A couple days from now (January 12, if you’re a stickler for precision) marks the date on which the very first episode of All the Family aired in 1971. I remember watching that show when I was a kid. This was before the days of helicopter parental supervision apparently. I’m not scarred from all that Archie bigotry, and the nickname Meathead is endearing in my mind. The Archie Bunker character was a hyperbolic caricature of a homophobic, intolerant, xenophobic, racist misogynist. He’s a man who was guided by stereotypes viewed with blinders on. He and I pretty much would have disagreed on everything. Funny how in 1971 he was just a television character who represented extreme closed-mindedness, and now he represents the modern iteration of the Republican party. Norman Lear was prescient.
It’s a wonder Edith stayed married to Archie, and it’s no surprise Gloria married a hippie.
I have a hunch a few sips of this helped get Edith through Archie’s ranting and wordsmithing…ahem (and I’m sure it contributed to her grand singing voice).
Edith’s Fizz (from the fantastic book The Daily Cocktail by Dalyn A. Miller and Larry Donovan)
1 1/2 ounces white wine
1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur
4 ounces orange juice
2 ounces soda water
Combine and serve in a Collins glass.
A few Archieisms for your enjoyment:
“The only thing that holds a marriage together is the husband being big enough to step back and see where the wife is wrong.”
“No bum that can’t speak poifect English oughta stay in this country…oughta be de-exported the hell outta here!”
“Can’t eat the food with these Chink pickup sticks.”
“You’re breakin’ about 18 laws, maybe even a dozen.”
“They just wanna get rid of us old guys over 50 that’s all, and put us out to pasture. Well I ain’t ready to be pasteurized!”
“It ain’t supposed to make sense; it’s faith. Faith is something that you believe that nobody in his right mind would believe.”
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but you are one dumb Pollack.”
“Would you feel better if they were pushed outta windows?” (in response to the statistic that 85% of murders are committed by handguns)