South Africa is an extremely dangerous place. Hollywood legend Arnold Schwarzenegger found this out firsthand when he was visiting various health and fitness clubs promoting working out and exercise for youth while in town for the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic taking place between May 17th and May 19th in Johannesburg, South Africa.
During a fitness event Arnold was Snapchatting with some of the locals when out of the blue a scrawny young man attempted to waver the Austrian giant by blindsiding him with a running dropkick. Only, the dropkick barely fazed the Hollywood mega-star, scooting him forward a few feet and stunning him for a couple of seconds. The attacker was quickly carted away by the aloof security before Arnold returned to his business.
Journalist Nick Monroe captured two angles of the attack that took place on May 18th, 2019.
Arnold Schwarzenegger gets attacked in South Africa pic.twitter.com/Sx3IkwGZVp
— Nick Monroe (@nickmon1112) May 18, 2019
ANOTHER ANGLE on the Arnold Schwarzenegger attack (posted by @Benlanga4) pic.twitter.com/zDAuQgReq3
— Nick Monroe (@nickmon1112) May 18, 2019
Arnold, however, was not amused at the young man’s attempt to become internet famous.
Instead of feeding in the villain-culture perpetuated by most media outlets, Arnold encouraged people not focus on the misdeeds of the attacker but rather on the young athletes and fitness aficionados trying to live healthier lives.
Do me a favor: instead of sharing the video of the guy who wants to be famous, watch some of our @ArnoldSports athletes like this young hero proving that fitness is for everyone who deserve to be famous. They’re on my Snapchat. pic.twitter.com/EuMynJ7t1n
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) May 18, 2019
The action hero legend also pimped his Arnold Sports festival by noting that they have more than 90 sports represented in South Africa and more than 24,000 athletes who have participated in the activities thus far.
He also suggested that if people do decide to promote the video of the attacker, use a blurry video without audio so you can’t focus on what the attacker is saying.
And if you have to share the video (I get it), pick a blurry one without whatever he was yelling so he doesn’t get the spotlight.
By the way… block or charge? pic.twitter.com/TEmFRCZPEA
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) May 18, 2019
It’s an inspiring message from one of the greatest action heroes of all time. Instead of giving the bad guy the spotlight, he manages to take it back by tanking a thug-quality shot from an internet attention-seeker and still going about his business.
The 71-year-old former Mr. Olympia seemed unfazed by the attack itself, brushing it off almost as effortlessly as his titanium-laced endskeleton alter ego, The Terminator.
More than anything, this attack on Arnold has highlight the violence currently tearing South Africa apart, something that seems to be on a media blackout.
I doubt much will come of it, but at least Arnold was inadvertently able to put a spotlight on the issue while proving that he’s still the king of chads and an unstoppable icon of masculine supremacy.
(Thanks for the news tip Qwentr and s_fnx)
