Friday actor john witherspoon movie#

The sheer sight of him, even in music videos for Jay-Z and Goodie Mob, let you know that you were going to get some laughs, some jive talk and some foolishness. And there are episodes of television in which he’d cameo, and the only way to describe that episode going forward was “The John Witherspoon episode.”

Friday actor john witherspoon movie#

But his presence in any project ensured a moment so memorable and singular, it routinely became “That movie with John Witherspoon.” There are films that feature him in a small role that, in my mind, he was a star of - because his parts were the only ones I remembered.

So, was every movie and television show a classic? Absolutely not. For starters, acting meant money, and John Witherspoon loved getting that paper. Taking a trip through his filmography, there are some truths about his career, ones he’s acknowledged. Yes, there was the mischief and sure, he was often a curmudgeon, but there were often love and life lessons behind those tough exteriors. But there was also the matching element of humanity he was able to tap into, that made his characters extremely relatable. So many of his characters had that rough-around-the-edges quality to them, much of which seemed to be straight out of the DNA of Mr. It’s crude, it’s crass and it’ll always be funny as hell. Witherspoon eating, and could easily pick the sound out of a lineup, is both an achievement in acting and a testament to his ability to commit. Witherspoon did so many incredible things in his career, from “The Boondocks' to “The Wayans Bros.” to “The Meteor Man.” But the fact that I know the sound of Mr. There are a lot of actors who are known for specific things. This was a man that wanted to make you laugh and was going to do whatever it took until that smile crept on our, at times reluctant, faces.Īnd it’s not just ”Friday.” From sitting at the dinner table and causing drama in “Boomerang” to flying in a two-seater airplane alongside Will Smith with a box of chicken wings and a bottle of hot sauce in “The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air,” it was always a sight to be seen. He was over-the-top and he’d cross that line of respectability, but somehow was still a character and not a caricature. I instantly fell in love with him, because I’d never seen an actor take it there quite like him.

It was when “Friday” came out and I was seeing it at an entirely too young age. You can feel this reaction when they are alive, but it becomes exceedingly true when we lose them, a person that’s been a consistently familiar face, for some of us, our entire lives.Īs a young boy, the first time I was aware of John Witherspoon, I thought he was Ron Isley. There is a segment of black art in this country, primarily filled with singers, comics, directors and actors, who are considered legends within our homes and are simply known and liked by the rest of society. John Witherspoon was very good at his job for over 40 years. At first listen, touring almost 90 percent of the year seems like too much for a man in his mid-70s, a man whose fame spans decades and touches multiple generations, and a man with catchphrases that have cemented themselves firmly within black comedic lore.īut when you think about who “Pops” is, and what his legacy will be, you realize John Witherspoon, who died Tuesday at the age of 77, was a working actor in the most triumphant connotation of the title. This was John Witherspoon, speaking on Netflix’s podcast “ Strong Black Legends,” in an episode released in April. “Last year, I worked 46 weeks of the year doing stand up.