“THE first rule of Fight Club: Never talk about Fight Club …”
That was the memorable line uttered by actor Brad Pitt in the 1990s cult film Fight Club. However, the same cannot be said about Malaysia’s very own Fight Club – “Gentlemen One-by-One”.
It seems everybody is talking about the video of a brawl inside the premises of a sundry shop in Seberang Jaya, Penang.
For Malaysians just emerging from under a coconut shell, a clip showing fisticuffs between a Chinese shopkeeper and an obviously inebriated Indian patron has gone viral and led to a number of consequences.
One creative netizen has made a movie trailer from video clips of the supposedly sundry shop brawl.
While another turned it into a three-round winner-takes-all bout clip.
One by One FC gentleman fight. pic.twitter.com/R3eWsaRVVA
— Ernest Ng Bro (@ernestngBRO) June 7, 2024
Firstly, the Chinese shopkeeper has been elevated to a status of a local Ip Man with his slick martial arts move which felled his drunken opponent.
It has since been revealed that the 40-something year-old shop keeper is a tae kwan do instructor, hence his apparent expertise in dealing with the belligerent customer.
Secondly, the unfortunate patron – aside from being on the receiving end of a pummelling – has also been widely ridiculed on social media.
One, for his ultra-macho posturing and for picking a fight with the wrong guy. Social media has been awash with memes and parodies of the ‘drunken master’ who was left face down on the kerb from the beating.
Netizens have been quick to condemn the “drunken menace” that seems prevalent among Indian men. The 30-something-year old “drunken master” was also attacked online for his “cowardly” move in ambushing the Chinese shopkeeper from behind with a helmet.
Dah masok class karate🤔 pic.twitter.com/zTE2ankJfU
— #UpdateInfo🇲🇾🌍 (@update11111) June 10, 2024
“Drunken Master” has since released a “statement” explaining that there had been previous bad blood between the two.
He said his reaction was because of the shop keeper’s rudeness towards him and claimed that it was the grocer who initiated the fight. Quite unbelievably, he still sought to save face by claiming to be a karate exponent himself and would have handled the situation better if he was not sloshed.
He further urged netizens to stop making assumptions and posting untruths online.
The police have confirmed that both “stars” of Gentlemen-One-by-One have been remanded for further investigations for offences under Section 323 and Section 324 of the Penal Code as well as Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955.
Perhaps they both can attempt to explain to the cops/magistrate that it was just a big misunderstanding and that the whole scenario has been blown out of proportion by social media.
They could refer to the side-splitting video by local comic Douglas Lim who attempted to make sense of the misunderstanding that led to the violent confrontation.
Or they could both back each other up and explain that they were engaged in a group hug and not actual fisticuffs as hilariously suggested by Raisin Entertainment in their parody video.
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This Gentlemen One-by-One a.k.a. Rumble in the Runcit (sundry shop) clip seems to have also made a star of the cat that was coolly watching proceedings from the shop counter.
The feline observer seems to be the only winner in this entire episode as curious citizens head towards the sundry shop armed with snacks and goodies in the hope of pet and cuddle with it. – June 10, 2024
