Revolution Televised.pdf

This Ain’t No Junk 97
join you, honey, with a bad back.” Van Patten looks to the police
for help, saying to the black officer, “You know your people better
than I do; what do you think that I should do?” The cop replies,
“You want some real good advice? If I were you I’d get out of this
neighborhood before it gets dark.”
Van Patten decides to make a deal, and Lamont and Fred convince
him to sign over a check for two hundred dollars. Lamont
shows some regret at the end of the episode and wants to pay it back
because it was “like stealing.” Fred responds that he “worked for
that money. Do you know how much Richard Burton gets paid for
an acting job like that?” It is unclear at the episode’s conclusion what
they will do, but they now have the money to pay all of the bills.
Also, intricately tied to the character of the trickster is another
“venerable black comic tradition—the tall tale or simply lying.” 23
Sanford clearly took this to a new height in “A Visit from Lena”
(January 1, 1973). While visiting the NBC studios for a tour, Fred
sneaks into the dressing room of The Tonight Show to meet Lena
Horne. When he sees her, he has another of his famous heart attacks
FPO
Fred Sanford is a contemporary trickster. At right is his son, Lamont (Demond
Wilson).