Jo Marie Payton and Reginald VelJohnson had a issue with Jaleel playing Myrtle Urkel - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TVFactFan · 12-31-2022, 07:51 PM

I always felt the character was unnecessary and almost made me uncomfortable when he was coming on to eddie. lol Why would a teen boy want to play that type of role? He stated in this video that Jo Marie and Reginald felt that black male should never be in a dress

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77vYMUKI2lU

icecream · 12-31-2022, 07:55 PM

Cross dressing by guys is usually disgusting (Klinger on M*A*S*H being a rare exception). But it isn't uncommon anymore with RuPaul's popularity.

Decades before Family Matters, The Beverly Hillbillies did the same thing with Jethro/Jethrine.

TVLegend · 12-31-2022, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I always felt the character was unnecessary and almost made me uncomfortable when he was coming on to eddie. lol Why would a teen boy want to play that type of role? He stated in this video that Jo Marie and Reginald felt that black male should never be in a dress

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77vYMUKI2lU

LOL. Darius McCrary probably wasn’t too excited about having a boy (who was too masculine to be a girl) flirting with him onscreen. I find it interesting that Jo Marie felt that way even though she did an episode of Meet the Browns years later. Either she must’ve not known that the Cora character on there was supposed to be Mr. Brown and Madea’s daughter or she needed money.

TVLegend · 12-31-2022, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icecream

Cross dressing by guys is usually disgusting (Klinger on M*A*S*H being a rare exception). But it isn't uncommon anymore with RuPaul's popularity.

Decades before Family Matters, The Beverly Hillbillies did the same thing with Jethro/Jethrine.

Oh, wasn’t Jethrine a spittin’ image of her ma?

She sure is up there with Halle Berry and Eva Longoria or Sanaa Lathan. LOL.

TVFactFan · 12-31-2022, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVLegend

LOL. Darius McCrary probably wasn’t too excited about having a boy (who was too masculine to be a girl) flirting with him onscreen. I find it interesting that Jo Marie felt that way even though she did an episode of Meet the Browns years later. Either she must’ve not known that the Cora character on there was supposed to be Mr. Brown and Madea’s daughter or she needed money.

I hated the Myrtle character

TVLegend · 12-31-2022, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I hated the Myrtle character

But didn’t you find her funny? Like Sheneneh on Martin?

TVFactFan · 12-31-2022, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVLegend

But didn’t you find her funny? Like Sheneneh on Martin?

Never found men in drag funny. I was couldnt look at Shennee coming on to Kid from Kid and play

TVLegend · 12-31-2022, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Never found men in drag funny. I was couldnt look at Shennee coming on to Kid from Kid and play

Oh yeah, I forgot about that episode.

I think Martin was more funny playing his mama. That woman was cuckoo.

just1paul · 12-31-2022, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVLegend

Oh, wasn’t Jethrine a spittin’ image of her ma?

She sure is up there with Halle Berry and Eva Longoria or Sanaa Lathan. LOL.

Jethrines Ma was Pearl Bodine - Jed's cousin and Jethros sister.

Jethrine was never played as creepy as Myrtle.

JO Sweet Heart · 01-01-2023, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Never found men in drag funny.

I don't find it to be worth laughing at either. However, I do understand why Jaleel was chosen to play the Myrtle character since she was a relative of his own character and of course she only ended up being just like Jaleel's character. In other words, could any other person play Myrtle? Mostly likely no one.

God bless you and Jaleel always!!!

Holly

DJM77 · 01-01-2023, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JO Sweet Heart

I don't find it to be worth laughing at either. However, I do understand why Jaleel was chosen to play the Myrtle character since she was a relative of his own character and of course she only ended up being just like Jaleel's character. In other words, could any other person play Myrtle? Mostly likely no one.

That doesn't mean that the Myrtle character had to even exist in the first place.

Nothing funny to me about men in drag either. I just find it gross and disgusting.

TVFactFan · 01-02-2023, 12:45 AM

I think I only laugh at a man in drag once on the Jeffersons because it was a normal drag situation. George was trying to forced his employee Leroy to dress as a woman so his wife can stop being mad at him but it didnt work because Leroy was too ugly to pass as a woman

SitcomsOffline · 01-02-2023, 01:43 PM

I agree with JoMarie and Reginald in spirit and I'm sure they meant well.

That said, I do think it was wrong of them to burden a child with an issue that should have been taken up with the adult producers/writers, or even his parents. I'm sure in hindsight (30 years later), they probably would have handled it differently.

Janice Johnson · 02-11-2023, 06:53 AM

I read that the reason Myrtle Urkel realized that she needed to move on since Eddie did NOT want her and left him alone was because if the Writers agreed to let Eddie and Myrtle date, there would have been kissing scenes and both Darius and Jaleel(Who played Myrtle using drag), two straight men wouldn't have been comfortable kissing each other. Makes sense.

Little_stinker · 02-11-2023, 02:27 PM

How did you feel about Beverly LaSalle on All In The Family?

12-31-2022, 07:51 PM	#1
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 99,101	Jo Marie Payton and Reginald VelJohnson had a issue with Jaleel playing Myrtle Urkel I always felt the character was unnecessary and almost made me uncomfortable when he was coming on to eddie. lol Why would a teen boy want to play that type of role? He stated in this video that Jo Marie and Reginald felt that black male should never be in a dress https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77vYMUKI2lU

12-31-2022, 07:55 PM	#2
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,833	Cross dressing by guys is usually disgusting (Klinger on MAS*H being a rare exception). But it isn't uncommon anymore with RuPaul's popularity. Decades before Family Matters, The Beverly Hillbillies did the same thing with Jethro/Jethrine.
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01-02-2023, 12:45 AM	#12
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 99,101	I think I only laugh at a man in drag once on the Jeffersons because it was a normal drag situation. George was trying to forced his employee Leroy to dress as a woman so his wife can stop being mad at him but it didnt work because Leroy was too ugly to pass as a woman

01-02-2023, 01:43 PM	#13
SitcomsOffline Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 03, 2013 Posts: 492	I agree with JoMarie and Reginald in spirit and I'm sure they meant well. That said, I do think it was wrong of them to burden a child with an issue that should have been taken up with the adult producers/writers, or even his parents. I'm sure in hindsight (30 years later), they probably would have handled it differently.

02-11-2023, 06:53 AM	#14
Janice Johnson Commercial Lover Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 30, 2003 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 4,740	I read that the reason Myrtle Urkel realized that she needed to move on since Eddie did NOT want her and left him alone was because if the Writers agreed to let Eddie and Myrtle date, there would have been kissing scenes and both Darius and Jaleel(Who played Myrtle using drag), two straight men wouldn't have been comfortable kissing each other. Makes sense.

02-11-2023, 02:27 PM	#15
Little_stinker Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 19, 2018 Location: Illinois Posts: 317	How did you feel about Beverly LaSalle on All In The Family?