Author Topic: Bruce Kanegai /removed  (Read 9366 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline puddin

  • **puddinpiepork**
  • I Live at RFF
  • *****
  • Posts: 85453
Bruce Kanegai /removed
« on: January 16, 2006, 04:01:03 PM »


Bruce Kanegai is a third generation Japanese American who grew up in Los Angeles. During the 1960's, he received the Boy Scout rank of Eagle Scout and the rank of Black Belt from the Shotokan Karate School. Kanegai received his Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Northridge. He also received his teaching credentials for the State of California. 
 
For the past 34 years, Kanegai has been teaching art at Simi Valley High School, where he has taught over 10,000 students. He had been awarded "Teacher of the Year" from The International Rotary Club, The Bravo Award from the Los Angeles Music Center, The Amgen Corporation, The Pasadena Art Center College of Design and the Otis/Parsons Art School. 
 
Kanegai is a fifth-degree black belt in karate and has taught more than 7,000 students over about 40 years. In 1967, he was a member of the first US karate team to visit Japan. In 2000, Kanegai was promoted to the highest ranking black belt in the Shotokan Karate of America. In 2004, he was a judge at Shotokan's 40th Anniversary celebration in France. Kanegai is currently in the process of finishing a book on the 50-year history of the Shotokan Karate of America. 
 
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Kanegai was a top backpacking instructor for Moorpark Community College, the Yosemite Institute and many private organizations. Some of his backpacking highlights include hiking the entire state of Oregon and, in 1980, setting a new record of running the 220-mile John Muir Trail from Mount Whitney to Yosemite National Park. 
 
From 1978-1992, Kanegai was a POST (Police Officer Survival Training) Instructor in California. Under the Downey-Roth System, Kanegai assisted in teaching police instructors arrest and control techniques, weapon retention and the side-handle baton. 
 
Kanegai is a member of the California Art Educators Association and Shotokan Karate of America. His hobbies include photography, drawing, hiking, golfing and skiing. He has had several close brushes with death, including being bitten by a large rattlesnake while golfing three years ago. 
 
Kanegai currently lives in Simi Valley, California, with his wife of 27 years, Nancy. They have two children, Alexander and Danielle, and one dog, Chako. His birth date is December 17, 1947. 
 
FAVORITES
 
Colors  Blue 
Scents Barbequed steak 
Flowers Rose 
Board Games Risk, Scrabble 
Video Games No favorite 
Sports to Play Karate 
Sports Teams Los Angeles Dodgers, Angels, Lakers, UCLA 
Outdoor Activities Hiking, photography, gardening 
TV Shows SURVIVOR, ESPN, sports 
Movies Seven Samurai, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings 
Actors Robert De Niro, Keanu Reeves, Tom Hanks 
Actresses Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep, Jodie Foster 
Music Classical to heavy metal 
Magazines National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, Southwest Art 
Books/Authors Stephen King, James Patterson, Clive Cussler 
Cereals Honey Bunches of Oats 
Fruits Mango, grapes, banana, peach, apple 
Snack Foods Doritos 
Cookies White chocolate with macadamia nuts 
Candy Bars Snickers, Butterfinger 
Alcoholic Drinks Good tequila, wine, vodka 
Non-Alcoholic XS, Pepsi, iced tea 
 
« Last Edit: April 21, 2006, 10:44:09 AM by puddin »

Offline puddin

  • **puddinpiepork**
  • I Live at RFF
  • *****
  • Posts: 85453
Re: Bruce Kanegai
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2006, 04:13:28 PM »
High school teacher to be on this season's 'Survivor'
January 12, 2006

A Simi Valley man will appear on this season's edition of the reality television show "Survivor," a CBS spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

Bruce Kanegai, 58, is one of 16 contestants competing on the 12th edition of the show, "Survivor: Panama -- Exile Island." Kanegai, an art instructor at Simi Valley High School, is the oldest contestant on the show.
 
For this edition of "Survivor," which premieres Feb. 2, older contestants will face off against each other, and younger participants will do battle with one another, among other activities.

Filming for the season has been completed, but Kanegai cannot comment until he has either been voted off the island or declared the winner on air, a CBS spokeswoman said.

"Sorry, I can't talk to you about it," Kanegai said when asked by a reporter to comment on his time in Panama.

In 2002, Kanegai filmed a "Worst-Case Scenario" episode for TBS, where he had to handle a rattlesnake.

http://www.venturacountystar.com/vcs/sv/article/0,1375,VCS_239_4382552,00.html


Offline puddin

  • **puddinpiepork**
  • I Live at RFF
  • *****
  • Posts: 85453
Re: Bruce Kanegai
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2006, 11:57:50 AM »
Was local teacher 'Survivor' winner?
L.A. Daily News - 1.29.06 By Eric Leach, Staff Writer

 
SIMI VALLEY - Bruce Kanegai holds a fifth-degree black belt in karate. He sometimes jogs barefoot in the hills to keep in shape. And for more than three decades, he has braved the minefield that is a high school campus, teaching teen-agers art.
But recently, the 58-year-old Simi Valley man finished what might have been his toughest endeavor - an appearance on "Survivor." While he is contractually obligated not to speak about his performance, and nobody but a few insiders knows how he did, the town is buzzing.

"Bruce is a survivor in any environment that you put him in," said Simi Valley City Councilman Glen Becerra, who met Kanegai as a Simi Valley High School student in the early 1980s. "He can adapt in any kind of environment. ... I would put him up against anybody mentally and physically."

The latest installment of the show - "Survivor: Panama - Exile Island" - is scheduled to begin airing Thursday on CBS. The winner will be revealed in the final episode in May. Most of the show was filmed in the fall.

Kanegai is one of 16 castaways competing for a $1 million prize in the up-to-39-day contest known for its grueling physical challenges, bland and skimpy diets, and unseemly back-stabbing.

Nobody knows when or if Kanegai received the fatal words from host Jeff Probst - "the tribe has spoken" - but those who know him are confident he did well.

"Everybody's reaction is, 'Wow, that's so Bruce,"' said Arleigh Kidd, who heads the California Teachers Association for the Simi Valley, Moorpark and Conejo Valley region. "He has always been a survivor, out testing his physical limits and mental limits."

On campus, Kanegai is all the rave.

Linsey Mead, 18, the student body president who took karate lessons from Kanegai: "He's, like, way intense. He's like the Jackie Chan of Simi Valley."

Nicole Bernabe, 16, junior class president: "He's like a cat. He has nine lives, and when he falls, it's on all fours."

Sophomore Meghan Allen, 16: "I think he has the best chance of anyone because he's the toughest."

Kidd also was a student at Simi Valley High when he first met Kanegai, who has been teaching art there for 32 years and is a master of the traditional Japanese school of Shotokan karate.

Because of his high ethical standards, it's unlikely he advanced on the show by lying, cheating or breaking "Survivor's" so-called alliances, Kidd said.

"If he goes all the way, it's not going to be because he stabbed anybody in the back, but because he is so respected, nobody wants to stab him in the back," he said. "He's just the kind of guy you want to have around."

Kanegai is this season's oldest competitor. The next oldest is 52. Initially, the show will split the competitors into groups of four, with the older men competing against the older women and the younger men against the younger women.

While Kanegai can't talk about his appearance, he was quoted on CBS.com as saying he wants to be like Mr. Miyagi, the Japanese-American karate expert from "The Karate Kid" movies.

He also told other teachers at Simi Valley High that his competition on "Survivor" was one of the hardest things he has ever done, and people who have seen him since the show was filmed say he appears proud of his performance.

Neighbors say they have seen him regularly jogging through the streets, sometimes barefoot, and into the hills around his Simi Valley home.

Kanegai is a third-generation Japanese-American who grew up in Los Angeles, where he was an Eagle Scout, according to his biography on the CBS.com "Survivor" link.

The graduate of California State University, Northridge, has taught more than 10,000 students and has received Teacher of the Year awards from various organizations, according to the bio. He also has taught more than 7,000 students over about 40 years in the martial arts, has assisted in teaching police instructors arrest and control techniques and was a police survival training instructor from 1978 to 1992.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, he was a backpacking instructor at Moorpark College and the Yosemite Institute, and once ran the entire 220-mile John Muir Trail from Mount Whitney to Yosemite National Park, the bio says.

He lives in Simi Valley with his wife of 27 years, Nancy. They have two children, Alexander and Danielle.

Tom Heyman, a fourth-degree black belt in Shotokan karate and a leader of the Santa Barbara dojo, said Kanegai is a hero to him.

"Bruce is the most honest and mentally strong person I've ever met. If anyone can win 'Survivor,' I believe it's Bruce," Heyman said. "He still goes to special training and just blows away all the young guys."

Teachers and students recalled how Kanegai fell gravely ill three years ago when he was bitten by a large rattlesnake while golfing.

"If he can survive a snake bite," 15-year-old sophomore Lana Taylor said, "he can survive on 'Survivor."'

 
 
http://www.survivorfever.net/s12_la_daily_news_1_29.html

Offline puddin

  • **puddinpiepork**
  • I Live at RFF
  • *****
  • Posts: 85453
Re: Bruce Kanegai /removed
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2006, 10:45:27 AM »
thanks to surviorfever's James Barber !

Bruce Kanegai's Early Show Interview
(Transcript by James Barber for SurvivorFever.net  4.21.06)

TRACY SMITH:  For only the second time in the history of Survivor a castaway was forced out of the game for medical reasons.  This time it was Karate instructor Bruce Kanegai who tried to stick it out but in the end his pain was stronger than his desire to stay in the game. 
[video clip of Shane talking and medic evacuating Bruce from the camp:

SHANE:  Bruce has been in pain for the last few days and it's started to really double and triple up.  It's a matter of him not really being able to go to the bathroom. He's in a lot of pain. ]

TRACY: Bruce Kanegai, good morning.

BRUCE: Good morning.

TRACY: How painful is it for you to watch that?

BRUCE: It just brought up a lot of painful memories.

TRACY: How are you?

BRUCE: I feel awesome. I just feel so great and blessed to be here.

TRACY: But this was a very serious situation. How much pain were you in?

 BRUCE: I thought my appendix burst, or my artery from the back, stomach artery, abdomen, had broken, and I knew it was very, very serious. More painful than when I got bit by the rattlesnake.

TRACY: More painful than getting bitten by a rattlesnake? That's pretty painful. You went to the hospital. Were you at that time asking the doctors if you could get back in? Were you hoping to get back in?

BRUCE: When I was gone, I figured I was gonna be disqualified, and that was really crushing. I trained so hard to be on the show, and it was a big dream of mine to be on the show, and I thought I was competing so well. On the way there, even though I was in pain, at the hospital that's what I kept thinking. "Man, I blew it." There was nothing I could do, but I was pretty demoralized at that point.

TRACY: Did you really feel like you blew it?

BRUCE: Well, I didn't feel - I couldn't help it. Being in the older tribe, I felt like all my systems were shutting down, and I didn't expect that. I didn't think it was gonna happen to me.

TRACY: Can you tell us, are you doing to be on the jury?

BRUCE: I can't really say. You're gonna have to wait until next week to see that.

TRACY: That's a very nice tease there, Bruce. I want to take a look at a secret scene that actually happened after you left the game. You're gonna like this. Take a look.

[(Cirie spots Bruce's shoes)

CIRIE: You know what happened with Bruce, Bruce not returning, I love Bruce, and I think he would want me to have his shoes. Being that he's not coming back.

 (Cirie puts his shoes on)

ARAS: Does the word opportunist strike the core of your center, young lady?

CIRIE: I've always wanted Bruce's shoes.

ARAS: You are vicious.

CIRIE: No, no, not like that! Oh, shucks. I like 'em. Maybe I'll get some of his strength and some of his wisdom from his shoes. ]

TRACY: Oh, come on! Did you want her to have your shoes?

BRUCE (laughs): This is the first time I've seen that. But, if it helped the team. I have such small feet anyway, so I figured it has to be Cirie again. (coughs)

TRACY: So you never got the shoes back?

BRUCE: I was sent back the shoes.

TRACY: Oh, so Cirie's not walking around somewhere with Bruce's shoes on.

BRUCE: No. Right now I'm quite surprised she was wearing my shoes.

TRACY: One of the touching moments last night was when they did a tribute to you in your Zen rock garden. When you watched that, what did you think?

BRUCE: That was wonderful. It was pretty emotional when I saw that. I didn't know how my team was going to react, they're so unpredictable. It was a touching moment for me. I love all those guys, even though they're dysfunctional, I just love all ove them and appreciate being on the show with them.

 TRACY: That's nice. You've very beloved in your hometown as well. You're a high school teacher. What do your students think of this experience?

BRUCE: Well, they want me to do a recap on Fridays, so they won't work, but I can't go beyond a short recap of what was shown that night. It's so great to be back in a classroom. My kids are so wonderful and I just love teaching them. After 34 years I'm still excited about teaching high school.

TRACY: Alright, Bruce, well as I mentioned before we started this, it's great to see you and it's also sad to see you, but great to see you're doing well.

BRUCE: My pleasure. Thank you so much.

TRACY: Take care.


 http://www.survivorfever.net/s12_earlyshow_bruce.html

Offline Texan

  • Robs Bestest Angel
  • RFF Global Moderator
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 6436
  • Groovy!!!
Re: Bruce Kanegai /removed
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2006, 12:49:27 PM »
He is such a good guy.... he loves his disfunctional family.


Offline cinni

  • mind is tiffany twisted
  • RFF Donor
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 703
  • defying gravity
Re: Bruce Kanegai /removed
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2006, 01:48:19 PM »
he works with teenagers so he's used to disfunctional types.

 :hearts:  bruce. i was so sad to see him go that way. but after the reward challenge, it was clear he was not in the final four plan and would have gone this week or next since terry still had the idol.
always remember....when life hands you lemons, ask for tequila and salt and call me over!

Offline Bathfizzy

  • RFF Donor
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2027
  • I love Reality TV
Re: Bruce Kanegai /removed
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2006, 01:59:09 AM »
That was a good interview on the early show.  I think it is hilarious that Cirie put on Bruce's shoe.  I hope she did get good luck wearing them.  :lol3:

Offline puddin

  • **puddinpiepork**
  • I Live at RFF
  • *****
  • Posts: 85453
Re: Bruce Kanegai /removed
« Reply #7 on: April 24, 2006, 06:26:04 PM »
“It Definitely Took a Toll on My Body”: An Interview with Survivor: Exile Island’s Bruce
by David Bloomberg -- 04/24/2006

 
Bruce became only the second Survivor contestants in 12 seasons to leave the game due to medical reasons. How is he doing now? What was the cause of his illness? And what would his plans have been if he had stuck around? Bruce answers all these questions and more in this RealityNewsOnline interview.

Bruce became a favorite contestant of many viewers this season, and it was sad to see him carried out of the game on a stretcher. In this interview with RealityNewsOnline, he tells us what the diagnosis was and how he’s doing now. Also, why did he make decisions the way he did in the game? Read on to find out!

RealityNewsOnline: Hello, Bruce, and thanks for taking the time to answer these questions for RealityNewsOnline’s readers. First and foremost, I hope you’re okay and have not had any lasting effects from your illness. What was the diagnosis?

Bruce: Since my systems shut down, my colon was backed up and put pressure on my urinary tract, resulting in excruciating pain. I had over a quart of urine backed up, which could have had fatal results if the toxins were not removed.

 RNO: How long did it take you to recover – and are you back to your old self now?

Bruce: I was in the hospital for three nights and I think that in another month, I will be back to myself physically. I feel good but it definitely took a toll on my body.

RNO: Is there any indication that your illness could have been caused by drinking water filtered through fabric rather than boiled, as you did earlier in the game?

Bruce: No, I think it was just food blockage. I think it was eating too much food too fast (from the Panamanian Village Feast).

RNO: Moving to the game, what was your original strategy and how did it change as the days passed?

Bruce: I wanted to come in like a Mr.“Miagi” (quiet wise old man) who gives suggestions at the right time when needed based on my experience with students. However, when I was sent to Exile Island (not once but twice) and then returned to the game, I had to let everyone know how valuable I was because I had no other alternatives because everyone had already made their alliances and I came into the game late.

RNO: It seemed that for quite a while, there was a basic lack of respect among some members of Casaya – did you feel that way and how would you describe some of your cohorts like Courtney and Shane?

Bruce: In the beginning, some of the members were rude to me from when I came off Exile Island and I did feel like I was disrespected for several days. I was never included on the strategy of the Casaya tribe or how the voting was going to go during the first Tribal Council.

I didn’t know that Shane was coming off a three-pack-a-day cigarette addiction and 30 shots of espresso and so his unpredictable explosive personality caught me off guard; so I had to be cautious around him in the beginning. Once I got used to him and he calmed down, I did respect him for the way he was playing his game.

Courtney gave me the feeling that she didn’t like me and you could see how she voted against me on the last challenge. Though insecure, I know she had a big heart and a free spirit.

RNO: Just before the merge, you seemed to feel almost like an outcast in your tribe. After the merge, you had a chance to jump ship and chose to stand with Casaya. Why did you make that decision?

Bruce: I always did feel like I was the outcast on the Casaya Tribe and I had a tremendous respect for La Mina but now at the merge, we were going for individual immunity and I knew I would have a much more difficult time competing against them because they were tremendous athletes.

RNO: Following up on that, why did you decide against moving to Terry’s alliance over the course of several episodes – was there anything that could have convinced you to go?

Bruce: I think if the Casaya tribe became more dysfunctional or more rude, I probably could have talked to Danielle and Cirie to go over, but I was in a better position to stay with the Casaya tribe. I was thinking long-term to stay through to the final four.

RNO: Did the results of your last reward challenge show you where you stood in the tribe’s hierarchy?

Bruce: I felt that the tribe respected me on the whole and it opened my eyes to become more focused mentally. Maybe at the moment, I would have thought about teaming with Terry more and probably battle harder in the challenges.

RNO: If you could have stayed, what was your plan for progressing to the end of the game?

Bruce: Terry and the Immunity Idol was a key point. Either he was going to be in the final four or keep winning the immunity necklace. So I was planning two scenarios. If he was in the game, it would have been Danielle, Cirie, Terry, and me. If he was voted out, I would still be in the game, Cirie and Danielle could have paired with me. Aras would have been voted off and Shane second. Aras was just a tremendous athlete.

RNO: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about your time on Survivor?

Bruce: For me to be selected out of tens of thousands experience was an honor. I don’t think there is anything else like it that one can experience. I wouldn’t trade it for anything and I am in great appreciation to Mark Burnett, Tom Shelly (EP), and the CBS Crew for my opportunity and if anyone dreams of being on Survivor, just keep applying.

RNO: Thanks again, Bruce, and again I hope you’re doing well!

http://www.realitynewsonline.com/cgi-bin/ae.pl?mode=4&article=article6113.art&page=1

Offline Bathfizzy

  • RFF Donor
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2027
  • I love Reality TV
Re: Bruce Kanegai /removed
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2006, 09:37:10 PM »
Puddin, thanks for posting the last interview of Bruce.  I was wondering why Bruce never switched to be with Terry and now I know.  I also thought that Courtney was rude to Bruce but that is why Survivor is so interesting.  I could not imagine a quart of urine backed up---ouch. :poop: :poop:.  Just glad he will be okay. :tup: