Pat Morita Recalls Redd Foxx Paying It Forward With An Impressive Impersonation Of Him
Source: Nancy R. Schiff / Getty
Late actor and comedian Pat Morita talks about how his mentor Redd Foxx paid it forward in a viral clip recently shared online. Fans are lighting up the comments, because of his impressive and well executed Redd Foxx impression. Check it out inside.
The clip comes from a nearly three and half hour interview, where Pat Morita talks about his early years, including his childhood internment in a camp in California for Japanese Americans during World War II. Morita discusses how he turned to comedy performance at the age of 30, and quickly rose to his television debut on Hollywood Palace. He recounts how, after performing on stage and television, he landed a regular role as “Arnold Takahashi” on “Happy Days.” Morita talks about appearing on “Sanford and Son” and speaks fondly of his mentor, the late Foxx. He also recalls his work in the Karate Kid feature films, which he’s most known for as Mr. Miyagi.
Herman conducted the interview on October 13, 2000 in Las Vegas, NV.
In the viral clip shared by Shadow and Act, Morita recalls one moment where he swallowed his pride and asked Foxx for a loan. Foxx’s response was beautiful and an act of kindness that surely paid it forward.
“I’m 3500 dollars short,” Morita recalled telling Foxx. “I’ll work it off. I’ll pay you off any way I can.”
Morita hilariously reenacts Foxx with an impressive impersonation, patting himself and saying,
“I ain’t got no small change right now.”
Small change? Foxx was clearly in a great place during that time. One fan commented on the video, “Redd said $3500 was small change tho lol. For real, both of these men blessed so many with their talent and generosity.”
In the clip, Morita remembers him calling his secretary over and immediately writing the check.
“As he’s writing and before he signs his names,” Morita remembered. “He [Foxx] said, ‘look here, I don’t want no papers, no payback, no interests, no IOU.”
It was Redd’s belief in Pat that warmed our hearts.
“I know you’re gonna make it one day son,” Morita recalled as Foxx gave him the money he needed.
What a sweet moment! It was nice to see this exchange, but the fans in the comments are all of us.
One social media user commented, “This is why I love these kinds of interviews. You just don’t know who knows who and who was mentored, who and who were friends, etc. Man, loved both these men but why was Morita’s impersonation SPOT ON??”
Another fan said, “I was NOT ready?! I’m mean how could you be! ”
Check out the viral clip below:
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