Karen Burroughs Hannsberry Talks about the
Launch of her “Good Times” Blog with CMH
I’m so happy to share that Karen Burroughs Hannsberry, author of Classic Movie Hub’s Noir Nook column, has launched a new blog! It’s called “Ain’t We Lucky We Got ‘Em,” and it focuses on the 1970s television series Good Times. We sat down with Karen to find out more about her latest writing project!
You’ve been writing about classic movies for many years – what made you want to venture into classic TV?
I’ve always loved classic TV – for me, it goes hand-in-hand with classic film. Even when I was little, I was watching TV shows that were before my time, like Leave it to Beaver and Blondie and, of course, I Love Lucy. And now, I still love the shows from the past. In fact, my favorite TV show of all time is The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Why Good Times? And why now?
I have the entire Good Times series on DVD, and for the last few years, I’ve been watching it every day. It seemed that whenever I’d watch an episode, I would notice something different, something interesting, something I wished I could share with other fans of the show. Then, in 2020, I was interviewed by Will McKinley for GetTV about Good Times, and that just served to increase my obsession with the show. I initially thought of writing a book, especially with the 50-year anniversary of the show coming up in 2024, but I ultimately decided on a blog. It’s more immediate and it fits better with the other projects I have going on. It was the perfect marriage!
What do you like about Good Times?
How much time do you have? There are so many reasons. It’s set in my hometown of Chicago. It made history by being the first network television show to depict a Black nuclear family. It employs comedy to discuss a variety of societal ills, from poverty to child abuse to gang violence. It’s filmed in front of an enthusiastic and vocal live studio audience. The characters have numerous personality traits to admire and even emulate. And it’s funny!
What will you be writing about on your blog?
I will write about each of the 133 episodes of the show, including an overview of the plot, my personal insights, information about guest stars, and a discussion of the pop culture references, which are such a significant part of this series. I’ll also have posts that focus on each of the principal cast members, trivia, character analyses, and much more!
And what is the meaning behind the name of your blog?
It’s taken from a line in the show’s theme song (remember in the Stone Age when shows had words to their theme songs?): “Ain’t we lucky we got ‘em – Good Times!”
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A Big Thank You to Karen for doing this interview with us!
You can visit Karen’s new blog at goodtimesblog.com – there are already a few articles posted for you to enjoy!
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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub
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