Memories of Arnold and Diff’rent Strokes

“What you talkin’ to, Willis?”

Those were the words I always rememberd when I was still young and watching Diff’rent Strokes on TV. I can say that it was in fact Gary Coleman, a.k.a Arnold, who was my first great influence on one-liners and smart-alecky quips.

Because I can still remember that, aside from the cartoons and Sesame Street, Diff’rent Strokes was the first English show that I watched when I was a young boy.

Who can forget that smile, those chubby cheeks and his perfect timing in delivering his punch lines.

I learned a lot from the show
Just by watching the show, I learned how to drop those bombs when no one was expecting them.

But the show is not all about fun, pranks and a little boy’s mischievous ways. It also taught a lot of values, and they were brought out in a very subtle, yet effective way.

To be honest, I didn’t find it odd that two black boys were living with a white family then, I thought it was normal.

Only in an episode where Arnold’s brother Willis was discriminated for being black by the brother of a white American girl he was courting, did I come to know about the existence of apartheid. And I appreciated the show even more because of its efforts to promote equality.

He was not a young boy
I had an argument with some of my high school friends later when they told me that Gary Coleman was not really as young as the Arnold character he was portraying on TV. I didn’t believe them. I didn’t know of Gary’s condition. Of course, later I found out that what my classmates were saying the truth.

Post-Arnold TV has seen me watching Who’s The Boss?, Charles In Charge, Perfect Stranger, Alf and the like. But I don’t recall finding anyone who could charm me like that little Arnold did. The closest I can relate to him was Bart Simpson, but then of course, they have different strokes.

Rest in peace, Arnold
I’m sure you all know the news, he died May 28, 2010. Aside from flashes of memories from my favorite TV sitcom, the news came to me as ‘just another celebrity death.’

But as I read the news, which mostly narrate his life story as well, questions kept popping out: Why wasn’t he given a lead movie after Different Stroke? Why didn’t his career continued? Why did his star fade?

Sure, he had issues. But then, there were worse stars, and yet they were given enough breaks. Why not Gary Coleman?

He could have been a great adult comedian. He could have given our present BIG stars a run for their money. And he might have done it effortlessly even!

But things happened as they happened. We can only ask questions, look back so much, and then move on.

I will always remember that little Arnold.

Rest in peace, Gary… rest in peace, Arnold.

Tags: Arnold, best comedy, Diff'rent Strokes, Gary Coleman, TV show, TV sitcom