Exclusive: Ron Jeremy: Gary Coleman Hated Saying "Whatchu Talkin' Bout" Line
Credit: John M. Heller/Getty Images; Jesse Grant/WireImage
Diff'rent strokes, indeed. The late former child actor Gary Coleman worked with prolific porn star Ron Jeremy four times: on the 1998 Kid Rock music video "Cowboy"; a 2002 Weakest Link episode; a 2004 episode of VH1's The Surreal Life; and in the 2009 film comedy Midgets vs. Mascots.
"I've known Gary for years," Jeremy tells UsMagazine.com of Coleman, who passed away at age 42 on Friday. "He was always very nice to me, but he was tough to get along with."
PHOTOS: Look back on Gary's life
Case in point? During Coleman's cameo on The Surreal Life, he butted heads with another faded star, Vanilla Ice. When the rapper teased him and asked Coleman to repeat his trademark Diff'rent Strokes catchphrase, he stormed off the set. "He was so pissed off," Jeremy recalls. "He was a sweet guy, but he hated being asked to repeat 'Whatchu talkin' 'bout Willis?'...He didn't want to live in the past."
To be fair, Vanilla Ice's ribbing didn't stop there, Jeremy explains to Us: "He's carrying Gary around and going 'Get in My Belly,' like they do in Austin Powers. Vanilla Ice is carrying him around and threatens to put him in the deep fryer. Gary's going 'I hate this guy. I hate this guy. Let go of me.'"
Coleman "didn't like people making jokes about him," Jeremy observes. "He had a very sensitive nature."
The 4'8" star was frank to the adult film actor -- and the public -- about his complete lack of sexual experience. When the duo appeared together on game show The Weakest Link, Coleman, then in his mid-30s, introduced himself as "'the opposite of Ron Jeremy. I'm still a virgin...Whatever Ron has done, I've done none of it.'" Jeremy remembers. ""I think everyone thought he was joking. Gary was like, 'I'm serious, I'm a virgin.'"
(Coleman married Shannon Price in 2007; she was at his bedside when he passed away.)
PHOTOS: Us' touching tribute to other celebs gone too soon
Naturally, Coleman confided in Jeremy about sex. "He did ask me, "When you're with a lot of women, do you get emotional with them?'...He made it clear that he wasn't into frivolous sex. He could have gotten some considering he was a celebrity, but he was more into having an emotion behind it."
Jeremy's happiest memory of his pal? "He really enjoyed being in Kid Rock's video...Just seeing him with a big smile. He didn't smile a lot, but on the video, he had his whole cowboy outfit with the hat, and it's really cute, and he really enjoyed it."
The porn legend adds that his late friend, who was making a reported $100,000 an episode for Diff'rent Strokes in his tweens, didn't have a "real childhood." "It took its toll," he opines. "Kids need to have their childhood."
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24@ "May 30, 2010 - 10:33pm jaye Says: It's hard to believe Ron Jeremy was once a big time porn Star. He just looks so unappetizing."..........us hetero males dont care what the guys look like though. anyways, he appears to be a really nice genuine guy and nice guys deserve long careers. I just wish gary could have had one.
A professional entertainment host would not laugh. I will not watch Insider. Way to go LB.
Growing up in my country zimbabwe in the early 80s i looked forward every evening to an episode of Different Strokes in fact the whole extended family did so.Television programs were very limited in quality mostly British and local programs. Thanks for all the laughter and entertainment you brought to our evenings. You were popular even in the far reaches of this world. Rest in peace Mr Coleman! See you on Youtube!
I met Gary Coleman in Vegas seceral years ago at the hard Rock Hotel and casino at like 4:30 in the morning with a friend and he was very rude and unfriendly
It's hard to believe Ron Jeremy was once a big time porn Star. He just looks so unappetizing.
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Ron Jeremy does have a point, but it's nice to hear the nice things he said about Gary Coleman!
Ms. Shoequeen: I agree. I saw the season/episode with Vanilla Ice and he HATED when people referred to him as that and he wanted to forget his past, too. What a real jerk for doing that to Gary.
Well you would be bitter too if your childhood was stolen AND you never got the money you earned because your parents stole it!!! I'm surprised the guy didn't off himself a long time ago. Instead he was gracious and kind to his true fans
May he find the peace in death he never knew in life. R.I.P. Gary.
Gary definitely had a truculent side to his persona, and always did seem to be unhappy and bitter. It's too bad he had such a tumultous life, but that famous line is what contributed to him becoming an icon in many peoples' minds. It's unfortunate he wasn't more appreciative of his erstwhile career exploits, or looked upon them with more fondness. Instead he appeared very disgruntled and ungrateful.
@Kim- imagine being pushed into showbiz as a kid, dealing with severe health issues that not only cause physical pain, but keep his appearance child-like. Then your show is cancelled, you are now a grown man, still look like a kid, and your parents have stolen all the money you earned in your heyday. You have no skills that would help you get a decent job, and you are not "desirable" to be hired in hollywood anymore. and all idiots remember you for is some obnoxious saying from a time i am most certain he'd like to forget, especially when he was doing menial jobs that you know had to be so embarrassing in the public eye. get over yourself and have some compassion.
Wow so sad.
Gary Coleman was a very polite young man to his fans. Twice I met him briefly in Culver City. Once at the model train store, another at the gas station. We shook hands, and he came over to our car to meet the children. We will miss you Gary. Hannah Abraham
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Maybe gary should have asked Robert fake hoodrat Van winkle to rap ice ice baby. rip gary hope u get the peace in death u didn't get in life
As sad as it is that he died, the guy was a jerk, plain and simple. The "Whatchoo talkin bout" line got him where he was and the fact that he didn't treasure shows that his gratefulness was just about as small as his stature. He just seemed so bitter through life when other people in the world have it so much harder. Had he been more grateful, maybe he could've ended his life doing something more than just cr insurance commercials.
Ron Jeremy seems like a nice guy. He accepts people for who they are.
Who gives a crap about a 1980's actor who is famous for What you talking about Willis..as a 8 year old child.. What next...Oh right Lisa from Insider humiliated him.. on national TV about his marriage ..did you beat your wife.. and when he refused to answer and left they all laughed and that is not the right thing to do..so lets interview Lisa Bloom From Insider And ask her about it..!!!BY THE WAY HIS WIFE PULLED PLUG ON HIS BREATHING TUBE..
Whatcha talkin 'bout Grim Reaper ???