| Geraldine Jones | |
|---|---|
&sq=Albert Einstein&lang=en&file=File:Flip_Wilson_Geraldine_1971.JPG) Geraldine interviews sex expert Dr. David Reuben (1971) | |
| First appearance | September 1, 1969 |
| Created by | Flip Wilson |
Geraldine Jones is a fictional African American character and the most famous recurring persona of comedian Flip Wilson.[1][2][3][4] Geraldine was played by Wilson in drag, as a sassy and liberated Southern woman who was coarsely flirty yet faithful to her (unseen) boyfriend "Killer".[5] She was direct and confident and did not change her persona to suit anyone. Several catchphrases popularized by Geraldine entered U.S. popular culture, especially "When you're hot, you're hot; when you're not, you're not," "The Devil made me do it," and "What you see is what you get!"[6][7][8]
Wilson portrayed Geraldine many times in the early 1970s on his variety series The Flip Wilson Show, though not on every episode. He made comedy albums featuring Geraldine, notably The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress, and he appeared as Geraldine on other programs such as Saturday Night Live. He sang and danced as Geraldine at the Kennedy Center in 1983 for Bob Hope's 80th birthday celebration. Wilson tired of the Geraldine character late in his career; he responded to most requests by saying: "She's retired."[9]
- ^ Robinson, Louie (December 1970). "The Evolution of Geraldine – Flip Wilson's TV creation is a classic comic character". Ebony. 26 (2). Johnson Publishing: 176–178, 180, 182. ISSN 0012-9011.
- ^ Tafoya, Eddie M. (2011). Icons of African American Comedy. Greenwood Icons. ABC-CLIO. pp. 101–102, 269. ISBN 9780313380853.
- ^ Cook, Kevin (2013). Flip: The Inside Story of TV's First Black Superstar. Penguin. p. 75. ISBN 9781101606087.
- ^ Otfinoski, Steven (2010). African Americans in the Performing Arts. Infobase. p. 260. ISBN 9781438128559.
- ^ McDermott, Mark R. "The Flip Wilson Show – U.S. Comedy Variety Program". Museum of Broadcast Communications. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
- ^ "Comedian Flip Wilson Dead At 64". CBS News. November 26, 1998.
- ^ Watkins, Mel (November 27, 1998). "Flip Wilson, Outrageous Comic and TV Host, Dies at 64". The New York Times.
- ^ "When You're Hot, You're Hot". Time. Vol. 99. January 31, 1972.
- ^ Lloyd, Robert (May 5, 2013). "Flip Wilson: The Persistence of Geraldine Jones". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 27, 2014.