Revisionist History Good Old Boys
Jul 11, 2019
Jim Brown, former professional football player and civil rights activist, shares his insightful reflections on race and equality. The conversation highlights the contrast between perspectives featured on The Dick Cavett Show, particularly with segregationist Lester Maddox. They explore Randy Newman's provocative song 'Rednecks' and its satirical take on Southern identity, alongside the complexities of civil rights struggles in the 1970s. Tension-filled moments on air challenge the moral responsibilities of media in addressing controversial views.
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Lester Maddox and the Pickwick
- Lester Maddox, a segregationist, owned a popular restaurant called the Pickwick.
- He refused to integrate, closed it, and became a local hero, eventually becoming governor.
Sail Away and its Cover
- Newman's song "Sail Away" is about a slave trader luring Africans to America.
- Bobby Darin's cover sanitized the song, changing "wog" to "one".
Maddox on The Dick Cavett Show
- Lester Maddox appeared on the Dick Cavett Show in 1970.
- He clashed with Jim Brown and walked off after an argument with Cavett.