Live In Front Of A Studio Audience - General Discussion

[UYI]

Airs Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019 from 8-9:30 PM Eastern time on ABC.

All in the Family is one of my top 5 favorite sitcoms of all time. I NEVER would have even considered the possibility of something like this happening, but I'm thrilled, especially knowing that Norman Lear is on board.

However, Woody Harrelson better pronounce "toilet" as "terlet" the way that Carroll O'Connor (a Bronx native playing Queens native Archie Bunker) did, because otherwise I'll be pissed. Just saying. 🙂

Here's an article with all the details:

https://deadline.com/2019/04/jimmy-kimmel-norman-lear-all-in-the-family-the-jeffersons-live-special-woody-harrelson-jamie-foxx-jimmy-burrows-1202598689/

 

Edited April 19, 2019 by UYI

[Blergh]

Movin' on up, perhaps? Or the one that got Florence (Marla Gibbs) a permanent job ' How come we overcame and nobody told me?'

Yep, it was in the script and it seems that originally they'd planned on having the older, matronly applicant be the one who'd permanently play  the Jeffersons' housekeeper (likely as a straight woman) but Miss Gibbs (playing what had originally been a one-shot character) said the line with such hilarious gusto that it not only brought the house down but it seems TPTB recognized they'd have a far richer comic goldmine with a zinging, proud but heart-of-gold housekeeper than just a straight-woman, motherly type. Hence,  Florence got the job for the whole run! 

[UYI]

2 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Movin' on up, perhaps? Or the one that got Florence (Marla Gibbs) a permanent job ' How come we overcame and nobody told me?'

I actually meant a quotation mark. I left it off of the title of The Jeffersons, lol. 🙂 

[GHScorpiosRule]

22 minutes ago, UYI said:

I actually meant a quotation mark. I left it off of the title of The Jeffersons, lol. 🙂 

You can edit and do it yourself since you created the topic. 😉

[UYI]

30 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

You can edit and do it yourself since you created the topic. 😉

Well, I just learned something new today! Fixed. 🙂 

[UYI]

Anyway:

I really am thrilled to see this happening. Carroll O'Connor had said in the past that he would have loved to bring Archie back to television, but of course that never happened. 😢 However, I will always love his final TV appearance with Jean Stapleton on Donny & Marie's daytime talk show in 2000. ❤️

Also: I will FREAK OUT if Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers make some sort of appearance! PLEASE make it happen, Jimmy and Norman! 😄 

[Ms Lark]

Originally, I was really pissed about this. How dare they even try! Now that I see Norman Lear is on board and it's just a one-off, it makes it a bit more palatable and I'll give it a shot. More out of curiosity than anything else.

[WendyCR72]

On 4/19/2019 at 12:23 PM, Blergh said:

Movin' on up, perhaps? Or the one that got Florence (Marla Gibbs) a permanent job ' How come we overcame and nobody told me?'

Yep, it was in the script and it seems that originally they'd planned on having the older, matronly applicant be the one who'd permanently play  the Jeffersons' housekeeper (likely as a straight woman) but Miss Gibbs (playing what had originally been a one-shot character) said the line with such hilarious gusto that it not only brought the house down but it seems TPTB recognized they'd have a far richer comic goldmine with a zinging, proud but heart-of-gold housekeeper than just a straight-woman, motherly type. Hence,  Florence got the job for the whole run! 

And to go a bit tangential, it is rather ironic that, as Ms. Gibbs stole the spotlight in The Jeffersons, she would end up having a co-star (Jackée Harry) steal the spotlight on Gibbs' own show, 227, a few years later.

[UYI]

So I will actually be out of town for family reasons the night that this airs. I would have loved to have live posted about this, but I will post about it once I see it! I don't know if ABC is planning on rerunning it after the 22nd, but I'll definitely watch once it's online. 🙂 

[Was-MArsenault]

http://blog.sitcomsonline.com/2019/05/nightline-primetime-special-profiles.html

[UYI]

From last week: Jimmy Kimmel interviews the cast.

[Was-MArsenault]

34 minutes ago, UYI said:

From last week: Jimmy Kimmel interviews the cast.

I should’ve posted that. Meant to do it, but didn’t get around to doing so.

[Ubiquitous]

I fail to see the point of re-performing an old ep of All in the Family and The Jeffersons, save for Norman Lear trying to remain relevant.

[Was-MArsenault]

I'm watching this right now.

[Was-MArsenault]

The intro was just laughably bad.

[chitowngirl]

Harrelson’s trying too hard with the accent.

[callie lee 29]

Tomei is cracking me up.

[vb68]

I wasn't too sure when I heard Tomei was cast as Edith, but she has been pretty good. She's much better than I was expecting.

[Nordly Beaumont]

She's got Edith's walk/run down pat!

[Catgyrl]

19 minutes ago, callie lee 29 said:

Tomei is cracking me up.

She's killing it. Actually everyone else was great, except Woody. He's pretty bad. I agree he's trying too hard with the accent.

Kinda think Jamie is trying too hard with the George mannerisms. Like he's back on In Living Color doing an impression.

Aaaaaand he just messed up!

Edited May 23, 2019 by Catgyrl

[vb68]

Jamie Foxx is overdoing it for sure, but he knows how to milk laughs.  

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

Didn't they have a wig budget? Those wigs are just awful. 

[callie lee 29]

The only one I'm not liking is Ike Berenholtz (?). But then I never really liked Meathead. 

[vb68]

3 minutes ago, callie lee 29 said:

The only one I'm not liking is Ike Berenholtz (?).

He's a little old for the part too.

[Nordly Beaumont]

Times and fashions sure make a difference - Marissa Tomei is 54 and Woody Harrelson is 57. Jean Stapleton and Carrol O'Conner were 48 and 47 when they started on All in the Family.

[ABitOFluff]

4 minutes ago, Nordly Beaumont said:

Times and fashions sure make a difference - Marissa Tomei is 54 and Woody Harrelson is 57. Jean Stapleton and Carrol O'Conner were 48 and 47 when they started on All in the Family.

Yep, it kills me that that I'm actually older than Edith now. But thankfully times do change. 

I enjoyed the first part. I wasn't sure, but Marisa Tomei was great. Some of the jokes were very cringe-worthy given this economy, but I expected that. I laughed at several lines. 

Now the Jefferson's ep. I watched both All in the Family and the Jeffersons as a kid, and I remember watching The Jeffersons more. I loved JHud's singing the theme song. And Jamie Foxx is doing a full-on impersonation of Sherman Hemsley, but I'm not complaining. 

[greekmom]

I was hoping for an update in the script. Other than that, so far i loved the performances from the All in the Family gang.

[Spartan Girl]

I can't believe Jamie is wearing the George Jefferson toupee lol. I had my doubts but he's nailing it as much as Marisa's Edith.

Edited May 23, 2019 by Spartan Girl

[vb68]

Wanda Sykes is holding her own nicely.

[chitowngirl]

They couldn’t find an English actor??

[greekmom]

Disappointed that Stephen Tobolowsky didn't try an English accent.

[Caseysgirl]

These shows haven’t aged well.

[tribeca]

Wonder if they will do Good times next 

woody really was heavy on the accent but he imo had the hardest part.  I didn’t think meathead and Gloria were very convincing.  Overall I did enjoy All in the family.  Now moving on up to The Jefferson’s.  

[VioletNevermind]

Am I the only one who thinks this is absolute sacrilege?  The overacting is just embarrassing.  Some things should be left in the past.  What's next?  Seinfeld with Zac Efron as Jerry?  (Sorry, I shouldn't even be putting that juju out into the universe.)

Edited May 23, 2019 by Suzy Rhapsody

[greekmom]

I'm shocked. They bleeped out the n word.

That was in the original showing.

[callie lee 29]

1 minute ago, greekmom said:

I'm shocked. They bleeped out the n word.

That was in the original showing.

I'm not. There's no way in hell that word is getting by the FCC at 9pm on Wednesday. 

[vb68]

My favorite part of The Jeffersons was always Florence.  I've been waiting for her.

Quote

I'm shocked. They bleeped out the n word.

Absolutely the right call.

Edited May 23, 2019 by vb68

[greekmom]

omg!!! It's Florence!!!

[Snow Apple]

2 minutes ago, greekmom said:

I'm shocked. They bleeped out the n word.

That was in the original showing.

They don't cut it in the reruns either. But reruns are in cable (even basic cable) so I don't know if that makes a difference.

[Catgyrl]

Love me some Marla Gibbs!

[VioletNevermind]

Aww, beautiful touch including Marla Gibbs!  She's 87 and looks fantastic.

[Snow Apple]

227 reunion!

[greekmom]

5 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

They don't cut it in the reruns either. But reruns are in cable (even basic cable) so I don't know if that makes a difference.

Been watching Jefferson's on CTV's throwback app and yep, they do not bleep out the words either.

[callie lee 29]

Setting Kerry Washington freaking out in the background when the panned long at the end was adorable! I'm guessing at Marla Gibbs based on the hug at the end.

[Kimmmmmm]

Just don't get the point of this whole exercise

[chitowngirl]

Was Sean Hayes playing the piano for the Jeffersons theme song?

[Nordly Beaumont]

Well, that was fun! Woody's accent was all over the place (a bit southern at one point) and Jamie Foxx should have tried acting instead of a straight impersonation. Marissa Tomei and Kerry Washington (and of course Marla Gibbs!) were the MVPs for me. Wanda Sykes managed to look pretty in those unflattering fashions!

[greekmom]

I really enjoyed it and i hope more people tuned in.

I think this really shows that 70's or today, the problems are still there and are still relevant today.

[vb68]

Wonder what happened to Justina Machado, who was announced as being cast as Florence.

[SiouxB]

Really enjoyed it ....

..but why couldn't they put a blond wig on Ellie ? That was always a part of Gloria's character...her "blondeness"..

Marisa was my MVP !

& I thought the fellow who played Lionel was good...