Hi All tv forum people,
Following up on a question from my youth. If this has already been discussed link me to it and i'll read.
"What is the meaning of the tittle 'Diff'rent Strokes' in the tv sitcom of he same name?"
I'm mainly interested in the apostrophe and the word rent.
Research will uncover; To stroke a cat, Sly and the family stones, 'To each his own (from 1500AD ish), two peas in a pod, and black and white from the same brush etc etc

I'm really really wondering what the tv execs intended when they changed: "1966 [quoting boxer Cassius Clay]” I got DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS.”—Great Bend Daily Tribune (Kansas), 11 November, page 6"
to "Diff'rent Strokes"

I don't think there is any actual truth here but thoughts, opinions and ideas all welcome.

[what-choo talkn' about skel8tor?]

I think it's just an abbreviation for Different Strokes. In all honesty, I never really noticed the apostrophe before. But as for the actual title, I think it means that Willis and Arnold were so different than Mr. Drummond and the show kind of blended them together.

Thank you Schmoopie
Similarly, my friend suggested that they were just being colloquial.

36 views and one reply come on people thoughts opinions idea's, broad generous(even wrong) ideas.

Im interested in a thread which has just started by Brain Damage 'Was the premise...offensive?', little bit of Yes little bit of No in my opinion.

What does Diff'rent Strokes mean?

(I give you permission to be racist in this thread, not in a hateful way, just in a logical informative way)

Anyone?:wave:

Anyone?

I once heard that it was originated by Sly Stone as heard in the song Everyday People. I believed that for a long time, but recently I heard it was something said by Mohammed Ali referring to his boxing technique. Perhaps Sly Stone's use of Ali's phrase in song is what popularized it.

Always took it to mean that everyone has a different lifestyle, and that, implicit in this message is the thought that no one should judge others, or more specifically, judge Drummond for his unorthodox life choice of adopting two young black children, as a single white monied man.

Anyone?

I like the line from Ferris Bueller's Day Off where Ben Stein's the boring teacher. ..."Anyone"?

As to the thread, the first thing that came to mind for me also was the Sly and the Family Stone's Everyday People which has been mentioned in the thread. I don't know if this is the answer, but it seems plausible.

Thank you for your help, good answer.
(I'm still searching...)