Did Mr. Parker Sell Out to Elvis?

[vincefuess]

I am sorry to dis the king, but Elvis never appeared to posess any more than a modicum of martial arts ability. He was way too full of himself to ever attain the ranks awarded him by SGM Parker.

This has always been a thorn in my side. SGM Parker was a master of a great many arts beyond Kenpo- the art of promotion perhaps being one of his greatest talents. The "High Priest of The Hollywood Sect".

Everybody kissed Elvis's butt. He was perhaps the most influential entertainer in history at that point, and his clout was bigger than the atomic bomb.

I have no doubt that Elvis and SGM Parker were great friends and confidants, it is well documented. And all of us tend to cut our close friends alot of slack and do favors for them. Do any of you actually believe that Elvis EARNED the rank he attained based on skill? I don't. There is no way he could have LEGITIMATELY earned that rank in the short amount of time he got it. PERIOD.

There are a great many VERY talented Kenpoists who have trained their entire lives to reach the rank of 5th or 6th degree black. You watch these guys move, and you know they are the "real deal"! I just attended a Huk Planas seminar TODAY, and that man is THE REAL DEAL. You watch him do ONE technique, and you are a believer. I never saw anything come from Elvis that didn't resemble a spastic orange belt.

As far as I know, no one has ever just looked at this situation and said BS!! I am not faulting SGM Parker for his prowess at promoting the art of Kenpo, I mean if presented such an opportunity any shrewd business man would be a fool not to take advantage of it. But let's not kid ourselves and think Elvis was in fact an 8th degree black belt in Kenpo. He wasn't.

Vince

 

[GouRonin]

How good was Elvis?

How dead is dead? Elvis was a good black belt they say, maybe not an 8th, but good enough for the old man.

EP was EP and did what EP wanted. I never had to wear his heavy belt. So I doubt I'll have to make the decisions he did.

 

[vincefuess]

C'mon Gou!

Elvis died because no one had the balls to stand up to him, and it wasn't a black belt that scared them. We all need someone, or some kind of higher authority to keep us in check, and he didn't have one. Any one of us would likely have died the same way in the same situation. That has nothing to do with the point of the question.

Don't parry. Return fire, my respected comrade.

Vince

 

[Not Important]

Going back,

In my memories, I do remember a person most would consider to be a great Martial Artist, maybe you have heard of him.....

Mike Stone?

I invite you to research the break up of Elvis and his wife, you will find out that she had an affair with Mike Stone.


Well believe it or not, Elvis beat the living snot out of Mike Stone when he found out, in fact another person in the Kenpo ranks is even rummored to have gotten an order to do a hit on Mike Stone because of this, but then Elvis changed his mind and Mike Stone is still alive.

Their also are many video tapes of Elvis actually performing Martial Arts, including demonstrations of Chi or Ki power.

If you want to know how Mr. Parker really saw Elvis, I suggest that you pick up his book, "Inside Elvis".

 

[vincefuess]

In the confrontation you describe, Mike Stone did not "open up" on Elvis. Mike Stone would have splattered him. It is VERY well known about his affair with Priscilla- he was likely responsible for opening her eyes to the fact she was living Elvis's personal hell and had to get out before he took her with him. I have seen the demos of which you speak, and if you consider that skill- well that is your opinion. Nobody touched Elvis not because of his prowess, but because of his clout. Same reason he died- no one would dare touch him or tell him he was wrong, even to the point of letting him kill himself. Even Elvis didn't tell Elvis what to do. He was a perect example of someone out of control, with no boundaries, and really no consequences short of his demise.

I'm not saying Elvis sucked as a martial artist, I'm just saying he never earned the rank he wore. He couldn't even wear a traditional uniform- it had to have the big lapel collars and a LONG red silk belt with ornamentation all over it. It's very sad that he was allowed to become totally absorbed in his own world the way he did (not unlike Michael Jackson)- he had much more to share with us.

 

[Klondike93]

Check out an interesting article at the Tracy's web site for another side to the story -

http://www.tracyskarate.com/Stories/was_elvis_really_a_black_belt.htm

 

[superdave]

Elvis was only an "honorary" 8th black, this fact is not disputed. From what I have read about Elvis and Mr. Parker, is that Elvis did obtain his blackbelt in American Kenpo, from Mr. Parker. But I don't believe that Ed Parker gave out rank to someone just because of their status.

If I can find some of the stories on the net, I will post them.

 

[Klondike93]

After reading that story on the net and another one in the book "The Journey", Elvis was a Black Belt and sounds like a pretty tough one too.

 

[vincefuess]

Look guys- I really have not the intention of insulting Elvis OR SGM Parker, though it may seem as such from my post. I just want to suggest some objectivity on the issue. Everybody kissed Elvis's butt to the point where he lost contact even with himself. Maybe he could kick butt, and maybe he couldn't. I remember when he died and the years prior to his demise- by the time he died he had been reduced to a Las Vegas sideshow act who couldn't even remember the lines to his own songs. The man did great things, and I respect him for the contributions he made to the world- hell, I LOVE his movies! In the later years he became a parody of himself- he had no reality check.

I know alot of guys who could kick just about anybody's butt who aren't even close to black belt material- some folk just got it in them. Elvis had WAY too many people lining up to kiss his butt, and he died as a result. Maybe if someone had taken the initiative to whup his butt, he might still be with us. Look at the man, and not the legend.

 

[GouRonin]

I have spoken to both Huk and Dave Hebler regarding Elvis.

Elvis was more than he appeared. Yes he did have a lot of people kissing his ***. Yes, at the end he was in bad shape. It wasn't always that way.

Elvis was a black belt. Was he an 8th? Or even a 7th? Some people get ranked for their work in Kenpo not just on the floor. It's not for me to decide. I wasn't there.

Sounds to me Vince like you already have the answer you want.

 

[vincefuess]

Oh yeah, Gou. As usual, I agree with your point of view. I really just wanted to toss that topic out there and see what other people had to say about it.

After a certain point, the degrees really don't matter- just as in your career path a college degree does nothing but open the door. When the rubber meets the road you either make it or you don't, regadless of what some certificate says.

I personally think it is a damn shame that Elvis was so far out there that no one could reach him, shake him up, and say "MAN, GET YOUR SH*T TOGETHER!!" We all need our reality checks- I am married to mine (LOL)!!!!

 

[Klondike93]

To answer your question from your original post however, I think Mr. Parker did not sell out to Elvis. But prehaps he should have slapped him around more and told him to get it together.

 

[GouRonin]

Originally posted by Klondike93
To answer your question from your original post however, I think Mr. Parker did not sell out to Elvis. But prehaps he should have slapped him around more and told him to get it together.

Damn, that was beautiful man!

 

[vincefuess]

Amen Bubba!

 

[Kirk]

I can't remember what forum it was discussed on (a yahoo club)
and I don't feel like going and looking it up right now. But
on this club, no one could tell me what actual rank Elvis was
promoted to, honorary or otherwise. So I called Mrs. Parker, and
emailed Mr Parker Jr. ... Mrs Parker said that SGM Parker
considered "The Kang" (that's how we say it down south )
to be a true black belt. She couldn't remember how high he
actually tested for, but he did for sure test for first black and a
level or 2 above.

Elvis had kenpo patches on his guitar, and a lot of clothing, which
caused a lot of people to say, "what is that?". SGM Parker felt
he did a lot for the promotion of kenpo, and was promoted as a
result of that. So to answer the question .. yes and no LOL.
(whataya wanna bet that gets a finger from Vince)

Ed Parker Jr basically said that he worked out a lot with his dad,
they were friends, and he personally didn't give a crap about
Elvis back then, he was too busy jamming out to Skynard, Led
Zep, and the like. (of course, I'm paraphrasing).

I was raised southern baptist, and I have a picture
of Elvis at the last supper to prove it. Southerners hate it
when I tell that joke. They always jump up and go, "HEY!
You can make fun o' Jesus, but you leave the kang out of
it!!! --- Brett Butler

 

[donald]

I agree if someone would of had the guts to jeapordize their standing in the M.M.. Mr.Presley may still be alive. It is a shame how he went out. I also agree that his kenpo rank may have been inflated, but he did try. As for the Mike Stone/Prisilla thing, that is between them, and God. The quote by Ms.Butler on the other hand is just plain outa line. To ridicule The Living God, is a dangerous thing to take part in. Would any of us be chuckling if it was a joke aimed at our mom? I believe the majority of us would be aimin to remove some hide from the "jokester". Should it be any less when it comes to God? I for one would appreciate the refraining from such garbage. Just what did that have to do with the topic of discussion? Just my opinion, take it or don't.
Salute to all,
In Christ,:asian:

 

[GouRonin]

Not all of us believe in a God. However since you have stated your position I would respect it. I would not however cease stating my opinion. I would try to be more careful with it when discussing things with you.

As for my mom, well, anyone who makes fun of my mom will have their last sounds they utter be muffled by their own butt but not before I gouge out their eyes and stick them in their pants so they can see me kick the cr@p out of them.

 

[Kirk]

Since I was apparently the one "out of line" let me reply. The
Lord invented humor, comedy, laughter. In no way do I feel it
to be blaspheme in any way, and I challenge you sir, to give me
a bible verse that would say otherwise. I don't think God is the
stick in the mud that you portray him to be. My feeling is that
he can take a good joke at his expense, so long as it doesn't
prevent people from following him, and in that case, I again
challenge you to show me how I did that. I request that you
reply to me via email, so that this forum maintains the scope that
it was intended.

 

[superdave]

I don't thing that it was anything personal Kirk, I though it has a ring of truth to it, The King still lives down south. Just ask my family, they are all a bunch of hillbillies from the south.

 

[Kirk]

The quote by Ms.Butler on the other hand is just plain outa line.

I was the one who posted the quote, so that's why I replied.

To ridicule The Living God, is a dangerous thing to take part in. Would any of us be chuckling if it was a joke aimed at our mom?

I used to do "pro/am" stand up comedy .. my mom was a huge
part of my material, and she loved every bit of it. To be specific,
I told how my mom has a VERY unique voice. I did a quick
impression of her, and then talked about how everytime she'd
leave a message on my answering machine, she felt the need
to say "this is your mother", like she was so difficult to identify.
She only raised me, guided me, and nurtured me for the passed
28 years (at the time).

Mom's only attitude about it was "that's my boy up there getting
laughs!". And I don't deny that the joke was "AIMED" at her.

The aforementioned joke wasn't aimed at God. It was aimed at
the die hard southerner fan of Elvis'. Humorous, for pointing
out the ridiculous in a new, yet clever way.

I apologize for bringing it up again, especially after I mentioned
it not being within the scope of this thread or forum, but I'm
a bit chapped by the complaint.

And breathe, 2, 3, 4...