Talk:Tommy "Tiny" Lister, Jr.

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[edit] Best known

Gross has "nothing" to do with what an actor is best known for? That makes absolutely no sense. He is not best known for a little drug movie that no one saw. – Hossrex 03:45, 19 December 2007 (UTC)

A movie's gross has nothing to do with what role an actor becomes most associated with. For example, Blades of Glory earned over $118 million at the box office, but its second lead, Jon Hedar, remains best known for playing Napoleon Dynamite, which only grossed $44.5 million. John Cho is best known for playing Harold in Harold and Kumar, which only grossed $18 million, even though American Pie (in which he also appeared) grossed $102 million. While an actor's popularity influences a film's gross, gross does not indicate a person's most well-known role; it has to do with the size of the role and what garnered the actor the most attention and recognition. In addition, to quote Wikipedia, "Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr. (born June 24, 1958) is an American actor and former professional wrestler, best known for his role as the neighborhood bully Deebo in the series of Friday movies." The Friday movies have a rather large following; if "no one saw" the first movie, two more movies and an animated series would not have followed. --From Andoria with Love 04:16, 19 December 2007 (UTC)

Also, since we're talking about Lister's highest grossing-film, Austin Powers in Goldmember earned nearly $297 million worldwide, compared to The Fifth Element's $264 million. Going by the gross=popularity logic, that would make Lister's performance as "Prisoner #2" his most famous role... which clearly isn't the case. ;) --From Andoria with Love 04:22, 19 December 2007 (UTC)

Total aside... I didn't even know that Tiny was in Fifth Element. Until now. -- Sulfur 04:43, 19 December 2007 (UTC)

Yeah. Wikipedia. An inarguable source for information. How about we then don't bother making claims like this? I've never seen the Friday movies, and I'm only aware he was in them because I'm a movie buff. The Fifth Element was the first mainstream movie I'd ever seen him in (I remember him from "No Holds Barred", but *no* one saw that), and considering the popularity of the movie, I would think many people would agree. – Hossrex 21:55, 19 December 2007 (UTC)

Not a good enough source? How about his official site? "In a move that was sure to cement his popularity with young audiences across the country, Tiny went on to star as neighborhood bully "Deebo" opposite Ice Cube in the hit comedy Friday, reprising the role for the successful sequel Next Friday." Lister is best known for the Friday movies (which are mainstream movies, by the way – they opened in nationwide release). Basically, what it comes down to – and pardon me for being blunt – is that what you've seen him in doesn't matter; it matters as little as a movie's gross. What matters is the role he is generally known, which can be gathered from online sources. However, it is realized that what people know the actor for is subjective, hence why the line reads he is probably best known for the Friday films. Problem solved before it even became a problem. :) --From Andoria with Love 00:47, 20 December 2007 (UTC)

Wow. I can't argue with ignorance like that. Touche. – Hossrex 00:52, 20 December 2007 (UTC)

Good job with the insult. Is that your way of hiding your perceived defeat of the argument? Basically what you're saying is, I'm not seeing things your way so what I say is ignorant. I hate to tell you this, but your very first statement ("Gross has "nothing" to do with what an actor is best known for? That makes absolutely no sense. He is not best known for a little drug movie that no one saw.") was a bit ridiculous itself, but I felt obligated to respond nonetheless and explain why it does make sense and why he is best known for that movie (as stated on his own official web site). But I guess what you wanted me to do is say "you're right" and leave it at that. Instead, I disagreed, proved you wrong and then you insulted me when you couldn't think of anything else to say. Being a huge film buff myself (and being a major in theater and a minor in film studies), I can tell you it is not ignorance. Just because you can't understand something or don't agree with something does not make it "ignorance." Please remember this in the future and you may not come off looking so... well, ignorant. :/ That's not a personal attack, merely an observation; that comment you made based on all the evidence and information I gave you and what little you gave really didn't do well for your image... all it did was get you blocked. If you wish to continue this discussion in a reasonable, mature manner when your block is lifted, I will be listening; if not, I suggest we just let the matter (and a very small matter it is) drop altogether. --From Andoria with Love 01:30, 20 December 2007 (UTC)

Your opinion is ignorant, because I feel he's best known for one movie, you say he's best known for another. I say "maybe we should just drop the whole notion of what he's best known for", and you say "we have that covered with the word probably. I suggest we drop the opinions... you pretend it isn't an opinion. Thats ignorance, and its inarguable. I'm not wrong, you're just presenting an opinion, and defending it by calling it an opinion. Sheer ignorance. – Hossrex 05:12, 20 December 2007 (UTC)

Your error lies in the fact that it is not my opinion; we have sources stating what he best known for. It is an opinion, yes, but it is a general one. To remove it would be difficult since he is best known for the Friday movies. If we were to remove the "best known" line, his work on the Friday movies would be cluttered with the other movies; they would not stand out as his more notable works. The idea is to mention what he is most known for. In this case, those are the Friday movies. --From Andoria with Love 05:26, 20 December 2007 (UTC)

• Having said the above (and hopefully to put an end to this), I've changed the article to say only that he is known for his role in the Friday films. It says he is also known for The Fifth Element. Is this satisfactory? --From Andoria with Love 05:36, 20 December 2007 (UTC)
  • I guess it is. Glad that's over. --From Andoria with Love 03:31, 27 December 2007 (UTC)
    • Rereading this discussion, I would like to say (without re-opening any cans of worms) that I, personally, know Lister best for his work on Little Nicky, Fifth Element and, of course, Enterprise. I've only seen Friday once back in the 1990s and nothing about it stood out at me. That he is apparently best known for Friday is not my opinion; it's a general opinion (if that makes sense), citable by his own website. So, even though we don't know him best for Friday, that appaers to be what he is most famous for. Again, a film's gross has nothing to do with which film an actor is most famous for (as proven with examples above); what matters is what role attracts the most attention, praise, recognition, etc. In this case, that is -- undeniably -- Friday. :/ --From a College Campus with Love