"We got the humor in life far more than I think he [Bill Cosby] pontificated," says the veteran TV producer.

Norman Lear thinks his sitcom The Jeffersons is better than The Cosby Show, and he expounded on the reasons why in a recent interview with CNBC.

"I like more what we did with The Jeffersons for the 'moving on up' African-Americans, than Mr. [Bill] Cosby did with The Cosby Show," the veteran TV producer said in a segment from CNBC's show Binge.

"I preferred the way we handled things over the way he handled things, and I even think that now," Lear added with a chuckle.

When asked what, specifically, he preferred about his own show, Lear responded, "We got the humor in life far more than I think he pontificated."

Lear said he doesn't want to hit Cosby when he's "down," alluding to the many allegations of sexual assault recently leveled against the comedian, and that he thought The Cosby Show was "wonderful." "But I thought our show was wonderful plus," he added.

Lear said he felt that actor Sherman Hemsley was a "gift from the gods" and called him "one of the great clowns of the last century." He also shared a story of receiving a visit from the Black Panthers, who asked Lear to depict African-American characters with more successful jobs than the ones his characters on Good Times had.



http://www.hollywoodrepor...how-922016

Sherman Hemsley was a treasure and he is missed dearly. This is provocative but they were completely different premises.

My vote goes to The Jeffersons. It's one of those late 70s/early 80s comedy sitcoms that would NEVER be made in our current 21st century political correctness climate.

The show was his baby, so its understandable that he'll be biased. I love both shows, but personally, I prefer The Cosbys because its what I grew up on, and I relate more to the subtle & sometimes wry humor more than the loud & slapstick routine of The Jeffersons. When Mom Jefferson's health deteriorated, the show lost its magic IMO.

The Jeffersons was more edgier and funnier (and had a great theme song), and I preferred A Different World to The Cosby Show.

[Edited 8/26/16 21:43pm]

the jeffersons was way better than any version of cosby

on all kind of levels...

Goddess4Real said:

The Jeffersons was more edgier and funnier (and had a great theme song), and I preferred A Different World to The Cosby Show.

[Edited 8/26/16 21:43pm]

ageed

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I thought that the Cosby show wasn't funny, and that the only thing it had going for it was Bill Cosby and beautiful faces.

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I grew up loving Bill Cosby. I saw him for the first time on Sesame Street. But even he couldn't make me want to watch the Cosby Show.

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I have probably seen every episode of The Jeffersons, and enjoyed them all.

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The Jeffersons wins this one hands down.

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This is the kind of question that is age relevant though.

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I was 12 when The Jeffersons were on the air, and I think that I was in college when the Cosby show was on the air.

I didn't watch TV much when I was in college.

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But if I was forced now to choose which reruns I rather watch, I would definitely choose reruns of the Jeffersons over reruns of The Cosby Show.

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[Edited 8/27/16 13:52pm]

I agree the Jeffersons was funnier but the Cosby show was good

Loved both but preferred Cosby...probably because it was the only show that my entire family watched together.

"The Jeffersons" win by a landslide. The episodes from the early seasons were classics. As for the "Cosby Show", I only liked a few of the earlier epsiodes. I stopped watching when Lisa Bonet left.

SPYZFAN1 said:

"The Jeffersons" win by a landslide. The episodes from the early seasons were classics. As for the "Cosby Show", I only liked a few of the earlier epsiodes. I stopped watching when Lisa Bonet left.

Still don't know why Mr.Cosby & Lisa clashed. I agree, her presence balanced the show. After she left, the family seemed goody two shoes & too perfect

Hamad said:

SPYZFAN1 said:

"The Jeffersons" win by a landslide. The episodes from the early seasons were classics. As for the "Cosby Show", I only liked a few of the earlier epsiodes. I stopped watching when Lisa Bonet left.

Still don't know why Mr.Cosby & Lisa clashed. I agree, her presence balanced the show. After she left, the family seemed goody two shoes & too perfect

KingBAD said:

Hamad said:

SPYZFAN1 said:

"The Jeffersons" win by a landslide. The episodes from the early seasons were classics. As for the "Cosby Show", I only liked a few of the earlier epsiodes. I stopped watching when Lisa Bonet left.

Still don't know why Mr.Cosby & Lisa clashed. I agree, her presence balanced the show. After she left, the family seemed goody two shoes & too perfect

Don't think so

No? Ok. I still think they are unless I'm missing something. But oh well.

"the family seemed goody two shoes & too perfect"...............................THIS!! ....(and that cartoon is hysterical!)

If you're talking funnier, definitely the Jefferson's, but not sure I can say it was better. Both were great shows.

As a kid, I was a bigger fan of The Cosby Show. I grew up alongside Theo. As an adult, however, I much prefer the audacity and self-affirmation of The Jeffersons to The Cosby Show's squeaky-clean model minority schtick.

[Edited 8/29/16 18:55pm]

"The Jeffersons" was much better. "The Cosby Show" was too middle class, family friendly, and ordinary. It was a good show but it definitely showed me that black folks were capable of being just as dull as white folks because "ordinary" bores me since I'm not an ordinary person. "The Jeffersons" was much more fun. They were living in the lap of luxury in a high rise apartment the way I wish I could live (remember.... I find ordinary and down to eath things dull), there was the interracial couple and George having a problem with them which had good conflicts which resulted in "reading sessions" or "playing the dozens" between them. Then there was Mother Jefferson who was a master at reading Louise on the sly. And there was Florence who was perfect for cutting George down to size. Lots more hell raising in a fun looking living situation on "The Jeffersons" as opposed to the calmer "Kumbaya" of everyone loving each other middle class living situation of "The Cosby Show".

Hamad said:

The show was his baby, so its understandable that he'll be biased. I love both shows, but personally, I prefer The Cosbys because its what I grew up on, and I relate more to the subtle & sometimes wry humor more than the loud & slapstick routine of The Jeffersons. When Mom Jefferson's health deteriorated, the show lost its magic IMO.

.

Mother Jefferson was one of my alltime favorites. She would read Louise on the sly with a smile on her face. She was an absolute bitch. Florence was another good character. She could read George too so that took up a little of the slack after Mother Jefferson left. I would have loved to have seen Mother Jefferson and Florence read each other though. That would have been a battle from hell!

Hamad said:

SPYZFAN1 said:

"The Jeffersons" win by a landslide. The episodes from the early seasons were classics. As for the "Cosby Show", I only liked a few of the earlier epsiodes. I stopped watching when Lisa Bonet left.

Still don't know why Mr.Cosby & Lisa clashed. I agree, her presence balanced the show. After she left, the family seemed goody two shoes & too perfect

.

He got pissed because she appeared in a movie and showed a little skin.

vainandy said:

Hamad said:

Still don't know why Mr.Cosby & Lisa clashed. I agree, her presence balanced the show. After she left, the family seemed goody two shoes & too perfect

.

He got pissed because she appeared in a movie and showed a little skin.

Angel Heart.

purplethunder3121 said:

vainandy said:

.

He got pissed because she appeared in a movie and showed a little skin.

Angel Heart.

You know Bill owns it on Blu Ray

^ I swear I've seen that exact same post on the org before.

Hudson said:

^ I swear I've seen that exact same post on the org before.

Because it's true

vainandy said:

"The Jeffersons" was much better. "The Cosby Show" was too middle class, family friendly, and ordinary. It was a good show but it definitely showed me that black folks were capable of being just as dull as white folks because "ordinary" bores me since I'm not an ordinary person. "The Jeffersons" was much more fun. They were living in the lap of luxury in a high rise apartment the way I wish I could live (remember.... I find ordinary and down to eath things dull), there was the interracial couple and George having a problem with them which had good conflicts which resulted in "reading sessions" or "playing the dozens" between them. Then there was Mother Jefferson who was a master at reading Louise on the sly. And there was Florence who was perfect for cutting George down to size. Lots more hell raising in a fun looking living situation on "The Jeffersons" as opposed to the calmer "Kumbaya" of everyone loving each other middle class living situation of "The Cosby Show".

I strong agree.

kpowers said:

purplethunder3121 said:

Angel Heart.

You know Bill owns it on Blu Ray

Looks like he wants her to be his Jello Pudding Pop.

He's right.The Jeffersons was much more funnier and a much better show,imo.