Demond Wilson Claims He & Redd Foxx Were Treated Like...Well, Junk By NBC - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 06-06-2010, 09:32 PM

Demond Wilson may have played a junkman on Sanford and Son, but did the Peacock network have to treat him like one?

No, says the actor, who in a new book dishes about the injustices he says he and co-star Redd Foxx endured during their classic ’70s sitcom’s five year-run.

"Prior to Redd and I, there was only one black show on TV," Demond (above) tells us. "That was 'The Amos 'N Andy' show."
Interviewed on Your Mental Health, Demond previews Second Banana: The Bittersweet Memories of Sanford and Son

“I have been silent for over 30 years. I have not spoken out against the atrocities that were perpetrated against us.

“Now, this book is not a tell-all book. And it’s not a catharsis for my angst. Nor is it a get-even book.

“It’s a documentation of what Redd and I went through from day one until the day that— contrary to popular belief, Sanford and Son was never canceled; you don’t cancel a show in the top 10—Redd decided to leave,” Demond, who became an ordained minister in 1984, tells host Jacqueline Foreman.

“We were breaking ground, we were making history, [but] when we first came to NBC, we didn’t even have dressing rooms, except on a shoot day.

“We were dressing in the men’s room…They tried to deal with us like we were third-class field hands.”

Later in the show, Demond recalls a bittersweet anecdote about his top banana.

With his TV dad, Redd.
“Redd was from St. Louis, and spent a lot of time in Harlem. Redd said to me one day, ‘You know, Demond, I used to sleep on the roof.’ And I said, ‘What did you do when it rained?’ He said, ‘I didn’t go home.’”

He also talks his daughter’s patriotic career choice.

“Nicole…is stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She’s an officer down there in the prison camp,” he says.

“I was in Vietnam, so I did not want her to go that way. But she chose to become an officer in the Navy.

“She’s been in there for like seven years. She absolutely loves it. She’s a ‘lifer,’ as they used to call’em.”

http://blog.blogtalkradio.com/entert...ressing-rooms/

TV_on_the_Porch · 06-06-2010, 10:52 PM

Forgotten Julia and The Bill Cosby Show has he? Granted, Sanford & Son was an evolutionary step beyond them, but they really broke ground with their acceptance and success . . . on NBC!

He could have forgotten those shows (and about S&S's dive in the ratings in its last season)...and whether he did or not, it isn't quite the same to recall them as as it is to recall personal experience, but still I'm not convinced there was any racial bias based on just the thing about the dressing rooms.

Mr. Television · 06-06-2010, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDRyan

Forgotten Julia and The Bill Cosby Show has he? Granted, Sanford & Son was an evolutionary step beyond them, but they really broke ground with their acceptance and success . . . on NBC!

He could have forgotten those shows (and about S&S's dive in the ratings in its last season)...and whether he did or not, it isn't quite the same to recall them as as it is to recall personal experience, but still I'm not convinced there was any racial bias based on just the thing about the dressing rooms.

I think he might have overlooked them because they were a mixed cast. Sanford and Son had primarily a black cast. And from what I read about those shows, NBC didn't treat them that well either. Sanford and Son was still ranked in the top 30 in it's last year. It was #27. The following year without Redd and Demond, Sanford Arms ended up ranked 100.

catlover79 · 06-07-2010, 12:10 AM

By 1977, I think S&S was pretty much played out, anyway. I guess Redd figured out he wasn't cut out to be a TV variety performer - but he never again had the type of chemistry with any co-star the way he had with Demond. Plus he never had a better sparring partner than LaWanda Page!!

MickeyMac · 06-07-2010, 01:36 PM

Sanford and Son dig break ground but they weren't the first black show to do so. In my opinion that title belongs to Julia. Not only was it a show with a black lead, but a black female lead, so that broke ground for women as well (even though The Mary Tyler Moore Show gets the credit for that, and as much as I like Mary its always bothered me that her show got more credit for breaking ground for single women than Julia did).

Also how come Ivan Dixon is never given credit for his role on Hogan's Heroes???

catlover79 · 06-07-2010, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

Sanford and Son dig break ground but they weren't the first black show to do so. In my opinion that title belongs to Julia. Not only was it a show with a black lead, but a black female lead, so that broke ground for women as well (even though The Mary Tyler Moore Show gets the credit for that, and as much as I like Mary its always bothered me that her show got more credit for breaking ground for single women than Julia did).

Also how come Ivan Dixon is never given credit for his role on Hogan's Heroes???

Not to mention Diahann Carroll was Emmy-nominated for Julia, and I don't think any of the S&S cast was. You're also right about Ivan Dixon - always seems to get lost in the shuffle (plus he was great as Sidney Poitier's brother in the 1965 movie A Patch of Blue).

lucyandethel · 01-23-2011, 04:58 AM

I read Demond Wilson's book, "Second Banana". Despite it being plaqued with tons of spelling and grammatical errors (Mr. Wilson, you should fire your editor) I think much of what Demond recalled was for the purposes of selling a book. NBC was fair in their treatment of Foxx and the cast but the fact was, Foxx became difficult out of the gate and many (not all) of the cast followed suit. They should have known that in the case of Flip Wilson, fighting NBC was not a good idea.

06-06-2010, 09:32 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Demond Wilson Claims He & Redd Foxx Were Treated Like...Well, Junk By NBC Demond Wilson may have played a junkman on Sanford and Son, but did the Peacock network have to treat him like one? No, says the actor, who in a new book dishes about the injustices he says he and co-star Redd Foxx endured during their classic ’70s sitcom’s five year-run. "Prior to Redd and I, there was only one black show on TV," Demond (above) tells us. "That was 'The Amos 'N Andy' show." Interviewed on Your Mental Health, Demond previews Second Banana: The Bittersweet Memories of Sanford and Son “I have been silent for over 30 years. I have not spoken out against the atrocities that were perpetrated against us. “Now, this book is not a tell-all book. And it’s not a catharsis for my angst. Nor is it a get-even book. “It’s a documentation of what Redd and I went through from day one until the day that— contrary to popular belief, Sanford and Son was never canceled; you don’t cancel a show in the top 10—Redd decided to leave,” Demond, who became an ordained minister in 1984, tells host Jacqueline Foreman. “We were breaking ground, we were making history, [but] when we first came to NBC, we didn’t even have dressing rooms, except on a shoot day. “We were dressing in the men’s room…They tried to deal with us like we were third-class field hands.” Later in the show, Demond recalls a bittersweet anecdote about his top banana. With his TV dad, Redd. “Redd was from St. Louis, and spent a lot of time in Harlem. Redd said to me one day, ‘You know, Demond, I used to sleep on the roof.’ And I said, ‘What did you do when it rained?’ He said, ‘I didn’t go home.’” He also talks his daughter’s patriotic career choice. “Nicole…is stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She’s an officer down there in the prison camp,” he says. “I was in Vietnam, so I did not want her to go that way. But she chose to become an officer in the Navy. “She’s been in there for like seven years. She absolutely loves it. She’s a ‘lifer,’ as they used to call’em.” http://blog.blogtalkradio.com/entert...ressing-rooms/ Attached Images
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06-07-2010, 12:10 AM	#4
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	By 1977, I think S&S was pretty much played out, anyway. I guess Redd figured out he wasn't cut out to be a TV variety performer - but he never again had the type of chemistry with any co-star the way he had with Demond. Plus he never had a better sparring partner than LaWanda Page!!
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

06-06-2010, 10:52 PM	#2
TV_on_the_Porch anything good on? Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Posts: 879	Forgotten Julia and The Bill Cosby Show has he? Granted, Sanford & Son was an evolutionary step beyond them, but they really broke ground with their acceptance and success . . . on NBC! He could have forgotten those shows (and about S&S's dive in the ratings in its last season)...and whether he did or not, it isn't quite the same to recall them as as it is to recall personal experience, but still I'm not convinced there was any racial bias based on just the thing about the dressing rooms.

06-07-2010, 01:36 PM	#5
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,008	Sanford and Son dig break ground but they weren't the first black show to do so. In my opinion that title belongs to Julia. Not only was it a show with a black lead, but a black female lead, so that broke ground for women as well (even though The Mary Tyler Moore Show gets the credit for that, and as much as I like Mary its always bothered me that her show got more credit for breaking ground for single women than Julia did). Also how come Ivan Dixon is never given credit for his role on Hogan's Heroes???

01-23-2011, 04:58 AM	#7
lucyandethel Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 18, 2009 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 435	I read Demond Wilson's book, "Second Banana". Despite it being plaqued with tons of spelling and grammatical errors (Mr. Wilson, you should fire your editor) I think much of what Demond recalled was for the purposes of selling a book. NBC was fair in their treatment of Foxx and the cast but the fact was, Foxx became difficult out of the gate and many (not all) of the cast followed suit. They should have known that in the case of Flip Wilson, fighting NBC was not a good idea.