--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I went crazy. I was sending angry letters…" description: "\"I went crazy. I was sending angry letters to every newspaper editorial board in the country. It was designed to step on Soul Train and destroy it. But ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36e/don-cornelius-14201_fitness_i-went-crazy-i-was-sending-angry-letters_1094007.jpg" --- # I went crazy. I was sending angry letters to every… ![“I went crazy. I was sending angry letters to every newspaper editorial board in the country. It was designed to step on Soul Train and destroy it. But Dick and I finally met up at ABC, and they agreed not to do it anymore. Its something I never talk about because I dont want to embarrass Dick…” quote by Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36e/don-cornelius-14201_fitness_i-went-crazy-i-was-sending-angry-letters_1094007.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36e/don-cornelius-14201_fitness_i-went-crazy-i-was-sending-angry-letters_1094007.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36e/don-cornelius-14201_fitness_i-went-crazy-i-was-sending-angry-letters_1094007.jpg) > “I went crazy. I was sending angry letters to every newspaper editorial board in the country. It was designed to step on Soul Train and destroy it. But Dick and I finally met up at ABC, and they agreed not to do it anymore. Its something I never talk about because I dont want to embarrass Dick Clark. He was very gifted at what he was doing. The only problem was that he was very white, and I thought it could be done another way.” [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on past aggressive actions to protect a cultural program and acknowledges a collaborator's talent despite racial tensions. **In simple terms:** He regrets past aggression and notes a partner's skill despite race. Key Takeaway Recognize past mistakes and respect collaborators. Themes media culture collaboration race regret Mood reflective critical nostalgic Type statement confession When to use this quote - television production - media activism - personal reflection Key Concepts cultural preservation ethical conflict legacy Questions to Reflect On - How could he have defended the show without aggression? - What does “white” imply about his perception? A Different Perspective His actions may have harmed the very community he aimed to protect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angry Letters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry-letters-856458/) [Destroy Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy-dick-2842926/) [Dick Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dick-clark-415712/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Letters Newspaper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letters-newspaper-2842928/) [Sending Angry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sending-angry-2842927/) [Soul train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul-train/) ## Related quotes > [Almost all of what I learned about mounting and hosting a dance show I learned from Dick Clark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/almost-all-of-what-i-learned-about-mounting-and-hosting-a-dance-show/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [As long as the music stayed hot and important and good, that there would always be a reason for 'Soul Train,'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/as-long-as-the-music-stayed-hot-and-important-and-good-that-there/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [I've been accused of not being up on hip-hop or not being a fan of hip-hop, which was never true. If you had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/i-ve-been-accused-of-not-being-up-on-hip-hop-or-not-being-a-fan-of/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [Soul Train' was developed as a radio show on television. It was the radio show that I always wanted and never had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/soul-train-was-developed-as-a-radio-show-on-television-it-was-the/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [The 'Soul Train' legacy and brand are of the utmost importance to me and to 'Soul Train's' millions of fans. After years of offers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/the-soul-train-legacy-and-brand-are-of-the-utmost-importance-to-me/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [I figured as long as the music stayed hot and important and good, that there would always be a reason for 'Soul Train.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/i-figured-as-long-as-the-music-stayed-hot-and-important-and-good-that/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [One motivation for the 'Soul Train' awards was the grumbling that all of us in the industry have heard about the way black music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/one-motivation-for-the-soul-train-awards-was-the-grumbling-that-all/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [Always write angry letters to your enemies. Never mail them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fallows/always-write-angry-letters-to-your-enemies-never-mail-them/) [James Fallows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fallows/) > [“Almost all the angry letters I received were from Muslims. People called me an Uncle Tom, white on the inside, a traitor to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/almost-all-the-angry-letters-i-received-were-from-muslims-people/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [Now I have notebooks that are filled up, mostly with Doom Patrol, but also angry letters to myself mixed in with the comic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/now-i-have-notebooks-that-are-filled-up-mostly-with-doom-patrol-but/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [“Always write angry letters to your enemies. Never mail them. James Fallows ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fallows/always-write-angry-letters-to-your-enemies-never-mail-them-james/) [James Fallows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fallows/) > [As it has been told to me, my Dad had some kind of deal with Dick Clark. But when we got here, that fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-bonaduce/as-it-has-been-told-to-me-my-dad-had-some-kind-of-deal-with-dick/) [Danny Bonaduce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-bonaduce/) > [“Who's the genius who thought replacing Dick Clark with Ryan Seacrest was a good idea?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-r-a-decandido/who-s-the-genius-who-thought-replacing-dick-clark-with-ryan-seacrest/) [Keith R.A. DeCandido](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-r-a-decandido/) > [“I get that--but why replace him with this guy? I mean, Dick Clark did American Bandstand. All this guy's done is deny that he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-r-a-decandido/i-get-that-but-why-replace-him-with-this-guy-i-mean-dick-clark-did/) [Keith R.A. DeCandido](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-r-a-decandido/) > [Dick Clark was a really great influence in my career; he helped me a lot with his whole organization, and they were awesome to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyndi-lauper/dick-clark-was-a-really-great-influence-in-my-career-he-helped-me-a/) [Cyndi Lauper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyndi-lauper/) ## More by Don Cornelius > [I'm trying to use euphemisms here, trying to avoid saying there was no television for black folks, which they knew was for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/i-m-trying-to-use-euphemisms-here-trying-to-avoid-saying-there-was-no/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [I dont know anybody who can define it. Its like trying to define hip-hop. You cant just call it black music. Maybe it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/i-dont-know-anybody-who-can-define-it-its-like-trying-to-define-hip/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [I always felt a love for music, but I never got my nerve up enough to try a musical instrument in school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/i-always-felt-a-love-for-music-but-i-never-got-my-nerve-up-enough-to/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [One motivation for the 'Soul Train' awards was the grumbling that all of us in the industry have heard about the way black music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/one-motivation-for-the-soul-train-awards-was-the-grumbling-that-all/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [My father worked real hard. I admired him. My father taught me you needed to work with your brain and not your back. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/my-father-worked-real-hard-i-admired-him-my-father-taught-me-you/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [I was never exposed to a great deal of racism, but the Chicago I grew up in was very, very segregated. If I went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/i-was-never-exposed-to-a-great-deal-of-racism-but-the-chicago-i-grew/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [I felt that it was my mission to see to it that black talent had an opportunity to get national television exposure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/i-felt-that-it-was-my-mission-to-see-to-it-that-black-talent-had-an/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [Who's more important than Diana Ross?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/who-s-more-important-than-diana-ross/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [I figured as long as the music stayed hot and important and good, that there would always be a reason for 'Soul Train.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/i-figured-as-long-as-the-music-stayed-hot-and-important-and-good-that/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [There was no match for Barry White. His music is just going to live forever. It's not limited to disco or soul or hip-hop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/there-was-no-match-for-barry-white-his-music-is-just-going-to-live/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [There were individuals at the time who were on the proverbial wish list, and before we had to wait too long, they decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/there-were-individuals-at-the-time-who-were-on-the-proverbial-wish/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [The 'Soul Train' legacy and brand are of the utmost importance to me and to 'Soul Train's' millions of fans. After years of offers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/the-soul-train-legacy-and-brand-are-of-the-utmost-importance-to-me/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [Soul Train' was developed as a radio show on television. It was the radio show that I always wanted and never had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/soul-train-was-developed-as-a-radio-show-on-television-it-was-the/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [A guy like me cant be doing 'love, peace and soul!' shtick for the rest of his life until people start to say whats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/a-guy-like-me-cant-be-doing-love-peace-and-soul-shtick-for-the-rest/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [When you come up with a good idea, you don't have to do a whole lot. The idea does it for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/when-you-come-up-with-a-good-idea-you-don-t-have-to-do-a-whole-lot/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) [Explore all 47 Don Cornelius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) ## More Fitness quotes > [I train my muscles, and I do a lot of stretching, and try to kick higher. But for me, practicing kung-fu is a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chow/i-train-my-muscles-and-i-do-a-lot-of-stretching-and-try-to-kick/) [Stephen Chow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chow/) > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [I do a lot of vocal exercises and drink hot tea, which I hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darci-lynne-farmer/i-do-a-lot-of-vocal-exercises-and-drink-hot-tea-which-i-hate/) [Darci Lynne Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darci-lynne-farmer/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [Spring training means flowers, people coming outdoors, sunshine, optimism and baseball. Spring training is a time to think about being young again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-banks/spring-training-means-flowers-people-coming-outdoors-sunshine/) [Ernie Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-banks/) > [I always wanted to make sure that within my unit that I was never the weak person. So I made sure that my physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carmouche/i-always-wanted-to-make-sure-that-within-my-unit-that-i-was-never-the/) [Liz Carmouche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carmouche/) > [“For those filled with regret, perhaps the most needful exercise of proactivity is to realize that past mistakes are also out there in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/for-those-filled-with-regret-perhaps-the-most-needful-exercise-of/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [Physical beauty is not everything, but the beauty is more careful than anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/physical-beauty-is-not-everything-but-the-beauty-is-more-careful-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Of all the train, none escaped except Wamba, who showed upon the occasion much more courage than those who pretended to greater sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/of-all-the-train-none-escaped-except-wamba-who-showed-upon-the/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [Everyday happiness means getting up in the morning, and you can't wait to finish your breakfast. You can't wait to do your exercises. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-burns/everyday-happiness-means-getting-up-in-the-morning-and-you-can-t-wait/) [George Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-burns/) > [If your goal is to look different, you'll see results faster with strength training than with cardio alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kaiser/if-your-goal-is-to-look-different-you-ll-see-results-faster-with/) [Anna Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kaiser/) > [“He sighed. "Look, love, I know I seem like a tactical genius, but really, I'm just a magician who occasionally kills a bunny or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delilah-s-dawson/he-sighed-look-love-i-know-i-seem-like-a-tactical-genius-but-really-i/) [Delilah S. 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