Mr. T Sheds Light on His Poignant Reason to Wear Old Shoes

Resurfaced Interview With Mr. T Sheds Light on His Poignant Reason for Wearing Old Shoes

By Regina Sienra on April 5, 2024

Photo: PopularImages/Depositphotos

Mr. T has been a legend of the screen and the ring for over four decades. Best known for his tough persona, he also developed his own style with gold chains and ritzy outfits. Despite all the glamour, Mr. T never let go of a pair of old and rundown training shoes, which he even wore to TV interviews. Now, an interview explaining his reason for this has resurfaced, warming the hearts of fans old and new.

In a 1983 video that has recently gone viral, Mr. T is seen doing his gold chains as he’s asked by news reporter Bobbie Wygant about his appearance. “You know, I’m looking at you with gold and maybe $10 million worth of diamonds and then I’m looking at your shoes and you know, they’re a disaster,” the TV host says. “What's with these shoes, all taped up, looking tacky?”

Despite the harshness with which he is questioned, Mr. T takes his time to explain the meaning. He begins by saying that, while they may look tacky to some, there's a deeper meaning behind them. “These shoes keep me humble,” he replies. “And if you recall the last time that we met, I had these shoes, they were in better shape, you know? But these shoes were handed down through my family. My father wore them, my brothers wore them and things like that. So they keep me humble and let me remember that I have a brother and sisters back in Chicago, I got a mother and father that I must take care of.”

The actor explained further how these shoes kept him grounded. “So I see out in Hollywood and especially all the money that I'm making now, it's so easy for me to get caught up in all these material stuff and forget where I come from. So wherever I be, whether I'm with a governor or a mayor or reception, or whatever, I look down at my shoes and let me know you can't get too carried away here.”

This is not the only time his values have shone through his way of dressing. In 2005, after witnessing the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, he stopped wearing virtually all his gold. “As a Christian, when I saw other people lose their lives and lose their land and property…I felt that it would be a sin before God for me to continue wearing my gold,” he said. “I felt it would be insensitive and disrespectful to the people who lost everything, so I stopped wearing my gold.”

To stay up to date with Mr. T's latest endeavors, you can follow him on Instagram.