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What you see is what you get!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 11:56 AM

tags: Butterfly McQueen, Flip Wilson, Geraldine Jones, National Drag History Month, RuPaul's Drag Race

Flip Wilson and Graldine Jones

The Flip Wilson Show was the first successful network variety series with an African-American star. In its first two seasons, its Nielsen ratings placed it as America's second most-watched show. Flip Wilson based his storytelling humor on his background in black clubs, but adapted easily to a television audience. The show's format dispensed with much of the clutter of previous variety programs and focused on the star and his guests.

Clerow "Flip" Wilson had been working small venues for over a decade when Redd Foxx observed his act in 1965 and raved about him to Johnny Carson. As a result, Flip made over 25 appearances on the Tonight Show, and in 1968, NBC signed him to a five-year development deal.

Flip Wilson's most popular and enduring character was the sassy, brazen Geraldine Jones. Flip wrote Geraldine's material himself and tried not to use her to demean black women. Though flirty and flashy, Geraldine was no "finger popping chippie." Geraldine was also based partly on Butterfly McQueen's character in Gone With the Wind: unrefined but outspoken and honest. She expected respect and was devoted to her unseen boyfriend, "Killer." It also helped that Flip had the legs for the role, and did not burlesque Geraldine's build, though NBC Standards and Practices had asked him to reduce Geraldine's bust a little. As Geraldine, in wig, high heels and mini-dress, Wilson coined phrases that became part of the national pop vocabulary, such as “The devil made me do it,” and, “What you see is what you get!”

“The secret of my success with Geraldine is that she’s not a put-down of women,” he once said. “She’s smart, she’s trustful, she’s loyal, she’s sassy. Most drag impersonations are a drag. But women can like Geraldine, men can like Geraldine, everyone can like Geraldine.”

The Flip Wilson Show turned out to be one of the last successful variety shows. CBS' 1972 offering, The Waltons, became a surprise hit, winning the same Thursday time slot. By 1973-74, it was John-Boy and company who had the second most popular show of the season. NBC put Flip Wilson's show to rest, airing its last episode on 24 June 1974.