A friend posted the lyrics to the theme song from the show "Good Times" the other day. This got me to thinking about how much I loved this show as a little kid." Sing with me y'all "
Just looking out of the window watching the asphalt grow"-huh? Thinking how it all looks hand me down" Good times "Temporary layoffs- Good Times- Easy Credit Rip Offs - Good Times- Scratching Surviving - Good Times. Hanging In a Chow Line( was just told what that lyric was after all of these years) " Aint we lucky we got em-good tiiimes -Yeah!
" On paper (now) we could all read those lyrics and go wtf? The plots were kind of heavy too. James the father would finally get a job after searching for months -only to then get laid off on his first day before his lunch break. The Kids would get mugged in the elevator (when it worked) , child abuse across the hall ( Micheal Jackson's little sister no less), gangs ( who could be intimidated by one hard look from the dad), teenage pregnancy, broken dreams,e.t.c. Oh and the word ghetto was used so often that it felt like an alternate/parallel universe where hard times were always still good times in the end. Man , did I love their" ghetto" much more then I did my own various "hoods" thats for sure. Maybe it was the laugh track.
Neighborhoods change from ghettos to hot and happening properties that's for sure.
Today the kids on "Different Strokes" could be adopted by a rich white man who moves them ....right across the street.
Cue laugh track:
My pitch for a new TV show: "Gentrified" Watch the wacky shenanigans of a family trying to hold on to their apartment as they try to get their kids through a failing school, budget an unemployment check, and sip mojitos at the new in spot in their suddenly hip neighborhood.
Episode # 1 - We see our head of household mother ( named after a state of course) staring at the bills. An R Kelly inspirational song is playing in the background
cue laugh track :
A knock is heard on the door. It is her 22 year old neighbor-who shares the apartment with 10 other 22 year olds straight out of college (and new to the up and coming area renamed by hip downtown newspapers). She is here to apologize to our head of household single parent for not recognizing her while she (the mother) was standing at the door with her hands full of grocery bags fumbling for her keys. "I mean but really , it was an honest mistake when I let the door slam in your face instead of holding it for you and letting you in" said our fresh from Idaho innocent neighbor. "This hood can still be a bit dicey if you know what I mean" She adds for good measure. The mother slams her door. A loud rap song can be heard from the apartment of our "anyone could have made the same mistake" perplexed innocent neighbor as she exits into her great "deal"( for hundreds of dollars a month more) apt . The last sound is of her roommates chanting along to the chorus" I keep it real son/ Got my Gun/ I keep it real son/ In my hood we never run. Or " Wu Tang Clan aint Nothin to $%#% with"
Cue :Laugh track*
Scene 2 : We see a tall and dark young man walking down the street. He is dressed in a shirt and tie. He is wearing a fitted baseball cap. we don't know where he is headed , but based on the attention that he is getting from the various police who stop and frisk him every 20 yards or so, he is clearly an important person of interest.
Cue laugh track as he empties his pockets and assumes the position for the 15th time.
Scene 3 : A crowded cafe. Well heeled patrons are enjoying wine and various culinary treats. One of the original neighborhood residents walks in-Dead silence
Cue Laugh track
Scene 4 - Her daughter who is working 2 jobs shows up to her first gig which is a bank. The manager tells her that she is being laid off. He does an exaggerated " What can I do?" shrug. Camera pans in on the stimulus check sitting on his desk.
cue laugh track
Aint we lucky we got it? Gentrifiiiiiiied -yeah!
It's the laugh track right?
1 comment:
thank you for continually refueling my soul....was much needed today!
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