Message Forum

Thanks for the Amos and Andy post, Wayne. I watched the whole thing. The Kingfish is one of the great characters of all time. I had forgotten about George Kirby. He appeared on lots of shows, performing impersonations.

10/14/20 08:48 AM

#19160

Steve Keene

David and Lowell,

I love Amos and Andy, too but you run the risk of alienating the black voters who are unable to laugh at themselves. There is a reason the series is not in syndication. They consider it Jim Crow like in its message like Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben's or the Disney black crows singing "Never seen an elephant fly."

10/14/20 09:42 AM

#19161

Wayne Gary

Steve,

Did you watch the Youtube I posted with George Kirby?

Hows the foot comming along?

10/14/20 10:00 AM

#19162

Bob Davidson

Several responses:

1. My favorite Amos n Andy character was Algonquin J. Calhoon, the Kingfish's lawyer. I deal with his spiritual descendents of all colors, ethnicities, and sexes frequently at work.

2. In Mississippi, in the 1962 to 1965 time, they showed Amos n Andy reruns on the local TV -- after they were banned nationally. All of the black maids who worked in our neighborhood took a break to watch them -- it was the standard practice. I heard many times that they knew someone exactly like certain characters, both the good ones and the awful ones. They generally loved Madame Queen, Saphire's mother.

3. Watching the Democrats in the Senate attack Judge Barrett made me realize that I have been very unfair to the Beto-sweep judges in Harris and Fort Bend Counties: for Democrat office holders they are certainly brighter and more personable than the senators on display yesterday. Is the Dem side of the Judiciary Committee a dumping ground for the stupid and/or senile or are the ones on display just typical of the breed?

4. I'm betting that Feinstein will produce an Anita Hill/Crissy Ford clone to accuse Judge Barrett of some sort of felony against political correctness -- rascism, sexism, making a snowflake uncomfortable, or whatever. Clearly Horono asked the sexual harrassment question with a purpose as did Booker with his racism bits.

10/14/20 12:30 PM

#19163

Wayne Gary

Bob,

The video I linked mentioned when Hattie Mcdowell was asked about all of her parts of being a maid her responce was "I prefer the pay of and actress playing a maid than the pay of working maids".

I rember watching Amos and Andy in Dallas into the sixties.

10/14/20 05:49 PM

#19164

Ron Knight

Amos and Andy Sit Com - Plus...

Bob, Wayne, Janalu, et al

The comedy series I've watched since the 1950's. I was the youngest sibling of four. My sister Maureen was born in 1937, my oldest brother Jim was born in 1941, my other brother Joe was born in 1944 and I was born in 1951 ( the oops baby!). My siblings shaped my life and beliefs, as I looked upon them for direction more than my parents. We loved the Amos and Andy shows. We laughed out loud at some of the epsisodes. We never thought that the show might be degrading to anyone that did not have our skin color. I was too young to even know about Jim Crow and his beliefs. I even entertained my own father's racial slurs and jokes.

Bob, you may not know that my dad was born in Laurel, Mississippi (Jones County). In fact, all of my immediate family except for me, were born in Mississippi. The Knight Family has a long and rich heritage in Mississippi. There is a major Hollywood film made about The Knight Family during The Civil War. It is called The Free State of Jones, with Matthew McConaughey as the lead actor playing the part of my direct relative, Newton Knight. Ken Burns even spent a few minutes during his epic "Civil War" series for PBS on Newton Knight. My relative, Ethel Knight wrote a book called The Echo Of The Black Horn in 1951. She interviewed Thomas (Tom) Jefferson Knight, Newton's oldest son for her book. Tom was 94 years old at the time. Another lady wrote another book about the events called The Free State Of Jones , by Rudy F. Leverett. Her book became part of the film along with Echo Of The Black Horn.

Let me try to bring a conclusion to this round about way to get to my point. What is real, the blacks suffered for many years and generations under slavery, not only in the US, but in many other countries as well. Perhaps the biggest abuse of slavery was in Cuba. More slaves were in Cuba, than ever in the US. I get why the NAACP forced a ban on the show. I get why so many blacks are offended. The great white Al Jolson performed in black face the song "Mammy". Put the shoe on the other foot. Or better yet, try to walk in their shoes. We have been blessed and should appreciate that. Not abuse that.

I'm not making a political statement here. I've already done that in an earlier post. Nor a religious statement. Done that, too.

10/14/20 07:37 PM

#19165

Janalu,

You should watch the home renovation show Home Town on HGTV. Takes place in Laurel. Great place to retire for inexpensive housing!

I watched a bit of the farcical hearing today. Sometimes I wish I could have reached through the TV to slap some of those jerks.

Barrett is really extraordinary. So bright. Well educated. Patient. Composed. Kind enough to adopt two orphans. Good looking. How does she do it all? My guess is she saves time by not using social media!

10/14/20 09:20 PM

#19166

Bob D and anyone else.

There was a review in The Wall Street Journal a few days ago for Twelve Angry Men. This isn't the one with Henry Fonda. It pre-dates that one by three years. It was the original version, written for Studio One on CBS, sponsored by Westinghouse. Robert Cummings, of Love That Bob fame, plays the role that Fonda played later, and he was very believable. Also in the cast, were Edward Arnold, who always played the rich guy in '30s films, Franchot Tone, who was prominent in the Clark Gable/Charles Laughton version of Mutiny on the Bounty, and Norman Fell, the rubber-faced character actor. Vincent Gardenia shows up briefly a couple of times as the bailiff.

I watched it tonight, in glorious black-and-white. It is very taut, and it is worth the 59 minutes, including the commercials with Betty Furness -- "You can be sure if it's Westinghouse." By the way, look at her waist. I think I could have reached my hands around it, not that I would have.

The program is available on youtube.

10/15/20 01:04 AM

#19167

David,

I just saw the middle-aged guy with glasses on the Voltaren commercial. Cracked me up! He looks like a typical, nerdy accountant who has been going to dance classes for wannabe hipsters! You have to see his moves---so cool; very snazzy/jazzy! Look him up on YouTube for a quick kick! Ha,ha......

About home improvements....I used to watch Bob Vila's show, 'This Old House,' and liked to watch him do his thing. He was very knowledgeable about older homes in the Boston area, and would do great improvements. He was a handsome gentleman too, I thought.

I've never been to Mississippi, but I'd like to go. I really enjoy touring the old antebellum homes, as my daughter will tell you. She and I have gone to quite a few in Louisiana, when we can talk ol' Charles into driving us around. He likes to see them too, but he won't talk about it much to anyone. He'll say, "I go along for the crabcakes and Harrah's."

Decorating homes is what my sister was good at, but I'm not nearly as talented. I have an eclectic home, buying the things I like, whether they go together or not, usually. They look good to me, so I think that's the way to go, personally, and I try to blend colors and sizes of items to have balance as it suits me. At least my house is comfy for me and my buddy. I could tell that my sister thought it 'wasn't bad for an amateur.'

Did you live in Baton Rouge in a traditional brick home? Did you enjoy that area?

I agree about Ms. Amy Barrett. She is excellent in her field and in her life. A well educated, loving mother and wife, who has everything figured out, it seems, and must have a photographic memory to go along with her tenacity. Her husband must be a wonderful guy too, to be able to cheerfully assist her in all her endeavors. She's shown that she has boundless energy and exhibits attuned foresight for America's future years; truly an amazing lady!

10/15/20 01:38 AM

#19168

Steve Keene

Janalu, et al,

I watched some of the hearings between killing rattlesnakes and my naps and found myself completely fascinated with Senator Sasse, Republican from Nebraska. He was eloquent in his questioning of Amy Barrett. His knowledge of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and vast amounts of precident setting case law was a wonder to behold. This guy is relatively young and needs to be recognized as a rising star in the Republican party for four years from now. I think he would make an excellent Presidential or Vice Presidential candidate. I am amazed that we have never heard of this guy.

10/15/20 01:40 AM

#19169

I like Ben Sasse too, and also Devin Nunes. Smart fellas!

Ron,

I last saw Rev. Leighton Farrell at St. Andrew Methodist Church in Plano, about seven years ago, at the Christmas Eve service, as a senior, semi-retired minister. Don't know if he is still alive and kicking at this point, but noticed that he still 'had it' that evening. We were visiting my sister in town for two days, and enjoyed seeing him again, as we remembered him fondly from 1st Methodist in Richardson, back in the sixties. He is a very kind & understanding man, with wonderful wisdom and style. So many folks adored him.

10/15/20 12:33 PM

#19170

Bob Davidson

Ron,

I enjoyed the movie -- it's interesting that you are part of that family.

To me as a kid, I thought of Andy and Lightnin as black and the rest as something else -- maybe not exactly white, but some sort of ordinary, not particularly race-identified people. I always liked Andy and felt sorry for him having such a crooked friend in the Kingfish. I also liked the way the Kingfish's schemes went bad and Andy ended up on top.

10/15/20 02:07 PM

#19171

I feel it is too bad we all could not have seen those very nice Republican Senators interview Merrick Garland back in 2016. You might have been impressed by them even more.

10/15/20 02:21 PM

#19172

Lowell,

I'm sure Merrick Garland was a qualified man, but was a little too liberal for what Conservatives would have liked. He was not rejected because of his abilities though, he was rejected because at the time Obama nominated him, THE REPUBLICANS controlled the Senate, therefore, THE REPUBLICANS had the option of allowing him to go forth with being confirmed, or NOT. It all had to do with who controlled the Senate! If Democrats had controlled the Senate, he would have been confirmed, most likely, but since they didn't, well, you see what happened.

The whole matter had nothing to do with the personality or professional qualifications of the man.

It all had to do with politics. And we know, don't we, how that all goes down continuously, day after day, year after year.

You keep saying that Garland was not treated fairly. Yes, that is correct! But in DC, fairness is not practiced at all. In that world, it's a 'dog eat dog' situation every day. It's not the way our government is supposed to work.

10/15/20 03:57 PM

#19173

Dusty Baker (Astros manager) was just on the radio saying he had been listening to some music (he's a little older than us, so his tastes are similar) This is the song he noted...Just before todays' game.

10/15/20 04:00 PM

#19174

Of course I realize that, Janalu. It was a political reality.

There will be some more political realities soon, and forever...

10/15/20 10:05 PM

#19175

Lowell,

Sounds like a threat! Is your team going to eliminate the filibuster, pack the court, push for DC and Puerto Rico statehood? The full power grab?

I'm not sure that leaving Merrick Garland in the waiting room was as bad as massacring Robert Bork. I figure that before Mitch McConnell does anything, he asks himself, "What would Chuck Schumer do?" Then he dials it back a notch.

10/16/20 08:57 AM

#19176

I asked, "Is your team going to eliminate the filibuster, pack the court, push for DC and Puerto Rico statehood? The full power grab?"

I would have called it The Full Bernie, but Bernie seems to have gone silent, along with AOC. Reminds me of a car trip with the kids. "If you will be quiet for 20 minutes, I'll give you an ice cream cone."

10/16/20 09:23 AM

#19177

Not a threat.

My definition of a political reality is when the money, the numbers, or a damning event causes an upswirling change or correction in republican/democray''s mind.

Like The Great Depression, or Rodney King, or Watergate, or the Pandemic or even Kennedy's assasination..

Money is the boring reality affecting politics in the US as it never goes away.

Numbers only affect politics when there is a complelling activation getting irregular voters to the pols.

We have a couple of those things going on right now

The numbers includes Senate majority....

I coast along with either outcome...floating away with my wild eyed imagination runing rampant.

Faithfully yours....

10/16/20 09:30 AM

#19178

Last night I heard a Democrat operative repeat the lie that Trump failed to condemn white supremacists after the Charlottesville incident in 2017. It has often been repeated that Trump said, "There were good people on both sides." These people have clearly not heard the whole statement, or they are simply lying about it. Pay particular attention to 1:50-2:15, but the whole 4 minutes are worthwhile to understand what he was saying.

You had people, and I'm not talking about the neo-Nazis and white nationalists because they should be condemned totally. But you had many people in that group, other than neo-Nazis and white nationalists, OK, and the press has treated them absolutely unfairly.

10/16/20 12:23 PM

#19179

Kurt Fischer

Recently I read a fascinating news story about a Gallup poll, with one slide titled "Attitudes and Behaviors Related to Covid-19 - By Party and Gender". (You can Google this title to get to the actual article). The split in perception between Democrats and Republicans is astonishing.

Here are a couple of examples:

Worried about getting the coronovirus

Democrat Men - 77%
Democrat Women - 80%
Republican Men - 20%
Republican Women - 29%

Ready to return to normal activities right now

Democrat Men - 5%
Democrat Women - 3%
Republican Men - 64%
Republican Women - 54%

The poll was taken in August and September.

The news article posited a reason for the divide in attitudes was due to different news sources, but there was no correlation by Gallup.

This poll does help to explan the continuing gaps in conversations between Democrats and Republicans when talking about how to deal with Covid-19.

Look up the article for other tidbits.

10/16/20 01:57 PM

#19180

Kurt,

I TOTALLY agree with that article and its evaluation. I've thought for a long time that the news media we citizens choose to listen to constantly, is responsible to a large degree for how we react to the Covid-19 virus and how we respond to what's currently going on in our country, and the news broadcasters KNOW how much they influence us. They LOVE what they can do to us, in my opinion. They thrive on it, as it gives them more purpose and power, in their minds.

Terrific post!

10/16/20 07:18 PM

#19181

Africa is a song I could listen to every day. I wonder where that concert was held.

Here's one I like - Breathless by The Corrs. Two versions. One is during the opening credits of one of my favorite rom-coms -- The Wedding Date. (Note that I like the movie even though I really dislike Debra Messing's politics.) The second is the official video.

10/16/20 07:27 PM

#19182