July 4th, 2012 JJ Walker greets fans at Virgo’s Sip N Soul Café
 Jimmie “JJ” Walker with owners Annagjid and Micol McNair at Virgo’s Sip N Soul Café in Beacon. Walker is promoting his book, “Dynomite!: Good Times, Bad Times, Our Times - A Memoir.” Hudson Valley Press/CHUCK STEWART, JR. |
|
BEACON - “Dynomite!: Good Times, Bad Times, Our Times - A Memoir” is the highly anticipated new book by Jimmie “J.J.” Walker.
Walker, a star of the TV show “Good Times,” who became a singular comedic sensation of the 1970s, talked about his life and career and signed copies of his memoir at Virgo’s Sip N Soul Café on Sunday afternoon.
Jackie King learned about Walker’s appearance and knew she had to come meet the TV star. “I came straight from church,” King said. “I wanted to get a copy of his book and meet J.J.” King grew up watching the TV show “Good Times” and still watches it today.
Nine-year-old Nathallia Boatswain also came to meet Walker even though she wasn’t born when the hit television show originally aired. Boatswain explained that she was introduced to Walker thanks to her stepfather; he rented episodes of “Good Times” and the two watched them together. Before long, she was emulating Walker’s signature “Dynomite!”
“I got so good at it that even the kids in school wanted me to do it,” Boatswain said.
With that signature line, Walker’s fame grew and he recorded his best-selling comedy album, “Dynomite!” which went gold. Time Magazine would later name him Comedian of the Decade. He was also the first winner of the NAACP Image Award, and won a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
His joke writing team included a young David Letterman, Jay Leno and Byron Allen. Walker dedicates an entire chapter of his book discussing how Leno appeared on an episode of “Good Times” before making it big on “The Tonight Show.” He also dishes some interesting dirt in that chapter (you’ll have to read it for yourself).
Walker’s television work would lead to movie roles, like boxer Bootney Farnsworth in “Let’s Do it Again,” co-starring with entertainment luminaries Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby. He also appeared in films like “Airplane!” and “Airport ‘79”, and was a regular on television shows like “The Love Boat” and “Fantasy Island.” In recent years he’s made scene-stealing appearances on “The George Lopez Show,” “Everybody Hates Chris” and “Scrubs.”
At 64, Walker continues to perform on the stand-up circuit and tours an average of 25-30 weeks a year. |
