In 1977, George Jefferson walked into his dry-cleaning store and dropped a line that sent censors scrambling. The episode, titled George vs. the System, was supposed to be a comedy about taxes. But what aired shocked viewers—and NBC.
The scene featured George confronting a white IRS agent, using language that even All in the Family never dared. The laughter track was quickly drowned in silence.
Behind the scenes, Sherman Hemsley fought to keep the script intact. “If we’re gonna talk about race, let’s really talk about it,” he argued.
NBC nearly pulled the episode last minute. Instead, they added a warning screen. When it aired, over 5,000 complaints flooded the network—but so did praise.
The controversy faded. The episode was never rerun. But it remains one of the bravest moments in sitcom history.
George didn’t just move on up—he kicked the doors open.
