What a Great comedian
What a Great comedian
Yep! Him and Redd. They colored my childhood with comedy.
He's dead? Damn, I need to get out more.
Loved Flip Wilson. Wasn't he on Laugh-In? Or some show like that?
Geraldine always made me giggle when I was a kid. I thought it was SO hilarious to see a man in a womans dress and make up.
I saw him with his kids on some interview. He went on about his daughter needed to be punished. I forget why.
He said he decided in the middle of the night to whip her. He got all the other kids up to watch. He undressed her, as much as needed, and hit her bare buttocks with a belt. He stopped when she was bawling and asked him how much was enough.
He sat telling this while the daughter was right there crying her eyes out, totally humiliated.
Funny man, but my opinion of him changed when I saw that.
He must of gotten that tip from my parents. **ouch**
Whoa, now there is something that I've never heard and I'd like to know where you heard/saw it. The only thing I ever heard about him was that he had retired from show bizz for a few years to raise his kids. (Semms his ex-wife had some sort of problem.) He came back for Charles and Company and died shortly after the show.
Didn't he die around November of 1998?
That was one on my favorite shows.
The Flip Wilson show was a favorite in our household
in the early 1970s. He did so many great characters,
my favorite being Reverend Leroy of the Church of
What's Happening Now.
First time I ever saw Albert Brooks was on Flip's
show doing his funny bad ventriloquist act.
Oddly enough it was "The Waltons" that killed his
show in the ratings leading to its cancellation.
Cheers all,
Doug
The Devil made him embarrass his daughter on TV.
Clerow "Flip" Wilson Jr. (December 8, 1933 â?? November 25, 1998) was an American comedian and actor. Born in 1933 in New Jersey, he was one of eighteen children in an impoverished household. After years of bouncing from foster homes to reform school, sixteen-year-old Wilson lied about his age and joined the United States Air Force. His outgoing personality and funny stories made him popular; he was even asked to tour military bases to cheer up other servicemen. Claiming that he was always "flipped out," Wilson's barracks mates gave him his famous nickname. Discharged in 1954, Wilson started working as a bellhop in San Francisco's Manor Plaza Hotel.
At the Plaza's nightclub, Wilson found extra work playing a drunken patron in between regularly scheduled acts. His inebriated character proved popular and Wilson began performing it in clubs throughout California. He managed to get jobs at various comedy clubs using his nickname, Flip. At first Wilson would simply ad-lib on-stage, but in time, he added written material and his act became more sophisticated. He eventually became a regular at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem and was a favorite guest on The Tonight Show, Laugh-In, and The Ed Sullivan Show. Finally, Wilson got his own television program, The Flip Wilson Show, debuting on NBC in 1970. He played host to many African American entertainers and performed in comedy sketches. His characters included Reverend Leroy, pastor of the Church of Whatâ??s Happening Now; and Geraldine, whose line â??The devil made me do itâ? became a national expression. The show aired through 1974, gaining high ratings and great popularity. Wilson won a Golden Globe award for best actor in a television series, and the show won eighteen Emmys in the 1972 and 1973 seasons.
Wilson's stand-up comedy routine "Columbus," from his key album Cowboys and Colored People, earned him the good notices which led to his getting his own television show. Wilson re-tells the story of Christopher Columbus from a slightly 'urban' perspective, with Columbus finally convincing the Spanish monarchs to fund his voyage by noting that discovering America means that he can thus also discover Ray Charles. Hearing this, Queen Isabella, sounding not unlike Wilson's celebrated "Geraldine," says that "Chris" can have "all the money you want, Honey--You go find Ray Charles!!" When Columbus departs from the dock, Isabella is there, testifying to one and all that "Chris gonna find Ray Charles!!"
He made many guest appearances on other TV comedies and variety shows, such as Here's Lucy starring Lucille Ball and The Dean Martin Show among others. Ed Sullivan gave Wilson numerous guest shots on his popular Sunday night show, and Wilson would single out Sullivan as providing his biggest career boost. Wilson acted in TV and theatrical movies including Uptown Saturday Night and The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh.
From 1985 to 1986, Wilson played the lead role in the sitcom Charlie & Co..
Wilson's humor was at the same time insightful, self-effacing and often intellectual. One of his best jokes (the retelling of a very old joke) was relayed as follows: "Lots of crazy things happen in traveling. Just last week I was on a train. There was a woman traveling with a baby. UGLY baby! I mean, I'm not one to make comments about anyone's kid -- but this was an UGLY baby. A guy walks down the train -- he's half smashed -- and he stops. And he stares. And the lady says "What are you looking at?" The guy says "I'm looking at that ugly baby." A scene ensues, whereupon the conductor arrives. He says "What's going on here?" The woman says "This man just insulted me!" The conductor says "Now calm down Madam, calm down. We here at the railroad want to make sure that there are no altercations between our passengers and that everyone's trip is as relaxing as possible. Accordingly, if you allow us, please step into the dining car and the railroad will buy you a free meal. And maybe we can find a banana for your monkey."
After his show closed, Wilson made attempts to make movies and appear in other television programs, but nothing worked out. His name faded from show business, and he died of cancer in California at the age of sixty-four.
I still remember his character "Geraldine" and laugh laugh laugh when I do...he was one helluva funny guy...
"The devil made me buy that dress---WOOOOOOOO!"
Actually, flip wilson looked better than many women in his drag outfit. He may have been the catalyst to our present day open gay movement preceeded only by milton berle.
Flip was so funny, I get so excited when I see his show on.
You have to see the show where Redd Foxx was a guest star. He heckled Flip from the audience. It was HILARIOUS!
It was aired the night before the network premiere of Sanford & Son.
RIP, Flip & Redd, you were great!
-K.
i used to wach it as a kid
Guest
I thought Flip was funny and he had a good show. He had so many famous people on it. There was a time when he dissappeared from show business and I use to wonder where he was. I felt bad when he died of cancer.
I saw the episode after Sanford & Son became a hit. Redd and Flip were taking questions from the audience!!
That is where at that time Redd Kept a Christmas tree in his house all year long!
I Guess with the money he was making at that time IT WAS Christmas everyday!!
But I loved Flip, He was a great Character actor!
I absolutely loved Flip's show back when I was a kid (and it was on!). Loved it! Never missed it.
Except once. We were at a relative's house in TN, housesitting for them while they went on vacation. It was me, my sister and my grandmother. My sister and I were about 10 and 7 (me being the oldest) and Flip was coming on the tv. We were all, "Oh yeah!"
My bitch grandmother comes over, flips off the tv, and says, "We're not watching that damn n----- show."
My sister and I were all "WTF?!!!" I had always known my grandmother was racist as hell, but that was carrying it too far. I was mad at her the entire rest of the week just for being that stupid.
Flip was the shit. And Reecie, I know you're dead now, but I hope Flip gives you hell in heaven just for being a bitch.
Actually I think it was 1969 or 1970 Flip did a skit with the phrase " Here Come Da Judge "
General Motors took this and ran with it, naming its new Pontiac GTO The Judge. Well now that I think about it, it was a GTO upgrade, the judge was actually a package you could buy .....Flips show spawned this.
circa 1965 standup with Flip. the best part is johnny carson's reaction at the end. he didn't see the final line coming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR8Op...eature=related
Last edited by johnny; 01-05-2008 at 11:14 AM.
Attention Forever-27: KILLER GONNA GETCHOO, HONEY
A classic
I liked Flip. Geraldine was one of my favorites. When I was little I had the Flip Wilson doll, with Flip on one side and Geraldine on the other. I also took the Geraldine album to kindergarten for show and tell. OOPS, now I've aged myself haven't I?
RIP Flip.
He was funny every time I saw him on Rowan and Martin's Laugh In.
Stay in Drugs. Eat your School. Don't do Vegetables.
I thought he was great. Yes he did get to Australia.
I am a sick puppy....woof woof!!!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Carping the living shit out of the Diem. - Me!!
http://www.pinterest.com/neilmpenny
Oh yeah, Flip was the funniest guy and had a great show. RIP Flip!
I cried for shoes .... til I met a man with no feet.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Flip was great!
The best on The flip wilson show with george carlin
"the hippy dippy weather man"
Some of the best times!
RIP Flip
-Morbid1
I remember seeing him on an AMC show about Haunted Hollywood, apparently Flip's house was haunted but he enjoyed the ghosts' company and said after he dies, he'll probably join them in haunting the place.
I remember reading that he retired to spend more time with his kids.
How cool is that?
that "here comes the judge" business went back as far as pigmeat markham,at least.
Knowlege Comes With Deaths release
Heaven's on the pillow,it's Silence competes with Hell
"If you don't go to other peoples' funerals,they won't come to yours."-Yogi Berra
Why isn't this in the Actors & Actresses section?
His show was completely not funny at all. I do remember it, I just didnt like it ... I honestly didnt know he was dead till I saw this thread.
Last edited by Forever-27; 10-03-2009 at 11:32 AM.
Taken it back even more old school than that the skit was originated in the Minstrel show days by an early Black comedian and perform Pigmeat Markham. Even though he was elderly at the time I think he joied either Flip or Sammy Davis who also did the hear come da judge on Laugh In.
If you listen to his 69 record on Chess ( what a great label) he was quite the rapper and ahead of his time. It was political satire combined with politically incorrect humor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigmeat_Markham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvMBx...eature=related
Regards,
Mary