His new role suits him to a ‘T’

Mr. T is done pitying fools. Now he wants to help them.

After surviving a bout with Rocky Balboa on the big screen and cancer in real life, he’s teaching life lessons on his new TV Land reality show.

But don’t you dare compare “I Pity the Fool” to “Dr. Phil.”

“I’m not a doctor, I’m a mister!” he exclaims while preparing inside his trailer for a shoot.

The self-proclaimed “mama’s boy” believes in principles such as unity and accountability.

In the show (Wednesdays, 10 p.m.), which focuses on a different group of people in need of motivation each episode, he tells a disjointed family that “the biggest room in this house is the room for improvement.” And he insists that a bevy of sharky car salesmen “don’t beat the customer, treat the customer.”

Although Mr. T stumbles stream-of-consciously from one point to the next and his speech is littered with “whatnots” and “you know what I means,” he’s completely articulate.

He communicates with emotions rather than words. He grunts when he’s disappointed. He wildly snickers when he’s happy.

“I’ve only ever done two things: ‘Rocky III’ and ‘The A Team.’ So why all this stuff?” he asks while young campers outside the trailer chant “I love you, Mr. T!”

“Because the love. Because the people.”

It’s true. “The A Team” flew off network television nearly 20 years ago. Outside of some 1-800-COLLECT commercials, Mr. T has largely been absent from the pervasive pop culture stratosphere of the new millennium.

So why do kids still know who he is?

“Because he’s nice and he’s awesome!” screams 11-year-old Dylan Albegarto after getting Mr. T’s autograph on a piece of cardboard.

Mr. T, born Laurence Tureaud, says it’s in his nature to nurture. Since his rise from Chicago bouncer to bodyguard to Sgt. Bosco “B.A.” Baracus, Mr. T has clocked hundreds of hours doing charity work, visiting sick children for the Make-a-Wish Foundation and serving meals in soup kitchens. He quit wearing his iconic gold jewelry around his neck following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

“Before I become a celebrity, I was baptized a Christian,” he says.

So where’s Mr. T been all these years? Discussing the power of prayer on the Trinity Broadcast Network – and waiting for the right personal project.

Mr. T reveals he was asked to appear on the first “Surreal Life,” but he angrily told producers they’d have to pay him $5 million if they wanted him to “act like a fool.”

He lovingly insists that despite his reality show’s title, he refuses to refer to his in-search-of-guidance subjects as fools.

“Mr. T stands for tough,” he says, “but Mr. T also stands for tender.”

The birthday bunch

Actress Beverly Garland (“Port Charles”) is 80. Daredevil Evel Knievel is 68. Singer Jim Seals (Seals and Crofts) is 64. Singer Gary Puckett is 64. Actor Michael McKean (“This Is Spinal Tap”) is 59. Actress Margot Kidder is 58. Actor George Wendt is 58. Country singer Alan Jackson is 48. Animator Mike Judge (“King of the Hill”) is 44. Comedian Norm Macdonald is 43. Singer Ziggy Marley is 38. Rapper Eminem is 34. Singer Wyclef Jean is 34.