Actor-comedian John Witherspoon passed away last night in his home in Sherman Oaks, California, at the age of 77. Following the sad news of his death, people have been posting tributes and condolence messages on social media.
It is with deep sadness we have to tweet this, but our husband & father John Witherspoon has passed away. He was a Legend in the entertainment industry, and a father figure to all who watched him over the years. We love you “POPS” always & forever.
– The Witherspoon Family pic.twitter.com/ov9P34kaMn
— John Witherspoon (@John_POPS_Spoon) October 30, 2019
I’m devastated over the passing of John Witherspoon. Life won’t be as funny without him. pic.twitter.com/gtmiZiEppP
— Ice Cube (@icecube) October 30, 2019
My dad, my grandpa, my comedic inspiration! I love you Spoons! Rest In Paradise, King pic.twitter.com/U6GsNrrKXF
— Regina King (@ReginaKing) October 30, 2019
My heart hurts so much right now, RIP to John Witherspoon,I appreciate our conversations and the wisdom you gave me as a young comic, we lost a real one today and It'd be remiss to not say he was and is irreplaceable and a invaluable icon in the comedic community sleep easy man? pic.twitter.com/whOsWNq3t0
— Jay Pharoah (@JayPharoah) October 30, 2019
Witherspoon was probably best known for portraying Ice Cube’s grumpy dad, Willie Jones, in the Friday film franchise. He first played Mr. Jones in the first installment of the series — the 1995 breakout movie Friday. He then reprised the role in Next Friday (2000) and Friday After Next (2002). He was reportedly set to reprise the role in the long-anticipated final installment of the series, titled Last Friday.
Since Witherspoon’s family confirmed the news of his death on Twitter, fans have been posting clips of some of his most iconic comedic scenes. Fans have also been sampling some of his best movie quotes.
Here is our list of Witherspoon’s best quotes (and scenes) from Friday.
Witherspoon’s best quotes from Friday
Mr. Jones: [coming out of the bathroom] “Don’t nobody go in the bathroom for about 35, 45 minutes. Somebody open up a window.”
Mr. Jones: [scolding Craig in the kitchen] “Every time I come in the kitchen, you in the kitchen. In the go**amn refrigerator. Eatin’ up all the food. All the chitlins… All the pigs’ feet… All the collard greens… All the hog maws. I wanna eat them chitlins… I like pigs’ feet.”
Mr. Jones : [talking in his sleep] “Give me the two-piece special. Lots of hot sauce and all the fries you can give me. Thank you, thank you.”
Mr. Jones : [calling Craig from the toilet] “Hey… come in here… in the bathroom… boy, bring your a** up in here. What you talkin’ ’bout, you wait ’til I come out? I smelled your sh*t for 22 years, now you can smell mine for five minutes.”
Mr. Jones: [lecturing Craig on how to be a dog catcher] “That’s the beauty of it! I grab a dog, and I choke him, and I kick the sh*t out of him! All day long, my foot up a dog’s a**! Just bang-bang-bang up his a**! That’s my pleasure.”
Mr. Jones: [returns home from work as dog catcher] “I got bit in the a** today, son. By a stinking-a** filthy dog. You should have seen it. Biggest dog I’ve ever seen in my life. I said, doggy, please don’t bite me, dog. And I turned around to jump over the fence, the dog grabbed my a**.”
Mr. Jones: [reprimanding Craig for carrying a gun] “You kids have been nothin’ but punks. Sissified. So quick to pick up a gun. Too scared to take an ass-whipping.”
We also include as a bonus, the hilarious mushroom shirt scene (“You gotta coordinate”) from Boomerang (1992) in which he played Mr. Jackson, alongside Eddie Murphy as Marcus.
John Witherspoon is survived by his wife Angela, and two sons, JD and Alexander.