View Full Version : Very funny story from a Jeffersons fan


catlover79
09-13-2011, 08:38 PM
A fan posted this on another board - I found the story so cute that I wanted to share it:

My personal Jeffersons story...

In the Spring of 1989, a friend and I took a rather whirlwind vacation through Europe. On our own, no tour guide, just a Eurail pass each. One day we were standing in a very long line at a train station in Vienna. There was construction or some sort of mechanical work going on nearby that involved a machine making a rhythmic noise. It reminded me of the clapping from the Jeffersons theme song. We were pretty tired and punchy from all the different time changes and cuisines and currency changes in the past week, so I guess that was my excuse for starting to sing (I thought quietly), "Fish don't fry in the kitchen, beans don't burn on the grill..." My friend laughed and added the "took a whole lot of tryin'" line and we giggled and stopped. Suddenly several other people in line grouped around us and started shouting "Ja! Ja! Moving on up!" in broken English. They clapped and smiled at us and said "Again! More!" so we hesitantly started from the beginning..."Well we're moving on up, to the East Side..." And pretty soon a small crowd had encircled us and was clapping in time. And believe me, I'm not Ja'net Dubois when it comes to singing. Nevertheless, these total strangers, who barely spoke English, were providing background vocals, echoing the "moving on ups" during the chorus.

A very strange, surreal experience. But truly a "behold, the power of the American sitcom" moment.

http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?showtopic=3059003&st=30

Retro4Life
09-13-2011, 11:08 PM
Television, the universal language...neat story. :)

catlover79
09-13-2011, 11:45 PM
If ever there's a "universal" theme song, one that EVERYBODY knows, "Movin' On Up" has to be in the Top 3.

NathanBarley
09-14-2011, 04:34 AM
Yeah you're right there. Hmm I wonder what the other two would be then? That is a really amusing story though. I'd love to know where exactly that was. As if it was in Eastern Europe in 1989, there can't really be too many places that would have had American television, and it would have been difficult to travel at that time too.

catlover79
09-14-2011, 12:52 PM
How about the Law & Order theme or The Brady Bunch theme? Maybe Gilligan's Island?

Marvo301
09-14-2011, 01:23 PM
How about the Law & Order theme or The Brady Bunch theme? Maybe Gilligan's Island?
How about "I Love Lucy"?

Schmoopie
09-15-2011, 02:05 AM
That's a hilarious story!

Big3sCompanyFan
09-17-2011, 08:38 PM
A fan posted this on another board - I found the story so cute that I wanted to share it:

My personal Jeffersons story...

In the Spring of 1989, a friend and I took a rather whirlwind vacation through Europe. On our own, no tour guide, just a Eurail pass each. One day we were standing in a very long line at a train station in Vienna. There was construction or some sort of mechanical work going on nearby that involved a machine making a rhythmic noise. It reminded me of the clapping from the Jeffersons theme song. We were pretty tired and punchy from all the different time changes and cuisines and currency changes in the past week, so I guess that was my excuse for starting to sing (I thought quietly), "Fish don't fry in the kitchen, beans don't burn on the grill..." My friend laughed and added the "took a whole lot of tryin'" line and we giggled and stopped. Suddenly several other people in line grouped around us and started shouting "Ja! Ja! Moving on up!" in broken English. They clapped and smiled at us and said "Again! More!" so we hesitantly started from the beginning..."Well we're moving on up, to the East Side..." And pretty soon a small crowd had encircled us and was clapping in time. And believe me, I'm not Ja'net Dubois when it comes to singing. Nevertheless, these total strangers, who barely spoke English, were providing background vocals, echoing the "moving on ups" during the chorus.

A very strange, surreal experience. But truly a "behold, the power of the American sitcom" moment.

http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?showtopic=3059003&st=30

WOW! Who would've thought they Jeffersons would be popular in Austria! Amazing story!

catlover79
09-17-2011, 09:33 PM
WOW! Who would've thought they Jeffersons would be popular in Austria! Amazing story!

I know there are quite a few American sitcoms that are popular overseas, but I didn't think The Jeffersons was one of them. Shows what I know. :lol:

Big3sCompanyFan
09-17-2011, 09:51 PM
I know there are quite a few American sitcoms that are popular overseas, but I didn't think The Jeffersons was one of them. Shows what I know. :lol:

Was the theme song and show ever dubbed in German? That would be hilarious to hear! :lol:

catlover79
09-17-2011, 09:56 PM
Was the theme song and show ever dubbed in German? That would be hilarious to hear! :lol:

That I'd like to hear. :lol: