Please Don't Censor Fred Sanford Posted Feb 13th 2009 10:00AM by Paul Shepard<http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2009/02/13/sanford-and-son-n-word/blogs/bloggers/paul-shepard> Filed under: BlackSpin<http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/category/blackspin-black-news-headlines/>, Black Television<http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/category/black-television/>, News <http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/category/news/>
I have to thank the folks at TV Land for creating a channel that broadcasts the best shows in television history -- classics like 'All in the Family,' 'Green Acres,' 'Leave it to Beaver' and especially 'Sanford and Son.' But I would kindly ask the TV Land folks to stop censoring '*Sanford and Son *,' specifically editing out the n-word from several episodes of the hit comedy, which ran from 1972-1977. ... I've noticed that on several episodes, when the word nigger is uttered by a character, another word is substituted in its place. For example, in the original broadcast of the 'Big Money Grip' episode, when Grip, an old friend of Fred Sanford, declares Fred's son, Lamont, is his own child, Aunt Esther exclaims "What did you say, nigger?" The original line brought howls of laughter from the studio audience, but you wouldn't know that from watching the show on TV Land. The word sucker is clumsily dubbed into the audio track. I can remember at least two other instances where the n-word is pulled from the original broadcast. I'm not sure who or what is to blame. Political correctness, perhaps, but it's funny how we have regressed. Hearing the n-word doesn't cause black people to turn into a pile of dust. Yes, I admit it is still a word that can start a fight if uttered by the wrong person in the wrong tone of voice. But that's not what we were talking about in the 'Sanford and Son' episodes. There, it's part of an extremely funny joke. So come on, TV Land. Let Fred Sanford and Aunt Esther speak the way they were intended. -- "I'm selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control, and at times hard to handle, but if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." ~Marilyn Monroe --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Black Focus Inc." group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Black-Focus-Inc?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
