Fellow angry and most definitely furious gnome Gary Coleman is in a Los Angeles hospital today, after complaining that he wasn't feeling well. News reports are saying that he suffered a mild seizure, very scary stuff here for Gary.
The news report said he is 41 years old. I thought he was younger than that, but one of the advantages of being of smaller stature is that you look younger, and Gary is a little over 3 feet tall, making him look 12-24 years old depending on how much you've had to drink.
Probably one of the most under appreciated actors of his era, Gary has had his ups and downs throughout his life. He exploded onto the Hollywood A-List actor scene with his breakout role as Arnold Jackson on TV's hottest show Different Strokes.
The show was not without controversy, as several prominent child rights activists of the time criticized the show for not using a child actor for the role of Arnold, arguing that Gary Coleman was 32 years old playing the role of a 5 year old. A lawsuit resulted, seeking an injunction to stop taping new episodes, but a judge ruled in favor of the show, stating that "Mr Coleman, in light of his lack of employment options in the very competitive entertainment industry, should use his gift to make an honest living, because let's face it, he's kinda creepy, and wouldn't exactly be able to play someone his own age, unless the character lived next to a nuclear reactor that had a meltdown or something crazy like that."
The show went on and had a 10 year run, achieving incredible success internationally. The country of Bulgaria for example knighted Gary in 1986. This would be the high water mark for the decade of the 80's. Following the cancellation of the show in 1989, Gary went into a tailspin in his pursuits to stay in the lime light. Seeking the spotlight once more, Gary and his agent wanted to reinvent the whole Gary Coleman image.
In the early 90's, America's renewed obsession with cowboys and the South West lifestyle caught the interest of Gary and his agent. It has been rumored in some circles that Gary was narrowly beat out by Chuck Norris for the lead role in Walker, Texas Ranger. Gary had bet heavily that he would get this role, investing all his available assets in Cowboy hats and rancher style belt buckles.
Things were not looking good. Many thought it was over for Gary Coleman, but Gary never gave up. Facing circumstances that would discourage most, Gary, like most small people, overcame great adversity to achieve a renaissance of sorts. So began the Golden era of Gary's life, leading many to claim that Gary was back!
Gary got the comeback party started by buying himself a matching denim jacket and jean ensemble and one of the hottest cars on the market, the Saturn Sky high performance roadster. A lucrative commercial deal with Cash Call funded all of this, and put Gary back on primetime TV, even if it was only for 30 seconds at a time after 10 pm on some channels. With the right outfit, suggesting a tough yet sensitive side, and the drop top car, Gary was officially a chick magnet capable of pulling massive amounts of game like never before.Many guys wanted to be him, and many guys girlfriends wanted to be with him.
Gary became somewhat of a sex symbol of the late 90's, with the ability to attract women with large breasts with ease that prompted many to proclaim him the Robert Redford of the X generation.
Things seemed to be going great for Gary once again. He didn't have a hit TV show, but his Cash Call commercials were putting money back in his pockets and he was getting an incredible amount of ass. But something wasn't right.
Gary felt unfulfilled. He had one of the hottest commercials out, a Saturn Sky drop top roadster, girls lining up out the door, but he didn't have that warm fuzzy feeling deep down on the inside that many call love.
What Gary wanted most was love. And love wanted Gary.
Gary found the girl of his dreams bowling one night in Memphis. His closest friends describe it as love at first sight, and despite Gary's incredible fame, he was able to find someone who appreciated him for him and not for his fame and money.
Marriage life has been challenging though, with Gary having to face many tough decisions. He eventually had to sell the Saturn Sky Roadster, and get something a little less flashy.
I'm hoping it all works out for Gary and that he can get himself out of the hospital and back into America's heart. And get him back his Saturn Sky too while we are at it. God bless you Gary. You are an inspiration to all people, tall and small.