# Sanford and Son



## MetalWolfBruh (Oct 17, 2019)

Wondering if anyone here has ever watched or still watches Sanford and Son?

It's a 70s sitcom staring a father and son in a junkyard business together with a lot of politically incorrect humor that the shows of today probably couldn't get away with these days, almost no filter and a lot of insulting and stereotypical jokes about everyone's race/color, culture, places, food, sexuality, and a lot of stuff most people would probably find offensive today. I really enjoy the old blunt humor and jokes from Fred Sanford, the father in the show, just blunt crude insults and rhymes to his relatives, neighbors, and stuff like that, the show has a wholesome family side to it too, which I love, it just feels very real, funny, classic with very little filter. I love that kind of humor, it just feels more authentic and less disguised or allusive, and more impropriety. Oh yeah, the fake heart attacks and arthritis are classics too, anyone who's familiar with the show knows what I'm talking about. XD


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## David Drake (Oct 22, 2019)

Fun fact: it's actually a remake of a British show from the 60s starring Paul's Father a.k.a. "Who's that little old man?" from the Beatles' film "A Hard Day's Night"


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## RevBluMoonBear (Oct 24, 2019)

This show was created by Norman Lear, the  genius behind "All In The Family".


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## Borophagus Metropolis (Oct 24, 2019)

RevBluMoonBear said:


> This show was created by Norman Lear, the  genius behind "All In The Family".



Another great show that can never be made again.


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## Skittles (Oct 24, 2019)

Nah, never saw this one. Steptoe and son on the other hand..


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## David Drake (Oct 24, 2019)

Borophagus Monoclinous said:


> Another great show that can never be made again.



I would argue it doesn't need to be. It's okay to recognize how great abd important a peice of art is for its time while simultaneously recognizing that we can and should move on now that we as a society (ideally) know better.

Or put another way: If you're complaining about how they can't make a show like All in the Family anymore, you're likely the kind of person All in the Family was making fun of in the first place.


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## Borophagus Metropolis (Oct 24, 2019)

David Drake said:


> I would argue it doesn't need to be. It's okay to recognize how great abd important a peice of art is for its time while simultaneously recognizing that we can and should move on now that we as a society (ideally) know better.
> 
> Or put another way: If you're complaining about how they can't make a show like All in the Family anymore, you're likely the kind of person All in the Family was making fun of in the first place.



I recognize it, and I want more. Same for all art.


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## David Drake (Oct 24, 2019)

Borophagus Monoclinous said:


> I recognize it, and I want more. Same for all art.



This is a very confusing and reductive statement in this context.

I think this should tie into exactly which part of AitF you think they "can't make anymore".

First of all, if you want to get pedantic, you are currently physically and legally able to make any art you want, and I support that in perpetuity. But that means that art has a right to be criticized, and have it pointed out that certain things can not only be bad form but legitimately dangerous if handled improperly and a work judged on that fact.

So, I assume you mean "can't make without being criticized and ostracized as a dangerous thing being mishandled".

What is it about that show which can't be? You can still make family sitcoms - they're a little out of style and we could do more and different things, but you could find some success. A jerkass main character that remains somewhat sympathetic? Still in full force today, though it is a little tired at this point and again, variety is the spice of life. Frank discussion of marginalized groups and their perception vs their reality? Still going on and sadly needed now more than ever, though as we grow we need to find better ways of doing that without reinforcing older and continuing forms of marginalization.

And that last one is what seems to come up when people lament "you can't make" things like AitF or Blazing Saddles or what was mentioned in the OP regarding Sanford and Son - it almost always comes down to language. Usually slurs. Slurs have slowly become socially unacceptable, and they _absolutely should_. Not to say that you can't use them in your art, but you should have a pretty good reason to and be willing and able to justify it beyond "because I wanted" or else be rightfully judged as irresponsible at best. Because otherwise it normalizes (or rather re-normalizes or continues to normalize) keeping groups down and having them seen as "other" or "lesser" as opposed to the "group in power".

These works were using these languages in these ways at their time because they were drawing attention to the societal problem their use represents. We have made great strides since then, and works like these did help, but we still have a long way to go - and in many ways we've gone a step or two back. We need to find newer and better ways to address the remaining problems while reflecting how far we have come. 

But I feel that most of the people who use the "can't make today" complaint don't seem to realize that the whole point of the show was that Archie Bunker was _wrong_.

Therefore I repeat: If you're complaining about how they can't make a show like All in the Family anymore, you're likely the kind of person All in the Family was making fun of in the first place.

(And for the record? AitF and Sanford and Son were extremely culturally relevant and deserve their praise even if they weren't my cup of tea. And I LOVE Blazing Saddles. Thing is: they all already exist and I don't feel we need another one.

Although if things keep sliding back, perhaps an AitF-type show that drops the anvil even harder that the Archie analogue is completely fucked up might sadly be needed. I hope we don't have to).


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## Borophagus Metropolis (Oct 24, 2019)

David Drake said:


> This is a very confusing and reductive statement in this context.
> 
> I think this should tie into exactly which part of AitF you think they "can't make anymore".
> 
> ...



You have gone way too far off on this tangent, and have needlessly repeated your needless insult.


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## David Drake (Oct 24, 2019)

Borophagus Monoclinous said:


> You have gone way too far off on this tangent, and have needlessly repeated your needless insult.



I was merely pointing out a troubling pattern I've noticed and thusly warned caution and self-reflection when using that rhetoric that came up twice in this thread.

That you took it as an insult kind of implies that what I said applies to you. If this is the case: I sincerely hope you develop a better outlook for your sake and that of those around you.

And I think that's all there is to say on that matter. Let's get the thread back on topic.


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## Borophagus Metropolis (Oct 24, 2019)

David Drake said:


> I was merely pointing out a troubling pattern I've noticed and thusly warned caution and self-reflection when using that rhetoric that came up twice in this thread.
> 
> That you took it as an insult kind of implies that what I said applies to you. If this is the case: I sincerely hope you develop a better outlook for your sake and that of those around you.
> 
> And I think that's all there is to say on that matter. Let's get the thread back on topic.



You just can't help yourself.


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## RevBluMoonBear (Oct 25, 2019)

Alright, play nice, y'all.


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## MetalWolfBruh (Oct 26, 2019)

Also, never saw the other shows mentioned here.


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## MetalWolfBruh (Oct 27, 2019)

SE5-EP8 is by far the saddest episode I've seen, and solid acting from Redd Foxx.


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## MetalWolfBruh (Oct 29, 2019)




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