What Is... The Reason Mr T Is/was Famous... How did he get his start?

[.:Piper_2051:. 0]

well as it turns out Mr T, was a bouncer way back when, and he entered into a wee lil contest called, "The World's Toughest Bouncer Contest" in 1980. Of course 1980 was a more simple time, where mankind had Mandela locked away for wanting freedom as a black man, and Homosexual's were contagious vessels of AIDS etc etc etc and so on down thru the line of ignorance and stupidity that was the 80's.

The contest consisted of many events included, yes, no joke, dwarf tossing... indeed it is what you think it is... the man powered propulsion of a vertically challenged individual for sport... of course saftey percautions were taken, helmets and padding... I thought this was interesting and would share this with everyone...

this is an email written to twistededge.org about the topic of dwarf tossing/midget throwing... BEST EMAIL EVER!

Subject: Dwarf Tossing

From:
"Gary Wickert"
Date:

Sat, December 1, 2007 7:04 am
To:

feedback@twistededge.org

"Interesting article. You might be interested to know that my name is Gary Wickert. I took 2nd place behind Mr. T in NBC's "America's Toughest Bouncer" competition filmed at the BBC in Chicago and aired in 1980. I am 6' 7" and 290 lbs, and amazingly, a lawyer today. But to the point, I actually won the midget toss in the competition in 1980, with a throw of 12 feet. The rules, as explained to us by NBC executives and Bryant Gumble, the host, was that if we fell off the throwing platform we would be penalized one foot. Well, I hoisted the little fellow over my head and fell out over the throwing pit intentionally, gladly accepting the 1 foot penalty in exchange for the extra three feet my height allowed me to throw the midget. I guess it's no wonder I became a lawyer, as I was trying to split hairs with the rules even at age 22. That even was called The Toss. I also won The Blast, which was a race through an obstacle course that included several of the Chicago Bulls cheerleaders, and concluding with busting through a solid locked door and ringing a bell behind it.

It was a lot of fun.

- Gary Wickert."

so there... now you know....

oops... I forgot to mention... it was the 1982 Bouncer comp that MR T was discovered by Sly Stallone...

[inverse_bloom 0]

I vaguely remember Mr T on the tele when i was very young. Although i cant remember what i saw him on (besides rocky), he definitely had made an impression. He's probably the celebrity i remember best from the 80's. That and the show "Knight Rider" I thought that show was sooo cool! Kit, cook me my dinner.... and after pick up the missus.Huh, after a quick search on the net they have been producing a new Knight Rider series, but it contains a mustang? not a modern pontiac trans am...

Edited November 4, 2009 by inverse_bloom (see edit history)

[.:Piper_2051:. 0]

I vaguely remember Mr T on the tele when i was very young. Although i cant remember what i saw him on (besides rocky), he definitely had made an impression.

Mr T starred as "The A Team"'s Sgt. "B.A." Barracus. Subsequentlly one of 2 or 3 members still alive...

Huh, after a quick search on the net they have been producing a new Knight Rider series, but it contains a mustang? not a modern pontiac trans am...

Yeah they started that a while ago... The Idea is to ressurect Hasselhoff as Knight Rider, but in a mentor role to his son, the new Knight Rider... yada yada yada, same old story as the original but with a new angle and lead characters.

Ford ponied up some dough to have KITT as a Mustang, then there was a whole ordeal of who would voice KITT, the original guy they chose is the voice spokesman for Chevy or GMC and had to back down due to KITTs flaw (being a Ford).

should be fun to see how both of those flashbacks turn out...

[inverse_bloom 0]

I strongly doubt we'll get the series on T.V here in Australia. I'll have to search it out and get a series. Yeah i reckon they'll keep the original voice for the original Kitt, but your right it would be amusing if they actually go the other way.

[sheepdog 10]

Ahhh.....the A team, without a doubt the most predictable show on television! I don't think even once they varied the story line, find somebody that was in trouble and needed their help, try to help, get caught, find some miraculous manner in which to escape and/or fight the bad guys, (I remember a particular episode where they built a machine that fired cabbages like cannon balls, kind of like a McGiver thing) and always beat the bad guys. One thing in common it had with other good shows was the strong cast of charectors, and their interaction with each other, like the so well remembered bantering between Spock and Dr. McCoy on Star Trek, Mr T and the gang were excellent actors and complimented each other quite well. Hey, just one question though, do they still have dwarf tossing contests? I would think in this world of politically correct insanity, it probably is a thing of the past.

[inverse_bloom 0]

Actually i forgot about MacGyver, that was a really great show too. It was the inclusion of actor Richard Dean Anderson that made it what it was. Stargate SG1 has him in it and is very good also (but thats off topic).

[anwiii 17]

that is TOOOOOO funny! midget tossing#1!!! i would pay to see that. that's one step above cat juggling.they should make that part of the tough man competition.mr t's last words when losing the midget tossing competition.... "i pitty the fool who cheats to beat me in tossing a midget!"that is too funny...i needed a good laugh. now that sick image will be haunting me forever...

[.:Piper_2051:. 0]

AS [er KITT's original voice I dont know who that was... But the guy they wanted for the new show couldnt do it as KITT is a ford and he is the spokesperson for GMC or Chevy lol NO... Dwarf/Midget tossing is illegal in almost all the world... but yes it would be interesting to see...