Be Somebody... or Be Somebody's Fool!

Updated on Nov 03, 2023

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Initial release 1984 Executive producer Lin Oliver		Director Jeff Margolis

Screenplay Paul Lee Willson, Peter Elbling, Paul Raley Producers Jeff Margolis, Topper Carew, Henry Johnson Cast Fergie, Martika, Shanice, Tammy Townsend, Jerry Sharell Similar The Magic of the Golden B, DC Cab, Penitentiary II, The Toughest Man in th, Freaked

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, Fergie, Tammy Townsend, Bumper Robinson, 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.

Synopsis

Be Somebody touched upon about a dozen key points:

Shyness - A young actress 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 cello, eventually succeeding.

Styling - Mr. T encourages youngsters to dress up and express themselves.

Peer pressure - A group of kids on a pier take beer 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 weight and balance a bag of popcorn on their heads.

I Am Somebody/Rapping - Mr. T raps "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 Juliet and gives a pro-reading message.

Daydreaming - Mr. T explains how having dreams and goals contributes to success.

References

Be Somebody... or Be Somebody's Fool! Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA