It was a reflection of real life.

Mamie was a middle aged Black Woman born in an era where names like Mamie (for all women) was common.

It wouldn't be anymore different if the character's name were Juanita or Beulah or Hazel or Hattie.

Indeed. Mamie was indeed a common name for black women born in the first half of the 20th century. I have several aunts and cousins in Mississippi named Mamie. And Beulah. And Hazel and Hattie. These aren't names to be ashamed of.

Same here and I agree, but I think people are taking issue with the name choice being the most typical of the typical and of course its similarity to "Mammie". Had it been Almeeta, Mally, Melbadene, folks might still but there wouldn't be all this .

Nobody's arguing that she was an employee but she is also family.

She's to The Abbotts what Esther is to Katherine.

I get that, I see that and I respect it but still, not family.

It was a reflection of real life.

Mamie was a middle aged Black Woman born in an era where names like Mamie (for all women) was common.

It wouldn't be anymore different if the character's name were Juanita or Beulah or Hazel or Hattie.

For instance Tiffany was a popular name for many women (especially wealthy ones) in the 80's or names like Ryder & Chloe are common for youth now.

I understand the concern people may have with the intent behind the name but Bill never treated the character with anything less than dignity & respect which was reflected via his writing & characterization.

Well, at least you see where I'm coming from. Mamie's still too close to Mammy, and her role is still too similar to a mammy's, for me to buy it as just a name from her era. Doesn't cut it.

Indeed. Mamie was indeed a common name for black women born in the first half of the 20th century. I have several aunts and cousins in Mississippi named Mamie. And Beulah. And Hazel and Hattie. These aren't names to be ashamed of.

No one's saying anyone should be ashamed but when you are one of a handful of black characters on a show and you play a maid who acted as a surrogate mother and maid to white children and your name is 2 letters off from mammy it sets off internal alarm bells.

Edited May 6, 201015 yr by Darn

I get that, I see that and I respect it but still, not family.

When you're in people's wills & their willingly taking care of your family out of love & devotion for you?

Their family.

Well, at least you see where I'm coming from. Mamie's still too close to Mammy, and her role is still too similar to a mammy's, for me to buy it as just a name from her era. Doesn't cut it.

Oh no I completely understand.

The thing was though Mamie wasn't a Mammy (at least in the manner entertainment portrays them).

Still she was the Abbott kids literal Mother (not just caretaker but maternal figure) once Dina abandoned them but given the racism in Daytime TPTB (even a genius like Bill Bell) was going to let a Black Woman be the recognized head of a White family even if that was the end result of the story (which it was).

If the character's name was Beulah or Hattie would you feel the same?

No one's saying anyone should be ashamed but when you are one of a handful of black characters on a show and you play a maid who acted as a surrogate mother and maid to white children and your name is 2 letters off from mammy it sets off internal alarm bells.

It does but it also has to be given proper context too.

The next two Black characters were Frank & Amy.

Names about as whitebread & non ethnic as one can get.

Why not Lester & Latoya or Lamont & Yvette?

I wonder how much of it was Bill Bell being cautious about how white viewers would accept a black character. I think she was the first he'd ever created on any of his soaps.

Oh no I completely understand.

The thing was though Mamie wasn't a Mammy (at least in the manner entertainment portrays them).

Still she was the Abbott kids literal Mother (not just caretaker but maternal figure) once Dina abandoned them but given the racism in Daytime TPTB (even a genius like Bill Bell) was going to let a Black Woman be the recognized head of a White family even if that was the end result of the story (which it was).

If the character's name was Beulah or Hattie would you feel the same?

Absolutely. Even while Beulah was on the air there were protests against it, so to imagine that they'd have a black maid on daytime 30 years later and name her BEULAH? Oh good lord. They may as well have named Neil Stepin Fetchit (which is what I call him whenever he's made to lick Victor's boots but that's another can of worms).

It does but it also has to be given proper context too.

The next two Black characters were Frank & Amy.

Names about as whitebread & non ethnic as one can get.

Why not Lester & Latoya or Lamont & Yvette?

I believe I am giving it the proper context for what it's worth.

LOL. He'd obviously need to be paired with someone who understood the genre or had previous soap experience. Someone who he could bounce ideas off from. But he may be too egotistical to commit to that.

Tyler Perry's

HUGE ASS EGO

Coming to TBS... home of That Black Storyline. We get it up and pumpin'.

Tom and Simone Hardy on GH back in the gap

before racist Frons/Guza took over they were in top tier story.

Then slowly became invisible before disappearing...

Dr. Elaine Winters never had a love scene...sort of a love intrest w/Justis then they whacked him

and had a nice size fanbase that walked

they did nothing for her while they over exposed /marketed

her fellow Port Chuck refugee beachball bouncer.

Disappointed in the Epiphany / Toussaint storyline NS1 did them justice great story for them

when Billy D came to GH they promoted him from mopping floors and then suddenly after their announcement

he too disappeared.

Dissapointed w/Devon and his girlfriend played by Tatyana Ali (who in my opinion would have made an excellent Lily since they felt Davetta didn't work out because for me Lily is a joke I don't hate her I just can't see her as Dru's daughter for some reason and I don't think she's a good actress)

Same with Evangeline and RJ whom she was brought on for...they made him a stalker out of character plopped her with John, Todd whom they knew they were not going to write a real story for her..she was just a placeholder when all was said and done...I haven't watched OLTL since she was gassed.

Same thing w/Tatyana's character and Devon they could steal the show and we know we can't have that so again "no air"

its the same story....

For me Angie and Jessie had good storylines top tier A stories and were a supercouple

I don't know about now I don't watch ABC soaps anymore the same stench permeates all three of them.

I didn't see the Wards (GH) I wasn't living in the US then I'm catching them now on Utube...which is where I dwell for soaps

I'm basically a "vintage soap opera watcher now" I can't endure the crap fest they have made of this genre the "most" part.

Sorry to hear Tyler Perry has a huge ego...

Edited May 8, 201015 yr by Cyberologist

Mamie apparently was earning so much she got to put Olivia through medical school.

Also John Abbott gifted Maime with a million dollars or something

she became very well off. They skirted with a love story the two actors

were amazing however of course they didn't go there.

Maybe things got switched after I stopped watching, but I remember Jill being the one who gave Mamie the million to hightail it. She walked around town with it in a shopping bag (cash!).

Maybe things got switched after I stopped watching, but I remember Jill being the one who gave Mamie the million to hightail it. She walked around town with it in a shopping bag (cash!).

And Mamie wasn't going to accept it, but then she caught Jill and John in a private moment talking or she caught John in a private moment and she misinterpreted what he said, and she thought he didn't want her. I thought that was out of character for Mamie. I didn't like the way that story ended, it must have been due to some sort of backlash.

Yeah, I think she just quietly disappeared after that.

I wonder if Bill Bell brought Mamie back a few years later because he was sad about how the earlier story panned out. They clearly had no real point in Mamie returning and she faded away quietly after that.

That was Alden.

I'm blurry on this but didn't Katherine set up newly rich Mamie with some handsome black guy(Trent?) and the two went off on a cruise?

It was a quick and disappointing pay off to a story that was years in the making and had a lot of life left in it...