Nothing
tugs at the heartstrings quite as unexpectedly as when a stoic tough guy
reveals his tender side, and there is no tougher guy than Mr. T. On last
Monday night’s episode of Dancing With
the Stars, a show normally notable for its sexy and flamboyant (if
sometimes awkward) dance routines, the A-Team star moved everyone with a quiet, unassuming performance of
praise and gratitude for the faith that got him through his bout with cancer.
In the episode called
“Most Memorable Year Week,” the celebrity participants chose the most important
year in their lives and danced to a song that represents that year for them.
The 64-year-old Mr. T (“My first name is ‘Mr,’ my middle name is ‘period,’ last
name is ‘T.’”) chose 1995, the year he was diagnosed with a
rare form of cancer.
Then came the
cancer diagnosis. “Back in the day, I had money, cars,” he said in
the introductory video to the DWTS
performance. “I had achieved what I wanted to achieve and then everything
really stopped.”
He suddenly found
himself helpless in the face of an antagonist he didn’t know how to fight. “I
called on God,” Mr. T says in the video. “I said, ‘God, give me strength to do
your will.’ That’s when it really hit me: What’s really real? My faith in God.
That was real, because only God could save me.” It worked, because twenty
years later he stands as a humble testament to his faith, courage, and
perseverance.
For the DWTS performance, Mr. T and his
professional dance partner Kym Herjavec decided to waltz to a live
accompaniment of “Amazing Grace.” It was clear that his intention wasn’t to wow
the judges with dazzling footwork but to express his gratitude from the heart.
Preparing the dance was a process at least as emotional as it was physical. Behind-the-scenes
video from the show revealed that both Mr. T and Herjavec were occasionally overwhelmed
with tears in rehearsals.
Although the
performance may not have been technically superior, the judges and audience nevertheless
were moved by its elegance, sincerity, and emotional power. A tearful Carrie
Ann Inaba had to compose herself before rating the dance, and her voice broke
as she told Mr. T, “Some people might be winning the race with fancy moves and
high scores, but you are definitely winning our hearts. Your faith radiated out
of you in that dance and provided us all with, like, another level of faith. It
was gallant, it was genteel, and it was full of grace.”
“Thank you,” he
responded humbly.
Judge Julianne
Hough said, “I’m choked up too, because God is good.” Even the normally
bombastic judge Bruno Tonioli seemed genuinely touched and told Mr. T, “You
really are a good man, a man with a heart of gold. Your faith is inspiring all
of us, not just in this studio — millions of people are watching this and are
moved by what you did, and this dance reflected who you are.”
The inspirational
performance didn’t earn a high enough score, however, to enable Mr. T to make
the cut, but he was given a rare standing ovation upon exiting the show. The
next morning he
confessed to Good Morning America
host Michael Strahan that “I can't dance, but I was dancing to give my share of
the purse to St. Jude and Shriners Hospitals,” a revelation which rightfully
earned applause from the audience.
Many of the fading
celebrities who appear on Dancing With
the Stars likely do it for the money and another stint in the spotlight,
but there’s no doubting Mr. T’s sincere desire to share publicly his
inspirational victory over cancer, to express to God and man his gratitude for
it, and to donate generously to help cancer-stricken children with their own
struggle. There is no more worthy use of one’s celebrity.
Commenting on their
experience together, Kim Herjavec, appearing with her dance partner on GMA, said, “He says T stands for tough
and tender – he’s like a teddy bear.” Mr. T admitted, “I'm nothing but a big,
tough, butt-kicking, God-loving, overgrown momma's boy. That's what I am.” And
as Bruno Tonioli put it, a good man with a heart of gold.
From Acculturated, 4/17 /17
