Or do you think that they complained of the J.J character because he was too foolish and he wasn't showing any sings of maturity and intelligence? John and Esther just wanted their characters to have a older son who was mature and not Foolish for no reason at all. Who agrees?

I doubt they were jealous of him. They just didn't like his comedy.

I think it was a combination. John and Esther thought they were going to be the main stars, then Walker's star rose into the stratosphere...causing them to just about watch from the sidelines. I think it's only natural for them to get jealous. Actors have huge egos.

The direction of JJ's character bothered them too, no doubt. I think that was secondary though.

I think they were jealous. The show was created as a vehicle for Esther and John and then a secondary character came out of nowhere and became a sensation. I'm pretty sure it bothered them. They probably wanted JJ's character toned down because it wasn't what they had signed up for but once JJ became so big their was no way that was going to happen.

This happened on a few other shows such as Happy Days and Family Matters where a secondary character became so big that it changed the focus of the show but their weren't any problems on those sets.

I think they just wanted the show to be about a family living in the ghetto and getting through hard times. Not centered around a character who was a bufoon with no intelligence and would yell dynomite and sleep in that dirty Blue Hat-lol

I think it was a combination of both factors.

I highly doubt that they were jealous. I think that they were getting sick of Jimmie's character acting like a 5 yr old.

He was 17, looked 15 and acted 12-LOL


Florida's Statement in "My Son The Lover"

I'm shocked they took their feud and made it public because their was no way they were going to win a fight with Jimmie Walker with the audience of Good Times at that time. He was the bread and butter of that show.

I'm shocked they took their feud and made it public because their was no way they were going to win a fight with Jimmie Walker with the audience of Good Times at that time. He was the bread and butter of that show.


And he only was the bread and butter because the writers/producers was saying things like-"how can we make the J.J character more stupid and silly looking"-lol

I also think it was a combination. Who wouldn't be jealous being on a show and then suddenly one person is getting all of the attention? But I also think they were really upset with his character's actions as well. JJ wasn't always silly though, there were several times when he was serious in serious situations. He was just trying to keep up everyone's spirits in bad living conditions, one could say he was really the "smart" one if you think about it. Instead of getting all upset and bitter, like the rest of them DID, he was trying to look on the bright side of things and cheer people up. If I was living in those crappy conditions, I'd rather have someone happy and jolly around rather than someone who's miserable and bitter, let's think about that.

I see both sides of the argument but I do think that jealousy played a big roll in the drama. Rolle and Amos characters spun-off from other series and JJ was created on the new series. But here are some problems I had with the show, if they were really that poor how could Florida afford to stay at home and be a housewife. She worked on Maude but on Good Times, she attempted to get a job during the Amos years and became a bus driver on the last season. Also, what was up with Thelma? She seemed like she was boy struck all the time. Nothing was really done with her character. I see Rolle's and Amos' arguements but these are some other things that were never addressed.

Solomon, is this the new Good Times debate question? ;)

JJ wasn't always silly though, there were several times when he was serious in serious situations. He was just trying to keep up everyone's spirits in bad living conditions, one could say he was really the "smart" one if you think about it. Instead of getting all upset and bitter, like the rest of them DID, he was trying to look on the bright side of things and cheer people up. If I was living in those crappy conditions, I'd rather have someone happy and jolly around rather than someone who's miserable and bitter, let's think about that.
Good point. JJ did try to keep their spirits up.

They had a couple of serious kids. Who needs an older serious Michael or another whining Thelma? They gave them different personalities.

Good point. JJ did try to keep their spirits up.

They had a couple of serious kids. Who needs an older serious Michael or another whining Thelma? They gave them different personalities.

agreed, JJ needed to be more silly because the two other kids just weren't funny.

agreed, JJ needed to be more silly because the two other kids just weren't funny.

IMHO, the opposite argument could be made as far as I'm concerned----they needed to seriously tone down the seriousness of the show. I mean it was supposed to be a COMEDY after all!!!!! ;) IMHO, JJ helped to get the "comedy" in the series. If it wasn't for that, what would we have left? Michael up on his soapbox preaching about injustice and Thelma whining about JJ. :lol:

Signed,
Respectfully,
Dutch

IMHO, the opposite argument could be made as far as I'm concerned----they needed to seriously tone down the seriousness of the show. I mean it was supposed to be a COMEDY after all!!!!! ;) IMHO, JJ helped to get the "comedy" in the series. If it wasn't for that, what would we have left? Michael up on his soapbox preaching about injustice and Thelma whining about JJ. :lol:

Signed,
Respectfully,
Dutch
If it wasn't for JJ I probably never would have watched and I do like John Amos and Esther Rolle and the show wasn't the same after Amos left. JJ provided the comedy though. Amos's scenes with Walker were classic.

agreed, JJ needed to be more silly because the two other kids just weren't funny.


You can funny without being GOOFY/CLOWNISH

Examples Below

James Evans

Florida Evans

You can funny without being GOOFY/CLOWNISH

Examples Below

James Evans

Florida Evans

I am probably in the minority on this but I found James and Florida more funny than JJ. And sometimes what they say is not funny but the delivery of their lines alone would make me laugh. J.J. can be funny but he was just too goofy at times. The good thing about the JJ character was that it seem to make the James and Florida characters even more funny because of how they would respond to him.

I am probably in the minority on this but I found James and Florida more funny than JJ. And sometimes what they say is not funny but the delivery of their lines alone would make me laugh. J.J. can be funny but he was just too goofy at times. The good thing about the JJ character was that it seem to make the James and Florida characters even more funny because of how they would respond to him.

I agree, I think the show would have been just as funny without JJ. I do like his antics, but after a while he just gets plain annoying.

I am probably in the minority on this but I found James and Florida more funny than JJ. And sometimes what they say is not funny but the delivery of their lines alone would make me laugh. J.J. can be funny but he was just too goofy at times. The good thing about the JJ character was that it seem to make the James and Florida characters even more funny because of how they would respond to him.


The sad thing is Jimmy allowed the producers to make look like an IDIOT-lol

The sad thing is Jimmy allowed the producers to make look like an IDIOT-lol


He may have looked like an idiot, but he went laughing all the way to the bank.

Ch-ching! :D


This was JJ's big break on Tv, and he took it.