areas are beginning to carry it as well. Just ask them at the counter if they have fry sauce.

Napoleon Dynamite

Napoleon Dynamite

Napoleon Dynamite
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