Vintage tv shows—some things have really changed…

I was watching the Carol Burnett Show recently, one of the more popular skits is a soap spoof called "As The Stomach Turns". The running gag is a guest celeb appearing at the door while other madness is going on.

This time the doorbell rang, and a young, [b]handsome[/b] and well-dressed Bernie Casey was at the door. Carol did a double-take and said to someone off-camera, "Why, it’s a [b][i]Negro[/i][/b] ! Hello, young man, are you selling something ? Are you working your way through school ?”

"No," Bernie said, pulling out a gun, "I’m here to [b]rob[/b] you !"

Carol calmly gets her purse, saying, "How nice it is to meet someone who’s [b]not[/b] a credit to their race ! Here you go, young man !" She hands him money, Bernie thanks her politely and leaves. The audience was roaring with laughter.

My middle sister was watching with me and said, "Do you know how many folks would be out picketing the tv studio if something like that aired now ? It [b]was[/b] funny, though !”

"A really different time,” I said.

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Crazywaterspring · 61-69, M

Sensibilities do change. Jackie Gleason's character in The Honeymooners always played up "One of these days Alice, POW right in the kisser."

Racist material is not funny. Nor is domestic violence.

bijouxbroussard · F

@Crazywaterspring Yes. Somehow I knew his threatening to hit her (even though Audrey Meadows seemed more than capable of hitting him right back) wasn’t funny.

ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M

@Crazywaterspring The humor of Gleason's character was no matter how much he ranted the audience knew he would never touch Alice; it was the very absurdity of his threat that created the humor. On the other hand, the only actual domestic violence in THE HONEYMOONERS was when Trixie wanted to hit Norton in the head with a frying pan because he'd stayed out late.

bijouxbroussard · F

@ChipmunkErnie Did her character actually hit his ?

ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M

@bijouxbroussard I think so, but I wouldn't swear to it. I THINK there's a scene where he comes into the Kramden apartment with a bandage on his head, but it's bee SO many years since I've seen the show I can't be sure.

bijouxbroussard · F

@ChipmunkErnie As a kid, I really liked Norton. I didn’t like Kramden. He seemed like a bully to me. I was able to separate him from Jackie Gleason, and liked some of his other characters on his variety show, but I remember how I felt back then.

I think there was also a popular feeling that a woman couldn’t really [b]hurt[/b] a man (which of course we [b]know[/b] is untrue).

CorvusBlackthorne · M

@ChipmunkErnie @bijouxbroussard I am fully convinced I saw Alice hit Ralph with a frying pan, whereas it was always understood that Ralph's threats were empty. Not justifying it, just saying that's how they justified it in those days.

ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M

@CorvusBlackthorne Maybe it WAS Ralph who got hit; I could swear it was him or Norton.

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