Amos 'n' Andy (was: PC and Dialects in fiction)

[Duane Campbell]

On Sat, 14 Aug 2004 20:07:30 EDT "James A. Landau" <JJJRLandau at AOL.COM>
writes:

> "This was the show that became an American fixation in the dear,
> departed
> days of radio.  In the television version, which first appeared in
> 1951, Alvin
> Childress was Amos, Tim Moore was the Kingfish, and Spencer Williams
> was Andy.
> In 1966 CBS withdrew the programf rom syndication and overseas sale
> after
> several civil-rights groups protested that it was a distorted
> portayal of Negro
> life in the United States."

Of course it was distorted. Was Ozzie and Harriet a realistic view of
suburban life in the 1950s? Or I Love Lucy typical of life in the city?
Phil Silvers an accurate portrayal of Army life? In fact, can anyone
think of any sitcom that was not a distortion of its time and place? I
think that Mr. Gray will agree that Sergeant Bilko was not representative
of the accent or diction or behavior we saw in our sergeants at that
time.

D

I am Duane Campbell and I approve this message