NBC New York /

News

The Latest Celeb Trend: Table Tennis!

Updated 7:51 PM EDT, Sun, Nov 30, 2008

 

There’s a new hot sport in Hollywood, but you won’t find the Beckhams attached to it — table tennis.

Known casually as Ping-Pong, celebs ranging from Susan Sarandon to Ed Norton have admitted their allegiance to the game. It hasn’t been so in fashion since “Forrest Gump” in 1994.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Latest Star Sightings

“I started finding out that there was this subculture of Ping-Pong and all these people that you wouldn’t expect are serious about it,” Susan told the New York Times’ Style section. “I just worked with Ed Norton, and he’s so committed that he trained in China while he was shooting a film there.”

According to the Times, the sport has also attracted such stars as Matthew Broderick, 50 Cent, the Beastie Boys and Jimmy Buffet.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Love Connection: Celebs & Athletes

There’s even a new magazine, Celebrity Ping-Pong, whose second issue is set to include interviews with popular table tennis-playing authors such as Salman Rushdie and Jonathan Safran Foer.

Part of the appeal of the game, Susan said, is its quickness — a nice break from long days on the set.

“The matches aren’t that long, so they get very emotional very fast and then they’re over,” she explained. “You can come and go as you please and still feel satisfied.”

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Scenes From ‘The Incredible Hulk’

And the trend could be a case of “life imitating art” — Christopher Walken starred in the table tennis comedy, “Balls of Fury,” in 2007.

Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: ‘Pride And Glory’ Premiere, New York
PLAY IT NOW: ‘The Incredible Hulk’ Premiere (June 2008)

MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Celebrities - Athletes

Copyright Access Hollywood

Comments (3)

Sort by: Most Recent | Oldest
  • Stan Thursday, Dec 25 at 9:39 AM FLAG COMMENT There is a new game that is played in the South & West called Pickleball. It is a really fun game to play. It is played on a court smaller than a tennis court. It combines the game of tennis, ping pong & badminton. Played with a paddle and a whiffle type ball, it is fast paced and social. I am starting it in Philadelphia and have a group of 26 members. Check ' Pickleball Meet-Up Group' to see more. Sta ... MORE >
  • Nick Phoenix Monday, Dec 1 at 11:34 PM FLAG COMMENT I am interested in spearheading an attempt to start a table tennis club in Phoenixville, Pa (19460). Using the the USATT club handbook information from usatt.org, I am slowly putting all the pieces together. I have a form thread going on my PATT forum (http://forum.pottsgrovettc.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=96). Right now I am looking for two things. Would you be interested in joining a Phoenixville club? Would you be ... MORE >
  • Nick Phoenix Sunday, Nov 30 at 11:39 PM FLAG COMMENT We've got a table tennis club in Pottstown that's been meeting since 1995! Check it out at pottsgrovettc.com

Post a Comment

Name


Comment - You have 2000 characters left

Enter both words below, separated by a space, in the field located to the lower right. Can't read the words below? Try different words or an audio captcha. What's this?