Isabel Sanford or Esther Rolle Who did you like better?

They both played great black matriarchs of their respective TV families. They are both great actresses. Which black matriarch did you prefer?

• Esther was up-tight, mean, unhappy and too long-suffering. Isabel was laid-back, understanding, patient, and fun. Why would anyone pick Florida?

• Though I love Esther Rolle as an actress, Florida just wasn't as fun as Weezy.

• Don't be hating on Florida cuz she got that James Evans monsta dick in her every night, while all Weezie gots was George's little prick.

• Isabel Sanford was perhaps not as good an actor, but she was game, up for anything and lots of fun. Esther Rolle was great on Maude, wasted (and bitter, and it showed) on Good Times.

• John Amos (Good Times) and Sherman Hemsley (Jeffersons) Black actors on Norman Lear shows. Wonder what else they had in common?

• Isabel's only real success was as Weezie. Esther was a far better dramatic actress and continued appearing in movies for many years after Good Times.

• They both loved dick, I think.

• [quote] Isabel's only real success was as Weezie. Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

• Big Bush supporters.

• Why wasn't Lady Rashad included in your poll?

• Old Navy, Old Navy

• I think Esther Rolle was the better dramatic actress, but Weezie was so much fun. It was impossible not to identify with her--everyone around her was so nuts (George, Florence, Mr. Bickley) and she was so normal, trying to keep it together.

• Yes, Esther Rolle was the better actress. Maybe your should have made this about Florida vs Weezie.

• Florida was one of the people Weezie assisted at The Help Center.

• Isabel was also a semi-regular on The Carol Burnett Show. In one skit a spoof of Maude (called Broad) and Isabel played Esther's part of the maid.

• Because R10, Rashad was, and remains, insufferable.

• Esther hated white people, so did John Stamos, that's why they got along together so well.

• Since you're too stupid to delineate between an ACTRESS' name and a CHARACTER name, I'm boycotting this poll, OP, you shit-for-brains.

• I met Isabel Sanford when she was staying at the hotel I worked at while in college. She was in town doing a play. She was totally accessible and gladly would sign autographs as Isabel "Weezie" Sanford. Her stay coincided with the annual employee banquet and she was so popular with the staff we invited her to the banquet and gave her a seat of honor at the head table.

• No doubt she enjoyed the banquet.

  The Killer Rabbit

• I saw Esther Rolle onstage in a small off-Loop theatre in Chicago in the early 80s. The play was called "Dame Lorraine," and was a kind of variation on "King Lear," with an immigrant family from the Caribbean moved to an urban gang-filled neighborhood. Rolle played the matriarch, with a very convincing accent, and power and pathos. One of the greatest performances I've ever seen.

• Anyone else remember Weezie in Lady Sings The Blues?

• With all due respect, you can kind of understand why Rolle and Amos got pissed. They thought they were going to do a sitcom with some gravitas and it ends up becoming a show about a stereotype.

• It's bizarre Good Times became all about that ugly ass J.J. and his dynomite bullshit.

• Mabel King

  Dee

• Jimmie Walker (J.J.) has been romantically linked to Ann Coulter!

• One of my favorite Isabel Sanford moments!

  https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DXo5mQhu45s4

  Play%20Mama

• I loved Esther both in Maude and in Good Times.

• I like Zara Cully better. Fuck Weezie and her charity case at the Help Center!

  Mother%20Jefferson

• "Though I love Esther Rolle as an actress, Florida just wasn't as fun as Weezy." You'd be fun too if you were rich and lived in a dee-luxe apartment in the sky. Poor Florida lived in the ghetto and had three kids to support on what little she and her husband made, while Weezie waltzed around in expensive pants suits and freshly coiffed hair. She even had a maid, albeit a lazy and stupid one. Considering the life she was leading, it's no wonder Weezy was more "fun."

• It's so weird to know now that Isabel was 21 years older than Sherman Hemsley. Their characters seemed so close in age!! I still love that show.

• And Esther was 19 years older than John Amos!

• I loved them both but have a soft spot for Esther Rolle because she always reminded me of my mother.

• [quote]She even had a maid, albeit a lazy and stupid one BITCH!

  Marla%20Gibbs

• "Esther was up-tight, mean, unhappy and too long-suffering. Isabel was laid-back, understanding, patient, and fun. Why would anyone pick Florida?" "Esther?" Who the fuck are you talking about? If you mean Esther from "Sanford and Son", then the description of her being "up-tight, mean, unhappy and long-suffering" seems accurate. But that sure doesn't describe Florida Evans. Florida Evans was a strong, plain, down-to-earth. sensible, black woman who worked hard and tried to do the best she could for her family. She wanted her children to be educated, and taught them to value themselves and be decent human beings. She had a good sense of humor and she kept a clean, well-maintained home for her husband and children. Those are some reasons to "pick Florida." As for Weezy...well, you'd be fat and happy and fun too, if you were rich. Florida had to work hard; all Weezy had to do was loll around the dee-luxe apartment in the sky and eat bonbons all day. She had a lot more time to be "fun" than Florida.

• They were both fine actors. The characters they played were very different. Florida was a nurturing maternal type, whose most important life purpose was family harmony. .. Weezy, on the other hand was more involved in maintaining her new social station, and keeping George in line. .. Gee, just writing about them makes me miss them both. R.I.P. dear ladies!!

  Marla%20Gibb

• HAHAHA

  https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DYWWBrAIv1J0

• Sheesh, R35, calm the fuck down. We're talking about sitcoms here. You're ready to start a rumble over Weezy vs. Florida?

• Florida was always seemed anxious and uptight because she was worried someone else was going to take that hot piece of chocolate love that was James!

• They turned James and Willona into verbal sparring partners after the First Season to ease the sexual tension. MAD magazine did a parody of the show and the piece questioned how anyone would believe James and Florida would be married. They replied those same people probably believe James would have never laid a..... hand on Willona.

• Isabelle and Esther were both old enough to be Sherman and John's mothers.

• Watch it sucker!

  Esther

• I agree with Dee, Mabel King.

  Raj

• Who?

• Isabel had her best writing on ALL IN THE FAMILY. She was always great with Maureen Stapleton, even in her shortest scenes. My favorite was when Rue McClanahan and Vincent Gardenia played swingers and Louise had to tell Edith what they wanted to swap. As great as it was to have Betty Garrett join the cast, looking back you can see how Isabel/Louise was denied some of the scenes to comfort Edith in ways that Irene ended up doing. I loved watching reruns of BEWITCHED and seeing her pop up as a smart housekeeper in the Old South. And a racist one in GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER. She played enough maids. Too bad THE JEFFERSONS became so campy.

• Damn, Damn, DAMN!

• [quote] It's so weird to know now that Isabel was 21 years older than Sherman Hemsley. Their characters seemed so close in age!! I still love that show. [quote] And Esther was 19 years older than John Amos! BLACK DON'T CRACK, BITCHES!

  Marla%20Gibbs

• [quote] She was always great with Maureen Stapleton Excuse me?

  Jean%20Stapleton%2C%20ready%20to%20cut%20a%20bitch%20