9 chapters across the catalog
Sharon Letterman Hicks credits her political education to Norman Lear, the legendary Hollywood producer and founder of People for the American Way. Lear is described as a "propagandist" who sought to challenge the Christian right and promote the separation of church and state. Hicks's transition to the NBJC is framed as a mission to apply Lear's progressive strategies within the Black community.
Sharon Letterman Hicks recounts a lesson from Norman Lear regarding the firing of Don Imus, which she views as a "capitalistic" approach to free speech. Lear argued that speech is not free if it costs a network money, establishing the blueprint for modern "cancel culture" by targeting advertisers. This philosophy is seen as the foundation for how political agendas are enforced through media and economic pressure.
A clip from the 1970s sitcom *Good Times* shows the character JJ painting a "Black Jesus," leading to a family debate about religious representation. The segment references Revelation 1:14 to argue that the biblical description of Jesus (hair like wool) supports a non-white depiction. The hosts reflect on how such discussions were more open in the 1970s than they are today due to advertiser-driven "bullying" and cancel culture.
Actress Ja'Net DuBois, who played Willona on Good Times, passed away on February 17, 2020. She is credited with writing and performing "Moving On Up," the theme song for The Jeffersons, which was inspired by her personal dream of moving her mother out of the Brooklyn ghetto. DuBois wrote the lyrics as a "promise" to change her family's life, capturing the universal desire for upward mobility and home ownership.
Artistic Culture as Propaganda and the Civil Rights Narrative
The hosts compare "A Raisin in the Sun" to the television show "The Jeffersons," noting how both shaped public perception of black upward mobility. They suggest that the televised version of the Civil Rights movement was a highly manipulated form of propaganda designed to push specific social memes.
A clip from the sitcom "Good Times" illustrates the argument that standardized tests are culturally biased. Actor John Amos explains his eventual departure from the show, citing his frustration with producer Norman Lear over the increasing focus on the "buffoonish" caricature of the character J.J. Evans at the expense of more serious storylines.
The 1970s sitcom "All in the Family" is cited as a major cultural tool used to guilt white Americans. By portraying Archie Bunker as a stereotypical bigot, the show forced the audience to laugh at—and eventually distance themselves from—those views. The discussion suggests this contributed to a culture where white people feel the need to "disprove the negative" in every interaction.
Actor John Amos recounts his departure from the sitcom "Good Times" due to creative conflicts with producer Norman Lear. Amos wanted the show to focus on the academic aspirations of the younger children rather than the "Dyn-O-Mite" antics of JJ Evans. Adam Curry links this to the Hollywood Health and Society foundation, which he claims uses television scripts to push social justice and climate change agendas.
The hosts examine the influence of the Lear Foundation on Hollywood scripts, citing Martin Kaplan's boast about working on hundreds of storylines across dozens of networks. Mo argues that this centralized control prevents a diversity of thought and reinforces stereotypes of Black life. They discuss how the removal of strong Black male characters, like John Amos's character in "Good Times," serves a specific narrative of "doom and gloom."
