Reality: This one is kind of sweet in a sad sort of way. Unsure why but Mr T was wrangled to be a Santa Claus at the White House. But somewhat awkwardly, no one would sit in his lap. Eventually, Nancy Reagan took the initiative and plonked down in his lap and gave him a kiss. Considering that a few years prior segregation etc was legal, well, that's fairly impressive, especially for a conservative first lady.
Mr T was later invited to her funeral, an invitation only event.