Elva Diane Green Talks About Her Upcoming Book On The Jeffersons TV Show
Everyone loves sitcoms (situation comedies): the artful portrayal of life that teaches us to not take the world so seriously and that every rain has its eventual rainbow.
But every now and then a show takes us on a rollercoaster ride that hits a downward slope of such candor that we quickly forget the series genre. Such was the case in the show, “The Jeffersons”, a 10-year sitcom lasting 253 episodes about a Black entrepreneur that achieves financial success through his Jefferson Cleaners laundry franchise and “moves on up” to a high-rise east side apartment building.
Known for his short temper and insulting approach to most everything, the show’s main character, George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley), was never to be found lacking something to say about his position in the matter at hand.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead
In the Season 7 episode: “Sorry, Wrong Meeting” (first airing February 15, 1981), neighbor Tom Willis invites George to a tenant meeting about the “rising trouble” in the apartment building. George innocently, yet faithfully, attends, fully armed to speak out against the so-called escalating problem.
Unbeknownst to either of them and 3rd friend and neighbor, Harry Bentley, the meeting is actually an Interest/Recruiting meeting for the Ku Klux Klan, who are addressing the “growing problem”, which to them, is the African American presence, among other minorities.
The episode reaches its comedic peak with the arrival of George, who in his naivete, sits proudly in the front row.
The leader/speaker and organizers (which includes the Klan leader’s devout and impressionable son), try to convince George that his presence is a mistake, ergo not welcome, despite George’s outspoken support. This continues until the KKK leader clarifies to George that he is the problem of which they speak.
An near-violent argument ensues, escalating until the Klan leader clutches his heart and collapses, suffering a heart attack. Ironically, the only person trained in 1st Aid & CPR is George, who begrudgingly saves his unconscious adversary in the presence of all.
The shocking twist to the moment occurs when the paramedics arrive to transport the Klansman to the hospital. As he leaves, his son, suspended in disbelief, informs his revived father that George (a Black man) is the man who saved his life. Looking over at George, his father turns his gaze back upon his son and weakly reprimands, “You should have let me die.”
