Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Ted Knight and that ethnic joke in "The Good-TIme News" on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"...
In our look at The Mary Tyler Moore Show earlier this season, we remarked on the fact that even in 1973, Polish jokes were a "thing." Not surprisingly, buffoonish news anchor Ted Baxter was the one making them.
Well, a passage in Jennifer Keishin Armstrong's Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted points out that star Ted Knight wasn't all that cool with the jokes. Knight was a sensitive type anyway, Armstrong writes, but this struck a nerve. It isn't all that surprising if you realize Knight was born Tadeusz Wladyslaw Knopka:
Knight got sensitive about slights to his polish heritage and chafed whenever anyone told a Polish joke at a table read--a common shtick in the 1970s, just a few decades after the wave of immigrants from Poland to America following World War II, Knight's own parents among them.
The author asserts that the sensitivity reflected his deeper ambivalence about his character. He worried about being confused with his less-than-intelligent alter ego, and he bristled that they shared the same first name. He would groan to his pal Gavin MacLeod, Why did they have to name him Ted? Why did it have to be my name?"
In fact, he eventually bugged producer Allen Burns for changes to his character--anything to make him less oblivious, more human. Burns called in writer Ed. Weinberger to help soothe the upset actor. Burns pointed out that no one thought Carroll O'Connor was really the bigoted Archie Bunker. "I just...everybody thinks I'm stupid," Knight insisted, though he was cheering up a bit.
Weinberger replied that he was an actor and talked about the long history of the clown in theater, dating back to Shakespeare. Knight bucked up a bit. Then, Armstrong writes,
Then (producer James L.) Brooks walked in. "Ted Knight!" he said, ignorant of the conversation's topic. "How does it feel to be one of the great schmucks of all time?" Knight collapsed all over again.
True or not, it's a funny story.
Knight also had a conflicted relationship with co-star Ed Asner--often buddies, often feuding (Asner believed it was jealousy) and had a big falling out over a perceived slight when Knight didn't defend Asner over the political controversy surrounding the end of Lou Grant. All in all, Knight was certainly a complex individual and one grappling with insecurity--a personality that certainly makes me look at that scene in The Good-Time News in a different light.
Well, a passage in Jennifer Keishin Armstrong's Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted points out that star Ted Knight wasn't all that cool with the jokes. Knight was a sensitive type anyway, Armstrong writes, but this struck a nerve. It isn't all that surprising if you realize Knight was born Tadeusz Wladyslaw Knopka:
Knight got sensitive about slights to his polish heritage and chafed whenever anyone told a Polish joke at a table read--a common shtick in the 1970s, just a few decades after the wave of immigrants from Poland to America following World War II, Knight's own parents among them.
The author asserts that the sensitivity reflected his deeper ambivalence about his character. He worried about being confused with his less-than-intelligent alter ego, and he bristled that they shared the same first name. He would groan to his pal Gavin MacLeod, Why did they have to name him Ted? Why did it have to be my name?"
In fact, he eventually bugged producer Allen Burns for changes to his character--anything to make him less oblivious, more human. Burns called in writer Ed. Weinberger to help soothe the upset actor. Burns pointed out that no one thought Carroll O'Connor was really the bigoted Archie Bunker. "I just...everybody thinks I'm stupid," Knight insisted, though he was cheering up a bit.
Weinberger replied that he was an actor and talked about the long history of the clown in theater, dating back to Shakespeare. Knight bucked up a bit. Then, Armstrong writes,
Then (producer James L.) Brooks walked in. "Ted Knight!" he said, ignorant of the conversation's topic. "How does it feel to be one of the great schmucks of all time?" Knight collapsed all over again.
True or not, it's a funny story.
Knight also had a conflicted relationship with co-star Ed Asner--often buddies, often feuding (Asner believed it was jealousy) and had a big falling out over a perceived slight when Knight didn't defend Asner over the political controversy surrounding the end of Lou Grant. All in all, Knight was certainly a complex individual and one grappling with insecurity--a personality that certainly makes me look at that scene in The Good-Time News in a different light.
Friday, July 6, 2018
The YouTube playlist for our 50th episode is now live!
Among the highlights as we celebrate 50 episodes: Ken Berry WOWs us John Lennon talks to Howard Cosell! Pushball action! And what do Lorenzo Lamas and Milton Berle have in common?
Show Notes: Episode 4-9: 50th episode CHIPS spectacular
*The Great 5K Star Race and Boulder Wrap Party premiered at 8:00 P.M. December 7, 1980, as a two-part episode on NBC. It went up against a Charlie's Angels episode and the first half of Fighting Back on ABC and a CBS comedy block of Archie Bunker's Place, One Day at a Time, Alice, and The Jeffersons.
*For our complete coverage of the classic Roller Disco episode and more discussion of CHIPS, click here.
*Milton Berle's residence may have been in Malibu in 1980, but when he died his estate was in Beverly Hills. Oxnard is about 35 miles away from Malibu.
*Berle feuded with Bob Hope for years, but the BOTNS crack research team could find no evidence that Hope ever pushed rocks down towards Berle's place.
*Actors and Others for Animals, now with JoAnn Worley as president, is still active in Southern California.
*Pushball was invented in 1891 and, according to Miriam-Webster, : a game in which each of two sides endeavors to push an inflated originally leather-covered ball six feet (1.8 meters) in diameter across its opponents' goal; also : the ball used We're not sure when indoor pushball was invented. Maybe it was after the first pushball rain delay.
*Dody Goodman had a prominent role in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and was in both Grease movies in addition to her recurring role on Diff'rent Strokes.
*Here's Boomer lasted two seasons (1980-1982) on NBC. Boomer was played by Johnny the dog. In fact, an episode of the show preceded this episode of CHIPS.
*Don't forget to hit our YouTube page for our playlist for this episode!
*For our complete coverage of the classic Roller Disco episode and more discussion of CHIPS, click here.
*Milton Berle's residence may have been in Malibu in 1980, but when he died his estate was in Beverly Hills. Oxnard is about 35 miles away from Malibu.
*Berle feuded with Bob Hope for years, but the BOTNS crack research team could find no evidence that Hope ever pushed rocks down towards Berle's place.
*Actors and Others for Animals, now with JoAnn Worley as president, is still active in Southern California.
*Pushball was invented in 1891 and, according to Miriam-Webster, : a game in which each of two sides endeavors to push an inflated originally leather-covered ball six feet (1.8 meters) in diameter across its opponents' goal; also : the ball used We're not sure when indoor pushball was invented. Maybe it was after the first pushball rain delay.
*Dody Goodman had a prominent role in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and was in both Grease movies in addition to her recurring role on Diff'rent Strokes.
*Here's Boomer lasted two seasons (1980-1982) on NBC. Boomer was played by Johnny the dog. In fact, an episode of the show preceded this episode of CHIPS.
*Don't forget to hit our YouTube page for our playlist for this episode!
Thursday, July 5, 2018
4_9: The Great 50th Episode 5K Star Race and Boulder Wrap Party
To celebrate 50th Full Episode, we do something unprecedented and revisit a show--CHiPs! Just as we return to he well, do the men and women of the CHP when they deal with an annoying kid, humorous thieves played by likable character actors, and lots and lots of celebrities! Boulders, push ball, stars, Uncle Miltie, and more!
Check out this episode!
Check out this episode!
Wednesday, July 4, 2018
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
Great Moments in 70s and 80s TV History #7: Introducing Sweet Daddy Williams
Ah, the days when pimps were celebrated as heroes in the culture! We didn't get into the brilliance of Theodore Wilson as Sweet Daddy Williams in our Good Times episode this week, but don't let that stop you from enjoying one of the most memorable recurring characters of the era:
As we mentioned in our show notes, Wilson was only in 7 episodes in the series' 6 seasons, but he made such an impression each time that it feels like he was in more. After making his screen debut in the 1970 adaptation of the Chester Himes novel Cotton Comes to Harlem, the actor was already a fixture on the tube when he joined Good Times. Among his guest spots were The Waltons (his TV debut), What's Happenin' (the Doobie Brothers episode), and All in the Family. As a regular, he's a riot as the postman (later barber) Earl on the short-lived That's My Mama.
Here's the first time we see Sweet Daddy, in season 3, episode 19:
In this solid episode, Sweet Daddy backs J.J. and wants to set up a one-man art show for him. In an interesting twist on the usual dynamic that we discuss in the podcast, James wants nothing to do with that "hustler's money," and Florida is the one who rationalizes it by saying what a break it is for their son.
Things get complicated when Michael takes a ride home in Sweet Daddy's car and then the Evans family gets a new refrigerator delivered by some of his muscle. Will James put up with the growing presence of "that hoodlum" in the family's life?
Yes, the character is a bit of a cartoon. And, yes, his presence does add a bit to the general buffoonery that stars John Amos and Esther Rolle were protesting:
Yet Teddy Wilson is funny and charismatic, and his appearances are always a treat. He remained a constant on TV after Good Times, popping up in BOTNS programs like The White Shadow and The Golden Girls in addition to many others. He died way too young--only 47--after suffering a stroke in 1991.
Still, even if Florida and James weren't fans (in fairness, the show does make it clear that Williams is a hoodlum not to be celebrated, but you can't help but enjoy watching him), I sure was.
As we mentioned in our show notes, Wilson was only in 7 episodes in the series' 6 seasons, but he made such an impression each time that it feels like he was in more. After making his screen debut in the 1970 adaptation of the Chester Himes novel Cotton Comes to Harlem, the actor was already a fixture on the tube when he joined Good Times. Among his guest spots were The Waltons (his TV debut), What's Happenin' (the Doobie Brothers episode), and All in the Family. As a regular, he's a riot as the postman (later barber) Earl on the short-lived That's My Mama.
Here's the first time we see Sweet Daddy, in season 3, episode 19:
In this solid episode, Sweet Daddy backs J.J. and wants to set up a one-man art show for him. In an interesting twist on the usual dynamic that we discuss in the podcast, James wants nothing to do with that "hustler's money," and Florida is the one who rationalizes it by saying what a break it is for their son.
Things get complicated when Michael takes a ride home in Sweet Daddy's car and then the Evans family gets a new refrigerator delivered by some of his muscle. Will James put up with the growing presence of "that hoodlum" in the family's life?
Yes, the character is a bit of a cartoon. And, yes, his presence does add a bit to the general buffoonery that stars John Amos and Esther Rolle were protesting:
Yet Teddy Wilson is funny and charismatic, and his appearances are always a treat. He remained a constant on TV after Good Times, popping up in BOTNS programs like The White Shadow and The Golden Girls in addition to many others. He died way too young--only 47--after suffering a stroke in 1991.
Still, even if Florida and James weren't fans (in fairness, the show does make it clear that Williams is a hoodlum not to be celebrated, but you can't help but enjoy watching him), I sure was.
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