Tuesday, April 25, 2006

when keeping it real goes wrong

Good Times.
Any time you meet a payment. - Good Times.
Any time you need a friend. - Good Times.
Any time you’re out from under.
Not getting hassled, not getting hustled.
Keepin’ your head above water,
Making a wave when you can.

Temporary lay offs. - Good Times.
Easy credit rip offs. - Good Times.
Scratchin’ and surviving. - Good Times.
Hangin in a chow line - Good Times.
Ain’t we lucky we got ‘em - Good Times.



Chicago Tribune: Good times -- and bad

Reading this made me sad on multiple levels. Thirty-five years ago, Eric Monte, an African-American tv writer helped create some of the most popular and innovative movies and tv shows of the 1970s. He wrote "Cooley High" (which was the inspiration for What's Happening!) He was a co-creator of "Good Times" and he wrote for All In the Family as well. And for all his labor, he built a successful career, won an NAACP Image award, Benz and a nice house in Santa Monica.

Currently, the 62 year-old Chicago-native lives in a Salvation Army shelter. Part of his trip from A to B involved health problems (which weren't his fault) and drug addiction (which arguably was). But the sad part is that it seems like a large part of his difficulties were also a result of his efforts to fight for his integrity as a writer.

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