'Re-Run' preaches to West Phila. congregation

Freddy Berry, one of the stars of the 1970s sitcom What's Happening!!, said he's now " 're-runnin' for Jesus." Berry, who played Re-Run -- the nickname of character Freddie Stubbs -- has been an evangelist preacher for the past 11 years. He came to West Philadelphia Wednesday to speak to the congregation of the Sanctuary Church of the Open Door on 59th and Walnut streets. Berry put on his trademark red beret, but told the parishioners that the hat "symbolized the old Re-Run, not Fred Berry." Otherwise clad in a bright pink jacket, black pants and alligator boots, Berry spoke to the packed church about his transformation from a television character to a minister. And Berry, who played a robust, food-loving young man on the sitcom, seemed significantly thinner and said that he had lost 108 pounds and 18 inches off his waist. Berry said that he was traveling to public schools and churches around the country, delivering a message about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. Berry, who grew up in public housing projects in St. Louis, later moved to Los Angeles. In 1975, his dreams were realized when he was called for an audition for What's Happening!! Berry said that he was given the role in spite of the producers' originally looking for a tall white male. He said the role was a spring-board to success, and he was paid $250,000 a year and given his own private airplane. "I had all the material things, but I didn't have Jesus," Berry said. Berry also said that his lavish lifestyle brought him into drug culture and he became a substance abuser. He also said that he tried to commit suicide three times. Playfully dancing around the church, Berry moved on to a lighter topic, talking about his weight loss. He said that he tried everything from the "Oprah diet," to a grapefruit diet to a $19.95 TV diet. Finally, though, he decided that he would only eat when he got hungry. Berry, now married, lives in Huntsville, Ala. and has seven children. After his sermon, Berry held a question-and-answer session. Questions ranged from what the rest of the cast of What's Happening!! is doing to what episode Berry thought was best. Berry said that character Dwayne Clemens is married and has three kids, "Shirley" travels around the country as a stand-up comic, character Roger "Rog" Thomas is still a "nerd" and "Dee" is a doctor.

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