Be Somebody... or Be Somebody's Fool!
Encyclopedia
Be Somebody... or Be Somebody's Fool! is a 1984 motivational video hosted by Mr. T
(from The A-Team
) and distributed by MCA Home Video. The production drew strongly on new wave
and R&B culture of the mid-1980s to appeal to children to respect elders, avoid peer pressure
, and build self-confidence
. It featured a showcase of emerging talent, including Ice-T
, Martika
, Tammy Townsend
, Shanice
, and New Edition
with Bobby Brown
. The video has led to a proliferation of video clips that are circulated on the Internet
.
The project was produced by Topper Carew, a sitcom writer who had worked alongside Mr. T as a producer and writer on the feature film D.C. Cab
. Mr. T returned to motivational roles for the 2006 television series I Pity the Fool
.
A companion book by St. Martin's Press
and a soundtrack album by MCA Records
were also released in conjunction with the video.
Mr. T
Mr. T is an American actor known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team, as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III, and for his appearances as a professional wrestler. Mr. T is known for his trademark African Mandinka warrior hairstyle, his gold jewelry,...
(from The A-Team
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
) and distributed by MCA Home Video. The production drew strongly on new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
and R&B culture of the mid-1980s to appeal to children to respect elders, avoid peer pressure
Peer pressure
Peer pressure refers to the influence exerted by a peer group in encouraging a person to change his or her attitudes, values, or behavior in order to conform to group norms. Social groups affected include membership groups, when the individual is "formally" a member , or a social clique...
, and build self-confidence
Self-confidence
The socio-psychological concept of self-confidence relates to self-assuredness in one's personal judgment, ability, power, etc., sometimes manifested excessively.Being confident in yourself is infectious if you present yourself well, others will want to follow in your foot steps towards...
. It featured a showcase of emerging talent, including Ice-T
ICE-T
* Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains...
, Martika
Martika
Martika is an American pop singer-songwriter and actress. As a singer she released two internationally successful albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s, selling over four million copies worldwide.-Early life and career:Martika entered mainstream show business in an uncredited role as one of the...
, Tammy Townsend
Tammy Townsend
Tammy Townsend is an American television actress and singer.Townsend was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Anorene, an African American interior designer, and Thomas Townsend, an English judge with Yugoslavian ancestry. Tammy is a graduate of the Los Angeles County High School for...
, Shanice
Shanice
Shanice Lorraine Wilson-Knox , better known as Shanice, is a Grammy-nominated American R&B/soul singer-songwriter. She scored two Top 5 Billboard hit single's "I Love Your Smile" in 1991, and "Saving Forever for You" in 1993. In 1999, Shanice scored another top hit song, "When I Close My Eyes"...
, and New Edition
New Edition
New Edition is an R&B group formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync...
with Bobby Brown
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford "Bobby" Brown is an American R&B singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, and dancer. After success in pop group New Edition, Brown began his solo career in 1987 and had a string of Top 10 Billboard hits, culminating in a Grammy Award. He was a pioneer of New Jack Swing music, a...
. The video has led to a proliferation of video clips that are circulated on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
The project was produced by Topper Carew, a sitcom writer who had worked alongside Mr. T as a producer and writer on the feature film D.C. Cab
D.C. Cab
D.C. Cab is a 1983 comedy film, starring Mr. T, Max Gail, Adam Baldwin, Gary Busey and a special appearance by singer Irene Cara. The film was co-written and directed by Joel Schumacher. The R-rated comedy was controversial upon release due to Mr...
. Mr. T returned to motivational roles for the 2006 television series I Pity the Fool
I Pity the Fool (TV series)
I Pity the Fool is an American reality television series on TV Land starring Mr. T. The series features Mr. T traveling from town to town giving advice, solving problems and teaching individuals some basic rules, but mainly the advice is about team spirit. The name of the show comes from Mr. T's...
.
A companion book by St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press , St...
and a soundtrack album by MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
were also released in conjunction with the video.
Synopsis
Be Somebody touched upon about a dozen key points:- Shyness - A young actor asserts herself by using her temper.
- Roots - Mr. T says "Ya can't know where you're going if ya don't know where you're from" and explains the symbolism of his gold chains.
- Anger - Mr. T tells kids to use their anger, not lose it, but fails to fully employ this when a fly continues to bother him.
- Frustration - Throughout the video, Mr. T tries to play the celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, eventually succeeding. - Styling - Mr. T encourages youngsters to dress up and express themselves.
- Peer pressure - A group of kids on a dock take beerBeerBeer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
and cigarettes from the garbage, while nearby, Mr. T shakes his head and New Edition sings a song disdaining peer pressure. - Recouping - When a kid trips on the sidewalk, "Dr. T" shows how one can preserve their dignity after an "absoludicrous" mistake by playing it off as a break dance move.
- Creating - A group of teenagers breakdance and encourage Mr. T to try some moves.
- Treat Your Mother Right - Mr. T sings Treat Your Mother Right, a segment that was widely circulated on the Internet in 2005 and 2006.
- Workout - Mr. T encourages lazy kids at a bus stop to use a boom box as a free weightFree weightFree weight can refer to:* Molecular mass* a type of Weight training#Equipment used in exercise, including among others barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells....
and balance a bag of popcornPopcornPopcorn, or popping corn, is corn which expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, like sorghum, quinoa and millet, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy interior. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive...
on their heads. - I Am Somebody/Rapping - Mr. T sings "I Am Somebody", as well as offering a few guidelines of rap.
- Friendship - Mr. T gives his definition of "friendship", while a girl sings a song about it.
- Mr. T's Tale - Mr. T tells his version of Romeo and JulietRomeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
and gives a pro-reading message. - Daydreaming - Mr. T explains how having dreams and goals contributes to success.
External links
- Be Somebody... or Be Somebody's Fool! detailed recap at Agony Booth
- Be Somebody... or Be Somebody's Fool! detailed recap at Seanbaby.comSeanbabySean Patrick Reiley , better known as Seanbaby, is an American writer best known for his comedy website and frequent contributions to video game media outlets Electronic Gaming Monthly and 1UP.com. He is also a regular contributor to the humor website Cracked.com...
- Film in its entirety (hosted by Google Video)