“She could roast you with one look—and a Bible in her hand.”
LaWanda Page brought unforgettable sass and sanctified fury as Aunt Esther on Sanford and Son. With her sharp tongue, Bible-thumping comebacks, and legendary one-liners, she became one of TV’s most iconic scene stealers.
But what many fans don’t know is that LaWanda was a stand-up powerhouse in her own right. Before joining the cast, she was known as “The Bronze Goddess of Comedy,” performing in nightclubs with routines that were anything but church-approved.
She and Redd Foxx were friends long before the show—he even helped her land the role. Off camera, LaWanda was just as fierce, funny, and full of heart as Esther. She continued acting and performing until her death in 2002, leaving behind a legacy of laughter.
To this day, her clapbacks remain iconic. As one fan said: “Nobody could check Fred Sanford like Aunt Esther.”
