Was it 'All in the Family' That Reintroduced the "N" Word to TV?!?

[Brian Damage]

In the 1970's, the "N" word was used quite frequently on sitcoms. It became a part of the English language again. Was it AITF that reintroduced the "N" word first???

I remember the 1st time I heard it was a rerun episode starring Sammy Davis Jr.

"If you were prejudiced, Archie, when I came into your home, you would have called me a coon or a ******. But you didn't say that, I heard you clear as a bell. You came right out and called me colored."

[OH Nuts!]

Very likely. The show broke so many molds that yes, it must have been AITF, I can't think of any earlier show where one would have heard it. (What a wonderful experience it was to see the show first hand - there was absolutely NOTHING else like it - totally reshaped TV's landscape - and still quite fresh and vibrant to this very day)

[robyrob]

i think Richard Pryor was the first person to start using the word in his act all the time which made it popular in that era.

[Hughsgirl]

As far as sitcoms go, it could be, but I think I recall it being used more frequently when the Jefferson's aired.

[MickeyMac]

Sanford and Son, Good Times and The Jeffersons, the N word was used quite often.

[DJM77]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think that All In The Family might be the first tv show to have profanity in it.

[Hughsgirl]

Originally Posted by DJM77

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think that All In The Family might be the first tv show to have profanity in it.

That's a huge possibility! I can't recall which episode it was in, but I distincly remember Archie blowing his top at Mike and saying G. Damn it! They never did censor it because I rewound it to make sure I heard what I thought I heard and sure enough he said it! I just wonder if Mr. O'Connor got so into the moment that he let it slip or if it was scripted.

[TVFactFan]

It wasn't used that often on AITF and plus it never came out of Archie's mouth

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by Hughsgirl

That's a huge possibility! I can't recall which episode it was in, but I distincly remember Archie blowing his top at Mike and saying G. Damn it! They never did censor it because I rewound it to make sure I heard what I thought I heard and sure enough he said it! I just wonder if Mr. O'Connor got so into the moment that he let it slip or if it was scripted.

I was shocked that they got away with that! Probably only because Archie went into an explanation of why he thought that it was okay for him to say that after Edith had scolded him for it. I'm sure that it was in the script. But even in earlier episodes Archie was saying "hell" and "damn" quite a bit. And in at least one episode later on he said "ass."

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by DJM77

even in earlier episodes Archie was saying "hell" and "damn" quite a bit.

Hell and damn were also spoken in at least 3 Twilight Zone episodes.

Damn was used in the episode "The Thirty-Fathom Grave" and hell was spoken in "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" "and "The Bewitchin' Pool."

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

Hell and damn were also spoken in at least 3 Twilight Zone episodes.

Damn was used in the episode "The Thirty-Fathom Grave" and hell was spoken in "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" "and "The Bewitchin' Pool."

I stand corrected.

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

It wasn't used that often on AITF and plus it never came out of Archie's mouth

It came out of Archie's mouth in the episode where him and Mike were locked in the wine cellar.

[Hughsgirl]

Originally Posted by DJM77

I was shocked that they got away with that! Probably only because Archie went into an explanation of why he thought that it was okay for him to say that after Edith had scolded him for it. I'm sure that it was in the script. But even in earlier episodes Archie was saying "hell" and "damn" quite a bit. And in at least one episode later on he said "ass."

I was shocked too and even though he used those other cuss words, none of them are as vile as using the lord's name in vain. I use the "f" word fluently, but I try my best to never use the other, however once in a while I do slip.

[HelloLarry]

I think it was only used twice on AITF; once Sammy said it and once Archie said it in the classic 8th season episode Two's a Crowd. For as much ground as AITF broke, I don't think they could've gotten away with Archie using that word. Could be wrong but I wouldn't think so. Lord knows he used enough other racial epithets.

Regarding the GD line, that was in the season 4 opener 'We're Having a Heat Wave'. Interesting thing was that in syndication I remember that whole exchange being cut. It went from Mike going "Watergate etc." to Henry Jefferson coming into the house. It wasn't until the 20th Anniversary special that I first saw that scene and eventually when it aired on TVLand it was a different edit of the episode and the scene was intact.

That whole exchange was in the very first pilot of the show "Justice For All" but it wasn't in the second pilot. Maybe again, the network was a little nervous about that with everything else they 'did' allow and some consessions were made. By season 4 though with it being the hottest show on TV, they let it on. If you have a chance to compare the two different shoots of it, it moves so much better in the version that did air in the heat wave episode.

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by HelloLarry

I think it was only used twice on AITF; once Sammy said it and once Archie said it in the classic 8th season episode Two's a Crowd.

Did George say the N word in Lionel's Engagement? All I remember is George saying something and then Archie saying something along the lines of "People call me a bigot and I haven't used that word in four years!"