Chuck Norris Trained Barney the Dinosaur – No, Really
Before the memes and martial arts legend status, Chuck Norris was quietly shaping careers—including Barney the Dinosaur.
Jarrod Saunders is an entertainment journalist, filmmaker, and the founder of Fortress of Solitude. He began his career as a film and gaming critic for Vision Magazine in 2007 and has spent nearly two decades building one of pop culture's most distinctive independent media voices.
As an award-winning creative director, Jarrod has worked across film, graphic design, sound engineering, advertising, and web production. He founded Fortress Entertainment — a media network that includes Fortress of Solitude, Sneaker Fortress, 23 Jumpman Street, and Lifestyle Fortress — and serves as Editor in Chief across all properties. His work has been published by some of the largest entertainment platforms in the world, including The Direct (10M+ monthly readers), Nicki Swift (18M+ monthly readers), and Thought Catalog. He is a verified journalist on Muck Rack.
As a filmmaker, Jarrod holds IMDb credits as writer and director on Three Little Pigs, Sleeping Beauty, and The Living Dead: How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse. He also directed and edited The Lifesaver, a feature film that aired on Showmax, and Home, recognised as the first deaf film of its kind produced in South Africa. Throughout his career he has conducted on-the-record interviews with actors, directors, and game developers for Fortress of Solitude and The Direct. He also contributes to MyFaith Magazine.
Jarrod watches over 500 films a year. Outside of work, he collects sneakers — over 100 pairs and counting — and serves as an ordained deacon at his local church.
Expertise: Entertainment journalism · Film criticism · Video game reviews · Filmmaking · Sound engineering
Writing since: 2007
Also published at: The Direct · Nicki Swift · Showmax · Thought Catalog · MyFaith Magazine
IMDb: imdb.com/name/nm5875579
Muck Rack: muckrack.com/jarrod-saunders-4
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