Eldergays, was Sherman Hemsley Gay?

Gay.

He was real gay.

SUPER gay.

A lovely man, very much the reverse of George Jefferson. He loved Latin and Dominican YOUNG men especially.

He showed up for an instant in the very fun but too long McMillions documentary — the black lady fraudster said the highlight of having “won” was getting to meet him.

"Was Sherman truly just a "confirmed bachelor"?

Anyone who uses the term "confirmed bachelor" is referring to a gay man. It's always been a euphemism for gay.

YES.

And no character today could do that “George Jefferson” walk and get away with being straight.

The show really was never very good but he was always a riot. He should have collected an Emmy - in fact, I don’t think he was ever even nominated (maybe once at most).

He was also really young (mid 30s) when he started the show. Louise was much older.

Homosexualist.

R2 - tell us more! There seems to be so little about his personal life online. I guess at least partly because he was never a sex symbol or traditional leading man.

Always admired his George Jefferson as a kid. I guess everyone is a bit of a peacock.

I had a little crush on him. I like shorties with an attitude.

Very messy doings after Sherman Hemsley's death.

He died basically broke you know; SH even sold off rights to his residuals to raise ready money after filing for bankruptcy.

While you cannot defame the dead, no one seems to mount vigorous denials that Sherman Hemsley was gay.

OP there was then and still largely now a certain macho about African American men and that extended to a deep dislike of homosexuality. That and African Americans as a whole of Mr. Hemsley's generation and many after tend to be religious and socially conservative. There was just no way SH was going to "come out" of that closet even if he was truly gay. To be a famous AA man and come out as gay just wan't done back then. Johnnie Mathis tried cracking open that door and go so much heat he went right back in closet, and slammed the door for years afterwards.

Billy Strayhorn was one of the rare famous men of color who was out and proud gay. He paid somewhat of a price for this, but overall lived life on his own terms.

Of course Sherman Hemsley was also caught in same web as white gays of his generation. He could have been drummed out of the military with a dishonorable discharge. Arrested and ended up in jail (or at least with a criminal record) if caught doing something that he shouldn't. And like all performers his contracts likely had a morals clause that meant getting up to something could have gotten him fired from a show.

Ironically Damon Evans who played the second Lionel Jefferson is an out and proud gay black male.

More:

Yes gay but didn’t flame or anything. I met him once in West Hollyweird and he was super down to earth and a real genuine guy.

R12. Thanks for linking this article. Very interesting.

Does anyone here remember a story from probably 20 years ago, posted either somewhere on LiveJournal or on one of the Usenet groups, of a man who said he had briefly lived with him, but there was also a woman who lived in Hemsley's basement and he didn't know their relationship?

It was on a thread that talked about Hemsley's love of prog rock, and the man said Hemsley was eccentric and shy and probably gay but seemed afraid to approach anyone, but that's all I remember.

I worked with him after The Jeffersons and Amen. Sweet. Hard working. Glad to be there. Never once made any attempt to hide his sexuality. The producer kept trying to keep up appearances by giving Sherman 2 rooms - 1 for Sherman, 1 for his assistant. Sherman finally just put it out there for all to hear. “There’s no need. He’s not my assistant, he’s my lover.” End of discussion. I was about 24 and so excited to hear him own the situation. Made quite an impression. Good man.

I don't know where. I don't know when, exactly. I do, however, know that I saw him on television ONCE well after The Jeffersons/Amen had ended. He's sitting alone right in front of the camera in a red shirt and backward worn newsboy hat, during some sort of very brief interview. He states it plainly "I'm gay." He shrugs his shoulders as he says it.

I loved him in both tv shows.

R9: "I like shorties with an attitude."

He acted that attitude. His co-stars often describes him as reserved. There's an interview with Marla Gibbs, where she describes him as being very stressed about being able to pull George Jefferson off. He was on some awful VH1 show with other celebrities - no idea how they got him on there. But he seemed pained the entire time.

He was on the Howard Stern show decades ago and performed in some skit. After he passed, Stern was stunned that more people didn't know that Mr. Hemsley was gay because he thought that it was pretty obvious. Stern said he was a nice guy with a good sense of humor.

Interesting interview from 2003.

Sherman even played gay in the movie 'Screwed' in 2000. I think I saw the clip here a couple of years back...he's wearing a Speedo in a hot tub, surrounded by young guys.

The scene R24 mentions.

I have no idea but Sherman Hemsley is the gayest sounding name I’ve ever heard in my little gay life.

How does someone who is the star of a hit show for eleven years (The Jeffersons), then the star of another smaller show for more years (Amen), wind up broke? Did his agent not know how to negotiate for residuals? Did he not know how to manage his money? Did he just give it all away? Did he live beyond his means?

Just curious, because I feel like I'm someone who has to work at a job day after day, scrimp and save just to get by, and is not feeling confident about retirement. If I had a hit TV show, I would be planning ahead.

George Jefferson was so queeny, Weezie was a fag hag and Florence only sassed George the way she did because that is how gay men and black women interact. Was this supposed to have been a secret?

[quote] He loved Latin and Dominican YOUNG men especially.

He had good taste, then!

According to IMDB, he only had one Emmy nomination (1985) in his career which was for THE JEFFERSONS. He didn’t win.

Yet, Isabel Sanford had 7 nominations (yearly from 1979-1985) for her role. She won once in 1981.

That’s just not right.

R27 He was a black man at a time where those actors were making maybe 60 percent of their white counterparts.

I doubt he was seriously extravagant, but after paying agents and staff sometimes there isn't much left over.

This is a different industry but kind of a similar idea.....the upfront costs and agent fees an actor has to pay, plus huge taxes, means the amount that hits your account is a LOT less than people think.

R5- Sherman Hemsley was effective as George Jefferson but HARDLY a RIOT. Mother Jefferson was a RIOT. When she died in 1978 the show was NEVER as funny.

R30 George Jefferson was unlikable and annoying, and in a way he didn't even come across to me as the star of the show. Weezie was a big, loud, lovable character who worked at a "help center." She was the first Rose Nylund and everyone loved her, as she was written, and so it makes sense that she got most of the attention. George seemed like the antagonist to Florence and Weezie and everyone else and less like the hero.

Archie Bunker, the clear model for George Jefferson, physically held center stage in his show. He was usually seated in his armchair in the middle of all the action, sort of commanding everyone, whereas George seemed like he was in constant motion like a shark, roaming around and in and out of scenes. At this point in history, I think that would make for an interesting cultural examination, why the racist old white guy was positioned more as the star of his show than the racist old black man, who seemed sort of like a sidekick to the more cartoonish sidekick characters.

Amen is better than the Jeffersons.

Nell Carter was making 30k an episode on Gimme A Break! Sadly, that's not much less than what some people make in year today. 11 seasons of the Jeffersons and 5 on Amen there is no way he should've died penniless.

I was oddly attracted to this show even though I hated every word that cam out of his character's mouth! Glad to know he was decent in real life

The Jeffersons started out strong, with messages in the comedy like Good Times. But both shows sank into buffoonery and coonery after a couple of successful seasons. Once the public latched onto Florence, the show lost something. Although both shows had black casts, neither of them were really shows [italic]for[/italic] blacks, but rather for white audiences, designed to make them feel comfortable with the images that they were seeing of black Americans. Which is odious, but that’s the Nielsens for you.

R37 It was soothing to see them "movin' on up" and aspirational.

I also wondered, R27, but the article at R11 makes it sound like there weren't a lot of residuals to be had. He sold them, I'm assuming because he couldn't hold on to them after filing for bankruptcy.

I lost interest in the show pretty quickly because there were too many dull supporting characters. I only liked George, Louise and Mother Jefferson but cringed every time we saw Harry Bentley, all the Willis', Florence, and the doorman. Damon Evans was an improvement over Mike Evans as Lionel who couldn't act but still he was another dull character.

In the 1980’s Sherman lived in his house with an aging Puerto Rican hustler. The hustler moved his wife and kids into Sherman’s place as well. This hustler later tried to shake him down for money via blackmail. The hustler threatened calling National Enquirer when Sherman got tired of the hustler’s family and the cash demands. The hustler called the Enquirer and there was a photo of the hustler and his family at Sherman’s. The hustler of course called the Enquirer to say Sherm was a Coke head doing badly and he and his wife and kids were there to “help”.

Sherman seemed like a nice guy. He was trying to live his live on the dl which was needed at the time of prejudice and AIDS fear. Sherm let the hustler run his story of needing money to help his family. Sherm let them move in... the hustler and wife were coke fiends and that was one reason the hustler lived in. He could score the coke for Sherm who was not looking for trouble or to get fired from his series.

Roxie Roker was fabulous and I won't hear a word against her.

Mother Jefferson is all of DataLounge at all points across all time. You could just post her picture here, and that would be sufficient to capture the height, depth, and breadth of pretentiousness and pointless bitchery that makes up DL.

Am I crazy or didn't DL once have an image of Mother Jefferson that was used in the same way the images of Helen Lawson were, like for a 404 page or something?

Poor Sherman. At least enjoyed some success in his life.

I've always heard that Sherman Hemsley was a decent guy in real life; much like Danny DeVito. Ironically, they both became famous for playing repulsive, repugnant characters.

R9 this is especially for you!

I haven’t seen it in years, but as a kid Helen Willis and Mother Jefferson were my favorite characters on the show.

R41, you like using the word “hustler,” don’t you?

I loved the Jeffersons as a kid, but I haven't seen the show in years. What I remember most is George Jefferson's macho energy; he had so much bravado for a little man. It's a surprise learning that he was so shy and reserved in real life. I do remember an interview where he criticized the writers of the Jeffersons for making his character so racist towards neighbor Tom Willis; he had question the writers why George was so racist to Tom after the two characters had been friends for so long.

One of my favorite lines on the show was delivered by Gary Coleman, who was playing the Jeffersons' nephew. Tom Willis comes in, sees Gary, and cheerfully asks, "Who's the little man!?" Before George can reply, Gary shouts, "That's my uncle George!" LOL

In another episode, Lionel needed money. He refused George's offer of financial assistance, and he said he was going to ask his bank for a loan. George wanted to make sure the bank didn't reject Lionel, so he went down to the bank to give them the money to give to Lionel. A misunderstanding occurred, and the clerk thought George was robbing the bank. Finally, George convinced the staff that he wasn't robbing the bank, and things were calming down, when he spotted Lionel entering the bank. George hid from Lionel by ducking behind a pillar. Then Louise walks in to the bank, sees Lionel, and goes to hide behind the pillar, but finds George there instead. Louise, who had told George not to intervene in Lionel's affairs, asks George what he's doing there. He can't tell her that he talked to the bank on behalf of Lionel, so he shouts, "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm robbing the bank!" Then, the police appear again!

The poor guy I’d dead. Who cares?

It is so sad that he was on TWO hit shows and still became broke.

But from interviews and everything I've heard, he was a lovely, thoughtful and sweet man. Not at all like the characters he played on TV.

Shame he wasn't able to do more serious roles or come out in a public way that was meaningful.

R35 - Nell Carter was an out lesbian, but you don't hear much about that either.

[quote] But from interviews and everything I've heard, he was a lovely, thoughtful and sweet man. Not at all like the characters he played on TV.

Carroll O’Connor was the same.

R52, Nell wasn't an out lesbian. She married men twice. Her last marriage ended in 1993, about ten years before her death. People were surprised when her obituary mentioned that she was raising her adopted sons with a female partner.

The reality show he was on was Surreal Life and that would probably be the closest anyone will see of the real Sherman. He just seemed like a great guy. He even had a guest appearance from Marla Gibbs.

R35

Nell Carter is about an "out lesbian" as Queen Latifah. That is yes, people know but otherwise no one is shouting things from housetops.

Unless you knew Ms. Carter personally and or otherwise had some sort of intimate contact you wouldn't have known she was a lesbian. Ms. Carter got into a bit of trouble with law and had to take a safe driving or whatever course, she showed up with her partner so anyone else there put two and two together.

Again African American community is just funny about gays and lesbians. There are tons of them in the community and always have been, but no one actually comes out and says anything. From Luther Vandross down to that choir director of some small church who sashays around dropping purses out of his mouth every time it opens....

In the hood it's called "maintaining". There are straight up thug gays and lesbians (like that character Cleopatra "Cleo" Sims played by Queen Latifah in film "Set It Off", who in most instances are no different than anyone else in their community. Many know what the deal is and you'd get your head bashed in or taken out if you called them a punk or lez in public.

R27

There are "residuals" and there are *residuals*. Safe to say prior to cast of Friends shaking the entertainment world up with their demand (and getting) not just huge sums up front but a larger take of the pie, many sitcom actors didn't get huge money from residuals.

IIRC one cast member from Fact of Life or something said she once got a residual check for less than $10.

Keep in mind residuals only bring in huge money if the show not only enters syndication but is being broadcast enough. Many old sitcoms from 1970's, through 1980's and even early 1990's once cancelled went out of rotation not just in USA but worldwide. Even with cable and satellite stations devoted to "vintage" programming you often still didn't see that needle move much.

Now of course there is the growth in OTA broadcast stations like MeTV, GETtv, etc... that are showing all these vintage sitcoms from 1970's and 1980's (Facts of Life, The Jeffersons, All in the Family..." which means subject to contractual agreements residual payments should start looking up.

In contrast take the cartoon series "The Flintstones" which not only was a huge hit in its day, but has never been out of broadcast rotation both in USA or worldwide. Voice actors at the time were given option of standard rates, or a smaller amount plus a cut of future action. They all took the former and an interview with actress who voiced "Wilma" said "we were fools, but who knew?...".

R53

Late Mr.Carroll O'Connor was totally opposite from the ignorant philistine character Archie Bunker as anyone could get.

He was Sigma Phi Epsilon at University of Montana, and received is BA from University College Dublin with a major in English Literature.

Also in contrast to Archie Bunker Mr. O'Connor was politically liberal. He played that character as the racist buffoon he was as a send up to those who existed in real life.

R27

Historically many African American performers/actors have been bad with money. When you come from a poor background and or have very little education along with experience in handling money it is easy to blow though much of it. Compound this with systemic racism and other abuses it was easy to cheat AA actors/performers who weren't used to negotiating and didn't realize their bargaining power.

Ethel Waters in her prime was the highest paid performers of her race, but she died basically in poverty.

I thought he lived as part of a throuple for awhile.

There is dirt out there if you but look ....

The IRS (and its endless accrual of interest and penalties on back taxes) is the bane of countless wage earners. Tax delinquency could have been a contributory to Sherman Helmsley's fate; a near-Sisyphean loop of taking one step upwards only to slide three steps back. See Snipes, Wesley.

R62

IRS did a number on Redd Fox....

r42=Lenny Kravitz

I’d always heard he was a nice guy, and assumed he was gay. I don’t know why, it just seemed as natural as Paul Lynde being gay. A different presentation but gay just the same.

And now I live across the street from the building shown in the show’s intro.

Well, R65, you and i are neighbors, as I see it out my bedroom window.

R66 et R67

Park Lane Towers is a nice enough building, but that area (East 85th and bit of East 84th on Third) is becoming a shit show, more so since covid began last March.

Lobby of TD Bank on 85th and Third has become a homeless shelter. You walk past there after branch closes and especially overnight and there are three, for or more people in there eating, smoking, hanging out, sleeping, partying....

That McDonald's on Third between 85th and 84th long was a draw for homeless because it was open 24/7. Now they close over night and don't do indoor during day due to covid-19 restrictions, so people eat their Mikey D's fix in area and leave the trash on street. From about Sweetgreens to 85th on Third is always full of trash for some reason.

At beginning of covid panic it seems as if lots of apartments on 85th between Third and Lexington in those old tenement walk-ups emptied out. Walking past now some have been rented as now see at least ground level apartments have been rented.

Don't know how you guys live with noise from firehouse on 85th, those sirens going all hours of day and night.

R67 that area’s not been the same since Mimi’s closed!

R68

Yes, that was a blow. Famous Famiglia Pizzeria opened up in that spot but they don't quite hit the mark.

Shouldn't the thread title be -- "Eldergays -- Sherman Hemsley--Who's Had Him?"

He's probably long since moved on, but DL fave Ricky Martin (IIRC) lived at Lucida on Lexington between 85th and 86th.

Unless actors owned a piece of their show or had very specific contracts giving them a cut of future profits, very few of them from the 50s/60s/70s/mid 80s make any money from reruns today. Union contracts did improve over the years so by the late 80s into the 90s and up through today, actors make a lot more money from residuals than they did in the old days. And, actors on very hot shows negotiated very lucrative deals every time the networks wanted to renew a hot show like "Friends". So, in other words, unless you were an actor who owned a piece of the show (ala Roseanne, Seinfeld, Lucy, etc) you're probably not making baskets of money from an old show airing 30, 40, 50+ years after the fact.

Did Sherman have the cock of the gay guy who played Lionrl?

Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman and others from Shawshank Redemption collect and are still collecting big money from that film airing on television.

Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) of course still is racking in money from that series. But as noted above he was creator and so forth so made sure to take care of those things when contracts were negotiated. Ditto for Jerry Seinfeld who really never need work again but can comfortably live (and very well) off money from Seinfeld television show.

Then you have "According to USA Today, Friends generates $1 billion a year for production company Warner Bros. Of that, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and Schwimmer are contractually entitled to 2 percent, which works out to about $20 million for each and every one of them."

Cast of Friends really broke the mold and set a pattern for what would come afterwards. Cast of The Big Bang Theory were set for life with each of their contracts, and like that of Friends will never need to work again but can happily live off residuals. This piled onto the huge sums they received per episode for TBBT.

No wonder Jim Parsons was comfortable with his decision to leave TBBT. He got buckets of money and still has more coming in every year thanks to residual payments. All that money leaves him free to explore other acting or whatever pursuits without ever having to worry about finances.

Carroll O' Connor. I recently started watching "All in the Family" after avoiding it for most of my file. Damn, it's a great show. It actually makes say "Nuh-uh." Crazy what they could get away with back then. I turned to the Decades channel and saw O'Connor on the Dick Cavett show and was floored by how NOT Archie Bunker he was. He's AMAZING in that role. Just amazin.

We don't really have actors playing these outlandish characters anymore. Do we? At least on TV

[quote] Voice actors at the time were given option of standard rates, or a smaller amount plus a cut of future action.

Always bet on future action (at least when quarantine ends!)

R66, r67, would you mind posting a google earth image or telling me how to find it. I’d love to see that building.

TIA!

[quote] Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) of course still is racking in money

Oh, dear!

R58, I knew that about Carroll so I reviewed my post and can see where the misunderstanding is.

I was reiterating that, like Sherman, Carroll was nothing like the characters he played. He actually was very erudite and taught high school English as well.

Of course Michael Musto knew Sherman Hemsley was gay.

He was A gay!

R67- If there is a SHITTY McDonalds in that area , how nice can that neighborhood be?

R82 for decades Paul McCartney kept an apartment on 84th and Lex - right across from Mimi’s.

It was actually a very generic post war red brick building - it always surprised me he would have a place in a building like that (even if he was hardly there). Made me think he was very unpretentious.

Third Avenue on UES changes slowly as you go north from 70's into 80's. By about 84th street and onto 86th and above you're firmly in Yorkville.

The area itself isn't that bad, just the element often drawn to that McDonald's. There are usually homeless in front or inside the place, with those outside often acting as a "doorman" opening and closing door then shoving some nasty cup in your face asking for tips.

R84

Yes, I know that building. Years ago now close friend passed by Paul McCartney early one morning sitting on steps of Hungarian church on 80th street with his then gf (now wife). So that explains why he was in the area, though IIRC the woman may have lived on UES as well.

R82 use Google maps to view 1499 Third Avenue, New York (DL won't accept link).

You'll see area again is rather nice, it's just a certain element.

R54

People were more shocked when Nell Carter named her female lover to raise her adopted children, essentially giving the woman full custody. Of course had Ms. Carter been able to marry her partner (was SSM legal in CA by 2003?) none of that would have been necessary.

R87- I was SHOCKED to find out Meredith Baxter Birney was a LESBIAN.

Nell Carter loved eating snatch. Yum yum.

[quote] all the Willis',

Oh, dear.

R87

Lesbian?

Lesbian....

*gasp* Lesbian!

But that's when two women......

[quote] Nell Carter loved eating snatch. Yum yum.

Nell Carter loved eating anything.

In the first TV Guide Cover story on Hemsley - his living arrangement was mentioned. It seems he lived with a woman AND a young male companion.

Sherm liked the young cock.

Also worked w Nell Carter! What a fun, warm, mess she was. Always left chaos in her wake, but it was kind of worth it.

[quote] Always left chaos in her wake,

I’d imagine in the sidewalk at least.

R77, just google Park Lane Towers, and you'll see plenty of pictures of the building.

He was one of those '70s/'80s sitcom people who were cast based on their Broadway experience. Same goes for Nell Carter, Bea Arthur, Jean Stapleton, Linda Lavin, Hal Linden, Bonnie Franklin, et. al.

True, R98. Norman Lear especially hired people for their talent instead of their looks.

Sherman sings!

[quote] People were more shocked when Nell Carter named her female lover to raise her adopted children, essentially giving the woman full custody. Of course had Ms. Carter been able to marry her partner (was SSM legal in CA by 2003?) none of that would have been necessary.

California banned gay marriage twice in the same decade but passed on the opportunity to make Gary Coleman governor. I never want to hear the word “racist“ coming out of these peoples’ mouths again as long as I live.

R101 sounds like a racist Trumpster

Nell was a Republican. She often said that her two adopted sons would be the first Black presidents of the U.S.

She did a funny interview in The Advocate where she said that because of AIDS, she wasn't having sex because she most enjoyed oral sex but didn't like eating latex.

Like Carroll O’Connor, Jean Stapleton was nothing like Edith. She was just a brilliant actress.

Jean Stapleton had the undeniable talent of turning any role into Edith, even before AITF.

Nell Carter was a treasure....

Get some cash for your trash!

Jennifer Halliday was always going on that it was her weight and or race that held her back on Broadway.... Total BS! Nell Carter was just as a big (maybe larger) and African American woman but managed to have a decent enough stage and performing career.

I loved Nell on Gimme a Break. For a large lady, she was very graceful and agile. The camera loved her. She had that "it factor" starpower.

Jean Stapleton was Jean Stapleton, she didn't vary much from that script. This was common for many actors/actresses of her time, and it worked out well for most as they had pretty good careers.

[italic]Silver Spoons[/italic] proved that Embassy Television was nothing but hypocrites regarding interracial marriage otherwise Dexter Stuffins would have been whom Eddie Stratton III said "I do" to.

George Jefferson and Archie Bunker were right about Ann Romano's tribe, and Ann Romano was right to treat heterosexual men the way they continue to treat women to this day.

Sherman was gay. Did he ever eat pussy? Isabel’s?

George Floyd proved George Jefferson right.

Maude was more racist than Archie or George. She actually got upset that her third maid, a Black immigrant from a Caribbean island whose name I keep forgetting, liked Andy Williams better than Harry Belafonte. I guess neither of them listened to Petula Clark or they would have realized that she had both of them on separate US TV specials on separate networks, both in color.

At least all the maids on [italic]Diff'rent Strokes[/italic] were white and working for Blacks. THAT was progress and so was having two shows about mixed-race adoption running concurrently.

I wonder if this played any part in Damon Evans wanting out. I don't blame him for not wanting to be complicit in the emasculation of gay black men, especially when this episode aired around the same time Lear launched [italic]All That Glitters[/italic] in syndication with Linda Gray getting a sex change in a world where women dominate men.

[quote] She actually got upset that her third maid, a Black immigrant from a Caribbean island whose name I keep forgetting,

Margyoorite.

[quote] Weezie was a big, loud, lovable character who worked at a "help center." She was the first Rose Nylund

Weezie was not like the very dumb Rose Nylund. Weezie (Isabel Sanford) was the straight man, mostly. George & the housekeeper got to have all the punchlines.

Weezie was not portrayed as extra-intelligent, but she was not dim-witted like Rose.

He seemed pretty gay when I shot my baby batter into his bussy.

Norman Lear stopped supervising production of his shows in 1978 but held on to his production company until 1985. So he was basically in absentia for 7 of the 10 years this show aired.

And the show's ratings actually went up! Don't believe me, you can check them for yourself:

Season 1 (1974-1975): #4

Season 2 (1975-1976): #21

Season 3 (1976-1977): #24

Season 4 (1977-1978, last season with Mother Jefferson and with Norman Lear directly supervising production): four-way tie for #51

Season 5 (1978-1979): unknown, did not make the top 30

Season 6 (1979-1980): #8

Season 7 (1980-1981): #6

Season 8 (1981-1982): #3

Season 9 (1982-1983, first season under Embassy Television banner): #12

Season 10 (1983-1984): #19

Season 11 (1984-1985): #52

[quote]The scene [R24] mentions.

Sherman Hemsley AND Elaine Stritch? Geez, that's too much gay in one movie.

I love Sherman Hemsley and hope to one day have his mocha ass cheeks bouncing on my lap

[quote]True, [R98]. Norman Lear especially hired people for their talent instead of their looks.

Then explain why his production company gave Tony fucking Danza a show after [italic]Taxi[/italic] was canceled.

[quote]Norman Lear especially hired people for their talent instead of their looks.

That's because he knew good looking people weren't going to allow themselves to be put into the stupid shit situations that he created for his characters.

[quote]That's because he knew good looking people weren't going to allow themselves to be put into the stupid shit situations that he created for his characters.

Hey, a check is a check!

r122=necrophiliac

[italic]Amen, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Gimme A Break!, Julia, Roc, Webster, [/italic] and [italic]What's Happening!![/italic] seemed to be the only Black family sitcoms not made by Norman Lear, Sherwood Schwartz, Disney, Miller-Boyett, Les Moonves, or Bill Cosby. [italic]The Carmichael Show[/italic] had none of those producers either and looked like it had a chance but it just ended after its second season.

r127 Excuse me?

Even [italic]Dinosaurs[/italic] ran longer than that show. Over 100 replies and no one mentions his involvement here?

Serves you right for [italic]Dumbo[/italic] now having an age restriction.

I am currently watching The Jeffersons on Antenna TV (now season 4, with Lionel #2 and limited appearances by Mother Jefferson due to illness). I have a renewed love for Sherman. Last night I watched the episode in which George has a bust of him made (which looks like Julius Caesar). Hilarious.

Not his best moment - but he's spoofing Whoopi Goldberg, so who gives a fuck?

[quote]Much better than One Day at a Time!

You shut your FAT WHORE MOUTH!

Indianapolis is 1/5th Black but you wouldn't know it from that show.

Maybe they were all afraid of her.

Mother Jefferson was right about Weezie. If it hadn't been for George, she would have been a maid until the day she died.

Mother Jefferson was a sour pussed nasty old cunt.

I loved George Jefferson ! Sherman rocked

R128, I had such a crush at 11 or 12 on Clifton Davis., as well as Mike Evans, and Ben Powers, who played Keith on "Good Times."

I needn't mention John Amos, who was as hot as all f*ck!!