As a television show it divided the black community. Perpetuated the stereotypes of blackface minstrelsy, portraying clownish "Coons," docile and devout "Uncle Toms," shrewish "Mammies," and other stock black characters. It was the nation's most popular radio show, the subject of two films, a popular comic strip, and finally a television sitcom with an all-black cast. From 1925 until 1966 The Amos 'n' Andy Show dominated several forms of media in America. In its television incarnation in the 1950s and 1960s, the show became a window on changing race relations in America. But there was more at stake on the show than economic satire. Dat's whut puts de repression on things." Clearly, the show gave down-on-their-luck Americans a cast of characters at whom they could laugh and with whom they could identify. The day after the stock market crash of October 29, 1929, the following exchange took place on the Amos 'n' Andy radio show-Andy: "Is you been keepin' yo' eye on de stock market?" Lightnin': "Nosah, I ain't never seed it." Andy: "Well, de stock market crashed!" Lightnin': "Anybody git hurt?" Andy: "Well, 'course, Lightnin', when de stock market crashes, it hurts bizness men. We're all a little racist but unless we talk about it it isn't going to change.During the Great Depression The Amos 'n' Andy Show provided comic relief to a nation reeling from rapid deflation and skyrocketing unemployment. Hell I look at all white people as one white person. But Petey Green used to say "White folks have a tendency to see all black people like one black person. They were using humor to discuss a very serious topic. His guest was a very young Howard Stern who showed up in Blackface and his sidekick Robin was in the front row and they were talking about race issues. Probably from the late '70's or early '80's. Yesterday I was cruising Youtube and found an old clip of Petey Green. ![]() He said that to him the most upsetting part of Amos and Andy was the fact that the 2 white actors who originally played them got stars on the Hollywood walk of fame but the 2 black actors who took it over died in obscurity. ![]() He said when the professor played them Amos and Andy there was unbelievable tension in the class until my friend started laughing. He was talking about taking a Race in Media course and being the only black man in the class besides the professor, surrounded by young white kids. He was back in college when I met him studying broadcasting. I was friends with an older black gentleman He was in his late 50's old enough to remember Amos and Andy. It ran on CBS from 1951 to 1953, and in reruns until 1966 when black protests silenced it. Ī funny thing happened on the way to outrage: I found myself laughing."Īmos 'n Andy a sitcom about a group of black lodge brothers in Harlem was the first network show to feature an all-black cast. I took the word of black people who loathed the radio rendition that began in 1928. Hated it because I was supposed to, hated it because it was full of darky stereotypes. "I hated Amos 'n Andy before I ever saw it. He wants someone now to apologize for slavery, while I say it can't be done - no one now owns or has ever owned slaves.Īnyhow, here are some excerpts from his column, July 10, 1997. Now Pitts and I don't always agree on many issues. There is a black columnist in The Miami Herald, Leonard Pitts who wrote of Amos 'n Andy in 1997. (We'll get into the fallacy of renaming 'race' to 'ethnic' in another forum) I loathe political correctness - especially the pat answers about race. ![]() I know a lot of older "hippies" are as a aware as I am of the this groundbreaking show and appreciate it for what it is - FUNNY!!! Self Richeous people are such pricks!! How about watching it and judging for youself. ![]() I submit that GoingHome is more of a rascist tinge than did Amos & Andy. Get over the rascism stereotype for this show - it was a brilliantly done, hilarious show done at a time when there were few "black" shows on tv and presented brilliant comedians. Comedy!! Black or white it focuses on ignorant characters!! I suspect very little or none - or perhaps clipettes of shows focusing on ignorant black characters. I wonder how much Amos & Andy GoingHome has watched. I am a white, liberal, tree hugging, socialist, pinko and I can see the difference. Watch House of Payne and see where the real rascism is. Why rascism would be reserved for a ground breaking comedy like Amos & Andy" is beyond me. ie: Sanford & Sons, Good Times, Married with Children, Our Gang, House of Payne, Redd Fox - and on and on.ĭid Amos & Andy have some ignorant characters? Sure - but 90 % of the characters displayed as "real life" were just everyday working folks like me and you Amos & Andy was less racist that most of the black or white humor we see on tv today.
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