Hey, everybody. We got a great one today. You know, for a change. We're repeating my

conversation with Norman Lear. I did a couple years ago. Norman died today. I knew Norman. I had

met him through my comedy friends and, uh, from politics.

Uh, Norman founded people for the American way as a counter to the far right Christian

nationalists, the Pat Robertsons and the Jerry Falwells.

You know Norman as the creator of all in the Family and so many popular shows of

sitcoms in the 70s and the 80s mainly, although he was producing stuff to the end. I was honored

to be part of Norman's 100th birthday celebration, which was a special on ABC.

And sitting in this big room at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, you got an understanding

of the impact that he had on TV and America. The music, much of it, which came from

shows with black cast like the Jefferson's moving on up to the east side, good times with Jimmy Walker, Sanford and Son.

Of course, the biggest hit was all in the family, which changed TV.

It was a show where Carol O'Connor, as Archie, argued with the son, Michael Stivak, I think was his name.

That's Rob Reiner. And Archie called him a B. Polack, I believe, as I remember, as, and Rob played a very liberal anti-war son-in-law.

I don't want to go through every show.

There's too many of them, but Maude, which was a spin-off from All in the Family,

and you may remember there was a two-part episode where Maude decided, painfully,

decided to get an abortion.

This was real stuff in the 70s.

These were shot in front of a live audience.

They were known as three camera sitcoms.

The key was the audience.

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