European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 30, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                John Amos steers left onto 704 Hauser Street by Vernon Scott up Hollywood reporter Black Archie Bunker Well maybe just another Guy who is chauvinistic somewhat bigoted sort of narrow minded and very outspoken and has taken up residence in Archie bunk or s old House in Queens . John Amos one of to s most familiar faces plays Ernest Cumberbatch in Norman Lear s new Situa Tion comedy on lbs 704 Hauser Street. He s a Tot of fun to play Amos said on the set recently but he s not really a Black version of Archie because he s More Liberal politically than his son Thurgood named for the late supreme court  my character is a Blue Collar Liberal. College educated Thurgood thinks Rush Limbaugh walks on water. There were no Young Blacks with attitudes like that when 1 was growing up. But it provides the conflict and frustration on the  the level of sophistication and political awareness in 704 Hauser Street is Light years ahead of Amos Best known previous series Good times in which he starred with Esther Rolle and comedian Jimmie Walker from 1974 to 1976. As James Evans Amos played an uneducated mostly unemployed father of a dysfunctional ghetto family Hollywood s concept of Black life in America 20 years ago. In the role of Cumberbatch Amos plays a High school educated master Auto Mechanic with a Good Job and a Loving family. He s a Vietnam vet with a Short fuse. Young Thurgood unlike Mike Stivic the Bunker family s Meathead is something of a Genius fighting off the sexual Advance of his jewish Girlfriend. Nobody delivers a message through comedy bet Ter than Norman Lear Amos said. It was Norman s idea to give the Public a Black family that is not a Monolith. This family is As diversified As any other. It involves conflicting values attitudes and politics. We have an Opportunity to push the envelope right off the table but at the same time make people howl. It s not superficial sitcom stuff. This show has some serious substance to its stories. There s a Fine line in playing a character that Many viewers May not find likable and still have them like and respect me As an actor. When Norman asked me to play the role he told me the show would be controversial. J would t want to be in the mix unless the project had some Teeth in it. To use an analogy most sitcoms Are painted with rollers Norman uses Fine camels hair brushes. It s a tedious painstaking process for the writers directors actors and Crew. The shows Are Analysed re written reprocessed and redesigned As we go along. I m proud to be a sitcom survivor because there s a feeling in this town that situation comedy is a demeaning medium to work in. They re discovering everyone can t do it Well. Well Norman does it better than anyone. The Only series that compares with it is the Mary Tyler Moore show. Ernie asks his wife Rose Are you sure the kid was t switched at birth and when she says she s sure Ernie asks is it Loo late to switch now the father son relationship personifies generational differences that have always existed. My own son is Thurgood s age. He lives with me and is work ing on his degree in film. While our politics Are the same his ways of expressing himself Are totally Dif Ferent from mine. So playing Ernie in t entirely foreign to me. A to. Rus sch and Lynnice Godfrey stand while Maura to cent and John Amos sit in 704 Mauser Street lbs lot of the comedy and conflict comes out of that. Ernie is a bit of a cynic. Rose is very religious. He s a realistic pragmatic Guy. If it in t tangible he does t want it. He always tells people exactly what he s thinking. He s not a racist but his son Calls him a bigot. Ernie tells Thurgood a Black Man can t be a bigot and his son answers Tell that to a korean dad i think the series will either go through the roof or crash and Burn. And i Don t see 704 Hauser crashing. Too much thought and care has gone into the concept and scripts. It could be the cutting Edge for sitcoms in the 90s. It s that Strong. I Don t think 704 Hauser could have gone on the air 20 years ago when we did Good times. Viewers weren t sophisticated enough for  asked How he thought Ernest Cumberbatch would hit it off with Archie Bunker Amos bugged and said i think they d get along Fine. There would t be any . Between them. They would let each other know what they really thought. I d love a dialogue Between Ernie and  Amos said studio audiences frequently ask Lear whether Archie will be making any guest appear ances on the show but Lear generally says no. F think Archie s too Busy running a police department Down in Georgia somewhere referring to actor Carroll o Connor s role in the series in tie heat of he night. Page 8 sunday january 30, 1994