‘All In The Family’ promotes progressive ideas about race and sex. But in a recorded private conversation, President Nixon suggested it would destroy the country.
All In The Family is considered one of TV’s most groundbreaking shows. Unlike any other series of its time, the sitcom promoted progressive ideas about race, sexual identity, and women’s rights. It helped bring popular culture into modern times, but not without criticism.
One of the show’s most notable critics was President Richard Nixon. He never spoke about it publicly, but the disgraced politician bashed an episode in a recorded private discussion.
‘All In The Family’ promoted meaningful cultural conversations
When All In The Family premiered in 1968, there was nothing like it on American TV. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed just four years ago, and the country was ushering in a new era of change.
The sitcom revolves around Archie Bunker (Carrol O’Connor), a working-class man from Queens who holds bigoted and biased views about people of color, sexuality, and women. He lived with his sweet wife, Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton), his progressive daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers), and his outspoken liberal son-in-law, Michael (Rob Reiner).
Archie often voices his antiquated opinions about people and culture. But being the voice of progressivism, Gloria and Michael always challenge his ideas.
One episode of All In The Family addresses bias against the LGBTQ community
All In The Family wasn’t shy about highlighting major societal issues. And in just its fifth episode, “Judging Books By Covers,” the series tackles prejudice against the LGBQ community.
In the episode, Michael and Gloria invite their friend, Roger (Tony Geary), over for dinner. Archie is unhappy because he thinks Roger’s wardrobe and mannerisms suggest he’s gay.
Archie meets up with one of his tall, strong, rugged old friends, Steve (Philip Carey), at the bar. When he brings up the topic of Roger being gay, Steve reveals that he is gay too, dispelling all the prejudiced stereotypes Archie had.
President Nixon criticized the sitcom in a recorded discussion
While he was in office, some of President Nixon’s conversations were recorded. As reported by ABC News, in one discussion with his domestic affairs adviser, John Ehrlichman, the President brought up All In The Family.
He specifically spoke about the “Judging Books By Covers” episode. And while using derogatory language about the LGBTQ community, he suggested the show promoted “destructive” ideas.
“The point that I make is that, goddamn it, I do not think that you glorify on public television homosexuality,” Nixon said. “You don’t glorify it, John, any more than you glorify, uh, wh*res. I don’t want to see this country go that way. You know what happened to the Greeks. Homosexuality destroys them. Sure, Aristotle was a ho*o, we all know that, so was Socrates.”
In 1974, after his criminal activity was exposed in the Watergate Investigation, Nixon resigned from office. His recorded tapes were eventually released to the National Archives.
