C.O.L.O.U.R.S. the Industry with Grace and Dignity

Since Derek Watkins - aka Fonzworth Bentley - strode on the scene carrying an umbrella over Diddy’s head, we haven’t seen any other assistant do it quite like him. It seems he was made for the limelight. Never one to try and outshine, the planets just aligned themselves for Bentley’s success. The name itself garnishes recognition and respect. When you think of Fonzworth Bentley, what comes to mind—the fancy footwork he’s laced many hip hop videos with, the well-dressed, well-spoken gentleman or the laid back and effortlessly cool author of Advance Your Swagger: How to Use Manners, Style and Confidence to Get Ahead? However you think of this self-made man, he’s all of these and more.

In addition to writing a swag-tastic etiquette guidebook, Mr. Bentley also created a show with the same concept behind it. The reality show From G’s to Gents is a testimony to his desire to mentor. He will also soon be releasing his debut album CoolOutrageousLoversOfUniquelyRawStyle (C.O.L.O.U.R.S.). Yes, that’s right an album. Music has been something that has supplemented Bentley’s life since birth and this year we will finally get to see the full scope of its impact on the gentleman. His first single, “Everybody” is currently out and the sound is spectacular. So, we expect some G.O.O.D. (album to be released on Kanye’s label as a joint venture with Sony) music from Fonzworth Bentley, who attributes everything to manners, confidence and style.

-Danielle Young

This question is not intended to be rude of offensive, but what are you famous for?

Famous? I never really thought about that. That’s interesting. I don’t consider myself famous. I consider myself a Renaissance man. If you look at any of the Renaissances—the Harlem Renaissance to the [European] Renaissance, you can draw parallels from then to now and I can just say when I read about those…people, I’m like man, I’m a Renaissance man.

What about “celebrity?”

I don’t even like that. My goal is to be a hero.

What do you feel like you’ve done thus far to be a hero?

The emails that I get, just from people that have gotten stuff from my etiquette book, it’s just exciting. When the CFO of Random House came to me with the idea of doing a book—they wanted me to do it about myself or taking myself to the next level. I wasn’t interested in doing a book about myself. I wanted to make an etiquette book, but make it cool. Folks ain’t going to read no Emily Post. They’re not. From how to do an interview, to the resume, dressing appropriate; so many things! You know the state of the lack of fathers in home and not even knowing how to tie a tie or shake a hand. All of these are basic things for folks like you and I who were brought up this way, but there are so many people out there that never got this information.

Even if I were to mentor 30 kids, it’s not enough. That’s why I wanted to write a book so I could touch thousands. I knew that there could be a show to have a bigger platform and that’s From G’s To Gents, which is in 30 countries right now. The amount of people I’ve been able to impact and the folks that come up to me, it’s like wow. So many people look at these celebrities like heroes and there’s not enough heroes. That’s what I want to be. A hero.

When manners, style and confidence fail you, what do you do then?

That’s where faith takes off. Now we’re getting philosophical. Faith is actually very simple. It’s being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. The way faith works is, you have to exercise it. I can’t lift a 300 pound barbell. If I go to the gym, you and I are both quite sure, over time if I exercise, I will be able to lift it. That’s how faith works. People don’t understand that. You have to exercise your faith like it’s a muscle. Faith is the root of everything that I do. There are some simple tools that I think help you to feel comfortable in social situations.

Is it safe to assume that God is something that is a huge force in your life?

Yes, He is my everything.

Do you find it hard—being in entertainment—to keep people that have faith as strong as yours around you? Do you find it hard to practice you faith in different settings?

No, not at all. I think in a lot of ways, that’s why things have taken me a little bit longer because I only work with people that I like. It’s really from a deferment point of view. It’s like, ‘this is a good person. I can trust this person with my brand.’ A lot of people will bend their value system or bend their point of view to make money or to move forward in their career. I don’t. I’m fine with that.

It’s no secret that our new president is one of the coolest dudes, ever. What do you think about Obama?

Integrity is back in style, largely thanks to the Obama effect. I think three years ago—and I have been the same guy with the same point of view—the culture wasn’t ready. It’s ready now and they are starving for it now. Now you’ve got an administration in place who is going to make sure movements like I’m doing and things like the point of view that I am about are going to not only be highlighted, but beget resources. There’s a change that is obvious.

We just need to pray for our First Family because there is a lot put on their plate. There is a lot on all of our plates with this economy. We just need to be in prayer for them and the whole administration. I keep them in my prayers. Actually, there is a council of pastors—since the conception of this campaign—they meet every morning at like 5 or 6 a.m. and pray. It was the illest thing when I found out about this. Dr. Joseph Lowery, who did the benediction, is a personal friend of mine. It’s pretty amazing.

You have an album coming out with a incredible title—CoolOutrageousLoversOfUniquelyRawStyle. (C.O.L.O.U.R.S.). How did you come up with that title?

It was a club that we started in middle school. A couple of the cool 8^th graders showed up with these maroon hats with ‘Avant Garde’ on them and we were like, ‘what’s that about?’ We were in 7^th grade and we got together and were like, ‘we gotta do something about this!’ We started this club, CoolOutrageousLoversofUniquelyRawStyle. What I’ve [now] made it, is really a new cool. I just think some different things are cool and you may agree with some of them, but some of them you may not. Ultimately, it’s a new point of view.

I think going to college is cool, getting an education is cool, having faith in God is cool, knowing how to treat the ladies is cool. I think profanity is extremely uncool. So there will be none of that on the album. I think live instruments are cool. It’s really a soundtrack to the movement that has begun.

Musically, I’ve been inspired by a lot of different styles of music. I’m classically trained on the violin. I like a lot of things. So everything from Bossanova—I did a Bossanova record with Estelle. I did an ill beatbox record with Dre and Vidal out of Philly.

We’re definitely going to hear you play some violin and do some beatboxing. But are we going to hear some singing and rapping as well?

Yeah, I’m doing all of that. I think anybody that has good taste is going to like it. I’m really excited about it. You think of the “Everybody” video and the record. I put that piece of art out there. Jean-Michel Basquiat—his work was no better when it was in the gallery after Andy Warhol got his art and put it in the gallery than it was on the street. It was still incredible. Everyday the “Everybody” video is being discovered by more and more people. The internet is the new street, so I put the record and the video on the streets. That was some of the illest art that anybody has ever seen. The first time 3000 and Kanye [have] ever been together.

I was taking people out of their comfort zones. You got folks doing choreography and if you go back and look at it, the choreography is acting out the lyrics to the song. You probably won’t get that until the 3^rd or 4^th time you see it. iTunes chose it as their favorite video in their library and gave it away as a free download. They started doing a free video and song a week and the first week they did it, they picked my video. I was extremely flattered because I worked really hard on that. It was completely independent effort there. I am not at liberty to say where I’m doing distribution yet, but I have secured distribution. I didn’t want to rush into that because everyday they’re trying to figure out the new model. So, it’s no reason to rush.

What did you learn from season one of From G’s to Gents that you have been able to use to improve season two?

For one, I was able to walk through the house and pray over the house before we started this season. I didn’t get that opportunity last season… This time, I went through the house and really prayed over it, laid some hands over the house and made sure God can have his way in the home. You’re going to see a difference in this season from that perspective. I think that the Holy Spirit really came into this place this time and took over. He was always there. The second thing, I got a chance to do a little more reading for myself. My goal in being in the producer’s chair was to get some convicted felons. It’s tough. The network, they’re scared. Folks like the folks on my show have never been on television other than Cops. They’re nervous, but I am fully confident in my ability to deal with them and the respect they’re going to have for me. This time, the guys had already seen the show, so they had already came into the home with hope. This is hope. You’ll see the difference. Ain’t none of that conniving, shady stuff like last time. It’s much more team effort. You’ll see it.

What else are you working on and what do you have coming up next?

That’s enough. *he laughs* The album, the show. The album has been a four year process. I want to get out and touch the people while the show is happening. I want to do a lot more speaking in colleges and universities. My goal is to touch 80 in two years. I’ve done 67, so I am a little behind, but I will get there.

When you are long gone from the limelight…what is it that you want to be remembered for?

Excellent question. I went to Dr. Benjamin Emays’ funeral. I was fortunate enough to attend. I remember being a young kid at the funeral and they were singing this song. It’s an old negro spiritual called, “I Done Done What You Told Me To Do.” I looked at my mom like, ‘Mom! They used incorrect English!’ My mom explained that it was a negro spiritual. ‘I done done what you told me to do. You told me to teach and I done that too. I done done what you told me to do. You told me to preach and I done that too.’ It goes through all of these things and as they were singing this song, Dr. Benjamin Emays had done all of these things. So if they can sing this song at my funeral, I’m good.