The Amos 'n Andy Show

As a young boy growing up in New York City, My brothers and I LOVED watching the "Amos 'n' Andy" show. They should show it when ever possible. I know it's on tape but it deserves to be seen on tv. When I watch it,I see it as good actors performing their skills, not as a stereotype race. It was seen like that many years ago by those who felt attacked by the show, but we are in a new era. The Show opened the doors for the now successful black comedy shows.

I've just watched a documentary on African-Americans on television which showed several clips from "Amos and Andy". It got me thinking about this show that I watched when it was syndicated in our area 40 years ago. For the record I am a middle-class white male, but I don't think it really matters that much. I haven't seen an entire episode in decades but my memories of the show seem to be similar to others so I will trust them. I too, agree that the show has something of a bad rap but I think the reasons why are interesting.

I agree with the several posters who have compared this to "The Honeymooners", which was obviously influenced by it. You have the men out front, not as smart as they think they are, hatching various schemes to make their dreams come true or cover up their missteps while smarter females lecture them for their foolishness when the smoke clears. Things like the lodge they belong to are obvious parallels. If the Honeymooners could be a classic, why couldn't Amos and Andy? The characters are not servants or shoe-shine boys. It's whole black community. I remember noticing that all the characters were black when I was a kid but just regarded it as a peculiarity. If the show taught me anything about blacks is that they are just like everyone else. Is that harmful? I agree that the fact that the series gave black performers jobs is not an "excuse" for racial stereotyping. But just search the IMDb for a look at the actor's careers after this show ended. Spencer Williams's career basically ended. Alvin Childress showed up on Perry Mason as a janitor. Tim Moore was blacklisted, (an ironic term). There's something to be said for employment.

So why is this show linked with Stepin Fetchit or "Rochester" as an example of black stereotyping such that it's been essentially banned from TV for four decades through the efforts of the NAACP, (ironic that Moore was banned by rightists and his show by leftists)? Firstly, while it does present an entire black community, it does use traditional elements of black humor- exaggerated dialects, references to lazy or untrustworthy characters, etc. However the same elements are present in later "black" shows such as "Good Times", which were not banned.

Perhaps a stronger reason was that the show was created and performed on radio by two white men, Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, who had appeared on film playing the characters in blackface. That further links the show to racist stereotyping and illustrates that its genesis was certainly in the white man's view of comical black men. However subsequent documentaries have indicated that Gosden and Correll were anything but racists themselves and were respected by their TV counterparts who went on to make the characters their own in a series that was much toned down from the radio show.

I think perhaps the biggest problem with Amos and Andy is that it was the only show that attempted to depict black life in America in the 1950's. Whites had Joe Friday and Paladin and Dr. Kildare, so when they watched Ralph and Ed they didn't look at them as representatives of the white race. They just looked at them as a couple of funny guys. Blacks had no Joe Friday or Paladin or Dr. Kildare so these comic characters became their symbol. When it came time to move on, they were left behind.

When this show was attacked for being politically incorrect, I had a visceral reaction of anger, as I used to love it when I was a kid. The actors were so warm to the audience, watching the show was almost like having a personal relationship with them. As a true friend, I have to resent the harsh accusation that "Amos 'n Andy" created dangerous racial stereotypes.

The characters from the show are no more racial stereotypes than any of the other popular characters of low comedy on TV, such as Lou Costello, Baciagalupe, Ralph Cramden, Stan Laurel, Private Doberman, Uncle Tonoose, Gomer Pyle, and a host of others. Maybe the problem is that "politically correct" critics object to low comedy of any kind. Or perhaps they are irrationally blaming the makers of "Amos 'n Andy" for the fact that black actors have never gotten enough serious roles from Hollywood.

Hostile music critics have voiced similar complaints that much of blues and folk music is politically incorrect, that it demeans a race of people by creating "primitive stereotypes." In both cases, I find the criticisms offensive because vaudeville style comedy and blues singing are arguably among the greatest contributions America has made to world culture.

The critics of "Amos n' Andy" would do better to take a shot at recently made crime movies set in the ghettos of today, which contain some of the most evil and offensive racial stereotypes ever put on screen. "Amos n' Andy" never intended to offend!

After 2 years on the CBS Television Network, the video version of 'Amos 'n' Andy' found itself without a sponsor. The series was canceled. This was truly a shame, for it is indeed as funny as anything that has been on TV before or since.

Following an extensive industry wide hunt for the most talented and fittingly cast players to bring the longtime favourite radio series to the small screen, a special program featuring Hal Roach, Jr. and the creators Freeman Gosden and Charles Corell(all whites), was telecast to introduce us to the actors now playing the characters.

Pressure from the NAACP, whose position that the series, with its comical characters, was demeaning to Black Americans. The sponsor, Blatz Beer of Milwaukee, did not renew its sponsorship.We have always contended that Amos 'n' Andy no more represented a true picture of Black Americans than The Honeymooners' Kramden & Norton were meant to be an accurate portrayal of White Americans. They were both designed to make us LAUGH!!

The series was over, but went into syndicated re-runs which made most of us aware of these very funny episodes featuring such a great and talented cast.

I don't know of anyone who took the show 'seriously', for we all knew that Andy, Kingfish,Calhoun, Saphire, Momma, Madame Queen, Lightnin', etc. were all played for laughs, with Amos, his family and others providing a strong level-headed,serious counter balance.

Meanwhile, the Radio series continued, never seeming to attract any real criticism.

In the end, we the public were the losers; along with Alvin Childress, Spencer Williams, Jr., Tim Moore, Ernestine Wade, Amanda and Vivian Randolph, Johnny Lee, 'Nicodemas' Stewart and other Black players. They were picked from the best available talent, only to suffer a premature termination.

Obviously keenecd never saw Amos 'n' Andy when it was on TV. Ironically, his/her remarks on how the media manipulates our thinking regarding blacks seem to mirror how keenecd's school manipulated its students. Keenecd, you should sue your school, lighten up, and watch some truly great comedy.