September 26, 2005 @ 11:30 am

Good Times With BernNadette Stanis

Baria A. Razzaq

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Vibe: You were the fantasy of a lot of men who watched the show and a lot of women wanted to be Thelma. How does that make you feel? BernNadette: I’m very happy that I was chosen. It’s flattering to me. I’m glad I was a positive example for women, which is what I wanted to be. One of the reasons Thelma was popular is she was wholesome. She was like a little girl that was grown and she did everything by the book. That’s a nice image for a lot of young girls to follow and look up to, then and today. How were you cast in the role of Thelma Evans? I was in a beauty pageant one summer when my mom and I met a manager who told us about the Good Times casting. At the time I was at Julliard but auditioned anyway. No one thinks they’re going to get the part on the first try so I did it for the experience. I went and auditioned and they asked me to come back for a second time. This time Norman Lear was there with Jimmie Walker. We improvised and we had Norman cracking up. After that, they asked me to come to California to do a screen test and that’s how I got Good Times. That was my first acting role. What were the cast interactions like? There have been reports of a lot of tension on the set particularly between the late Esther Rolle and Jimmie Walker. That information has really gotten out of hand. We had a lot of love on that set. I wish we could have taken people back stage to see it, because it’s nothing like they painted the picture to be. It was wonderful. We were ready to go for another five years, actually. So, you’re still in touch with the members of the cast? Ja’Net Dubois, John Amos, Ralph Carter. I’ve spoken to Jimmie several times. Excellent! Does that mean we can look forward to a Good Times reunion? I really don’t know. I’ve thought about that. I think we’d be interested, but I don’t think Jimmie wants to do that anymore. When you think of Good Times you think of JJ so much. I’m not sure that can happen without him. What was your life like post the show? Interesting! I’m a writer and a painter. I’ve produced many plays on and off Broadway. I starred in and produced Whatever Happened to Black Love for a number of years. I wrote a book that will be out in a few months called Situations 101, about dealing with situations that occur in relationships. So, you’re not broke? Oh, no! I’ve never been broke. I’ve taken very good care of my money. Plus, I still get residuals from the show. That’s good to know! Finally, how is Good Times going to go down in television history? I see Good Times hanging around like I Love Lucy because of the wholesomeness of the show and the subject matters that we dealt with. When you look at Good Times in terms of black people today, outside of altering the clothes a little bit and some of the slang, it’s the same scenario. We are still going through the poverty, the struggle, and trying to keep it together. The impact of the show is still there. If you’re interested in contacting BernNadette Stanis, please write to her at:
Bernadette Stanis
P.O. Box 9065
Whittier, Ca 90608

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