Was Fred calling Lamont a dummy funny?

[GoldenTV]

I know Fred calling Lamont a dummy was part of show for laughter, but one wonder how Lamont felt about it being called a dummy almost in very show. Fred was getting laughter at Lamont's expense.

He didn't seem to care about it in first couple of seasons, but I think in later seasons he didn't dig it too much. You can look at Lamont's face expression and tell he didn't like it when Fred was saying he is a dummy. And it stopped the scene from being funny.

Like in the song-n-dance episode with Bowlegs (Scatman Crothers), Lamont gave Fred a mean look when Fred called him a dummy. So I don't think Lamont was too comfortable with it.

[howilu]

I have watched Sanford and Son for many years and I though that Fred Sanford was one of the worst TV fathers of all time. I don't think it was very nice to call his own son a dummy though Lamont was more of the straight man of the bunch. But he always cracked me up when he did his phony heart attack routine.

[Zoneboy]

It was funny for a few viewings, but soon got old. Fred calling Lamont a big dummy was taken from The Amos 'n Andy Show where Kingfish was always calling Andy Brown a big dummy.

[GoldenTV]

Originally Posted by howilu

I have watched Sanford and Son for many years and I though that Fred Sanford was one of the worst TV fathers of all time. I don't think it was very nice to call his own son a dummy though Lamont was more of the straight man of the bunch.

That is exactly my thought also. If the son was a slacker or street bum, calling him a dummy might not be so out of place. But Lamont was his sole provider and did most of work in the business.

And as you said, father calling his own grown son a dummy is not nice. It is not funny in the real world, so I don't see why it might be funny on TV.

[GoldenTV]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

It was funny for a few viewings, but soon got old. Fred calling Lamont a big dummy was taken from The Amos 'n Andy Show where Kingfish was always calling Andy Brown a big dummy.

Have not watched any of Amos 'n Andy shows, but that probably explain where notion of "big dummy" came from. One wonder though if on going dummy calling was writers idea, or Fred ad-libbed it in every show just to be funny at Lamont expense.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by GoldenTV

I know Fred calling Lamont a dummy was part of show for laughter, but one wonder how Lamont felt about it being called a dummy almost in very show. Fred was getting laughter at Lamont's expense.

He didn't seem to care about it in first couple of seasons, but I think in later seasons he didn't dig it too much. You can look at Lamont's face expression and tell he didn't like it when Fred was saying he is a dummy. And it stopped the scene from being funny.

Like in the song-n-dance episode with Bowlegs (Scatman Crothers), Lamont gave Fred a mean look when Fred called him a dummy. So I don't think Lamont was too comfortable with it.

Not to me because Lamont didn't come as a goofball. It would have been more funny if James Evans was saying it to JJ since he looked more like a dummy.

[GoldenTV]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

It would have been more funny if James Evans was saying it to JJ since he looked more like a dummy.

Thelma was already doing when arguing with JJ

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by GoldenTV

Thelma was already doing when arguing with JJ

They should have had a different looking guy if they was going to have the dad calling Lamont dummy. He called Rollo dummy too and neither Lamont or Rollo came off as dummies. It was actually fred's friends who came off more as a dummy than lamont like

bubba, grady, and melvin. lol The only friends who came off as cool was Luther and Leroy

[GoldenTV]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

He called Rollo dummy too and neither Lamont or Rollo came off as dummies.

Fred called Rollo super dummy. When Rollo came over with Lamont, he told Lamont one dummy is not enough in this house, you have bring in supper dummy

It was actually fred's friends who came off more as a dummy than lamont like bubba, grady, and melvin. lol The only friends who came off as cool was Luther and Leroy

How true LOL

[MIKEPR]

No it wasn't.

[Wawwie]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

They should have had a different looking guy if they was going to have the dad calling Lamont dummy. He called Rollo dummy too and neither Lamont or Rollo came off as dummies. It was actually fred's friends who came off more as a dummy than lamont like

bubba, grady, and melvin. lol The only friends who came off as cool was Luther and Leroy

Grady was definitely a dummy! He was a non-stop buffoon! Lamont didn't come off as dim-witted at all.

[sock]

Not offensive in any sense, but not funny. Redd Foxx would have been better in a setup where he wasn't the sole antagonist.

Not sure why they even ported it from "Steptoe" here to the States. Wasn't funny over there, either.

[Wawwie]

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

Lamont was mean to Fred from the beginning of that episode.

Of course it's funny.

Lamont could be selfish and mean at times like how he used to try to sabotage Fred's relationship with Donna. A few examples are when he invites his aunts over to blindside Donna about the engagement, and another time when Fred invites Carol the sales lady over for dinner so Lamont gets Donna to come over too and catch Fred tom-cattin'.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Wawwie

Grady was definitely a dummy! He was a non-stop buffoon! Lamont didn't come off as dim-witted at all.

if he had a son like JJ working in the junkyard that dummy comment would have been more funny


Statement by lamont in one of the eps

"Until I was 7 years old I thought my name was dummy sanford"

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Statement by lamont in one of the eps

"Until I was 7 years old I thought my name was dummy sanford"

I thought it was hilarious when Lamont said this...

"He's called me a dummy every day of my life. Except once, and that was the day that he had laryngitis and even then he wrote it on a piece of paper."