Mr. T, known as "B.A." Baracus on "The A-Team" -- and for his gold chains -- has given them up after seeing the U.S. South after Hurricane Katrina.

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The actor appeared without any glitter at the Television Critics Association conference in Pasadena, Calif., Thursday -- saying he had reordered priorities after witnessing the devastation of the storm, E! online reported.

"When I saw the people starving and crying and pleading just for water and suffering, losing everything, and I saw some, I call it 'sorry celebrities,'" he said. "They'll go down there and hook up with the people to take a photo-op. I said, 'How disgusting.'

"If you're not going down there with a check and a hammer and a nail to help the people, don't go down there," he said.

Mr. T said he's always been helping people, but was perceived as a tough guy because of his appearance.

He was promoting his new TV Land reality series, "I Pity the Fool," in which he will a lend helping hand to people in need. The gold is in his heart now, he said.

"My message hasn't changed, but my clothes have," Mr. T said.