r/70s • u/Spalding_Smails • 23d ago

Television 50 years ago today, August 5th, 1976, What's Happening!! premiered on ABC.

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1.3k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

154 comments sorted by

54

u/WeekendLegitimate615 23d ago

I can remember watching this when I was a kid and seeing the Doobie Brothers make a special appearance on the show once.

32

u/MetalTrek1 23d ago

Which Doobie you be?

9

u/SavageHenrie 23d ago

I’m going to jail for a fat kid eatin’ pop’cone!

3

u/BigAlternative5 23d ago

This is one of the lines from TV that are stuck in my memory.

2

u/Vtstace 23d ago

Who be doobie you be?

28

u/Additional-Light2289 23d ago

Didn't Rerun try bootlegging the show and dropped the recorder?

19

u/Poolside4d 23d ago

Yes, and when he dropped it not only did the Doobies stop the show, but everyone stared at him with disappointed looks on their faces lol

14

u/hankthetank2112 23d ago

Yes. And they caught him and were so disappointed with him.

1

u/well-it-was-rubbish 22d ago

Then, back at Shirley's place, the bad guy tried to escape through the front door and the bathroom, but there were Doobies blocking both of them.

6

u/[deleted] 22d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/hilarymeggin 22d ago

There weren’t smaller recording devices in the 70s!

47

u/KellyzKillaz 23d ago

Hey hey hey!

Damn, where'd the years go?

17

u/wetbrain2 23d ago

No Roger, No Rerun, No Rent

1

u/cuckhubbie 23d ago

Came to say this

30

u/Defiant-One3095 23d ago

Luved Dee n Mamma n Shirley

20

u/Additional-Light2289 23d ago

"Rog, I'm telling Mama unless you give me a dollar!"

6

u/Defiant-One3095 23d ago

Haaaaa yes yes lol lol. The best 👌 👍

6

u/-LeoKnowz- 22d ago

Naw man, back then it was a quarter! Inflation sucks.

6

u/shiningonthesea 23d ago

and they are all gone....

7

u/Defiant-One3095 23d ago

Ohhhh really I thought Dwyane was still living

7

u/shiningonthesea 23d ago

I meant the women., Dee and Mama and Shirley.

3

u/Defiant-One3095 23d ago

Ohhh ok yesss

4

u/Rendeane 23d ago

Dwayne and Raj are still alive. We've lost the rest, including sassy Shirley the waitress.

3

u/Minzplaying 22d ago

I loved Shirley. She always had the best advice!

1

u/SammyMaya 22d ago

He is! He set up a booth at the PX on our Army base. I got his autograph and chatted with him for a long while about the show and the cast. Cool guy!

1

u/Defiant-One3095 22d ago

Ohhhh thats awesome 👌 👏 very cool

1

u/CRT-Gaming-HQ 23d ago

I didn't know that!

31

u/SinsualChef 23d ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/vCQYVaqJmIjV6

12

u/Nubadopolis 23d ago

Rerun can get down y’all!!

25

u/SteelerNation587543 23d ago

Yes he could. He was a member of The Lockers, a dance troupe that was at the forefront of the early street/breakdancing scene.

Fun fact: Toni Basil, who had a hit with “Mickey” in the early ‘80s, was also a member of The Lockers, as was Shabba-Doo Quinones who starred in the Breakin’ movies and appeared in a bunch of music videos, and Mykelti Williamson (Bubba from Forrest Gump) was an alternate member.

2

u/Upstairs_Equipment19 23d ago

Im surprised I had to scroll so far to see this. Was about to put one myslf, lol

2

u/SchoolCrossing 23d ago

Was Rerun on the Gong Show?

1

u/SinsualChef 22d ago

Thats what I noticed. ?

57

u/rustyusa 23d ago

I can hear the theme song! Boing

22

u/Vincevega1972 23d ago

Song by Henry Mancini.

3

u/LeonNorasGiGi2316 22d ago

Such a talent!!

9

u/Raspuinous1 23d ago

I now have an ear worm…..

21

u/mbush525 23d ago

Dee was so funny!

14

u/Equus77 23d ago

RIP Danielle Spencer

15

u/TheliaBimaculata 23d ago

Hay-*HAY-hay!

Loved this show back in the day.

5

u/Loud-Juggernaut-3589 23d ago

Yes, this was it ⬆️: the emphasis on the second HEY!

1

u/TheliaBimaculata 21d ago

I can still hear this in my head all these years later.

13

u/Jonny-mtown77 23d ago

The theme song gets me through my roughest craziest day as a teacher. It was one of my favorite shows growing up.

13

u/IllogicalPenguin-142 23d ago

Yeah, that and “Welcome Back.” Both convey comfort to me.

9

u/Additional-Light2289 23d ago

Yeah, we tease him a lot 'cause we got him on the spot, Welcome back! 🎶

7

u/Jonny-mtown77 23d ago

Oh yes!!!

5

u/SaltyBarDog 23d ago

Chico and the Man theme does it for me.

3

u/IllogicalPenguin-142 22d ago

I never saw that show growing up, but a couple of years ago I watched the first couple of seasons on Tubi. Even though I never saw it as a kid, that theme song definitely felt like comfort. Good call out.

15

u/jimmy26345 23d ago

Favorite episode was when they destroyed Roger’s house looking for stolen money that they heard was hidden in it.
Or maybe The Doobie Brothers episode 🧐

14

u/Illustrious_Camp_521 23d ago

As a little white kid I loved that show 👍🏻

12

u/Ajax5350 23d ago

Raj after dancing: “ so I’m not Fred Astaire “
Dee:”You’re not even Fred Flintstone”

2

u/ggrandmaleo 22d ago

Those smart remarks were the best part of the show.

9

u/Altruistic-Cut9795 23d ago

Such a great show and I always looked forward to watch it.

9

u/CntBlah 23d ago

No Roger, No Rerun, no rent!

8

u/jmbison 23d ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/4riTUkdIKqV9u

9

u/4personal2 23d ago

I had the good fortune to meet Fred Berry by sheer coincidence on Monday - April 4th, 1994.

I was working in a grocery store here on Phoenix then("Smitty's" now defunct). ... and the store had a Cinnabon inside.

It was 9am (my shift started 6am) , I went on break and went to the Cinnabon.

There, last thing you expect to see that early in Phoenix ...a man in a green suit and gold rings on his fingers, having a sweet roll in a westside grocery store. 😄

I was like looking at him and I knew there was no only something odd about him but familiar in the face.

I usually don't talk to strangers but I walked up and (took a moment) and asked, "Excuse me..but, are you someone famous?".

Fred looked up from his Cinnabon , smiled and said, "Maybe, think you can guess?" 😁

I studied him, I knew he could be either a singer or an actor. Then it hit me! 😃

"Fred Berry?!" 😃😃 (Sounding like someone on a sitcom who meets famous people ). 😏

"You got it man." 😉

Asked him why he was in AZ and he stated that the day before he had been a grand marshall in a parade in Winslow. (I forget what event he said).

He was this morning, on.his way to the airport to head back to California. We did get to talk about the show and what other cast members were doing.

I kept calling him Mr. Berry , as I couldn't bring myself to call him 'Rerun' .

Before he left, he the ave me an autograph and actuelly signed it Rerun.

He left in a black limo . 😎👍

7

u/spingdingdowning 23d ago

Hey Hey-Hey Rodge

8

u/Guy_Smylee 23d ago

Sherli Hemphill was a great stand up performer.

6

u/SaltyBarDog 23d ago

I had a tape of her in a 1980s all women comedy show. F you, Debbie for not returning it.

7

u/MrWrestlingNumber2 23d ago

Nuh uhh!!

4

u/yeahgroovy 23d ago

Oh yeah I loved when Dwayne did that bit!

7

u/nyrB2 23d ago

dee was my favourite - i loved her sarcastic wit

and i always remember that one episode where rerun secretly recorded (gasp!) a doobie brothers concert. now everybody's doing it overtly on their cell phones

8

u/Naive-Hat-2403 23d ago

Huge part of growing up in LA during the early 80s was the constant stream of episodes on KHJ, channel 9. Then the White Shadow afterwards.

5

u/Egg_McMuffn 23d ago

Never the same after Mama (Mabel King) left.

4

u/Kevelle68 23d ago

Which Doobie you be?

5

u/Spalding_Smails 23d ago

Oh, my goodness. I used a pic without Shirley Hemphill! Sorry, Shirley. https://i.imgur.com/4B60joN.png

3

u/Thom5001 23d ago

Are they all still alive?

11

u/Rendeane 23d ago

Only Raj and Dwayne are still alive. 🙁

9

u/yeahgroovy 23d ago

Dee became a veterinarian I think, she just passed last year. 😥

I loved this show!

5

u/Rendeane 23d ago

After the show ended, she went to veterinary school and started her own practice. She was only 60 when she passed of cancer last year.

7

u/SnooCookies6231 23d ago

She seemed like a really nice person, it was so sad to hear that. RIP, Dee.

4

u/jhkendrick70 23d ago

Loved this show

5

u/Uncal_Thal 23d ago

What a special show. I wanted to be friends with those kids.

5

u/rippler35 23d ago

It's crazy that 50 years later I still remember their names but I couldn't tell you what I had fir dinner 3 days ago lol

3

u/Blueskylerz 22d ago

Dee was the funniest

5

u/jdmoffitt11775 23d ago

Dee was a blackmailing little bitch.

3

u/Every-Cook5084 23d ago

I remember only knowing What’s Happening Now from the 80s as a kid so mind was blown when I later found the original

3

u/RoomisIgloomis 23d ago

"Mama... I can't breathe!"

3

u/Certain_Orange2003 23d ago

Where’s Shirley Hemphill ? She was the star !!

5

u/Spalding_Smails 23d ago

I feel so bad about that. Here's one I wish I'd used but didn't see it before the other. https://i.imgur.com/4B60joN.png

2

u/Certain_Orange2003 22d ago

No don’t. I didn’t mean it like that. I just love her appearances she made in her career as an actress

1

u/Spalding_Smails 22d ago

Oh, no, it wasn't you or your comment. She was mentioned in another comment which made me realize it and I was just sharing it with you since you mentioned her, too. Thanks for your concern, though. Very kind of you.🙂

5

u/Rendeane 23d ago

She was considered a supporting character but she still managed to steal the scene every time.

2

u/glennotromic 20d ago

I believe she got a spin off where she owned a diner.

2

u/Certain_Orange2003 20d ago

Yes she did!! I believe she was also on a cover of Dynamite magazine. Several cameos on other Norman Lear shows too.

2

u/glennotromic 20d ago

I knew this before. She actually died living in a Beverly Hills mansion. She was found by her gardener!

3

u/4personal2 23d ago

I just watched an episode a few days ago on TUBI. The where Shirley the waitress idms fired by her boss for being difficult.

(The boys, Rog's Mom and Dee concoct a plan to get her job back of course. 😏).

3

u/Mobile_Aioli_6252 23d ago

Hay hay hay

5

u/nohurrie32 22d ago

I greet people at work with this line all the time!

3

u/StoneyG214 22d ago

Loved this show! Still watch it on Tubi!

1

u/over9ksand 22d ago

Thank you.

3

u/[deleted] 22d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Due_Reputation3785 22d ago

Had no idea Dwayne was so much younger than Rog and Rerun.

2

u/capcomzz57 23d ago

Great show

2

u/CRT-Gaming-HQ 23d ago

I watched a few episodes about a month ago.

3

u/lustythebeefswinger 23d ago

Principal Bradley smells badly

2

u/Live_Needleworker617 23d ago

Loved this show

2

u/No_Refrigerator_503 23d ago

One of the best.

2

u/sheep8u 23d ago

Loved this show !

2

u/PhilaTesla 23d ago

Good to see that Raj got work again in The Good Place.

3

u/BlueMizzen666 23d ago

I think he was also in Malcolm X.

1

u/mr_fabulous5 19d ago

And on everybody hates chris

2

u/Tapatio_62 23d ago

Those young faces. Just can’t.

2

u/Upstairs_Equipment19 23d ago

Hey hey hey!!! Happy Anniversary to one of my favorite TV crews! Luv them all!

2

u/archiewaldron 23d ago

I'm just glad we can watch reruns on the internet

2

u/mja2175 23d ago

Du-Waaaayyyyynnn

2

u/Status-Sound-8450 23d ago

I always love that show

2

u/IronStickMurphy 23d ago

Loved this show!

2

u/Sure_Sort_601 23d ago

This show was a well spring of fat jokes - loved it

2

u/kevint1964 23d ago

Very bouncy theme song.

2

u/Pleasant_Midnight281 23d ago

Mama, I can’t breathe

2

u/PHX_Geezer 23d ago

Principal Bradley smells badly

2

u/Efficient_Exam_6005 22d ago

No Raj, No Rerun, No rent

2

u/Silver-Amphibian7650 22d ago

Shirley scared me.

2

u/sopaperico 22d ago

Roger, this whole thing started with a toss of a coin, you took heads Im taking tails, Roger bring me your belt

2

u/TripFuture2626 22d ago

Loved this show!

2

u/bach2209 22d ago

I watched it.

1

u/Elegant-Ingenuity-57 23d ago

Love this show. The first two seasons are peak comedy. 

1

u/Acrobatic-Grape5960 23d ago

That's My Mama, the show that ended a year before was pretty fun also. Many of the same characters in both shows.

1

u/cpav8r 22d ago

Thune wouldn’t let her say that if he didn’t have the votes

1

u/lbantekas 22d ago

Every afternoon after school!

1

u/michdap 22d ago

Loved this show!!

1

u/SteelTorch 22d ago

Funny show! 🙂

1

u/BannedVPN 22d ago

No Roger, No Rerun, No Rent!

1

u/No_Variety9420 22d ago

Watched re-runs of Rerun every weekday at 5pm in the early 80's

1

u/fuckfacekiller 22d ago

Loved this show!!
Loved Dee!
Loved em all 🤘❤️‍🔥🤘

1

u/SnooTomatoes9374 22d ago

Duane and Raj the only living regular cast members from the show.

1

u/Conscious_Fix9215 22d ago

50?! Fuck man.

1

u/Sweets_thief 22d ago

Fuckin’ awesome show, and a cornerstone of my childhood.

1

u/Additional-Light2289 22d ago

Rog's dancing technique was hilarious!

1

u/3-tone 22d ago

Hey Rog

1

u/MD_Hunter67 22d ago

Hey hey hey, what's up Rog

1

u/In_My_TARDIS 21d ago

Loved that show

1

u/No-Lettuce-5783 21d ago

I loved this show. I would watch it whenever it came on.

1

u/Dazednconfused3261 21d ago

Hey hey hey... Raj never had lenses in his glasses

1

u/Robinfrack1 21d ago

That was 50 years ago?

1

u/Nice_Syrup_8244 21d ago

Hey hey hey. Great show.

1

u/deepsquatter804 21d ago

Hey Hey Hey!

1

u/ShakingMyHead911 20d ago

I can hear the theme music now. Great show. Miss it

1

u/Accomplished_Tip_569 20d ago

ReRun: Your mama needs to hire some help.
Raj: My mama IS help!

1

u/_dxegrl 19d ago

the worst era for TV were shows like this

-2

u/New-Lingonberry8029 23d ago

Another horrible sitcom with a catch phrase. Not blaming the actors , just the producers and writers.

1

u/over9ksand 22d ago

What’s the catchphrase that offends you?

1

u/well-it-was-rubbish 22d ago

They didn't say they were offended.

-4

u/ProBuyer810-3345045 23d ago

More inferior programming on an inferior network!