Tracy Morgan recently took part in the ongoing CBS This Morning series "Note to Self," which features a variable roster of guests reflecting upon a particular moment or experience in life that they may not have fully comprehended at the time.
The comedian took some time to mull over his childhood and his father, who left his wife and children behind in order to enlist in the U.S. Army. In the clip, Morgan declares to his adolescent self "I know you’re scared right now and that’s alright. Your dad just left and he was your protector. You’re going to be mad at him for a long time, but try to remember he was a good man. He went away and fought for his country, but came back hooked on heroin. Your mom couldn’t have him in the house. She had five kids to raise and she couldn’t raise them around a drug addict. It’s going to be hard, but you’re going to make it."
Morgan then cautions that the substances that brought down his father would also have an effect on his own personal life. "The only thing that can stop you little boy, is the same thing that stopped your dad — drugs and alcohol. It’ll cost you your marriage. You’ll lose a good woman but not your life. You’ll sober up and you’ll still be funny."
During the tearful conclusion, Morgan directly confronts the camera when proclaiming "someday you’re going to be a protector of your own family, and you will never ever leave."