What's Happening Now!

Contrary to popular misconception, this is not the sequel to Good Times, the sitcom that starredJames “J.J.” Walker.What's Happening!, which came out around the same time in the 70’s (and was created by the same writers), was about five black teenagers growing up in the ghetto--Raj, Dwayne, Rerun, Shirley, and Dee. What’s Happening Now picks up the story ten years later, focusing on the lives of the three guys from the group. Raj (Ernest Thomas) is newly married and trying to become a writer while his two buddies Rerun (Fred Berry) and Dwayne (Haywood Nelson) are sharing a bachelor apartment. Rerun is working as a used car salesman while Dwayne is a computer programmer. Wait, they had computers back then?  Dee (Danielle Spencer) and Shirley (Shirley Hemphill) were also on the show, but we’re not really sure what they were up to--probably smokin’ the crizznack, yo. Martin Lawrence, one of the most unfunny and overpaid comedians on the planet, also guest starred as Maurice Warfield. The show lasted three seasons, which was a lot longer than one would expect. As for the long anticipated Good Times 2: Son of DYN-O-MITE--well, keep holding your breath. So far we’re not holding our breath that café mocha–skinned Anne Marie Johnson will be doing any great nude scenes soon either. She only gave us a taste in the 1990 sci-fi travesty Robot Jox and not a peep, nor a nip, from her since.