Controversial sitcoms of the 70's (YouTube video) - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 04-22-2022, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Next time someone says they didn't get so offended back in their day, show them this.

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Yong Fang · 04-22-2022, 10:09 AM

Soap is one of my favorite sitcoms of all time. It was very original, making a “soap opera” into a comedy. The writing was wonderful and the show was LOL like funny.

However two groups who are total opposites vehemently hated the show. One was homosexual groups. They hated Billy Crystal’s character. They hated that the character wanted a sex change. I think they also hated that the character was never in a homosexual relationship because the show wouldn’t go there. The character impregnated a woman. I think to the activist gay community it was that gays have a choice of sexuality.

The second group was evangelical Christians. I am from Memphis Tennessee the “buckle of the Bible Belt”. The ABC affiliate the first month wouldn’t show it. In its place (and I am serious) Gomer Pyle USMC, an old CBS show headlined by a gay actor. Things did calm down but the controversy never went away and I think ABC was tired of it and canceled. Susan Harris only meant for Soap to go five years so we were robbed of one year. Shame.

I think everyone loved All in the Family. I think that the episode(s) of “Edith’s 50th Birthday” went way too far. This was the episode where Edith, basically America’s sweet mom was almost raped by a home invader. Edith wasn’t raped and escaped. I don’t know how the network did things and if they were allowed to see episodes before airing but if I was a power that be, I would have told Norman Lear that this episode was NOT going to air. No way, not happening. If Lear threatened to quit, I would show him the door. Not going there. Accept our decision or goodbye.

Sanford and Son is my favorite sitcom and I have watched this show for almost fifty years since the beginning. I loved this show as a child, a white child from a Southern state. I have mentioned this on the Sanford and Son thread if the so called n-word was allowed in reruns on the various networks where the show was shown. We live in a time of such “political correctness” and “cancel culture” is this even allowed. Fred Sanford used the n-word twice in the traffic court episode I think called “Fred, Legal Eagle”…starting with “Why don’t you arrest some white drivers?” “I do!” “Really? Where are they? Look at all these (n-words) in here! There is enough (n-words) here to make a Tarzan movie!” That episode and those wo jokes go the longest laughter of the whole series. The Jeffersons used the n-word, and that show was very liberal, Tom Willis, the white character married to an African American woman called George an “n-word” in exasperation. Back in the 1970’s, people were not as insulted or “triggered” and maybe an openness of what is right and acceptable.

04-22-2022, 10:09 AM	#2
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	Soap is one of my favorite sitcoms of all time. It was very original, making a “soap opera” into a comedy. The writing was wonderful and the show was LOL like funny. However two groups who are total opposites vehemently hated the show. One was homosexual groups. They hated Billy Crystal’s character. They hated that the character wanted a sex change. I think they also hated that the character was never in a homosexual relationship because the show wouldn’t go there. The character impregnated a woman. I think to the activist gay community it was that gays have a choice of sexuality. The second group was evangelical Christians. I am from Memphis Tennessee the “buckle of the Bible Belt”. The ABC affiliate the first month wouldn’t show it. In its place (and I am serious) Gomer Pyle USMC, an old CBS show headlined by a gay actor. Things did calm down but the controversy never went away and I think ABC was tired of it and canceled. Susan Harris only meant for Soap to go five years so we were robbed of one year. Shame. I think everyone loved All in the Family. I think that the episode(s) of “Edith’s 50th Birthday” went way too far. This was the episode where Edith, basically America’s sweet mom was almost raped by a home invader. Edith wasn’t raped and escaped. I don’t know how the network did things and if they were allowed to see episodes before airing but if I was a power that be, I would have told Norman Lear that this episode was NOT going to air. No way, not happening. If Lear threatened to quit, I would show him the door. Not going there. Accept our decision or goodbye. Sanford and Son is my favorite sitcom and I have watched this show for almost fifty years since the beginning. I loved this show as a child, a white child from a Southern state. I have mentioned this on the Sanford and Son thread if the so called n-word was allowed in reruns on the various networks where the show was shown. We live in a time of such “political correctness” and “cancel culture” is this even allowed. Fred Sanford used the n-word twice in the traffic court episode I think called “Fred, Legal Eagle”…starting with “Why don’t you arrest some white drivers?” “I do!” “Really? Where are they? Look at all these (n-words) in here! There is enough (n-words) here to make a Tarzan movie!” That episode and those wo jokes go the longest laughter of the whole series. The Jeffersons used the n-word, and that show was very liberal, Tom Willis, the white character married to an African American woman called George an “n-word” in exasperation. Back in the 1970’s, people were not as insulted or “triggered” and maybe an openness of what is right and acceptable.