<Begin Segment 37>

MN: Yeah, let's talk about those two men that came to you.

CH: Oh, the FBI. Yeah, you know, when I talk bad about, testify against the government, I said whatever I want. So that's why FBI came to check on me, but they think, they're representatives from some kind of organization.

MN: They didn't tell you they were FBI, right?

CH: No, no. They didn't tell me FBI. I was working, two people come, I got a phone call. "Why don't you come down, we want to see you." You know, you say something about the testifying, that, "We like your attitude." So they came. So okay, "Let's meet you at that Santa Monica someplace, eating place, we'll buy you a dinner." Okay, now what do they want now? "Okay. These two girls is coming from New York to California first time. And you're a karate expert." See, this is the story. "Karate expert, so we want them, protect them." "Protect? What do you mean?" "You know how to do karate?" Went like that. Oh, well, that's good. So, okay. They talk about something else. And they want to know my picture, and, "Do you have anything that you do?" "Yeah, I'm a singer, I tell 'em." Or they'll bring me the picture, so I took my picture. And meanwhile, all these things going on, they called me again, meeting over here, then, you know, it dawned to me, I knew it, something's wrong, fishy over here. Like I'm not a simple simon, you know. So I know what was going on already. Didn't have to tell me. So after that, after about four meeting, four meeting and the girls over here, sitting down, they were kind of looking at me, but I know something's wrong. Finally they say, "Okay, we're gonna make a film about all these things going on." That's what he's telling me. "So we're gonna let you know." Telling me, "We're not gonna take a job away from you to make this film," he's telling me. "Oh, I know that." So I found out there's something wrong. To make a film, you got to work how many days of work? They got to take me out, I thought something's wrong there, I figure. So they say, "We'll let you know." I never got a phone call after that.

TI: So how did you --

CH: I almost tell 'em, "You guys are FBI." Sure feel like telling 'em.

TI: So, yeah, how did you find out, or how did you know that they were FBI?

CH: They gotta be FBI. Who would have come here asking you all kinds of questions? Nobody gonna ask me. I figure it's gotta be FBI or cop. They want to know more thing about, they want to investigate me, see. See, that's the reason, investigation. That's why they make up the story. And meanwhile, that story came out in the movie, Karate Kid. Same thing. Same plot. Yeah. What's that guy's name? I forgot his name. I met that guy.

TI: Pat Morita?

CH: Yeah, Pat, and I met the other guy. What's the other guy, Japanese? He died recently.

TI: Mako?

CH: Mako, Mako, yeah. I told Mako, "If I was in TV, you'd be out of a job," I told Mako before he died. [Laughs]

<End Segment 37> - Copyright © 2010 Densho. All Rights Reserved.