The Terminator star shouted these words to the crowd during an exhibition with fellow bodybuilder Reg Parks in Belfast, in 1967, when he was 19 years old. The movie legend claimed that he had previously struggled with shyness, until that breakthrough in front of the Belfast crowd.
Schwarzeneggar made these claims in a recent e-mail sent to fans, where he revealed that Reg Park “asked me to speak after a bodybuilding posing exhibition in Ireland".
“I had never, ever spoken to a crowd, and my English was non-existent", Schwarzeneggar continued. “I think Reg must have realised that in a crowd of bodybuilding fans, I was pretty safe since I was the new kid on the block".
The former Governor of California also added that he had been invited by Park "say a few words".
“I froze. I was terrified. But I leaned into the microphone. ‘I no speak English.’ Here’s the thing: they clapped a little", Schwarzeneggar added. “Reg said, ‘Why don’t you tell them you love Ireland?’".
“‘I love Ireland.’ Louder cheers, maybe I could pull this off".
“‘Tell them if you’ll come back".
“‘I want to come back.’ Even more cheers. I wasn’t schvitzing (sweating) as much now".
“‘Thanks Arnold, tell the crowd you love them".
“‘I love all of you.’ Big cheers".
Along with being asked to speak at another event in Belfast that same year , Arnold Schwarzennegar went on to be crowned Mr Universe three years running, along with subsequently becoming a movie star, and entering politics.
