What Ever Happened to Ralph Macchio?

And, now for something completely different ... I’ve got Ralph Macchio on my mind. Why? Because I’m odd, that’s why. But, anyway, remember him? The Karate Kid? Well, just in case you’ve been losing sleep over this man’s whereabouts, here’s the scoop ... Where should I start? I guess the beginning is as good a place as any. Ah, Ralphie. In his breakout role in the movie The Outsiders, you may remember him as the dying burned guy who listens to his friend, Ponyboy, recite the Robert Frost poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay”. Even with his boyish good looks, it’s hard for Macchio to stand out in a film chockfull of Eye Candy such as Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, and Tom Cruise. Nevertheless, Ralph Macchio’s performance doesn’t go unnoticed. After The Outsiders, he lands the lead role in the film “The Karate Kid”. It’s likely that you remember Ralph Macchio’s one-legged-both-arms-raised karate pose more than the dozens of movies in which he appears after the Karate Kid’s release. So, I guess he hasn’t really been up to much recently — with the notable exception of presenting at the Asian Excellence Awards special tribute to the late Pat Morita (Mr. Miyagi) earlier this year. So, that’s the scoop on Ralph Macchio. I’ll now place him safely back in the “80s Hotties Vault” where he belongs — with other people like: Joaquin (Leaf) Phoenix’s brother River; the boys of Menudo; Downtown Julie Brown; and the guy who regularly stood in close proximity to Don Johnson’s naked ankles while shooting Miami Vice, Phillip Michael Thomas. Hmmm ... I wonder who’s in your 80s (or 90s) Hotties Vault?