Jo Marie Payton Reason for Leavinv Family Matters

Debuting on ABC, Family Matters began as a spin-off to the Perfect Strangers sitcom. JoMarie Payton, in the office of Hariette Winslow, proved to be so popular that William Bickley and Michael Warren created a show revolving around her graphic symbol.

Family Matters followed the straight-talking and sassy Harriette in her Chicago home where viewers got to encounter she and her hubby equally parents and managing a household. Married to a police officeholder named Carl (Reginald VelJohnson), they raised three children; Eddie (Darius McCrary), Laura (Kellie Shanygne Williams), and Judy (Jaimee Foxworth). Harriette's widowed sis, Rachel Crawford (Telma Hopkins), her immature son Richie (Bryton James), and Carl'south mother Estelle (Rosetta LeNoire) alive with them.

In the 12th episode, nerdy neighbor Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) was introduced and intended equally a sometime only graphic symbol. He proved so pop with the audition that he became a recurring graphic symbol and then a series regular. It wasn't long before each episode featured an Urkel-focused storyline.

It's often been said that some in the bandage were not pleased with this shift in focus. Payton left midway through the last season (replaced past Judyann Elderberry), and information technology'south been reported and rumored many times that the Urkel storylines were the reason.

Nosotros recently spoke with Payton to set up the record straight.

Going back to the end of the seventh season of Family Matters, the testify switched from ABC to CBS. Practise you remember why that happened?
Well, you know, I remember it probably was because the show was kind of running out of air, what they call "jumping the shark," you know what I hateful?

I know that prior to that, a twelvemonth prior to that, I didn't want to do it anymore. I had been offered an opportunity to practice the Mahalia Jackson story and I wanted to practise something else. And I think, like, 4, three, four years prior to that I would go into ABC with my agent every year and nosotros would inquire for just another projection, something else to do. Like, Bob Sagat was doing America'due south Funniest Home Videos. I just wanted something else to do, but to energize me a little bit more, on the creative side. And so I wanted to exit earlier that so at the stop of the eighth season, which was my last contracted year — I think I might accept had ane of the longest contracts in that location — my contract was upwardly.

And then I was similar a free amanuensis and and then when they went to CBS and all, they asked me to come back. And I really didn't want to come back. I had just done my jazz album and all. And we agreed that I would come dorsum just to kick off the move to CBS and that's how that whole deal went. I was to practise half of a season, eight of the episodes. And I had an option out and I exercised my option. I did.

Equally a affair of fact, I had long talk with [co-creator] Bob Boyett prior to my leaving, and he asked me, "When you said you really were set up to go, you were ready to get, weren't you?" And I said, "Yeah, but they weren't set up to permit get, you know." And then, I know at that place were a few people that were a petty chip upset that I wanted to go, just I was merely ready to leave. I was gear up to become before then, but, I actually call up having ane of the people that were working there, 1 of the production people, saying "Jo, if you leave so y'all know things are going to go crazy." And, "Yes, I have a daughter in higher" yous know, and this and that. And and so I stayed an extra two years.

I felt stifled and like I said, if I had been able to do other projects… There was one time that they agreed to let me do another projection so the project got delayed and then when it was time to do it they said, "No, you can't do it." So, I but needed something extra to do, you know. How I explained information technology is, "A bakery that loves to bake doesn't want to stop baking. They only don't always want to make chocolate cake or chocolate cookies. They want to endeavour to exercise something else. Bake some bagels, do something else." I never wanted to stop interim. I've been acting since I was six years quondam. It'southward just that I was tired of doing that project, you know what I'g saying, I wanted to practise something else.

I remember the reason why some people have idea at that place was a trouble was because y'all left mid-season, which was unusual.
Yes, yes. There were some things existence said, and like I said, merely ignore information technology because yous know information technology's not true. But information technology did hurt, considering information technology fabricated me look like this scandlous person, that was jealous of this kid [Jaleel]. I'm a very truthful person, and I shoot straight from the hip, but like my grapheme, you know? I would be the first person in the globe to apologize to someone if I thought I injure their feelings or I said something that was untrue. Just by the aforementioned token, you lot know, you just become to a point where sometimes y'all gotta say "Okay, alright, allow'southward back this upwardly at present."

Could you talk about when the show started to focus on Urkel?
You know the whole affair was our show had been picked up for the back 9 [episodes] and we had done 12, and nosotros were told by our executive producers. If I think correctly, information technology was Bill Bickley and Michael Warren that called myself, Telma Hopkins, and Reginald VelJohnson, together and told us that ABC liked the Urkel graphic symbol and so much they're going to brand all of the shows about him. That was in the start season. I was at that place for eight and a half years!

We said, okay. Well, what are nosotros going to say? We were all happy to be working, and he made the show go, and we're all still happy about information technology right now. Nosotros're nonetheless laughing to the banking concern with the residuals. So it may have caused a little conflict, just because… it was a real shocker to all of us, you know what I mean? Because he was this piddling character and we had just gotten to know each other and I didn't know Mr. VelJohnson or Telma prior to that, I didn't know any of them prior to that. And then we all had gotten together, nosotros had done 12 shows, and nosotros were a fiddling family, and so we had learned to know and similar each other and communicate, and relate and energize with each other.

And and so Jaleel came in and it was fun to take him there and all, just of course it did the same thing Happy Days did [with the Fonz character]. Yous know what I tell people? He "jumped" out of Family Matters, merely I "jumped" out of Perfect Strangers, you know? It was but a dissimilar kind of "jump." But I understood some of what he was going through because I felt a little something when I was told that I was getting a [spin-off] evidence. I got a little seize with teeth, you know, from some of the people from Perfect Strangers. Well, one in particular, you know, I got a piddling bite and it was mean and nasty, and I was the only African American on that show so I was feeling like the solitary ranger for a infinitesimal. Then when Jaleel'south character "jumped" out I understood that. You know?

And as you say, the evidence was a success.
Similar I tell everybody, I prayed for a blessing. I experience like everybody that was in that production came along in my blessing, because I was the one praying upwardly front end when the church was available. And I was down there on my knees praying for it to [succeed], yous know. Even when people thought it wasn't going to make it, I believed in my eye that prayers are answered and I needed something to happen. I had a little baby and I wanted a domicile. I was staying in an apartment. I just believe it was a blessing, and so I went along with it. Whatever it was, I went along with it and I similar I said, I don't think everyone's going to keep me or anybody on their job or on payroll for 10 and a half years that was a problem for them. I worked for Miller-Boyett and ABC/Disney for ten and a one-half years, y'all know? Then I worked for them again on the Proud Family unit. I think did 52 animated shows for them and five shorts for Disney.

I think that maybe my leaving, like I said, it kind of upset a few people merely like I said, y'all know, it was time for me to go. It was time for the show to go, I wish nosotros could've gone downwards maybe a little scrap earlier, and so maybe we could have gone out with the [finale] that everybody feels similar, we missed, yous know what I mean?

For such a long-running show, it doesn't seem like the show was given a lot of respect in some means.
We were kind of looked downwardly on and I remember Kels (who played Laura) asking me, similar in the 4th flavor. She said "Ms. Payton," with the large eyes, she said "Ms. Payton, why don't we get any coverage, why don't people acknowledge united states of america?" And I said, "Y'all know something, sometimes it'southward not too practiced to be too good, but nosotros're going to exist good all the way to the bank." And that's what nosotros did. We were skilful all the fashion to the banking company.

I think it'southward wonderful that in that location's non a day that I walk out of my door that somebody doesn't stop me. I had a md stop me a couple months ago and he said "Ms. Payton, Ms. Payton, delight don't exist afraid." Because people run up to you and people ever desire to hug you, and that's skillful, because sometimes when they hug me [as the graphic symbol], that's me getting a hug also. Sometimes, I need a hug too you lot know. Merely he said, "You know its amazing, you still look the aforementioned and gosh, that was how many years ago?" And he says, "Y'all know, my kid's watching the show now, I'm then happy, my kid is watching the prove."

And 1 of my producers on a project I am on now, he said he was in his function and his kid came in and said "Dad, Dad, you lot've gotta meet this testify! You've gotta see this show nigh this kid called Urkel" and his dad said "Thats an Old testify, I watched it when I was your age!" (laughter) So, its amazing, its an amazing bear witness. And you know, every testify has its ups and downs, and yous accept your little arguments, y'all have your little egos, and all of these other things that go along, you know, merely yous know, its a blessing to be in any project, regardless of what it is, a Tv testify, a play, or a whatever, you lot know, anything creative, to be in it, and accept information technology be a success and have people still admire what you did and all.

Did Payton brand an uncredited appearance in the series finale? Would she practice a Family unit Matters reunion? Does she continue in touch on with her former castmates? Check out part two

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Source: https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/family-matters-jo-marie-payton-16891/