Good Post-election Morning POU!
We could NOT let this week go by without featuring Aunt Esther!
LaWanda Page was born on October 19, 1920 in Cleveland, Ohio, but was raised in St. Louis, Missouri. She began her show business career working small nightclubs billed as “The Bronze Goddess of Fire,” an act which included Page eating fire and lighting cigarettes with her fingertips. She performed the cigarette feat on an episode of Sanford and Son titled “The Greatest Show in Watts” in Season 5 of the series, in which Fred Sanford held a circus in his front yard.
LaWanda Page and Redd Foxx, who portrayed Fred Sanford, were very close friends from the time they were pre-teens, having attended school and growing up together in St. Louis. Eventually, both entered the field of comedy separately and performed their own stage acts.
When Redd Foxx was offered a sitcom in Los Angeles, he brought his childhood friend Page to the attention to one of the show’s producers, who was already familiar with Page and her act. Foxx buy viagra jumia subsequently asked Page to read for the role of Aunt Esther; she auditioned and was offered the role. However, prior to taping, producers became concerned when Page, whose experience was limited primarily to nightclub stages, seemed to have difficulty working in a sitcom format. Eventually, one of Sanford and Son‘s producers told Foxx that Page would need to be fired and that another actor would need to be cast before the show could begin taping. Foxx responding by insisting that Page keep the part, even threatening to walk away from the show if Page were fired. The producers relented, and Page’s Aunt Esther went on to become one of the most popular TV sitcom characters of the 1970s.
LaWanda Page’s stand up was a far cry from the bible thumping Aunt Esther. Listen to one of her most popular bits. This is NOT for the faint at heart!
Did you know at one time the “Aunt Esther” purses were marketed? I’d like the pucker popper now!
