5 lessons John “Pops” Witherspoon taught me about manhood
Humility, hard work, and avoiding permanent harm

5 lessons from John Witherspoon
Like many young Black men in america, i grew up without my father present in my life. I was fortunate to have men in my life at different points, including some that I never met.
John Witherspoon is one of those men.
I remember watching the Wayans Bros on the WB when I was in high school. For me, “Pops” represented an example of what and who a working class black father might be. An entrepreneur and a strict disciplinarian (Y’all remember how quick he was to pull out that belt).
With all the roles Witherspoon played during his life, I remember him as “Pops.” A committed father, taking care of his family, whether he was running the restaurant or running after and choking out dogs for a living, he was committed to his family. And Pops taught me a couple lessons about manhood along the way.
Top Five Lessons John “Pops” Witherspoon taught me about manhood
5. Be humble and kind to parents
Now, he wasn’t always humble (see #2), but his characters often lived humbly and encouraged humility. In Friday, when Pops called Craig (Ice Cube) into the bathroom to talk, he didn’t want to because of the smell. Pops responded, “I smelt yo shit for 22 years…now you can smell mine for 5 minutes.”

In Boomerang, Mr. Jackson, shares his epic fashion secret with Marcus (Eddie Murphy): “You got to coordinate.” (See video on #2).

Talking to Craig, he emphasizes the importance of working towards goals–even if it’s just paying the rent. “Round here, you go to work, you go to school.”
When Mr. Jackson heard that Marcus’ coworker had him “pussy whipped,” he encouraged him to “reverse it.” He told him, “Don’t be pussy-whipped … whip that pussy.” Man up and satisfy your wife. “Bang bang bang”
1. A gun doesn’t makes you a man
With Big Worm (Faizon Love) coming for him and Smokey (Chris Tucker), Craig strapped up for “protection.” And in an epic moment between father and son, Pops told him that picking up a gun wouldn’t make him a man.
“You kids have been nothin’ but punks. Sissified. So quick to pick up a gun. Too scared to take an ass-whipping. [Raises his fists] This is what makes you a man. When I was growing up, this was all the protection we needed. You win some, you lose some. But you live, you live to fight another day! Now you think you’re a man with a gun in your hands, don’t you?”
Be humble. Stay fresh. Keep grinding. And don’t be no punk.
Even thought Mr. Witherspoon has passed, we can still laugh and learn from his life on the silver screen. RIP John “Pops” Witherspoon.
