which show did you dig the Most? I like them Both but I'M a Fred Sandford Kind of Dude.I always walk around the Crib saying the "G" stands for Gravity.but the Jeffersons are cool as well.

"Good Times" is my favorite show of all-time:)

Fred G. Sanford...the "G." stands 4 greatness!


Hands down, it's Sanford & Son!


Lamont, u big dummy!

Both were good shows but I used to watch Sanford and Son a lot more. Red Foxx was terriffic.

Hey David... Good Times is one of my favs also. Actually, I think it's one of my first memories of watching television. I still look for it and sometimes record it when it's on in the middle of the night.

But if I have to choose between Sanford & Son or the Jeffersons, I liked Sanford a lot more, even though I've probably watched more of the Jeffersons (you can't get away from it). But Sanford & Son made a lot more sense to me.

No need to choose. I like them both for different reasons. But the Jeffersons are more relevant.

Watched the Jeffersons more, but I'm an Esther fan ... "U ol' heathen! ..."

I like them both but if i had to choose, i would have
to say sanford and son .

Sanford and son was originally a british comedy called Steptoe and son from many many years ago when the world was in black and white.

They even used the original scripts!

How about Monty Python's Flying Circus? Ever watch that? It's crazy!

Aw Man...I've always said that The Jeffersons was my all time favorite...but I love S&S...Can't choose bro..

Both represent models of successful black entrepeneurs.

The junkman was the "fix-it man" in the neighborhood. These were the men out
of WWII who had the electronic and mechanical know-how to fix your refrigerators,
radios and even your broken-down jalopy. In the era before repairs were cheaper
than a replacement, this was THE MAN.

The Fred Sanford character represents a widowed alcholoic who was turning a dying
biz over to his son. Lamont had a great understandung of the busines, but
Sanford had pretty lost his will to take things seriously anymore. Besides, at this
time people were replacing and upgrading instead of getting repairs made.

George Jefferson took the menial duties of drycleaning folks' clothes in the 'hood and
moved it uptown to the white folks. He knew that everybody gets dirty and funky and made
a killing among upscale clientele until he became as successful as those he serviced.




Both these shows were easier for me to digest than GOOD TIMES and
DIFF'RENT STROKES. These shows portrayed black men as hopeless, desperate
failures (GT) or non-existent (DS).

COSBY is on NICKLODEON all the time. That show dropped a lot of funk, jazz and
blues into Ameica's ears(as well as showing Black men being successful). One episode
Vanessa was studying with her boy-friend and they had two radios on, to get that fake stereo
effect, and "Cosmic Slop" was playing. "Daddy. They're playing FUNKADELIC!" says my daughter.
I smile and bob my head.

GOOD TIMES was my favorite (although I like all three shows). The shows dealt with so many important social issues. They covered so many(well they didn't deal with AIDS but that wasn't a big thing in the 70's anyway).

To me John Amos made that show. To me Norman Lear made a big mistake by trying to build the show around Jimmie Walker. After while, people got sick and tired of JJ's antics and that led to the show's demise. A lot of Good Times fans I've talked to feel the same thing. I remember Jimmie Walker had a minor hit back in 75 with "Dynamite". He had an album too called DYNAMITE I think. On the album cover is him with a stick of dynamite in his hand. I'm currently putting all of GT episodes on tape. I have quite a few more episodes to go.

I love the Jeffersons too and Redd Foxx is a comic genius. (Sanford And Son). I love the way Lamont gets so pissed at Fred for ANY KIND of foolishness he may be doing (LOL).

And that BERNADETTE STAINS is FINE...LAAWWD HAVE MERCY!!! And she is still fine and beautiful. Sorry AnotherLoverHoleinYoHead, you're going have to get me for saying that but I can't help it...MY GOODNESS OOO WEEE!!!(LOL)

Brother915 said:

You are right, Bernadette is a fine ass sister!!!

gman1966 said:

She Still Looks GREAT!!!

Brother915 said:

John Amos is a DAMN Good Actor.as was Esther Rolle.Jimmy Walker had that whole "Dynimite" Slogan going on.I Swear Larry Graham use to say it alot back in the day as well after the fact? that's another thread.anyway Jimmy Walker had a Hit with "Let's do It Again" which John Amos was in as well.but His Buffoning&Clowning was acceptable for a while but it Cost Him at Ever making it in Film or Having a Career Beyond saying "Kid Dynimite".He was Limited as Actor IMHO&He couldn't last.

I dig What's Happening as well.Re-Run Fred Barry was a BADD-Dancer.I dug Good Times during the John Amos Era.I still Remember when James Dies&The Brass Construction's "Movin" was Playing in the Back-Ground DAMN!DAMN!DAMN!

Brother915 said:

Don't you mean Bernadette Stanis?

THE JEFFERSONS all the way!!!

Sanford and Son-had grumpy old man callin his son dummy and fighting with Esther. Making one off jokes and asides on white people.

Good Times--had a hot headed father figure, a too too skinny court jester and a mom that went "damn, damn DAMN!" while throwing down a pot (of greens I imagine)

Whats Happening-was located in California instead of cold Detroit or New York. Had a black kids soda shop. Had pop locking and Duanes big afro. hey hey hey.

The Jeffersons--had a black man literally on several occasions call a white man honky, kick him in the ass while slamming the door on him.

Good Times Opening Theme

Good Times
Any time you meet a payment
Good Times
Any time you meet a friend
Good Times
Any time you're out from under
Not gettin' hassled, not gettin' hustled
Keepin' your head above water
Makin' a wave when you can
Temporary lay-offs
Good Times
Easy credit rip-offs
Good Times
Scratchin' and survivin'
Good Times
Hangin' in a jury
Good Times
Aint we lucky we got 'em
Good Times

The Closing Theme
Just lookin' out of the window
Watchin' the asphalt grow
Thinkin' how it all looks hand-me-down
Good Times
Keepin' your head above water
Makin' a wave when you can
Temporary lay-offs
Good Times
Easy Credit rip-offs
Good Times
Aint we lucky we got 'em
Good Times

http://www.valdefierro.com/times05.html
[This message was edited Thu Jul 18 9:27:32 PDT 2002 by rdhull]

My favorite was- hands down- SANFORD & SON.
I loved Fred's "heart attacks," & those times when he would say "I'm Fred G. Sanford, & the G. is for.." whatever crazy word he wanted it to stand for..


my favorite Sanford & Son line is from the episode when Fred decides to be his own lawyer for some traffic violation, some sort of legal thing...
I think it was for Lamont..
& so he's in court, & the judge says something about the court, & then Fred says:
"There's enough niggas in here to make a Tarzan movie!"

TOO FUNNY!


My favorite episode is when Fred meets this stripper, & then gets her to bring some of her "friends" back to Fred's place. Fred & Grady & Bubba & the others start they party early, drinking, among other things, Fred's favorite drink..
RIPPLE..
& then the women arrive, but Fred & the fellas are all passed out..


I liked the Jeffersons enough, but that series was better early on, when George was always dissing Tom Willis.. later in the series, George got a little too "buddy buddy" with Willis.. call it "character evolution" if you want, but it got less interesting at that point.. plus, I always preferred the "Lionel Jefferson" charecter played by Mike Evans, as opposed to the "fill-in" Damon Evans..


"Good Times" was alright, but too predictable-
& depressing.
When the father James Evans died on the show, that was it for me.
Though, yeah, Bernadette was as FINE-
& as PHAT-
as hell! GORGEOUS woman! She was definitely 1 of my 1st real pre-pubescent crushes..
I remember being a kid & watching that show, & how many people had either "JJ" t-shirts or "Dynomite" t-shirts.
I give Jimmy Walker credit for "patenting" his "Dynomite" expression, so that now if anyone wants him to say it, they have to pay him..
Can you imagine what it must be like to be known only for saying ONE WORD, & then everybody wants you to say that ONE WORD whenever they see you???



What's happening was also silly, very light (even for a sitcom) & predictable..
I always hated that smart-mouthed Dee character.. she was always talking shit or threatening to tell on her brother.. I just wanted to smack her!

Still, I have 2 favorite episodes of this show:
the 1 where Rerun joins that "pop-lock" dance group, but they want him to join so they can make fat jokes about him..
that was some good, funky dancing in that episode!

The other episode is, of course, the 1 with the
Doobie Brothers
in it..
they do "Black Water" & "Takin' It To The Streets".. 2 of my Doobie favorites..