Why Good Times never had any special guests? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

nerrad · 03-24-2006, 02:46 PM

...Playing themselves that is. The Jeffersons had Sammy Davis, Jr, Reggie Jackson, and Andrae Crouch. What's Happening even had the Doobie Brothers.

Just by typing this, I think I know the reason why. What purpose would a special guest be on GT. They were poor, they never showed them at any concerts/affairs. Can you imagine someone like Ali appearing?

Ireneparalegal · 03-24-2006, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nerrad

...Playing themselves that is. The Jeffersons had Sammy Davis, Jr, Reggie Jackson, and Andrae Crouch. What's Happening even had the Doobie Brothers.

Just by typing this, I think I know the reason why. What purpose would a special guest be on GT. They were poor, they never showed them at any concerts/affairs. Can you imagine someone like Ali appearing?

exactly. besides, all that stuff happened on the Cosby Show, and it was sooooo ridiculous, to me at least. It was so unrealistic and it gave the appearance that only rich families run into celebs.

nerrad · 03-24-2006, 03:05 PM

It seems as the Cosby Show relatives were jazz musicians or something.

Ireneparalegal · 03-24-2006, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nerrad

It seems as the Cosby Show relatives were jazz musicians or something.

the grandfather was. but they had stevie wonder (Denise was in an accident with his limo) and they had others too.

GARFIELDKOOL · 03-24-2006, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nerrad

...Playing themselves that is. The Jeffersons had Sammy Davis, Jr, Reggie Jackson, and Andrae Crouch. What's Happening even had the Doobie Brothers.

Just by typing this, I think I know the reason why. What purpose would a special guest be on GT. They were poor, they never showed them at any concerts/affairs. Can you imagine someone like Ali appearing?

I posted something similar to this on the Sanford and Son board. I want to believe too that the since the Evan's were poor, who famous would just show up there? But the Sanfords were poor too, and Lena Horne, B.B. King, and Della Reese showed up in the junkyard. LOL

Ireneparalegal · 03-24-2006, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GARFIELDKOOL

I posted something similar to this on the Sanford and Son board. I want to believe too that the since the Evan's were poor, who famous would just show up there? But the Sanfords were poor too, and Lena Horne, B.B. King, and Della Reese showed up in the junkyard. LOL

True, very true. I guess they had a better budget than Good Times. But hey, good times did MENTION ALOT OF CELEBS. Does that count??? LOL

nerrad · 03-24-2006, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

True, very true. I guess they had a better budget than Good Times. But hey, good times did MENTION ALOT OF CELEBS. Does that count??? LOL

That's what I was trying to say. "Who famous would show up there".

TVFactFan · 03-24-2006, 08:41 PM

Yeah I agree, the situation on Good Times didn't allow for a Special Guest to appear. Only on The Walls and front of Magazines(Bill Cosby, Sherman Hemsley)-lol

magellan333 · 03-24-2006, 11:52 PM

Well, they did leave the apartment sometimes. Maybe a special guest could grace the streets of Chicago at some other place besides Cabrini Green? Michael one time mentioned seeing Jesse Jackson coming out of a hotel and he Jesse even acknowledged him. Maybe some celebrity could come to find (or summon to his or her own pad) the artist (JJ) who painted such a fine work?

PracTz · 03-25-2006, 03:53 PM

I say, AY-men to 'Good Times' never having had any Special Guests! As unreal as it often was with Willona swinging open the unlocked door to gossip, at least it was real enough to keep in mind that few average folks EVER interact with celebs!
Sammy Davis, Jr. riding Archie Bunker's cab and Lena Horne visiting Fred Sanford? Get real!

JeffRuss1972 · 03-25-2006, 07:50 PM

True-lol. I guess it would have taken away from the "gritty" atmosphere they were trying to maintain. Had the show lasted into the early '80's, however, I have a feeling we might have started seeing some of that.

Janice · 03-25-2006, 10:47 PM

Perhaps it was budget restraints. How popular was Good Times, in ratings? I'm sure the writers could have come up with ideas to have celebrities on the show. Michael's activism, JJ's art, Willona's dating, etc.

It could have been done. There's a reason it wasn't. I just don't know the reason.

TVFactFan · 03-25-2006, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janice

Perhaps it was budget restraints. How popular was Good Times, in ratings? I'm sure the writers could have come up with ideas to have celebrities on the show. Michael's activism, JJ's art, Willona's dating, etc.

It could have been done. There's a reason it wasn't. I just don't know the reason.

Ratings-

Season 1-#17

Season 2-#7

Season 3-#24

Season 4-#26

Season-#99-LOL-Dont have the numbers

Season 6-Don't have the numbers

jamesanthony · 03-26-2006, 07:21 PM

I may be confusing this with some other show, but wasn't there an episode with some guy named Adam Wade playing himself? I had no idea who Adam Wade was, but looking him up he was a singer who had a couple chart hits in the early 60s. I remember the women in the show going ga-ga over this Adam Wade dude. If it was Good Times it was a season 5 episode.

Ireneparalegal · 03-26-2006, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesanthony

I may be confusing this with some other show, but wasn't there an episode with some guy named Adam Wade playing himself? I had no idea who Adam Wade was, but looking him up he was a singer who had a couple chart hits in the early 60s. I remember the women in the show going ga-ga over this Adam Wade dude. If it was Good Times it was a season 5 episode.

nope. must be another show.

03-25-2006, 07:50 PM	#11
JeffRuss1972 70s Sitcoms Rule!!! Eternal Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 11, 2005 Location: Villa Rica, GA Posts: 1,257	True-lol. I guess it would have taken away from the "gritty" atmosphere they were trying to maintain. Had the show lasted into the early '80's, however, I have a feeling we might have started seeing some of that.
	__________________ Previously JalanRuss for a SHORT time, but got my OLD Username Back! Hello Again

03-24-2006, 02:46 PM	#1
nerrad Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 06, 2003 Location: pfunkytown Posts: 1,253	Why Good Times never had any special guests? ...Playing themselves that is. The Jeffersons had Sammy Davis, Jr, Reggie Jackson, and Andrae Crouch. What's Happening even had the Doobie Brothers. Just by typing this, I think I know the reason why. What purpose would a special guest be on GT. They were poor, they never showed them at any concerts/affairs. Can you imagine someone like Ali appearing?

03-24-2006, 03:05 PM	#3
nerrad Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 06, 2003 Location: pfunkytown Posts: 1,253	It seems as the Cosby Show relatives were jazz musicians or something.

03-24-2006, 08:41 PM	#8
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 99,064	Yeah I agree, the situation on Good Times didn't allow for a Special Guest to appear. Only on The Walls and front of Magazines(Bill Cosby, Sherman Hemsley)-lol

03-24-2006, 11:52 PM	#9
magellan333 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 26, 2003 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 822	Well, they did leave the apartment sometimes. Maybe a special guest could grace the streets of Chicago at some other place besides Cabrini Green? Michael one time mentioned seeing Jesse Jackson coming out of a hotel and he Jesse even acknowledged him. Maybe some celebrity could come to find (or summon to his or her own pad) the artist (JJ) who painted such a fine work?

03-25-2006, 03:53 PM	#10
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	I say, AY-men to 'Good Times' never having had any Special Guests! As unreal as it often was with Willona swinging open the unlocked door to gossip, at least it was real enough to keep in mind that few average folks EVER interact with celebs! Sammy Davis, Jr. riding Archie Bunker's cab and Lena Horne visiting Fred Sanford? Get real!

03-25-2006, 10:47 PM	#12
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	Perhaps it was budget restraints. How popular was Good Times, in ratings? I'm sure the writers could have come up with ideas to have celebrities on the show. Michael's activism, JJ's art, Willona's dating, etc. It could have been done. There's a reason it wasn't. I just don't know the reason.

03-26-2006, 07:21 PM	#14
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	I may be confusing this with some other show, but wasn't there an episode with some guy named Adam Wade playing himself? I had no idea who Adam Wade was, but looking him up he was a singer who had a couple chart hits in the early 60s. I remember the women in the show going ga-ga over this Adam Wade dude. If it was Good Times it was a season 5 episode.