In 1975, Sanford and Son aired an episode that would later be labeled a mistake—one so controversial that NBC almost pulled it after the first broadcast.
The episode, titled “The Puerto Rican Day Parade,” featured Fred Sanford getting caught in a cultural misunderstanding that quickly spiraled into racial caricature. What was intended as edgy comedy crossed a line for many viewers.
Within hours of airing, NBC’s phone lines lit up with complaints. Advocacy groups called it offensive. Local stations threatened to pull future reruns. Internally, the network panicked.
What fans didn’t know was that Redd Foxx had initially objected to the script. “He told them, ‘You’re playing with fire,’” said a former staff writer. “But the network wanted to push boundaries. They thought it would get people talking.”
After the backlash, the episode was quietly removed from syndication and remains missing from most DVD and streaming releases. Foxx later admitted he regretted doing it, calling it “the one time I should’ve walked.”
The controversy nearly derailed the show’s momentum. Writers were forced to tone down future scripts, and a planned sequel episode was permanently scrapped.
To this day, many fans have never seen the episode—and those who have say it felt like watching the show fall off a cliff.
Sometimes comedy pushes boundaries. Other times, it crosses them. And in 1975, Sanford and Son learned just how thin that line really was.
