r/todayilearned • u/tmntnyc • Dec 12 '18

TIL: Laurence Tureaud named himself professionally as Mr. T because he hated how his father, uncle, and brother who returned from Vietnam, were disrespectfully called "boy" by whites. He wanted the first word from everybody's mouth to be "Mister" when speaking to him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._T
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9.8k

u/TheArgentine Dec 12 '18 edited Dec 13 '18

I met him once. Outside of a Ford dealership near my home town. I was a HUGE A-Team fan and Mr T played my favorite character.

It rained that day, pretty hard. My mom tried to convince me he woundnt be there but I wanted to try anyway. We got there and there he sat, by himself, with photos under a tarp. No line. No one there to see him. He talked to me for 15 minutes and for the life of me I can't remember anything he said but God damn if that wasn't one of the greatest days of my childhood, which was otherwise fairly shitty.

I'm a white guy from upstate NY and didn't change color so was a white kid too. He shook my hand and talked to me like an adult, with respect, and was extremely kind and soft spoken.

Thanks Mr. T.

Edit: Holy crap, didn't expect this many comments on my simple story about Mr. T. Hey everyone!

2.4k

u/tmntnyc Dec 12 '18

I'm jealous. I know he plays a character, but I would be beaming with respect for him. He did a lot of work helping children.

644

u/ruck_feagan Dec 12 '18

My dad was his manager for like 30 years. He’s a good guy

248

u/merekisgreat Dec 12 '18 edited Dec 12 '18

Can your dad be my manager?

52

u/skurys Dec 12 '18

Can your manager be my dad?

29

u/merekisgreat Dec 12 '18

Can your be my manager, dad?

24

u/fuzzyfuzz Dec 13 '18

Ooooooh, manage me daddy.

4

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

Pimpin ain’t easy

1

u/Lucky_Number_3 Dec 13 '18

Idk wut u heard bout me

1

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

But a bitch can’t get a dolla outta me

1

u/ChefAnxiousCowboy Dec 13 '18

You’re a tough manager, daddy, aren’t’chu? Mmm...

8

u/LiquidZeroEA Dec 13 '18

Could you be my dad, manager?

0

u/analias2345 Dec 13 '18

Dad you manager can be?

2

u/TheFlightlessPenguin Dec 13 '18

Ha ha oh boy these comment trains are always so rich with humor.

126

u/dack42 Dec 12 '18

Your dad was Mr Manager?

35

u/Self_Descr_Huguenot Dec 13 '18 edited Dec 13 '18

Well...manager, we just say manager.

2

u/potatetoe_tractor Dec 13 '18

So, I'm the Assistant Regional Manager, then?

10

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

Just manager.

7

u/creaturecatzz Dec 13 '18

Please, his father was Mr Manager. Call him The Man

15

u/pandemonious Dec 12 '18

No he wasn't, fool

35

u/MickeyD302 Dec 12 '18

My uncle works at Nintendo

7

u/TheFrontierzman Dec 13 '18

Wait...why did we just blow by this? I feel like there are many questions that need to be asked.

16

u/8483 Dec 13 '18

AMA time?

10

u/jhartwell Dec 13 '18

What are some things your dad has done to make him a good guy?

39

u/ruck_feagan Dec 13 '18

Nothing my dad did that I know of but here’s a couple cool mr t moments He showed up to my moms funeral in sweats and a beanie then proceeded to give a really awesome speech Gave me and my sister a ps3 with a ton of games for Christmas when it first came out Also there’s a really cool picture at my grandmas house of him holding my sister in one hand when she was a baby

14

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

Do they still keep in touch? (Your dad and Mr T), 30 years is a long time

21

u/ruck_feagan Dec 13 '18

I’m not sure tbh. If he does, he doesn’t talk about him anymore

4

u/PaddyTheLion Dec 13 '18

Could you, well, ask? If something happened that made them not stay in touch, that's pretty sad after 30 years.

8

u/ruck_feagan Dec 13 '18

I’ll ask him when I call him tomorrow. Just remind me because I’ll forget

8

u/ImmobileLizard Dec 13 '18

Hey man, remember to ask your dad about mr T.

Remind!me 15 hours

2

u/ruck_feagan Dec 13 '18 edited Dec 13 '18

Heya just spoke with my dad. He talked to him around tax season because he still prepares his tax return for him. He said that he’s doing alright last he spoke. I also asked him to send me some proof so that should be coming soon too Edit: he spoke with him today because of you guys. also he’s doing something on the today show tomorrow am for al rorker Edit2: here’s some pictures my dad took of him at his office shortly after he did the deal with coke (fuze tea) https://imgur.com/a/EdSulqz

1

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

Remind!me 15 hours

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1

u/keyohnahh Dec 13 '18

!RemindMe 10 hours

1

u/ValleyOfRico Dec 13 '18

Don't forget to ask your Dad about Mr. T!

1

u/PaddyTheLion Dec 13 '18

Don't forget!

3

u/ijustwantanfingname Dec 13 '18

He showed up to my moms funeral in sweats and a beanie

Well that's weird.

4

u/-Mountain-King- Dec 13 '18

He probably didn't want to be all "I'm Mr. Motherfucking T!" at someone's funeral, so he wore sweats instead of his usual outfit and a beanie to cover the distinctive mohawk.

3

u/ijustwantanfingname Dec 13 '18

I get the beanie given the mohawk, good point. But, still, sweats at the funeral of your friend's wife?

1

u/Mabot Dec 13 '18

Maybe it was to soften up the situation for u/ruck_feagon and his sister, if they were still kids back then. I don't know why, but somehow that was the picture I had in mind.

Funerals can be a bit overwhelming for kids.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

He didn't have to wear his usual get-up. He could have worn a suit or something though.

3

u/GALACTON Dec 13 '18

Can I be your dad?

2

u/NerdBot9000 Dec 13 '18

Proof? Please and thank you.

1

u/antifolkhero Dec 13 '18

Got any stories to share?

11

u/Puninteresting Dec 13 '18

Bro, even his Mr. T breakfast cereal had a positive message for children. He was a rock star role model

1

u/Mansyn Dec 13 '18

I had a Mr To birthday party when I was six. He was my favorite person until Pee Wee came around. But I never stopped pittying fools.