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Show BROAD AX | MAY/JUNE 1974. All In The Family TY t You Say and without: steady employLear also reveals several ghettoes, white winoes stum- | ment---picking up on odd other images that are com- bling down the street or jobs when possible. ~ mon beliefs about Blacks, Jews being tortured by Ger- . There are three children in the notion of Blacks always mans in concentration camps, the family. The oldest ‘boy’ being ready to party and would the audience still be is called J. J. His philosophy when they do, they eat ribs laughing. As a Black one, is ‘If the Lord didn’t mean and fried chicken while dane- finds little funny about a. . for us to steal, why we got ing to the music of The sroup: of whites making fun more pockets than hands,’ Temptations. There is also a of Black life, especially when hint at the fact that Black and ‘I don’t steal things, the hidden message seems to momma, I finds them.’ J. J. women are not young, be ‘things ain’t really that also has another admiring innocent and _ beautiful... | trait, he loves to chase woyoung and beautiful but in- bad’. A comment Blacks often nocent? There is also the immen. Next is the daughter, © plication that the neighbor- hear from members of the © Thelma. She is ‘Typical’ of hood Blacks live in is not safe Jewish faith is ‘....we pullBlacks in that she craves ‘bad to walk in, around or through. ed- ourselves up from ghetclothes,’ after all you ain’t especially for young Black toes by our bootstraps with Black if you don’t dress fine. women. no help, why can’t you?’ To The third child is a characIn spite of the obvious answer in brief, Jews did’ ter to be called Little Brother. ghetto conditions and prob- answer in brief, Jews didn’t ‘Little Brother is the militant lems the family faces, they have people like Norman Lear or Black activist of the family. are content....contentment is blocking their way with neg- ° He comes complete with -what whites preached to ative sterotypes which were African garb and quotations Blacks every since slavery, transmitted across the country. from famous Blacks involved ‘things ain’t really all that Granted many of the in Black liberation. bad.’ Like the show’s theme shows in spite of the stereoThe children get involved song says, “Good times is typing are technically well in name-calling between themselves and, at times, get lucky we got them good geyeral Black actors the opsassy with their parents---‘no times?’ es portunity to act. But many ‘respect.’ Lear in emphasizThe high ratings of all the of the crews and writing staff ing name-calling between Lear productions are indica- are white (higher than 95%) brothers and sisters, has tak- tors of the mass appeal the denying Blacks the chance to en something that belongs to - so-called situation comedies make fun at themselves if Black youths and made it have obtained. One must won-. they choose as well as exseem. disrespectful and un- der how many Blacks are cluding them from the techconsiderate, without qualifinical aspect of production. laughing, and of those who cation. In all of his productions, are how many have stopped The audience is not told to question the goings on. Lear and his writing staff that many Blacks engage in One can not recall when be- have failed to represent ‘verbal beating’ not out of ing Black in this country was Blacks with any air of realism hatred but as a sign of love either a laughing matter or by placing Black actors in and mutual respect...Worse something to take lightly. roles that are humorous and still is the fact that Lear took Of course one agrees that shadow the harshness of this. personal exchange beBlacks in this country with tween Blacks.and. made it it has always been the Amerithe barriers both visible and public, so that like the soul can way to laugh in face invisible that exist. One handshake and much of the can way to laugh in the face thinks that Lear’s portrayal of adversity, but the adverBlack dialogue, it can be of Black life will no longer butchered and copied by un- sity always seems to be some- seem like light-hearted one else’s. One wonders if a knowing whites. predominantly Black team of comedy. The mother, Florida, (and you are right, Maude’s ex- writers sat down and wrote a series of television shows a. maid) -is the rock of strength and Divine inspiration to her family. The dominate factor in the family is unity. owe bout the comical side of, The best way to have your - and Indian massacre, European emigrants starving in prayers answered is to wer them yourselves We Say “Black of Africa are Primitive’ “The Blacks of Africa are culturally Different ” “The African savages attacked the white Christian Missionaries”’ ‘“The African warriors attacked “the white Christian Missionaries” “Statistics show that 50% of the infantsin this community illegimate’’ are “Statistics show that babies are 25% of the.population in this community.” “The ‘no knock’ Act is being tested by ‘negro’ community leaders” | “The government sanctioned genocide acts is being contested by delegated African American munity leaders.”’ Com ““A new program is being developed for the culturally deprived and and economic disadvantaged youth of this city” “A new program is being developed for the culturally dispossessed and economically exploited youth of this city” . We say get it together F thi t t his- Mike: I‘m from Philadelphia. I came here to go to school. Ive been on the basketball team for two years and so far, Ive found myself. I dont know, I could say I don‘ like tt our here. I liked tt in Philly : where I was growing up, but I went through a lot of hell. Times were good and bad, but from my point of view, the bad out did the good. I ltked tt. here my first year, but the second year wasn't go great. Right now I can say to myself, the way things look here, there is a possibility Imay not be able to live in Philly anymore (as far as the violence and all thats concerned.) I‘ve learned how to grow up away from tt. That's fine... i 1 ame tory, how you got to where you are today , where you oe were een born ns and just how you feel about being Black. : ae | Mike: ans- : INTERVIEW? MIKE SOJOURNER Darlene: Mike, I would like to k eee Darlene: PAGE 10 oS Oh, you asked me about hang Black. Darlene: Yes, being Black in this community in Salt Lake City since the population of Blacks ts so limited. Mtke: I figure being Black out here is alright only if the Black people stick together. But, Black people don‘t stick together. Really, a lot of Black people out here try to use other Black people.to reach their own goals. Of course, you have to trust some people and there are others you cannot trust. There are many Black people out here who know a lot. They could tell you how to get-over as far as education. But, I think they would keep it to themselves., rather than let you know about it. That‘s how I feel about a lot of Blacks out here. It seems that everybody is out here just to get-over.....that‘s why they come to Utah, I guess. I suppose they figure they have a better life. Darlene: I see. Well, I‘m going to touch on a subject in your life you may not want to talk about. But, I‘m sure the readers would like to RNOW..... 1S there any romance in your life? Mike: Well, there is romance, but it‘s not as deep as other people are as far as falling in love. I make it a habit not to become too mvolved. I may get hooked one day, but this is the way I feel about 1t now. All . my life I always wanted to be alone. Coming owt to Utah, you can probably see, i.e. getting away, wanting to be alone. Well, my romantic | _ life is alright, but I try not to get too involved. Darlene: Okay.How do you feel abou Black women here in Utah? Mike: There‘s a lot of difference, you know. Like, the Black women back home are more like-themselves and the Black women here try tc be something else. I would have to favor the women back home because they are natural, Here, a Black woman will do different things to make herself look more attractive toa man. Back home it’s just not like that... it‘s natural. ccounmeee Darlene: Mike: Thank you, Mtke. It was nice talking to ‘you. |
