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The show had to be "Amos and Andy". I have to guess which character, though, since I didn’t actually see (or hear) this episode. It must have been Andrew H. Brown. I am familiar with the quote, though. A long, long, long time ago when I was in Military Intelligence (yes, I know, oxymoron) this became a catch phrase for a while at one of my units. As in Q: "So what’s the source on this?" A: "Do duh name Ruby Begonia ring a bell?" Meaning, basically, one of the usual suspects. That lasted until we all got tired of it and went to something else equally juvenile.
Even though Amos and Andy was forced off the air, I always thought that the show helped rather than hurt the civil rights cause. I have heard more than one black actor say that. As you point out, these guys were great comedians and good actors. Their thing was being stereotypical. Of course it didn’t help the cause of the show in general that the creators and radio actors were white. But no one seems to remember that Amos was a very literate, well spoken, philosopher type who tried to keep the Kingfish and Andy out of trouble.
I always looked at this as just a really funny show, and I never felt it had a racist slant. Situation comedies work because most of the characters in them do and say really dumb things. That’s where the humor comes from. Doesn’t matter if the actors are white, black or extraterrestrial. On TV, you have to act stupidly to be funny.
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Sources: Long-term memory
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Amos n' Andy originated on radio and then was a TV series from 1951-3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amos_'n'_Andy
Since I was born in the late 1940s, I have no recollection of the radio series, but did see the show in reruns on WGN.
I know that the show has fallen into disfavor because of its political incorrectness. But, for its time, it was a ground breaker in that some of the characters, particularly Amos, were shown to be real human beings, not stock characters. Also, it was the first TV series to employ African American actors to such a large degree, which makes the series noteworthy in and of itself.
http://www.abctvgorehill.com.au/assets/photos/text_photos/amos-andy-w.jpg
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Sources: cited above and personal opinion
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I know that it was taken off the air for being racist. Hard to imagine with all that is on TV nowadays. I think Sanford and Son was just as racist if not more so. I vaguely remember the show and remember it as being really funny. Or maybe it was my grandfather laughing at it so hard that I merely knew it was funny.
From going through the web, the big question is whether Ruby Begonia existed before the "Amos and Andy" show. No one seems to know or can find out.
Subject: Re: Who was Ruby Begonia
From: myoarin-ga on 17 Jul 2005 13:24 PDT |
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Justaskscott-ga can deal with the true origin of Ruby Begonia. (I
think he is right.)
At the risk of revealing to the wider world one of the stranger events
in Texas, I include the following about what Ruby Begonia:
King Turkey Day
Worthington
The battle is on for the Travelling Turkey Trophy of Tumultuous
Triumph, and the fastest turkey takes the prize. The race is between
two turkeys, real turkeys, through the streets of Worthington.
Part of the annual festivities of King Turkey Day is a race held
between a Worthington turkey and a turkey from Cuero, Texas. The race
in Worthington is the first of two. The turkey and a few handlers
travel to Cuero in October to compete again. The turkey with the
fastest combined time wins the trophy and captures the title of Turkey
Capital for its home town.
Worthington’s entry, traditionally named Paycheck, and Cuero’s bird,
named Ruby Begonia, have met 28 times. Worthington has a slight edge
in the series. The races can be close; not too long ago Worthington
won the trophy by a few hundredths of a second.
But the Great Gobbler Gallop is not the only event taking place on
King Turkey Day. Before the race, the town features a guest speaker.
Previous speakers have included Richard Nixon, Robert Kennedy, Jesse
Ventura and Jesse Jackson.
After the race, a 150-unit parade makes its way through the streets of
Worthington. In the parade will be Paycheck’s pace car, a 1985 black
Cadillac with a zany paint job.
Other activities around town include music, entertainment and food
vendors for the crowds of more than 10,000 people. Some in attendance
may even try their luck at riding a mechanical bull, Wully Bully.
In appreciation of the community Worthington is hosting a free pancake
breakfast, an annual tradition.
King Turkey Day is going on its 63rd year and started as a way for the
community to celebrate its area turkey farmers. Twenty-eight years ago
a Worthingtonite was travelling in Texas and came upon Cuero’s
celebration. It was proposed, since both towns had a heritage of
raising turkeys, that there should be a competition, and the Great
Gobbler Gallop was born.
Information: Call the Worthington Chamber of Commerce at (507) 372-2919.
http://www.midwestgetaway.com/September.html
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Sources: http://www.google.com/answer/threadview?id=544471
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Not that I'm old enough to remember it, it's just that I'm a nostalgia buff. I'm more of an old time radio aficianado so I'm more familiar wth them in that medium.
Just listen to that Stutz-Bearcat motor!
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Sounds like the Kingfish on the old Amos & Andy show. I also seem to remember Sammy Davis Jr., doing it too but probly as a tongue in cheek reference to A&A.
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