It's been quite a while since I watched S&S on TV Land after the schedule change away from 9pm weeknights. I was worn out from a 14 hour day at the office and picking through some reheated supper in front of the TV last night, and to my complete delight, I realized that my favorite S&S episode was to be broadcast: "Fred Sanford, Legal Eagle."

I had read here that the episode was edited, and I knew it was my favorite line from my favorite episode which was cut out, but damn it all, it still hurt to see the cutting.

For a guy who grew up in the 1950s, 60s, and finished high school and started college in the 1970s when S&S was first broadcast, the ability to see a TV show featuring urban black American life, fictionalized as it was, was unique. I went to high school and college on campuses which were 25% black (high school) and 15% black (college) and I played football on a high school team that was about 50% black, so the language used in the 1970s was completely familiar to me, as were many of the situations, slang sayings, foods, and drinks so regularly featured on S&S. Before S&S, and a small handful of more-or-less concurrent series, television portrayals of American life were completely whitewashed, white bread, and unrealistic. Sanford & Son provided an avenue for us to see on TV that which we experienced to a greater or lesser extent every day--lifestyles, mores, and language, yes, including the "n word", which were somewhat different than our own, but no less meaningful and important, and within the context of use such as Freds in the "Legal Eagle" courtroom scene, completely inoffensive.

It's a real shame that TVLand feels the need to rewrite social history.

And that concludes today's editorial comments.

FredFan55

Originally posted by FredFan55
It's been quite a while since I watched S&S on TV Land after the schedule change away from 9pm weeknights. I was worn out from a 14 hour day at the office and picking through some reheated supper in front of the TV last night, and to my complete delight, I realized that my favorite S&S episode was to be broadcast: "Fred Sanford, Legal Eagle."

I had read here that the episode was edited, and I knew it was my favorite line from my favorite episode which was cut out, but damn it all, it still hurt to see the cutting.

For a guy who grew up in the 1950s, 60s, and finished high school and started college in the 1970s when S&S was first broadcast, the ability to see a TV show featuring urban black American life, fictionalized as it was, was unique. I went to high school and college on campuses which were 25% black (high school) and 15% black (college) and I played football on a high school team that was about 50% black, so the language used in the 1970s was completely familiar to me, as were many of the situations, slang sayings, foods, and drinks so regularly featured on S&S. Before S&S, and a small handful of more-or-less concurrent series, television portrayals of American life were completely whitewashed, white bread, and unrealistic. Sanford & Son provided an avenue for us to see on TV that which we experienced to a greater or lesser extent every day--lifestyles, mores, and language, yes, including the "n word", which were somewhat different than our own, but no less meaningful and important, and within the context of use such as Freds in the "Legal Eagle" courtroom scene, completely inoffensive.

It's a real shame that TVLand feels the need to rewrite social history.

And that concludes today's editorial comments.

FredFan55



I guess TV LAND feels they have to be extra careful when airing Sanford and Son because they are a NATIONAL cable network. Local UPN affailates have aired that scene with the N-word probably because they are only showing the episodes to a smaller audience.

I feel you on that. Its a shame to watch the episode (& if you're like me you recite along w/ the show) & see where they edit either for time restraints or for content.

I watch both UPN & TVLand & notice that they both edit. I do agree that UPN does allow the use of the "N" word, for example:

Big Money Grip comes town & says that is Lamont's father. When Grip breaks the news to Esther she replies: "What did you say ******!?" UPN allows her to say that, TVLand does not.

Another example: When Lamont gets a traffic ticket & Fred speaks up on Lamont's behalf & begins to address the arresting officer:

Fred: What do you have against black people? Why don't you ticket any white people?
Officer: I do.
Fred: Where, Where are they? Look at all these *****s in here. Its enough *****s in here to make a Tarzan Movie.

Again UPN allows it, TVLand does not.

Both very strong lines which add to the comedic value of the show. I think editing these lines would not give the full effect that was intended so many years ago.

Originally posted by lavonchi
I feel you on that. Its a shame to watch the episode (& if you're like me you recite along w/ the show) & see where they edit either for time restraints or for content.

I watch both UPN & TVLand & notice that they both edit. I do agree that UPN does allow the use of the "N" word, for example:

Big Money Grip comes town & says that is Lamont's father. When Grip breaks the news to Esther she replies: "What did you say ******!?" UPN allows her to say that, TVLand does not.

Another example: When Lamont gets a traffic ticket & Fred speaks up on Lamont's behalf & begins to address the arresting officer:

Fred: What do you have against black people? Why don't you ticket any white people?
Officer: I do.
Fred: Where, Where are they? Look at all these *****s in here. Its enough *****s in here to make a Tarzan Movie.

Again UPN allows it, TVLand does not.

Both very strong lines which add to the comedic value of the show. I think editing these lines would not give the full effect that was intended so many years ago.



UPN allows the use of the N-word because they have a smaller amount of people watching the episode since it's being aired locally. TV LAND on the other hand sevres a much bigger audience because it's a national cable network and that's the reason they cut out controversial scenes.

lavonchi-

That "Tarzan movie" line was the line I was referring to. It's my personal favorite of all the S&S lines.

I understand TVLand's desire to edit "controversial" content. What I object to is an overly sanitized approach to the editing. This is 2004, the show was filmed in the early 1970s. According to my research, the "n-word" has been in use since at least the early 19th century. Let's get over the shock and try to gain an appreciation for the language of the times, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

FredFan55

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
UPN allows the use of the N-word because they have a smaller amount of people watching the episode since it's being aired locally. TV LAND on the other hand sevres a much bigger audience because it's a national cable network and that's the reason they cut out controversial scenes.

I really don't see an appreciable difference. UPN's "local" affilate in Chicago reaches several million viewers, plus there are many more local outlets reaching major metro areas nationwide. Thus, several huge cross-sections of the population are able to view the show at any given time.

Local vs. national is not the issue here. It's the policies of the individual networks. TV LAND, for whatever reason (someone on the board mentioned it's the more family-oriented nature of the network, which certainly holds some water) - chooses not to air the more controversial scenes. I don't much care for that approach, but I don't own the network.

If they decide to take out the word "dummy" however, I'm boycotting the network for life! :)

I`ve noticed that the N word is edited out of Sanford and Son on TV Land but it`s not edited out of All In The Family . i`m not condoning the use of that word but it`s just something i noticed.

Originally posted by Nazaholic
I`ve noticed that the N word is edited out of Sanford and Son on TV Land but it`s not edited out of All In The Family . i`m not condoning the use of that word but it`s just something i noticed.


I only remember the N-word in the episode-Lionel's Engagement on All in the Family. May have been more times

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
I only remember the N-word in the episode-Lionel's Engagement on All in the Family. May have been more times The "N: word was not edited out by TV Land, when it was used on an episode of Barney Miller as well...