1983 Person of the Year: Laurence Turaud

Season 1. Episode 4: 1983 Person of the Year: Laurence Turaud. No one had a more dominant 1983 than 31-year-old Lawrence Tureaud.  Coming off of his signature performance in Rocky III, Mr. T took the world by storm: a hit television show (“A Team”); a major motion picture directed by a young Joel Schumacher (“D.C. Cab”); and a featured role in the most important party of the year. Mr. T's image could be found everywhere, including on Chia Pets and air fresheners. There is no doubt that he crushed 1983. The question that persists is: was he robbed of Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year” honors? Did Ronnie Reagan really deserve it? Did he have a better year than T? If not, who did? And is it possible that the Nancy Reagan lap dance at the White House Christmas party was acknowledgment of it all?

In this episode we open with that famous White House photo of Mr. T and The First Lady. Then we trace T's origin story, from Rocky III to the A-Team. We try to understand how he made it to the top, what his secret sauce was and whether it was the man or the moment that created his astonishing ascent. Or whether it was Sly Stallone. Once at the peak of the mountain, we try to figure out what the last thirty seven years have been like for T and what they could have been like. 

Then, finally, we recast the ballots for 1983s "Person of the Year" award and consider Mr. T in the context of Reagan, Michael Jackson, Eddie Murray/Cal Ripken Jr., Dr. J, Harrison Ford and others.