How Roddy Piper got his black belt from Gene LeBell
“Then there’s a long pause and Roddy says ‘Well, either I’m crazy or you’ve choked me out so many times I’ve forgotten, but I didn’t know I earned a black belt from you.'”
Long, long time UGer Noelle Kim is a long, long, long time agent for top stuntmen and women, and a long, long, long, long time confidant of Gene LeBell.
‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper passed away on Friday. Piper was one of just a handful of black belts that LeBell ever gave out. John Lewis was another LeBell black belt. In a recent post on Facebook, Noelle talked about how Piper received his black belt from ‘Judo’ Gene.
After a long day of disbelief, shock, incredulity and sadness over Roddy Piper’s untimely passing I am moved to tell my two (now three!) favorite personal memories of this historic man. All involve Gene LeBell, thus this photo (from a shoot for a promo spot for Sport Kilt as well as the comedy short “Couch Crashers.”)
The first memory is from sitting in Gene LeBell’s office on the computer as I was quite a bit back then and I checked in at The Underground at MixedMartialArts.com (shout out to Kirik Jenness) and the topic of Roddy having trained with Gene for many years came up and someone asked me what rank Rod had attained under Sensei Gene. I turned to Gene and asked him, to which Gene answered without hesitation “a black belt of course!” I then asked “when?” and Gene scratched his head and said, “aw heck, that musta been well over 10 or 15 years ago…” but he wasn’t sure so he hits Roddy’s number on his speed dial, Rod picks up and Gene says “Hey Rod, quick question… when did you get your black belt from me?” Then there’s a long pause and Roddy says “Well, either I’m crazy or you’ve choked me out so many times I’ve forgotten, but I didn’t know I earned a black belt from you.”
Well, you coulda blown Gene over with a feather and he says, “Well hell champ, I’ve been telling people you’re one of my black belts for years now… I guess I forgot to tell you!” and we are all laughing our asses off and Gene asks Rod to confirm his mailing address, then hangs up, looks at me and says “we gotta send Rod his diploma!” And like the wind, he pulls out the certificate, has me write Roddy’s name on the line along with “black belt” in the space stipulating rank and then Gene signs it, stamps it, and puts it in the envelope I’ve written Roddy’s address on. Gene checks the clock and exclaims that we have to move it to get to the post office in time, hop in the car, drive to the USPS and just like that, Roddy’s black belt diploma is sent in speedy fashion! I will never forget how much fun it was to take part in that adventure!
The 2nd story is one I told to Roddy himself, and he was clearly moved to have heard it: Flash back several years, before we finished Gene’s book “The Godfather of Grappling” (foreword by Roddy himself) and we’re at the old offices of Inside Kung Fu with Chuck Norris, Lou Thesz and Bob Wall I believe… Gene and Lou Thesz are talking old days of wrestling and Lou says, “that’s when it was REAL, those days are gone, the guys who really knew how to hook & shoot are all gone.” Gene says “yeah, only a handful know how to tie their shoes nowadays.” Lou pauses and then says, “Roddy’s the only one comes to mind for me… Roddy’s the last of the ‘reallies’…”
When I shared that memory with Rod he looked like a little kid and said “Lou said that about me???” in a kinda way that made me feel like I had given him such a great gift. He was clearly touched and humbled to have heard this, and I was honored to have conveyed it to him.
OH! 3rd great memory! I laughed my ass off when he came out to roast Gene LeBell! I will have to post his performance on YouTube one of these days. I want to thank Rebecca Morley Gesufatto, Anthony Eikner and Steve Kim for helping me produce the legendary “22nd Annual Roasting of Gene LeBell”
I am proud to have repped him, to have gotten him on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Cold Case, and to have booked him into the Hollywood Improv Comedy Club where he tore the house down, became friends with so many great comics and ended up at The World Famous Comedy Store as his second home, usually side by side with Steve Simeone whom I love.
There was only one Roddy Piper, and his life touched so many, it is hard to imagine a world without him in it. If fans and friends are the measure of wealth, then Roddy was the richest man I knew. Ever Forward Rod, Ever Forward.
Roddy Piper Rocks, Gene LeBell is my Hero!
