How could a poor family of 5 living in the projects the mother is not working and the father making only $5.00 per hour be able to pay rent, buy food NOT receiving food stamps....:confused:

Something that was never ever explained-lol

It's a TV show, not a documentary.:rolleyes:

A tv show that made no sense

It was still a good show. Today both James and Florida would work or he would have two jobs.

James often had two jobs to support his family.

A question I always had was why they had three children when they were so destitute.

Why does anyone have three plus kids who are poor it goes on all the time.

I have a coworker who has 5 kids and we are considered the working poor-lol

She has brung her lunch to work every single day since she started which was september and i understand completely-lol

In the vast sea of sitcoms with unbelievable premises, it's a bit harsh to pick out Good Times for criticism, since it really was a very realistic show in terms of dealing with poverty, living paycheck to paycheck, being denied a lot of material things that most families take for granted, trying to rise above your circumstances, etc.

You can nitpick anything to death, but every single show on television has some elements that you simply have to suspend your disbelief on, or else you are going to ensure that you never enjoy anything, ever.

In the vast sea of sitcoms with unbelievable premises, it's a bit harsh to pick out Good Times for criticism, since it really was a very realistic show in terms of dealing with poverty, living paycheck to paycheck, being denied a lot of material things that most families take for granted, trying to rise above your circumstances, etc.

You can nitpick anything to death, but every single show on television has some elements that you simply have to suspend your disbelief on, or else you are going to ensure that you never enjoy anything, ever.



It still was a good question that is still relevant to 2011. Why do people who live in poverty and struggling to make ends meet have more than 1 child?

Knowing how tough things are with raising one kid you would think that they would have jusat one


BTW: The Jeffersons were poor too and only had one child unlike the Evans

5 dollars an hour back then was about the equivalent of 20 dollars an hour today.The reason the writers of the show did not have them get things like food stamps and welfare is probably to make the show more interesting.

5 dollars an hour back then was about the equivalent of 20 dollars an hour today.The reason the writers of the show did not have them get things like food stamps and welfare is probably to make the show more interesting.


Most women in 2011 would have DUMPED James because of his income-lol

It still was a good question that is still relevant to 2011. Why do people who live in poverty and struggling to make ends meet have more than 1 child?

Knowing how tough things are with raising one kid you would think that they would have jusat one


BTW: The Jeffersons were poor too and only had one child unlike the Evans

Maybe they weren't in poverty until AFTER Florida had both of her younger children. Did you ever consider that?

Or maybe they were simply like the vast majority of people on the planet...unplanned pregnancies.

Maybe they weren't in poverty until AFTER Florida had both of her younger children. Did you ever consider that?

Or maybe they were simply like the vast majority of people on the planet...unplanned pregnancies.


Well when you have no money then you try and prevent those unplanned pregnancies

Well when you have no money then you try and prevent those unplanned pregnancies

The only foolproof birth control options are A) vasectomy or tubal ligation or B) total abstinence.

I would assume you're not asserting that a young married couple (in their 30's roughly, around the time that Thelma was born) totally abstain from sex. So we're left with surgery, which may not have been something the Evans' could afford.

I understand and agree that it's wise to consider finances VERY strongly before having children, but I also don't think that having three children could really be considered irresponsible as you seem to imply. James may well have had a better job, etc. Things change. And people make mistakes, too. They more than likely did not intend to have three children, or maybe any. But I'm not very comfortable with the finger pointing and judgement; if they'd had seven or something, then yeah, that's a little ridiculous, but three??

I suppose none of this would have happened in China where most families can only have one child, but I really hope that's not the type of society you're advocating.

It still was a good question that is still relevant to 2011. Why do people who live in poverty and struggling to make ends meet have more than 1 child?

Knowing how tough things are with raising one kid you would think that they would have jusat one


BTW: The Jeffersons were poor too and only had one child unlike the EvansThe Jeffersons had only one child because Louise couldn't have anymore children after Lionel. In any case poverty isn't going to stop a couple from having sex.

The Jeffersons had only one child because Louise couldn't have anymore children after Lionel. In any case poverty isn't going to stop a couple from having sex.

They have no money to go out so they had a lot of free time at home ;)

A question I always had was why they had three children when they were so destitute.
Atleast the Evans' were a complete family with a father and mother and THEIR children. You should be asking this question about women who have 5-6-8 children with 6 different fathers, or men who irresponsibly impregnate dozens of women and then turns their back on them all :mad:

James and Florida should have stopped after Thelma

In the vast sea of sitcoms with unbelievable premises, it's a bit harsh to pick out Good Times for criticism, since it really was a very realistic show in terms of dealing with poverty, living paycheck to paycheck, being denied a lot of material things that most families take for granted, trying to rise above your circumstances, etc.

You can nitpick anything to death, but every single show on television has some elements that you simply have to suspend your disbelief on, or else you are going to ensure that you never enjoy anything, ever.


No more calls! We have a winner! ;)

James and Florida should have stopped after Thelma

:lol:

Too bad they couldn't have skipped over having JJ, had Thelma only, and then stopped. :p

Rent in public housing is calculated at 30% of the family's gross income and there are allowances made for each child under 18 in the same way you would claim them as dependents on your income tax. You salary goes up, then the rent goes up. Salary goes down, the rent goes down.

Rent in public housing is calculated at 30% of the family's gross income and there are allowances made for each child under 18 in the same way you would claim them as dependents on your income tax. You salary goes up, then the rent goes up. Salary goes down, the rent goes down.

NOT ACCORDING TO GOOD TIMES:crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

A question I always had was why they had three children when they were so destitute.

All Three of their Children were Accidental Pregnancies. They,being sensible adults, would not purposely plan on having poor, project children. Who Does?

All Three of their Children were Accidental Pregnancies. They,being sensible adults, would not purposely plan on having poor, project children. Who Does?

3 ACCIDENTAL PREGNANCIES AND STRUGGLING, AFTER 1 ACCIDENTAL PREGANANCY AND STRUGGLING, I WOULD HAVE STOPPED THEN :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

A question I always had was why they had three children when they were so destitute.

James was a Fireman in New York, and then he got laid off, and for some reason, he moved to the Projects in Chicago, and changed his name from Henry, to James.

James was a Fireman in New York, and then he got laid off, and for some reason, he moved to the Projects in Chicago, and changed his name from Henry, to James.


Two different shows that have nothing to do with each other

Two different shows that have nothing to do with each other

Exactly, what about Woodrow and Ned The Wino :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Exactly, what about Woodrow and Ned The Wino :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


Yup, two winos with different names LOL

It still was a good question that is still relevant to 2011. Why do people who live in poverty and struggling to make ends meet have more than 1 child?

Knowing how tough things are with raising one kid you would think that they would have jusat one


BTW: The Jeffersons were poor too and only had one child unlike the Evans

LOL...but remember these are fictional families!

Prestige: "We're driving a desk, Andy, don't question things." -Conan O'Brien

Evans family situation is so typical of blacks and it's still going on today in the black community. Dumb ass blacks living in the projects having a bunch of kids with no job and getting welfare and food stamps. Ignorant blacks don't believe in doing the right thing meaning getting a job, not having a bunch of kids, living in a nice neighborhood. They love being ignorant because they think that's the definition of being black LOL. If you're a black person doing the right thing, then ignorant blacks think you aren't black LOL. They think doing the right thing means acting white which is ********. I'm not saying James and Florida Evans were ignorant for having 3 kids because at least James did have a job and Florida tried to work because i remember she drove a schoolbus sometimes. JJ had a few jobs too. I don't know why Thelma never worked.