She is never threatened in an episode like J.J. and Michael, but in the lunch money episode Thelma seems to know as much about the "level" of James' whippings as her brothers. She could have done something as a younger kid that got her a whipping. I think it would have to be something really bad because I doubt James was near as quick to whip Thelma the way he was J.J. and Michael. She was his "babygirl". Still, I don't think James would put up with any crap even from her if it was too bad.

She is never threatened in an episode like J.J. and Michael, but in the lunch money episode Thelma seems to know as much about the "level" of James' whippings as her brothers. She could have done something as a younger kid that got her a whipping. I think it would have to be something really bad because I doubt James was near as quick to whip Thelma the way he was J.J. and Michael. She was his "babygirl". Still, I don't think James would put up with any crap even from her if it was too bad.


She probably got her share of whippings when she was younger.

http://i.imgur.com/4gENI3Y.jpg

Instead of the sweet, virginal "good girl" we all know and love.

She is never threatened in an episode like J.J. and Michael, but in the lunch money episode Thelma seems to know as much about the "level" of James' whippings as her brothers. She could have done something as a younger kid that got her a whipping. I think it would have to be something really bad because I doubt James was near as quick to whip Thelma the way he was J.J. and Michael. She was his "babygirl". Still, I don't think James would put up with any crap even from her if it was too bad.


Based on that episode, I'm assuming she did.

I'm thinking though, Michael prolly never did. I mean b/c both JJ and Thelma were trying to tell Michael how to handle it, so I'm assuming that would have been Michael's FIRST whoopin', which James didn't give him, so I'm thinking maybe Micahel never got spanked.

But IMO if James spanked Michael and JJ he SHOULD have spanked Thelma as well, I mean why should she get a free pass? OR if he didn't spank Thelma, then he should not have spanked JJ nor Michael. That part of the show always bothered me, if JJ even LOOKED at his father wrong, James threatened him with physcial violance, but never did that to Thelma got away with back talking and everything else.

On television, esp. in a situation comedy, the implied image of a man as big, black and strong as James whipping a young sexy Thelma would have the FCC shutting down Lear's production company based on the viewer call-in complaints and threats to boycott "Good Times" sponsors.

On television, esp. in a situation comedy, the implied image of a man as big, black and strong as James whipping a young sexy Thelma would have the FCC shutting down Lear's production company based on the viewer call-in complaints and threats to boycott "Good Times" sponsors.

But you don't think a man as big and as strong as James is could do a LOT of damage to someone as small and tiny as Michael was at the beginging of the series?

The image of a man as big and as strong as James whipping ANYONE turns ME off, and I would do anything in my power to stop it, if I knew it was going on.

IMO if it's wrong to hit one person it's wrong to hit EVERYONE. I don't believe in this whole, there are 2 categories of ppl and 1 category it's ok to hit and the other it's off-limits to hit, if it's wrong to hit one person it's wrong to hit anyone.


And this is what I find strange, ppl would be appauled seeing a big strong man like James spanking or hitting Thelma, BUT ppl have no problem seeing a big strong man like James hitting and spanking Michael, as small and tiny as Michael was when the show started. I mean how is that acceptable?

That is what's always bugged me about our society in general, if ppl see a man slap his wife they are ready to HANG him, BUT you can see a big man slap his TINY male child's head off and no one raises an eyebrow and nothing is done about it.


I used to work in a theater and once a father started CHOKING his son and no one did a thing...other than me, I got a seciruty guard after him, but if he'd been choking his wife like that, the WHOLE crowed woudl have jumped him. I do NOT get it.

And it has nothing to do with "women being weaker" as so many ppl point out... b/c little boys are as weak and WEAKER than grown adult women. And even if someone IS stronger that doesnt mean they should have to take getting beat on.


Sorry for the rant, but this is something that really gets to me.

I was never hit by my parents, but my siblings were. I could explain how my dad spanked my sibling in detail without me actually having to experience it. Hearing my sibling talk about how the spanking felt was enough for me to not mess up. I think that is how it was with Thelma. She knew the whippings were bad. Just hearing how J.J. and Michael talked about being whipped by James, I could understand how they felt.

I was never hit by my parents, but my siblings were. I could explain how my dad spanked my sibling in detail without me actually having to experience it. Hearing my sibling talk about how the spanking felt was enough for me to not mess up. I think that is how it was with Thelma. She knew the whippings were bad. Just hearing how J.J. and Michael talked about being whipped by James, I could understand how they felt.


I remember when I was younger my dad used to slap me and I so resented it and STILL do, when I was little and it happened I remember thinking to myself, "Someday, old man! You will be old and feeble!" HAHAHAHA

Okay, just answered my own question. I know for sure now that yes, Thelma did get whipped by James. In the episode where James is going to whip Michael for not apologizing to his teacher, both J.J. and Thelma are giving Michael tips on how to get through one of James' whippings. Thelma specifically says, "Michael, just cry a lot. That's what I do". So apparently Thelma did get it sometimes from James. Crying a lot was her strategy. I'm sure he backed off pretty quick unless she had done something really, really bad. I see James only whipping her when she was a little kid though because he never threatened her with it like he did J.J. even after J.J. was in high school.

Yes, James whipped Thelma too. When Michael is facing a whipping, Thelma advises him, "Michael, just cry a lot. That's what I do". Thelma wouldn't have been advising him on how to take James' whippings had she never experienced it herself. She had gotten it before. I'm sure this occurred when she was much younger. In this time period, kids got spanked. Boys and girls. Maybe boys got it more often, but girls got it too. James expected his kids to behave. I can see a young Thelma getting out of line sometimes and being hauled into the bedroom for a lesson from James.

Yes, James whipped Thelma too. When Michael is facing a whipping, Thelma advises him, "Michael, just cry a lot. That's what I do". Thelma wouldn't have been advising him on how to take James' whippings had she never experienced it herself. She had gotten it before. I'm sure this occurred when she was much younger. In this time period, kids got spanked. Boys and girls. Maybe boys got it more often, but girls got it too. James expected his kids to behave. I can see a young Thelma getting out of line sometimes and being hauled into the bedroom for a lesson from James.



I agree with the above poster, I'm thinking Michael is the ONLY one who never actually got spanked or hit.... seeing as how both JJ and Thelma were both trying to prepare Michael for it.... of course James didn't spank Michael, so that seems to indicate Michael was the only Evans kid that never got hit

I remember a SHOCKING post a Good Times Fan wrote on regarding the possibility of James spanking Thelma. Something like,"James wouldn't spank a butt as beautiful as Thelma's would be. He would make sweet, sweet, love to it.":eek: Considering the fact that James is Thelma's FATHER, this quote was highly inappropriate for this Good Times Fan to say.:eek: