This Day In Internet History – March 20, 2005: Chuck Norris Facts

Powerful, rugged, virile, invincible.
These adjectives donât even come close to describing the manliest beefcake to ever karate kick his way into our hearts, Mr. Carlos Ray âChuckâ Norris. Today, we celebrate Chuck Norris âfactsâ — a series of satirical and exaggerated claims designed to bust our guts and blow our minds about our favorite bearded action star.
Everyone knows at least one Chuck Norris fact, but did you know that the Chuck Norris Facts meme didnât even start with Chuck Norris? It started with, believe it or not, Vin Diesel. In 2005, Diesel was the action star of the moment. However, on the Internet forum SomethingAwful, commenters vigorously debated whether he was worthy of the praise. According to The Daily Dot, âthe forum members began attributing strange âfactsâ to Diesel, funny but impossible feats of strength, intelligence, and prowess.â
On March 20, 2005, a Vin Diesel random fact generator was created, but Diesel just wasnât a powerful enough figure in our cultureâs imagination to merit the honor. It was a disaster, and only one person could save the day: Chuck Motherflippin’ Norris. When Diesel was replaced with Mr. Delta Force himself, the meme went berserk. Thirteen years later, it is legendary.
Let’s celebrate with some of our favorite Chuck Norris facts!