Dear Fellow Judoka,
When I look back at my life, my biggest regret is over the forty-six years I was away from judo. I know of no greater sport, and I know of no greater group of people than you. You inspire me with your dedication to judo, and I respect you for your tenacity to persevere when it would be so much easier to golf or watch television.
While I was Chairman of USA Judo Masters, I learned first hand that judo is not growing as well as our sport rightfully should. Martial arts such as ju-jutsu have taken the spotlight.
I couldn’t accept this as a fait accompli.
I realized that with my forty-seven years in Hollywood, I can do more for judo from without, than I can from within, so I decided to make a movie about Rusty Kanokogi with Kayla Harrison portraying Rusty ages 17-25.
Many of you know of Rusty, and some of you actually knew her, and many of you know that it was thanks to Rusty that women’s judo became a competitive sport and an Olympic event.
Yes, Rusty was tough, and she rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, because at that time women were hardly allowed to leave the kitchen, much less compete in judo. And Rusty began that journey as a single mother! No matter where we stand on some of the issues that Rusty stirred, it is a fact that Rusty Kanokogi was a highly admirable woman.
So Kayla and I are now making the movie DON’T CALL ME SIR. We are facing some obstacles, one being that judo isn’t as well known to Hollywood as are MMA and UFC, another that Kayla isn’t a proven actress, that she isn’t a Hollywood type, whatever that is.
Well, I’ve been in Hollywood many years, and I’m pretty good at what I do, and I have pretty good professional judgment, and I KNOW, not THINK, that Kayla Harrison every bit a gold medalist as a person as she is as a judoka and that she will be GREAT as Rusty! Not good. GREAT!
To make this happen, so that we can make a movie that will place judo where it belongs, in the spotlight as a great sport, we need your support.
Please go to Support Don’t Call Me Sir and look at what we offer for giving us your support. Please ask your members to visit our website also.
Thanks!
Bo Svenson
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