Live Blogging: All in the Family: Sammy's Visit

This is the first time I am doing a live blog. It's holds the same principles as live tweeting does...you write about an event as it is happening. For this live blog I am going to watch an "All in the Family," episode called "Sammy's Visit," when Archie Bunker (the protagonist) happened to drive the famous black actor Sammy Davis Jr. in his cab. Davis left his suitcase in the car and is now coming to Archie's house to pick it up. This episode is very funny, but also historic in that it openly talked about the issue of racism, but in a humorous way and also because it has a very famous and beloved celebrity of the time featured. For those of you who know about "All in the Family," it was an American sitcom ran by CBS from 1971-1979 that tackled many taboo issues such as racism, women's liberation, abortion, religion, breast cancer, the Vietnam War, etc. Archie is a bigot, but he is a very lovable character because it is obvious that he is trying to adjust to the modern world (though he is ignorant he is not hateful). His wife, Edith is very kind but also naive. Archie often clashes with his daughter's (Gloria) husband, Mike, who represents the Hippie and anti-establishment counterculture of the 1960s. So I will begin live blogging now:

"All in the Family"--Sammy's Visit
--Scene opens: Edith is playing cards by herself/Gloria and husband Mike talking in living room
Archie walks in, tells Mike to get out of his chair, demands more respect and a cup of coffee

Tells his family to guess who he carried in his cab today
Edith asks--"living or dead?" Archie: "I was driving a cab Edith, not a hearse."
Mike--"Well either it's Dezi Arnez or knowing you he's probably black."
Archie--"Hey black is the Ace of Spades!" Edith--"Archie for goodness sakes I just turned up the Ace of Spades (holding up her card)."
Gloria/Mike--"Was it Flip Wilson? Bellafonte?"
Archie--"I said black Mike! Ballafonte ain't black...he's white dipped in caramel!" (audience laughs)
Gloria guesses Sammy Davis Jr.!

Archie--"He's a fine guy. Sat in the back of the cap and talked to me about the weather and things just like  regular person. If I didn't have a rear view mirror, I'd think he was a white guy."
Mike--Aaarrcchhh, whadda yah gotta say things like that for?"
Archie--"What did I say anyhow?"

Phone rings...Sammy Davis Jr. calling to ask about suitcase
Archie--"He's coming over!" (Everyone yelling in excitement) And guess where he was calling from? A car...yeah he's in a limosine with a phone in it. Some of these coloreds are fancy...if they got it, they spend it."
Mike "What do you mean coloreds are classy?"
Archie--"Because when they deserve a compliment once in a while, I don't mind. Dummy up!"
Now Edith don't go blabbing all over the neighborhood that Sammy Davis Jr. is coming, because the house is going to be a mob scene....before you know it we'll be up to our armpits in jungle bunnies."
Mike--"When Sammy Davis Jr. gets here you gonna call him a jungle bunny?"
Archie--"Of course not! i'm gonna call him Mr. Davis
Mike--"Oh yeah, just a minute ago he was the Ace of Spades, now he's Mr. Davis?"
Archie--"Yes, because he worked his way up to be called Mr. Davis and he deserves that! In this great country a man like that can overcome the unequals of his color and rise to become a great star!" (audience laughs)
Edith starts calling and telling people

Next door neighbor Lionel shows up. Edith tells him who's coming and Archie says "The dingbat strikes again!"
Sammy Davis shows up
Edith is so excited! "I'm so excited but you can't imagine because you never had to meet yourself!"
Sammy mistakes Lionel for Gloria's husband. Archie yells NNNOOO! (Audience laughs)
Sammy pays Archie for getting him his briefcase. Archie gives Sammy his chair (Archie never gives ANYONE HIS CHAIR)
Archie says to Sammy, "I was just telling my family that you are perhaps the greatest credit to your race."
Sammy--"Well thank you very much. I'm sure you've done lots for yours too" (audience laughs)

Archie asks Edith to bring him a cold beer in a glass and open up a fresh box of Twinkies for Mr. Davis
Sammy makes a face.
Mike--"Yeah, they're a WASP (White-Anglo Saxon Protestant) Soul food!"
Edith brings out a Twinkie on a plate for Sammy Davis
Visitors come in trying to impress Sammy Davis Jr. (lady makes her daughter tap dance)

Neighbor gives a toast, shares glass with Archie. Sammy drinks out of cup...Archie is about to drink but puts the cup down.
Archie--"Now Sammy, I want to ask you a question. Now I know being colored you didn't have no choice in that, but what made you turn Jew?" (audience laughs)
Archie--"Yeah, I saw you Sammy recently on TV with that uuhh Raquelle Walsh."
Edith--"Yeah, Archie said he never though he'd see the day when whites and coloreds would be kissing and hugging from coast to coast" (audience laughs)

Archie--"Now no prejudice intended but I always check the Bible on these things. I think if God had meant us to be together He'da put us together. But looked what He done. He put all of yall in Africa and the rest of us in all the white countries."
Sammy--"Well he must of told them where we were because SOMEBODY came and got us." (audience howls)
Archie--"I was always dead set against slavery
Gloria, Mike and Lionel all sing "Glory, Glory, Hallelujah"
Archie--"Sammy you've seen and met a lot of people. You see me. Do I strike you as the prejudice kind?"
Sammy--"Oh no, not you Archie. If you were you would have called no a coon or a Nig***, but you said it flat out and I hear you...you said colored! (audience laughs)...and if you were, you would close your eyes to all that's going on in this great country. But not you Archie...you can see the difference between black and white!
Before Sammy leaves he asks to get one picture with Archie Bunker. On the count of three he kisses Archie on the cheek and leaves. Archie frowns his face.

Sammy Davis Jr: http://www.biography.com/people/sammy-davis-jr-9268223
All in the Family: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_in_the_Family