NORMAN LEAR Made Good Times BAD By Letting JJ Do His Own Thing - Florida & James Couldn't Take It 

I really really enjoyed watching this thank you so much LT

One thing I can say about Norman Lear is he sure had some long range vision, because Good Times reruns today, is still popular, with even the new generation. As for them not wanting Thelma to speak about sex, is keeping your head in the sand. My mama was so-o much like Florida, Ester Rolle, almost like twins, and my mama never talked to us about sex, I got the feeling it was taboo. So my sex questions came from asking others, even reading Ann Landers. Because it's naturally obvious when a girl turns teen, and don't want to have sex, because of your mama's upbringing, but the boy you like is pushing you too, then you hear if he don't do it with you, he will do it with someone else. So a million questions be going around in her head. So I did like that episode where Thelma spoke about it, and I'm sure it helped some girls going through that struggle. If they don't get answers from the right source, they'll get it from the wrong source. As for JJ saying Dynomite, I never thought it had been a problem for them, though I do recall James looking up side JJ head sometimes when he said it. I do understand they wanted JJ to be more scholarly, but he was an artist, a skill I've always admired in those good at it. I figure if you can draw well, you're practically on the level with God, seeing how beautifully God drew this world, and us. All in all, I sure loved this family, somehow feel I loved James, the most, but Estelle Rolle, looking and acting like my mama I naturally loved her. And I loved JJ, Thelma, and Michael, equally.

Lawrence Thergood kmefmddm I’m just

Lawrence Thergood kmefmddm I’m just

I'm 41 madam. Born in 1980. How old are u?

Hi Lyn! That would have definitely been something interesting to see. Thank you for commenting.

I love Maude! I agree Florida had more security then they took it away on Good Times☹️

@@daniellesienat2495 i need to find the Maude show. I would love to have them on that show James and Florida and how they were portrayed in the show

Yes, I remember watching James coming to get Florida, at Maude’s. Cuz they didn’t need her working. I guess my child’s mind never thought, how they got to the ghetto that quick! I was just excited to see the whole family together !

That concept would have worked better for the show and could have still tackled social issues.

And nobody is arguing nor disagreeing with you on that now me I'm a huge fan of all in the family just like I am a huge fan of Good Times but the only difference is Norman Lear begged Jean Stapleton to stay he tried to keep that show together because as we all know there's no archie without edith but he deliberately destroyed good times when he fired John Amos and there is no Florida with James. But Norman Lear is an uncreative, untalented, overrated producer because all of the shows he produced where ripoffs of british shows, and all if the shows like the Jeffersons and good times were stolen from Mike Evans a.k.a the original lionel and Eric Monte. Look it up on RU-vid there's videos of Eric Monte explaining how Norman Lear stole good times and the jeffersons from him and Mike Evans.

@@Superman_305 he is OVERRATED: he is 100 now, but that doesn't mean he all of that: there are OTHER producers who a dead NOW who were BETTER producer, IMO...

@@Superman_305 No. All in The Family needed Edith more than Good Times needed James. The funny, silly, characters are often the most popular.

Wow, I didn’t know that!

Very true. Great point. I think that if John Amos & Esther Rolle had stayed around, they would have fought for Thelma's character to stay on the path to pursuing her degree and career field that she wanted so much in the first season. Thank you so much for watching and commenting, J. Evans_Talkthe Talk!

So true. Just when her husband was gonna be this superstar football player he gets injured and they stayed stuck in the projects with her playing a mammie role! Had she been Whyte it would've never happened

I also didn't like Thelma's new story line.

Wow. I never thought about that because I love watching all seasons of Good Times so much but you’re right. That whole narrative of her being smart and in college ended in the sixth season. I’m thinking that they already planned on that being the last season so they just added whatever to keep the stories going. And what happened to Carl? Did he die from lung cancer? It was like he never existed when Florida returned for the sixth season.

@@robinbramlett110 Lol Right what happened to Carl? I'm currently watching all the seasons in order on Peacock and I'm in the 5th .... I think Carl was a replacement for James in the 4th to satisfy Esther's original vision of a father figure in the house but later abandoned the idea & I see the 5th season is a total escape from Esther Rolle's vision right down to even eliminating her to let Wilona & JJ shine

He really does. I was thinking about doing an entirely separate video on Eric Monte. That was too much to put in this video. But Eric Monte deserves writing AND creator credits AND money that he never received. Thank you so much for watching and commenting, Debi Luv!

@@TisHotMessHistory Thank you...I will be waiting for it!

@@debiluv4704 i won't keep you waiting too long. I already started on the research while I was working on this video.

That James Evans character was based on Eric Monte's stepfather

Gifted writer and should be celebrated! 😆❤️

They really were. I had heard things along these lines about John Amos, but I really developed a deep respect for Esther Rolle while working on this video. Thank you so much for watching and commenting, Beautifullycoily!

"damn, Damn, DAMN!" -- Florida Evans😞😭💔

@@tinytowz4471 Exactly just like that! Sad time for black television.

Yes,And it sure was devastating

I understand. That was a BIG loss for the show. So many people agree with you too. Thank you so much for watching and commenting, Angela Powell!

They didn’t want him there in the first place.

John Amos was fired because he threatened the writers on the show. From Ms. Harper Stacey.

Hi John Linde! I think that I understand exactly what you mean. Thank you for commenting!

Makes sense to me too...

Living in the hood....Every family needed a James Evans

I don’t like him to be my father to mean I prefer bill Cosby but the best father for me is Al bundy that my dad in real life never scream always make my mom laugh by farting all the time Al bundy is my father

Fill his spot with a man who had cancer

With that atheist character too. Florida was a Christian God fearing woman with James..Smh

@@blackbutterfly3248 dam i for got that bstard was an atheist no wonder he got the death penalty, thanks BB

@@blackbutterfly3248 ain't that something

@@blackbutterfly3248 Yup. We’re shaking heads together.

Hi Orlando Prouty! The joke definitely went downhill after the death of James!

I think Norman Lear didn’t want the black family to be portrayed in a positive light. Therefore he gets rid of the black father. Norman Lear was not for black people.

I agree 💯

​​@@monadugas9113He was definitely one of the White Liberals Malcolm X told us to be wary of.

I agree. Do not underestimate them. He had an agenda.

I can't disagree. Thank you so much for watching and commenting, PrettyKitty WILL ScratchYou!

He has/had a tendency to screw people over and steal their work without giving them any credit.

Exactly they always think they know what it's like

@@traveonsmith256 if it weren’t for Norman and the show he created , Ester and John would be unknown.

By the time I saw the show, it was reruns on tv. I certainly didn't know the politics either, but knowing them now really makes me have respect for Esther Rolle and John Amos. Thank you so much for watching and comment, Butch Mitch!

Truth Indeed

Me too, Morgan! It was ridiculous.

Your wrong John left because he got into it with writers because they we’re all white writing about black struggles

it's a holy miracle when any actor gets on a hit show, I'll never understand why they nitpick it until they lose the show..usually they never get another break like that one either. MONEY is the key; make enough and you can build your own stage and act for family and friends doing whatever roles or genres you want.

Did you mean...IceHole?

Eric Monte was a drug addict. That's not norman lear s fault.

They would have turned their backs on him too and gave them his arse to kiss

Jimmie Walker helped Jay Leno get a guest role on good times.

What comedians? Most of the black comedians of the 70s and 80s were already in place. Pryor, Mooney (who was writing for Pryor), Redd Foxx…at that point in time, there weren’t many left that had paid dues. Doing comedy is like pledging a fraternity. You’re gonna put in that work before they let you in.

Couldn't stand jj character or him in real life.

@@vanessadoravhill5734 a lot of folks said that!

That makes a lot of since - just plain curiosity. I appreciate your compliment. Thank you so much for watching and commenting, Reesie Outlaw!

Agree 💯

True, Whitepeople think that blackpeople have no life.

they think we all live in the projects and and always have to struggle

Hi Crystal Evans! I originally saw the show as re-runs in the 80's. When I was a child then, I laughed at it. But it's good that as adults, we see things differently. Thank you for commenting.

I loved the show in it's early going but I agree With John Amos and Esther Rolle's point of view when it came to JJ . They capitalized von the DYNOMIIITE catchphrase that made this character a baffoon and I felt continued the stereotype of black males

How cool, Jazzy Jeff! Everyone who has told me they met him said that he's really nice. I'm pretty sure that I just saw that his mother passed away last month or November. So sad.

@@TisHotMessHistory Really wow she was a nice lady may she rest in peace.

You mean over?

@@vanessadoravhill5734 yes I meant over.

@@joseyeastwood No problem,just trying to help out.

Thank you so much for the compliment on the video! I honestly don't remember their plans for a move to Alaska. I would have to go back and watch. I was a young child watching this as re-runs and I was with you. I hated that they were never able to progress. As an adult I can think of so many ways that they could have been able to make small moves here and there to get out of the projects and it still could have been funny and realistic. I agree with you. Thank you so much for watching and commenting, Chef Carter's Cooking Corner!

Only James was to go to Alaska. He told his family they wouldn't be going. Just before James died, he went to work in Mississippi. The family was preparing to join him. It was during the goodbye party that, Flo opened up a letter from Mississippi telling her James was killed in an accident. I am a 61 year old white woman, and this became my #1 favorite family show from it's first airing. Not just because they were black, but also nurturing and righteous. I visited Chelsea, Ma several times as a young child/early teens. I Chelsea, isn't Chicago but, the situation was very similar. I spent 17 years in different parts of the South and Southwest States, Iloved it. I wish my family could have been more like the Evans family They were loving and nurturing.

Man, imagine if they decided to write the show as a family that is moving up in the world because of James' hard work and JJ's artistry. They could've wrote jokes about a honorable family who knew the laws of the projects having to constantly object and navigate an increasingly the white collar world.

I seem to remember James actually going to Alaska for a Job and he was gonna send for the family....Until he died

@@SupremeNerd he turned that down because Michael was going to get in a gang to get the warlords back if my remembrance is correct, so James told Florida he was staying to keep an eye on his kids.

"a severe case of short sightedness" is probably one of the very best ways to sum up the reason for the decisions to remove the father and mother from this show. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment, Chrissyblou Lam!

Same here! It was already in reruns by the time I was watching, but I was still young and that was the first time that I remember seeing a TV character killed off. It was hard to see. Thank you so much for watching and commenting, Debby M!

You forgot, if it wasn't for Norman lear we wouldn't.have any black shows at all.

Jimmy walker loved white people.Did he give his black friends a spot. I read somewhere he only dates white women. Go figure

@@harperstacey9604 eff Norman Lear and this bs comment. It's easy for you to forget how he stole from blks 🤡🤡🤡

Hi Andie Kelly! Thank you so much for sharing part of your personal experience. I honestly don't think that I know any Native Americans personally. I wish that I knew more than what I have read about Native Americans, but it is interesting to hear that we all go through so many of the same types of issues as parts of different ethnic groups.

@@TisHotMessHistory ❤

YES! Esther Rolle deserves so much credit! Thank you so much for watching and commenting, Rosa Johnson. Interesting to hear your thoughts about my 60% white viewership question.

Rosa, thinking that not many black people had t.v,s is the most ignorant thing I've ever heard

@@keithbradley1197 that means you have not heard many things!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. Also, I said, not as many blacks had tvs as their counterparts and I know that I am correct!

@@rosajohnson5212 FACTS!

If fewer black families had TV, they were better off. When I was five years old, my (white) family had only one TV (no cable anywhere in 1972), and there was very little programming suitable for a five-year-old (except "Wild Kingdom"). So I read books, instead. I was reading newspapers, novels and encyclopedias when I was five, before I even went to school.

Hi Brenda Rayford. I'm with you on that 100%. My father hated that about the show as well. Thank you for commenting!

He had a "job". He always did something to try and bring money in! He didn't have a "career" is what the problem was!

That's the way I saw it! Every family has kids with different goals and levels of success!

WOW! Thank you for all of these wonderful compliments about my channel. I'm so thankful that you find the videos interesting and that you keep coming back. I will definitely keep them coming for you! Thank you so much for watching and commenting, Daniel Robinson!

I don’t see what’s wrong with them. They apply to poor black people at the time.

It always ends up that way & sadly they change the programming.

I agree. At some point, Bill Cosby attempted to buy NBC. We see what happened with that. 😒

Thank YOU for the compliment!

Hi That Damn Simmer! I never saw many re-runs of Maude, but I learned from my research for this video that he played the husband there too. It's strange that his name was changed. Thank you for your comment.

Did you know that James Evans's estranged father was named Henry Evans? He was portrayed by actor Richard Ward.

Hi Ervin Rome! Thank you for the compliment on this video! Thank you so much for watching and subscribing! I get these old school videos out every week and I live stream here and there. I try to post everything that's going to happen with this channel on my Community Tab. And now, if you want, you can also get text notifications by letting me know that you want them. Text 786-632-2135 to get a notification a few minutes before I release a video or live stream. I hope that you continue to enjoy it here! BTW, we have a new Old School Scandal premiering today, shortly, at 5:00 pm CST, in case you can hang out with us. If you can't, the video will be right here on the channel waiting for you whenever you can get to it.

Hi Sha K! I'm so THANKFUL that you enjoyed this. Thank YOU for watching.

Thank you for the compliment and for watching and commenting, BUBANNER!

Thank you SO MUCH! I am so THANKFUL to see that you are watching and enjoying my videos. I'm working on a new one to give you Monday, Antron Washington!

Yay!!!!!!!! I can't wait to see you, Natasha! Forgive me in advance for the crackling of my mic. I had my computer that I use for trading open right next to my RU-vid computer and didn't realize that it was causing feedback. I'll see you and your drank tomorrow morning 🌄 🙂 ☀️

See you soon, if you can come, Natasha!

Hi KENNETH CURTIS! The episodes with the whole family are the best ones to me. James and Florida were definitely extremely important. Thank you for commenting.

Thank you, because I couldn't stand that line nor the JJ character. I met Jimmy Walker years ago and he was a pompous jerk as well.

@@stephtoneyArmyVet I've heard that about him before.

I thought that the dynamite crap was stupid.I knew if no black youth that was silly like JJ .It was a horrible potrayal of black people.

The episode with Thelma's boyfriend Ebay is both poignant and hilarious.

WOW!

Hi Kevin! I agree. The show was just not the same.

I love your vision of their future! Is it true that Thelma’s husband In the show had a PhD? I saw this in one of the comments!

@@malirabbit6228 Wow, I am only hearing this, now!

Thank you so much, Alaysha!!!!

Norman Lear was definitely a thief, but unfortunately, Eric Monte wasn't a good business man. I wish that he would have had an attorney or someone who knew the business of entertainment working for him before he went telling everyone his ideas. Thank you so much for watching and commenting, LB!

Truth Indeed

Also noticed Maude was never mentioned... just thought it was odd

I did a video about Eric Monte too. He created and wrote for Good Times, but not Sanford and Son. But he definitely claimed that Norman Lear was a their and won a lawsuit to prove it. Unfortunately, he still lost his money. Here is the video. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-M5UYq-jTPcA.html Thank you so much for watching and commenting, tyrone ashford!

Thank you for the compliment, Supremmo! I did hear about the cartoon. I actually started seeing some things around Christmas time here on RU-vid, but I never clicked on the videos to see just what was going on.

@@TisHotMessHistory wtf a good times cartoon?.