FRIDAY HALL OF FAMER - GERALDINE JONES

As part of our celebration of Black History Month, we're turning out attention today to the alternate dimension of Skitlandia....

From Wikipedia:

Geraldine Jones was a fictional African American character, the most famous recurring persona of comedian Flip Wilson.  Geraldine was played as a sassy liberated Southern woman who was coarsely flirty yet faithful to her (unseen) boyfriend "Killer". Poorly educated, she was nevertheless confident; she did not change her behavior to suit anyone. Several of Geraldine's sayings entered U.S. popular culture as catchphrases, especially "When you're hot, you're hot; when you're not, you're not," "The Devil made me do it," and "What you see is what you get!"

Wilson portrayed Geraldine many times in the early 1970s on his variety series The Flip Wilson Show, though not on every episode. He made comedy albums featuring Geraldine, notably "The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress", and he appeared as Geraldine on other programs such as Saturday Night Live. He sang and danced as Geraldine at the Kennedy Center in 1983 for Bob Hope's 80th birthday celebration.

Wilson tired of the Geraldine character late in his career; he responded to most requests by saying: "She's retired."

The character of Geraldine was intended by Wilson to "relate to women" without putting them down. Wilson said he wanted Geraldine to be strong, proud, and honest in her dedication to her man; a woman who felt free to act spontaneously.In contrast to other comedians who belittled women, Wilson wanted Geraldine to be "the heroine of the story."

Wilson first introduced Geraldine by name and appearance in a comedy sketch on Labor Day, September 1, 1969, within a television special put together by Wilson, his manager Monte Kay, and NBC executives. The show was called The Flip Wilson Special.  In the skit, comedian Jonathan Winters, dressed in drag as his popular character Maude Frickert—a gray-haired lady with a sharp tongue, was a passenger in an airliner. Wilson's Geraldine character entered, walking down the jet's aisle in a stewardess's miniskirt, and a bouffant flip hairdo topped by a pillbox hat.  Geraldine sat down next to Maude and the comedic interaction was immediately infectious. Wilson said that Winters was chosen because his Maude character was well-known, and because there would be several points of comic tension: both men playing women, the generational difference in apparent age, and the difference in race.

Wilson also performed as Geraldine on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' on January 11, 1970.  In the routine, Wilson takes on the persona of a preacher's wife. The wife (Geraldine) explains to her angry husband why she has an expensive new dress, telling him that "the devil made me buy this dress."

This skit was also performed by Wilson on his fourth comedy album, "The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress"—its title taken from Geraldine's retort. The album, featuring Geraldine on the cover, was certified Gold, and it won the 1970 Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording.

"The Flip Wilson Special" was seen by 42% of all U.S. television viewers; this success led to NBC signing Wilson to 'The Flip Wilson Show'. Wilson portrayed Geraldine many times during the four-year run of the show. Geraldine was cast in skits with a number of guests on the show, including David Frost, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Lily Tomlin (playing Ernestine), Joe Namath, Jim Brown, Arte Johnson, Moms Mabley, Sammy Davis Jr., Tim Conway, Ray Charles, Lola Falana, Perry Como and Muhammad Ali.

In just that list, Geraldine got to interact with Sammy Davis Jr. and Muhammed Ali, plus a few future Hall of Famers like David Frost and Ernestine.  Plus, as mentioned earlier, Geraldine worked with Maudie Frickert in the special that started it all and with Ed Sullivan a League of Themselves member who is part of the Hall.

For more about Geraldine Jones, click here.

Why did I induct Geraldine Jones now as a Friday Hall of Famer?  Well, for one thing, this is Black History Month and I think Geraldine is the greatest black character to come out of Skitlandia.

Besides... the Devil made me do it.

Welcome to the Hall, Miss Geraldine!