My Family's Experiences With "Aunties" And "Play Cousins"

Renee Powell, Sept. 25, 2016

This is a lip synch battle social event that was held at the home of Cousin Nay, one of my granddaughter Jaiya's "real cousins". One of Jaiya's "real" grandfathers, Wade H. Powell, Jaiya's mother Tazi, me, and three of her "real" Cousins on her father's side ("Cousin Stell", "Cousin Nay", and Cousin Mar") were at that event along with a number of younger cousins,  including one of her little cousins who wanted to dance with her.

Clickhttp://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/10/almost-three-year-old-jaiya-lip-syncing.html for a 2016 pancocojams post "Almost Three Year Old Jaiya Lip Syncing Two R&B Songs".

Also, click  https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/04/2014-article-excerpt-about-play-cousins.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "2014 Article Excerpt About "Play Cousins" : Why Do Black People Have So Many Cousins?" 

****
Written by Azizi Powell

[Latest revision: April 21, 2021] 

I'm an African American women who was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1947. I lived there until I went away to college in 1965. I then moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1969 and have lived there ever since.

I've never had any play cousins, play aunts, or play uncles. I had a number of "real" cousins, "real" Aunts, and "real" Uncles. My siblings and I (and our children) called our mother's only sister "Auntie" and her children (and their children) did the same thing. Other than my mother's sister, we've never called anyone else "Auntie". 

It often became confusing when my siblings and I used the term "Auntie" while talking to my cousins whose mother was "our" Auntie, or when they said "Auntie". 

My siblings and I called our mother's brothers' wives "Aunt" plus their first name. All of our cousins did the same thing, but they also used "Aunt plus the first names as references for my mother and my "Auntie". Their children do the same thing.

Although our Auntie lived in Philadelphia, and the other Aunts lived in Atlantic City, my siblings and I were closer to "Auntie" and her children who were near our ages, than we were to our other Aunts and their children who were around our same ages. 

My father had no siblings. He was adopted (or long term fostered) by a Black couple who lived in Michigan. I have vague memories of my sisters and I when we were little riding a train with my mother to visit these grandparents and the rest of their (my) Michigan family. I remember meeting one of my father's uncles (my uncle) whose name "Uncle Willie-Dillie". Unfortunately, my father had mental health problems and he was disowned by that Michigan family. My mother's family was therefore the only "real" family I knew. 

Later in my life when my mother got in touch with some of her family who lived in Barbados but had emigrated to England. I never kept in contact with that side of my family, although my sister has kept in touch with one British cousin.  

My siblings and I were taught to refer to adults we often came in contact with using the title "Mr". or "Mrs" and their last name if the men or women were married or "Miss" with their last name if the adult woman was unmarried. The only exceptions were "Reverend" for ministers and "Doctor" for medical doctors/dentists. 

I moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1969 and got married shortly thereafter. My husband and I both come from large families so my daughter has a number of "real" aunts and "real" uncles on both sides of her family. However, the only person she has ever called "Auntie" was the same Aunt that I used that referent for. That Aunt passed without my granddaughter ever knowing her, and my granddaughter doesn't refer to anyone as "Auntie".

My husband and I had a core group of friends when we were raising our daughter. In one way or another, all of us in this group of four couples were very active in Pittsburgh's Black arts communities. Consequently, our children were often together at public events and at private social gatherings. We also regularly babysat for each other, and our children would sometimes spend overnights in each other's homes. In this sense, we were a "family". For a long time our custom was that all of the children in this group of friends called the adults by their first names. (I think we were trying to be "new age", "hip" or something like that.). Here's my daughter's recollection of how she began referring to the adults in that core group as "Aunt" and "Uncle", and began referring to their children (who were her close friends) as "cousins":

My daughter attended Pittsburgh's Creative And Performing Arts High School and was in one class which was discussing famous Pittsburghers. One classmate read a poem about Bob Johnson who had just passed away. Bob was a well known dancer, choreographer, and founder of the Pittsburgh Black Theatre Dance Ensemble and was the father of two children who are part of our core group of family friends. While the student was reading that poem, my daughter began to cry and ran out of the classroom. When the teacher came out of the classroom to find out what was wrong, she told him that the poem was about her Uncle. Consequently, my daughter started referring to Bob's children as her "cousins", and his wife as "Aunt Stephanie". She also began using "Aunt", "Uncle" as referents for the other adult members of that core group and began calling all their children "cousins". These terms were reciprocated among that group except for three "children" (then high schoolers) who were members of that core group who perferred to call my daughter their "sister". Each of them  refer to me as their "Aunt" and my former husband as their "Uncle". My daughter's husband passed away when my granddaughter was one years old. When he was alive, the now grown children in that core playgroup who called my daughter "cousin" also considered him to be their cousin, and the ones who called my daughter sister, called him their brother.

After my daughter completed high school, other people were added to her family of "play cousins". Sometimes she iniiated the custom of calling someone "cousin" and sometimes it was initiated by the other person. Usually, she called the parents of these play cousins were called "Aunt" and "Uncle". 

Here's my daughter's answer to the question "Why do you call certain people cousins who aren't related to you"?  "The main reasons for me are "we've known each other since we were kids because our families are good friends", and/or "because we are close and supportive of each other-above and beyond what friends would do". 

That said, which family referents are used for people who are "play cousins" and "play sister", "play brother" can get complicated when these people have children. The "Aunt" and "Uncle" referents that the children of that core had begun to use for people in my generation have carried down to their children. All the other children who were born to those (now adult) cousins are also referred to as "cousins". In the case of members of this group who began referring to my daughter as their "sister", her daughter (my granddaughter) calls them "Uncle" (plus their first name). One of these "play Uncles" is married and his wife is also my daughter's sister and my granddaughter's Aunt. That Uncle and Aunt recently had a child, and that child is my granddaughter's cousin.

My granddaughter Jaiya has other "play Aunts" and "play Uncles" who weren't a part of that core group of friends that I (and her mother) had, but they were and are close friends of her mother. Two of those close friends are my granddaughter's Godmother and Godfather. My granddaughter calls her Godmother "Aunt" plus her first name ("Aunt Jen" and her Godfather "Uncle" plus his first name ("Uncle Alvin"). Aunt Jen's parents are my granddaughter's "God grandparents", and she calls them "Mr. and Mrs. Thomas". 

My granddaughter is seven years old now and has lots of real and play cousins. She uses the titles "Aunt"/"Uncle" (with their persons' first name) for her "real" Aunts and Uncles and she refers to their children as her cousins. However, those children aren't considered to be cousins to her "play cousins". Take for example, the case of her cousin Jamar Jr. . Jamar Jr's father is one of my daughter's "play cousins" who wasn't a part of that core group of friends which I referred to earlier, but he and Tazi "go way back". They can't remember which one initiated the custom of calling each other "cuz". 

It just so happens that Jamar, Jr. attends the same school as Jaiya and is in the same grade, but not the same classroom that she is in. Jaiya has a "real" cousin Jay who also attends that school and is in the same classroom as Jamar Jr. (Jay is the son of one of my daughter's "real" cousins from her grandfather's side of the family.) In addition, another boy named Abdul is also one of Jaiya's play cousins (since his father and the rest of his immediate family consider Tazi to be part an honorary member of their family.). Abdul is one year older than Jaiya, Jamar Jr, and Jay.  My daughter shared with me that one day after school, Cousin Jamar told his son Jamar Jr. "Come take a picture with your cousin, Jaiya". Abdul heard this and said to Jamar.Jr, "She's not your cousin. She's my cousin." and the two boys shouted back and forth to each other, each claiming Jaiya was their cousin and not the other boys's cousin. They went back and forth like this for a bit until my daughter and Jamar said "It's okay  Jaiya is both of your cousins. Jamar ended taking a separate photo of each boy with Jaiya. 

In spite of that incident, I don't know whether Jamar and Abdul consider each other cousins.  Jay knows that his classmate Jamar Jr. and Abdul call Jaiya "cousin", but none of these boys refers to each other as cousins. Whether or not children who are those ages call any non-related people their "play cousins" largely depends on their parents.

This is complicated, isn't it? 

While these are just a few snapshots of my family's experiences with these titles, it helps to  document that there's more than one way that African Americans or any other population have used in the past and continue to use for who is a real or "play" "Aunt", "Auntie", "Uncle", and "cousin".

What experiences do you have with calling people who aren't really related to you "Aunt", "Auntie", Uncle, and/or "play cousin"? 

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2014 Article Excerpt About "Play Cousins" : Why Do Black People Have So Many Cousins?

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents a 2014 online Roots magazine article excerpt about "play cousins".

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/04/my-familys-experiences-with-aunties-and.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "My Family's Experiences With "Aunties" And "Play Cousins" ".

Also, click the tag "calling Black women auntie" for other pancocojams posts that may be related to this subject.

****
ARTICLE EXCERPT
From https://www.theroot.com/why-do-black-people-have-so-many-cousins-1790876568#:~:text=The%20specific%20type%20of%20arrangement,is%20dubbed%20%22nonkin%20conversion.%22&text=But%20is%20having%20%22fictive%20kin,even%20mostly%E2%80%94a%20black%20thing%3F "Why Do Black People Have So Many Cousins"
by The Root Staff, July, 30, 2014
..."Promoting someone to blood-relative status for reasons independent of biology, marriage or adoption is what social scientists call "fictive kinship." And for plenty of folks, these "fictive" ties are just as important as "real" ones. The specific type of arrangement under which a non-biologically related person gets bumped up to "cousin" (or a parent's friend is called "aunt" or "uncle") is dubbed "nonkin conversion."

That's a fancy term for an informal process that comes naturally—and practically—to a lot of people, and has for some time. In one of the earliest and most popular accounts of how it all works, Carol Stack's 1974 book, All Our Kin: Strategies for Survival in a Black Community, chronicled the ways in which poor African Americans in one community got by in part by depending on "cooperative support networks" that included people who weren't necessarily biologically related.

But is having "fictive kin" (aka "play") cousins only—or even mostly—a black thing? You're not the first one to ask. But it's doubtful.

Yes, kinship has, according to an article on the phenomenon last year in the Globe and Mail, been linked by some ethnographers to West African traditions, while others think it may represent slavery's residual effect on the family unit.

There's also a 2013 study indicating that African Americans and Caribbean blacks have more of these types of relationships than non-Hispanic whites. And, anecdotally, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania reports that African immigrants in that state replace absent extended family with "fictive kin," which it sizes up as "members of the same ethnic or national community who play the role that family would at home."

No doubt about it: If you look into "fictive kinship," most of what pops up will be about black people. But when I asked around, I found plenty of evidence to suggest that it can also be found in nonblack families, with all the same patterns and benefits.

One woman reported that on the side of her family with Ecuadoran roots, it worked like this:

"Out of a sign of respect, we are mostly asked to call our parents' friends/social circle tía or tío. (Doña is for the more mature old ladies.) It only stands to reason that all of their kids are our cousins.

I remember being really embarrassed when someone asked me how many siblings my parents had [for me to have] so many cousins, and why were my cousins Puerto Rican if I wasn't?"

 And here's how a Midwesterner with Assyrian heritage explained how he got his bonus cousins—and why:

 "Assyrians of the last few generations are big on play cousins; it's a very prevalent social bond.

 Although I have something like 50 first and second cousins, I'm closest to my play cousins, and that's not uncommon.

Part of the reason is that Assyrians in the old countries after the genocides lived in segregated and besieged communities, so community care of kids was essential. Lots of families were also decimated, so [they] had to rely on neighbors for things that extended family would usually do (child care, harvests, repairing chicken coops, defending the churches from marauding gangs, etc.). Our parents tell stories of having neighbors' parents scold them for wandering into the wrong neighborhood or arguing with the wrong people.

Since your aunts and uncles were either trapped across a border, dead or scattered by Diaspora, families would adopt each other as aunts and uncles, and kids were expected to show them respect and treat them like family.

That followed to America, particularly Chicago, where the community settled in small, dense, working-class neighborhoods where there was not insignificant street violence. Our parents' friends were introduced to us as aunts and uncles; we had to listen to them, etc., and so their kids were our cousins."

Wait, so is it that everyone except nonimmigrant white Americans is doing it?

The answer to that is hard to pin down, too. According to a study by Margaret K. Nelson in the Journal of Family Theory & Review, some researchers have grappled with the possibility that fictive kinship among whites "has become rare with remnants only among the working classes within religious communities … or in isolated rural areas." But that's far from clear.

Further complicating the issue are Nelson's findings that, for whatever reason, researchers tend to use the term "fictive kinship" much more when they're specifically focusing on black subjects than when they aren't. In studies of gay communities, for example, we hear "the family we choose" for the same types of arrangements. That makes comparing the data among different racial groups tough.

There is more consensus around the idea that the types of faux-familial relationships that come with the volunteered "cousin" label have a lot of perks. They "broaden mutual support networks, create a sense of community and enhance social control."… 

****
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Comments From Internet Aunties & Internet Uncles About The African American YouTube Channel "New Father Chronicles"

La Guardia Cross, Dec. 17, 2020

Mr. Barack Obama himself met my daughters. Yes, we actually talked to the former president of the United States. Would my 6-year-old look directly at the camera and say she didn't know who he was? Yes. Would my 3-year-old call him Rock Omama? Yes. Not soon after we started chatting, Mr. Obama told me I was in trouble. Go watch the FULL episode here: https://yt.be/obamabooktube

​ AND FILL UP THOSE COMMENTS WITH CROSS FAMILY LOVE, so I don't get a call from the Secret Service! Haha, it was an honor to be apart of this!

[...]

My name's La Guardia Cross. I make music, art, film, and I co-created 2 baby girls with my wife, Leah. New Father Chronicles began in November of 2014 when my daughter Amalah was 1-week-old. I had no idea what I was doing, so I decided to chronicle my journey on YouTube and make fun of myself along the way. Our 2nd daughter, Nayely, was born in April of 2017. My channel is filled with the silly adventures I have with my girls, infant and toddler interviews, my interpretations of their babble, silly skits, and the things I've learned or unlearned as a parent. Sometimes Leah and I mix it up a bit and share some pretty personal moments as well. Why? Well, we're far from perfect and we've learned a lot from our mistakes. -snip-

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/07/seven-episodes-of-new-father-chronicles.html for a 2018 pancocojams post entitled "Seven Episodes Of "New Father Chronicles" YouTube Channel (An African American Father's Creative & Comedic Interactions With His Two Young Daughters)".
**** Edited by Azizi Powell This pancocojams post showcases the 2020 episode of the YouTube channel New Father Chronicles in which La Guardia Cross and his two young daughters Amalah and Nayely talk to former President Barack Obama. Amalah was 6 years old and Nayely was three years old. This pancocojams post also presents some of the comments from the discussion thread of that embedded video and from the discussion threads of three other New Father Chronicle episodes in which commenters use a family term such as "aunties", "uncle", "neices", or "cousins" to refer to their relationships with Amalah and Nayely. Read my Editor's Note for more information about the use of family referents in New Father Chronicles.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes. All copyrights remain with their owners. Thanks to La Guardia, his wife Leah, and their daughters Amalah and Nayele for their New Father Chronicles YouTube channel. Thanks, also to forner President Barack Obama for his positive cultural cultural contributions. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. **** PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE

La Guardia Cross is an African American man who created the YouTube channel New Father Chronicles" in November 2014. In each weekly episode of that YouTube channel. La Guardia "interviews" or otherwise focuses on his interactions with his first daughter Amalah and, later, also his second daughter Nayely. Leah, La Guardia's wife and the children's mother, is rarely filmed in these New Father Chronicle episodes, although she is referenced in a number of the episodes and she sometimes yells out a comment off-camera in response to something La Guardia has just said. In some of his episode summaries and discussion thread comments La Guardia Cross uses the term "family" and the more specific terms "aunties" and "internet" or "online" aunties" and the term "uncles" and i"nternet uncles" for people who watch New Father Chronicle episodes. In addition, La Guardia has incorporated references to the "family" aind, in particular to "the the aunties" (or "internet aunties") in some conversations he films with one or both of his daughters. Subsequently, his daughters also have referred to these "aunties" in those episodes. As a result of La Guardia Cross and his daughters' use of those family terms in their YouTube episodes, a number of commenters writing on discussion threads for those episodes have adopted the family terms "the family", "aunties", "online aunties" (but not "aunt/s"), "uncle/s", "online uncle/s", neice/s, "cousin/s", etc. as self-descriptions. This pancocojams post documents a very small number of those comments from the discussion threads of four New Father Chronicle episodes. I'm particularly interested in how "internet/online aunties", "internet/online uncles", and other "family" seriously or in jest describe themselves and their relationships and interactions with the Cross daughters, and/or with La Guardia Cross, and/or with Leah Cross. La Guardia Cross' use of familiar referents in these New Father Chronicle discussion threads is likely an extension of what appears to me to be a widely found African American custom in which parents direct their children to call some non-relatives "aunt" or "uncle" because their families are close or because the adults are close friends. The New Father Chronicle's use of these family terms may also be an extension of the African American custom of adults who grew up together or are otherwise close calling each other "play cousins" or publicly claiming that that person is their "sister" or their "brother". (This is apart from the general African American use of the terms "sister or brother.) That said, it seems to me that La Guardia Cross' use of familiar terms such as "fam", "family", "aunties" ("internet/online aunties" and "uncles" ("internet/online uncles") are an extension of the terms Black people use on social media and a stratergy to grow the online audience for his YouTube channel while sometimes adding more drama to certain New Father Chronicle episodes. As a final editor's note (except for a few notes sfter some of the comments that are quoted below), I believe that the majority of the commenters who write as though they are claiming a a family relationship with the Cross family are African Americans.However, based on other parts of those comments, some of those comments were written by people who Black but aren't African Americans. And some people who claim a family relationship with the New Father Chronicle's Cross family aren't Black.

**** SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only. SOURCE #1 - discussion thread of the video that is embedded in this post:

2020

1.Simply Simone "Look at our internet family meeting Uncle Barack🙌🙌🙌"

** Reply 2. P Vir "Cousin-uncle.👍🏽" -snip- In a New Father Chronicle episode when six year old Amalah was much younger (four years old?) her father showed her a photograph of then President Barack Obama and asked her who he was. Amalahh said "your Cousin Uncle". A clip of that episode is shown at ,58 in this embedded video.
** 3. K Gravy "Learning that Barack is one of us Aunties and Uncles....I shed a tear 😢"

** Reply 4. 369 Rising "He is his brothers keeper, and LaGuardia deserves a big brother like Obama."

** 5. Nicole Heard "Hello, I am a late comer to the channel but I’m now a subscriber binge watching all the videos. I feel like part of the YouTube Aunties. So proud of you and your family. President Barack Obama said you name and gave you advice😃🙌🏾😃🙌🏾😃.

My brother was also a “Girl Dad!”

** 6. Dana Foster "My babies got to ask Former President “Mr. Omama”questions.. got a internet auntie feeling so proud! That kid amnesia was strong though 😅"

** Reply 7. Shuglicious 1derful1der "YouTube Nieces have made all the internet Aunties andUncles proud. I LOVE how down to earth Former POTUS was and the sound advice he gave."

** 8. TheYingWithMelanin "INTERNET AUNTIES WE ARE CELEBRATINGGGGG" ** Reply 9. the Village 2.0 "Yes we are....im almost in tears! Look at the fam!" ** Reply 10. Melanie Lister "SIRRRRRRRR!!!! We need more info on how this happened. I’m over here having dreams that Michelle is a secret online auntie." ** Reply 11. Purify Reprise "Yep, bet aumt Michelle made the things to happen 😀❤😍" ** 12. JuSt Brittany "We have watched our nieces grow up before our eyes and this is sooo major.. this goes to show you and Mama Bear are instilling in them ALL things are possible.. cant wait to see how great and whom they become when they grow up 🥰🥰

#InternetAunty"

**** SOURCE #2 From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GavBWLv7p9o&ab_channel=LaGuardiaCross "interview with a toddler goes horribly wrong", La Guardia Cross, Feb 24, 2021

2021

1. Danielle Jordan "Ive missed my babies. Hi Amalah and Nayely."

** 2. Keisha Lloyd "OMG, my nieces are growing up and baby gurl is talking so fluently now. WOW, I really missed them.... I need to visit them more often. Maybe, I can zoom babysit for y’all 😂🤣😂🤣😘❤️😘"

** 3. teneta robertson "I am so happy to see ya'll!! Auntie missed the babies!

Grandpa 👴...😆 🤣 😂  Next time don't take my babies candy. 😃🤣🤣🤣" -snip- Nayely said "Calm down "Grandpa" to her father. She said she called him Grandpa because he has gray hair in his beard. ** 4. Delores Spraggs "Let me tell you some young man. If you ate my great niece  candy🍬, shame on you. That's why she had to take it to the next level. I got you thoughyep. Watch your back when it comes to  my nieces candy. An double shame 9n you blaming Mommy" ** 5. Courtney "La Guardia, did you eat that poor baby's candy? As Ms.Amalah said, "That's low, even for a manservant." Go get those girls some candy. Don't forget the flowers and candy for Leah. :)" ** 6. Mia Anderson " "Calm down, grandpa."

Ha! xD That sent me!!!

My internet nieces are hilarious." ** 7. Sheila Bostic "Calm down grandpa...lol :-) I just love Nayely. Watch out dad... that one is coming for you!" ** 8. sistakia33 "Note: Never let your kids work together! They already know they're smarter than you! When they work as a team...they prove it!" ** 9. Kimberella Von Schwimminsburg "Well, President Obama did warn you, as did all of us Aunties.  lol" -snip- This comment is in reference to President Obama's comment in the Dec. 17, 2020 video that is embedded in this pancocojams post.

**
Reply 10. oc3 "And uncles😡. No one cares about Uncle Otis 😥" ** Reply 11. Kimberella Von Schwimminsburg "@oc3  Aww..I'm sorry.  We love you too!"

** Reply 12. Raymond Gordon "@oc3  uncle Otis, uncle Ray got your back bro. I know there more aunties than us but we uncle strong."

** 13. L-Dog The Great
"As a online uncle we get no Respect in these streets I c 😧😧😧"

**
Reply
14. La Guardia Cross
"I respect all 5 of y’all! 😭"

**
15. Geraldine Smith
"My nieces are growing up!  🙂 I am a very PROUD auntie!  Love y'all Cross family ❤"

**
16. Pamela Jett
"Hello aunty Pam niecy boos!❤💋💜"

**
17. Miranda Tsikarishvili
"me 21 year old girl being called "OnliNe AuNtiE"~ 😭😭

and it's kinda true....😭😭"

**
18. Fiona Rhiannon Pitbull Extraordinaire
"Geez, my internet nieces grew up on me!!!!!!! They are just so precious and beautiful, and while I am not black myself, I celebrate and rejoice in their beautiful chocolate skin tone that is absolutely perfect. As are they. Perfect, I mean. I celebrate and rejoice in their heritage and everything that is them."

**
19. Nsnci Love
"I remember that she could barely talk at all and now she talks so clearly I can't believe it it happens so fast

😭0ur babies are growing up😭"

**
20. Linnea's Cozy Crafts XxxX!
"I love all y'all LaGuardia!  Too funny and cute.  Love being an "auntie" to these girls! xoxo"

**
21. Rizumu Okamato
"I'm only... 15... Am I an online auntie????"

**
22. Dr.KarMichael And Jones
"I didn’t know I was an online auntie?

I’m a grown ass man"

**
Reply
23. Shee M.
"🤣🤣🤣"

**
24. Darla Mai
"I am a 9 in a half year old auntie :)"

**
25. Veena Shetty
"btwI’m not a auntieeee"

**
26. Sharon Johnson
"Their expressions are everything!! This Auntie is laughing so hard... and you tried to throw mom under the bus.🤣🤣"

**
27. Renee Larson-Endsley
'Why you ate my poor sweet, adorable online niece's candy? This ain't Halloween! LOL I've been wanting to try ALLBLK too, thanks for making my dreams come true! lol"

**
28. NanookiePookie
"It always cracks me up when daddy blames mommy for something and Leah yells in the background! I love it lol"

**
29. Keikei Lereaux
"Awwe my internet cousins grillin u like u on the first 48 ... Good job 😂😂😂"

**
30. Rita Franklin
"I truly enjoyed this video...so sorry for my late viewing. Thank you family.❤️😊"

**
31. Sweet Thang
"My babies are GROWN!!!???😭😭😭😭😭"

** 32. BudgetingDee
"Listennnnn!!! Yessss to this!! Nayely continues to be a mood, grandpa! 🤣🤣🤣 I had to rewind so much because I kept laughing. Also, I’m sad my nieces continue to grow up before my very eyes 😫😫😫😫 Somebody make time stand still!! ...for them though, not me. Keep me moving outta this working class adulthood stage. Lol"

** 33. Ashley Worjloh
"Omg they have gotten so big I’m so proud omgggg Aunty Ash is very proud"

** 34. Braveisbeauti
"My favorite internet nieces 🤗🤗"

**** SOURCE #3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWRvMrR54-M&ab_channel=LaGuardiaCross "my wife doesn't want me to post this video" La Guardia Cross, Mar 18, 2021

My wife doesn't want me to post this video, but that doesn't make me a bad father. It all started with a simple game of hide-and-seek, but now it's the last time we'll ever play this game. -snip- In this episode, La Guardia pranked his daughters leaving them alone at the park while playing hide and go seek. He drove home and his wife demanded that he better hurry back to the park to get "her babies". 2021 1. sandra Jones "uoooy!!!  You in dangerous  territory now.  Forget about the aunties and uncles you in  real  trouble!!" ** 2. Adream Come True "🤬La Guardia, You getting ready to see a angry black Internet Auntie if you haven’t made it back to the park to get my internet nieces yet🤣😜" ** 3. RHFactorat "Aunties...he done lost his natural mind.  Leah, we're here for you. 🏃🏽"

** Reply 4. Just Call Me Chosen "Time for another Auntie pull-up lol....." -snip- "Pull up" here refers to multiple people physically and/or verbally getting together to challenge someone or otherwise intervene with someone who is doing something or threatening to do something that is harmful to themselves and/or others.

** 5. Just Call Me Chosen "🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Auntie carpool pull-up: You want ABW.... You bout to havemore than your share if you don't go get our babies!!

I'on know why you be trying it when you know you're outnumbered😒😒lol -snip- ABW= angry Black woman ** 6. Free R "🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😭😭😭-Mama bear 🐻 is about to jack you up🤣🤣🤣🤣" ** 7. Rhonda H. "I hollered when Leah yanked you by that fake beard. LOL"

** 8. Core Hibb "😂😂😂😂 "You better take that beard off & get my babies!!" 😂😂😂😂" ** 9. Sara Ash " “That’s beard’s not believable.” 😂 😂

But seriously I love you guys so much. NEVER stop making videos! Much love, online cousin."

** 10. Sharayah "You better bet angry black woman is gonna come out when u leave the babies at the park alone! Be worried if she isnt angry. 🤣🤣🤣"

**
11. Deldrion Garrett
"Bro I’m with the ladies on this one you playing with fire and I’ll pray for you!!!"

**
12. Moi "Keep playin. I'll catch a flight from Californa and risk my lungs to this Rona to come find my nieces! ❤️❤️❤️❤" -snip- “Rona” is the most common African American nickname for Corona virus (Covid-19).

** 13. Phoenix Het Heru "This family’s content is on point! I love it. Sending love

to you all 🧡 anyone else joining me on holding LC accountable on his counseling tho 🤔 Looks like us internet Aunties and Uncles need to invest in Nayely’s car to bring her and Amalah home" -snip- In other episodes of this channel Nayely said she wanted a real car. "LC"= La Guardia Cross" ** 14. A.Tanyale "Nayely Auntie Ashley is coming to find you and Amalah 🏃🏾‍♀️🏃🏾‍♀️🏃🏾‍♀" *️* 15. Tiffany Williams "😂😂😂go get my nieces"

** 16. LisaMarie "Leah is going to kick your behind one of these days! And all us Aunties are going to be sitting back and giggling 🤣😂🥰🥰🥰" ** 17. HeReigns3 "Milk and cookies on my poor little screen! I was not expecting to see him heading to and getting into the car! I hollered! That was hilarious 😂... Talking about he was a free man, haha 😂🤣! And it was good hearing our sis Leah coming in to snap some sense into...well, bless the Lord" ** 18. Lauris Nicholson "You sleepin' outside tonight dude, none of the ladies, (Mom,Amalah, Nayely, or the Aunties) are in your corner, you shot yourself in the foot this time! Free man is going to jail!

(At least for tonight 😂)

** 19. liya "Im so proud to be here right now. all the

online aunties could relate! 😂" ** 20. Andrea Plaid "Online uncles and aunties, do we need to ride out on Leah'scommand and find them babies? 'Cause La Guardia... smh. 😑😆😆😆" ** 21. kadeja Mccutchin "the fact that you went in got in the car had my dying 😂Heyfamily I love you guys so much my little cousins are growing up so fast I hope cousin you and cousin Leah is doing well god bless ❤️❤ *️* 22. Angela Zollicoffer "They are getting so big dont play with my nieces💖" ** 23. Cece Princess "Look at auntie babies" ** 24. Tanya Rivers "Lol!!Any woman becomes an angry woman when she can't find her babies because she thought dad was going to be a responsible dad and watch them!! Laguardia, you should have been the one not wanting to show this video! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂Lol!" ** 25. Swayla S "Now La Guardia knows not to play with Leah like that! He better have got our nieces back quick fast and a hurry before Leah has him sleeping in that park!!!"

** 26. Adream Come True "🤬La Guardia, You getting

ready to see a angry black Internet Auntie if you haven’t made it back to the park to get my internet nieces yet🤣😜"

**** SOURCE #4 From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUV4yg98WZA&ab_channel=LaGuardiaCross "I Interviewed my 6-year-old and regret it", La Guardia Cross, Apr 8, 2021

That's it, that's the description. I interviewed my 6-year-old and regret it. You'll understand why when you watch 2021 1.GenuineNaturalDiva "LaGaurdia: Your sister videos gets more views. The aunties only want to see baby interviews.

Aunties: THAT'S A LIE (Nayely voice)

We're sicca you lying on us sir." -snip- The first sentence is what La Guardia said while he was interviewing six year old Amalah. The rest of that comment is what the commenter believes the aunties (including herself) are in response to La Guardia's statement -except that the statement "That's a lie" is given how three year old Nayely would say it. ** Reply 2. tee love "We aunties still live for the 6 year old interviews as well. Love you Amalah ❤"️

** 3. MissDee Jackson
"These videos are getting cuter and cuter!!

sHOW DARE YOU SAY “GET RID OF THE AUNTIES!”

BAD ANSWER MAN SERVANT!!!

MY NIECES ROCK!!!"
-snip-
"Man servant" is one of the references for her father that Nayely uses.

** 4. Leggs “It’s the aunties” Aht aht no you didn’t just throw us under the bus. 🗣 Get him Amalah ** 5. As unique as The spelling of my name "Hold the phone Mr. Cross.

I stopped At 1:32...

Did you

Just say

"It's the Aunties"?

Aw naw homie...

(Takes off earrings)

(Gets the vasoline and razor blades.)

I'm calling Leah... Where's your wife?

It's about to go down😂🤣🤣🤣 We Aunties and Leah gonna straighten you out." ** 6. Aurora Silvermoon "Tell Amalah us online aunties love them both equally 💝"

** 7. kz gurl "As a cousin I’ve definitely heard the aunties on the phone choosing favorites." ** 8. oc3 "6 years old ♥️, I been here the whole time bro. So let's thank the uncle's too, at least Uncle Otis ☹" -️snip- "6 years old" refer to the age of the oldest daughter Amalah. Her sister is three years old when this video was filmed. ** 9. Shuglicious 1derful1der "A YouTube nephew would be spoiled though👶🏾🍼" ** 10. MzLaRel "DO NOT BLAME US AUNTIES.....oh we're coming for you LaGuardia." ** 11. Lynda Smith "Don't even put this on the Aunties.  She put you in your place Sir."

** 12. Shiloh JewEl Adalumo "I Love You Amalah! All the way from Kwara State, Nigeria!" ** 13. makayla world "i don't have a fav i am a online cousin i love both mycousins the same" ** 14. Malaika Amedee "The Online Aunties love you Baby and your videos!!!!!!"

** 15. Me&TheLittlePpl ! "Auntie approved.................. love it" ** 16. Carrie's Comments "Love it- blame the aunties 🤣🤣 love your girls they are so full of sass!!" ** 17. G Miliner "Oh no she didn't say she's going to tell mommy, DCF, and her real daddy  LMAO" -snip- "DCF" = Florida's Department of Children and Families (a reference to a child protective services department. "Telling her real daddy" [on her father] is a statement that Amalah has made at other times in these episodes when she is angry with her father.

** 18. lfutrell82 "Don't be lying to auntie's big girl like that.  We love them both equally 💞" ** 19. Lady M "Amalah this auntie says you're gonna do just fine. This video is auntie approved😊" ** 20. maylady84 "I knew you were gonna bring us (the aunties) into it!! We love our nieces equally!" ** 21. Jewelly M "😂not that she said, " I'm telln DCF, my REAL Daddy"! 🙃. I enjoy ALL the videos/ interviews with BOTH girls! # IamAuntieAndIapproveThisMessage!"

** 22. greeneyedsims "Amalah is your TWIN. ...This Auntie loves these girls and watching them grow up. ❤️❤️❤️❤️" ** 23. aken “Do what? Get rid of the aunties?”

Lolol, you better stop before we rise up😂😂" ** 24. Minerva "as an online cousin, I'm still hurt that you are blaming the aunties😂😭" ** 25. Divinity's Child "Early Squad where you at? Sup Aunties and Uncles? 😘😘❤❤" -snip- "Early Squad"= Those who comment early on in the discussion. Sup= "What's up?" (How are you?)

** 26. Minnie "0:52 My jaw literally dropped omg 😂😂😂

please why you doing this to my baby and why are you blaming us for it 😂😂😂" ** 27. Fiona Rhiannon Pitbull Extraordinaire "Don't you worry, Amalah. The internet aunties and uncleslove you just as much as Nayely. Daddy's just doing an April Fools prank on you. He does love you both equally."

** 28. Blondeazy "😂😂😂😂 I'm telling my "real daddy". 

Ooooo, My sweet niece has struck a nerve!! 😂😂😂😂"

** 29. Braveisbeauti "My favorite internet nieces 🤣🤣🤣💙💙💙" ** 30. R P "A good daddy treats daughter's equally. - Amalah

Words of wisdom 🧠"

** 31. Charley "OOOOO do NOT tell my online niece her online aunties are responsible! Yes, Amalah I want to see you grow all the way up! Sending your mama so much love! Looking at your dad with a side-eye. :)"

** 32. Tina C. "Oh you’re just gonna blame the Aunties, huh? 😂😂😂😂 This Auntie shows no favoritism! Lol" ** Reply 33. Chergirl100 "Right!" ** Reply 34. Hazel Witherspoon "Stop that nonsense. I love both my nieces." ** Reply 35. dwthomas38 "Call him out auntie 😆😅" ** Reply 36. Lazy I Ranch "I love them both! How could any real Auntie play favorites?" ** Reply 37. diggs19 "Right, us aunties love all our babies the same lol" ** Reply 38. Aysha Mohammed "Yeah and I m just 8 years older to her so idk if I am an aunty"

** Reply 39. After God's heart "@Aysha Mohammed  You're a big cousin" ** Reply 40. Aysha Mohammed "@After God's heart  yay!" **** Thanks for visiting pancocojams. Visitor comments are welcome.

Aunt Ester in August Wilson's Play "Gem of the Ocean" : Another Example Of 'Aunt' In African American Culture

American Masters PBS, Feb 6, 2015

Phylicia Rashad was nominated for a Tony Award for her portrayal of Ester in Gem of the Ocean. Here in a dramatic reading created for August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand, she enacts a scene in which Ester reveals the existence of the spiritual and symbolic City of Bones.

****

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcase a YouTube video of a production of August Wilson's play "Gem Of The Ocean". 

Information about August Wilson and that play are included in this post along with descriptions of August Wilson's character "Aunt Ester".

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural and entertainment purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to August Wilson for his cultural legacy. Thanks to Phylicia Rashad and all those who are featured in this clip and thanks to all those who were associated with this production of t"Gem Of The Ocean". Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this clip on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT AUGUST WILSON
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_Wilson
"August Wilson (April 27, 1945 – October 2, 2005) was an American playwright. He has been referred to as the "theater's poet of Black America".[1] He is best known for a series of ten plays collectively called The Pittsburgh Cycle, which chronicle the experiences and heritage of the African-American community in the 20th century. Plays in the series include, Jitney (1982), Fences (1984), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (1984), Joe Turner's Come and Gone (1986), The Piano Lesson (1987), King Hedley II (1999). Two of his plays received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and two of his other works won the Tony Award for Best Play. In 2006 Wilson was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.

His works delve into the African American experience as well as examinations of the human condition. Other themes have ranged from the systemic and historical exploitation of African Americans, as well as race relations, identity, migration, and racial discrimination. "...

****
INFORMATION AND COMMENTARY ABOUT GEM OF THE OCEAN
Source #1
From https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/the-hill-district-of-the-1900s-comes-alive-in-august-wilsons-gem-of-the-ocean/Content?oid=15720946 Aunt Ester, the Hill District, and the surreal world of August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean By Alex Gordon, August 27, 2019
"Anyone familiar with August Wilson's The Pittsburgh Cycle knows about 1839 Wylie Avenue. In reality, it's a mostly vacant lot on a steep, grassy slope in the Hill District, but in the Cycle, it's nothing so ordinary. This is the home of the neighborhood spiritual healer Aunt Ester, a place where friends, family, strangers, and neighbors can find refuge, a bed and a hot meal, maybe a spiritual cleanse.

While references to Aunt Ester and 1839 Wylie are found throughout the Cycle, it's not until Wilson's Gem of The Ocean — published in 2003, set in 1904 — that Ester and the house take center stage. And so it's only fitting that Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company is performing the play at the actual 1839 Wylie Avenue, with a one-room, open-air stage tenuously perched on a steep slope overlooking the Lower Hill.

The story features Ester's caregiver Eli (Les Howard) and housekeeper Black Mary (Candace Michelle Walker); her friends Solly Two Kings (Kevin Brown) and Rutherford (Marcus Muzopappa); and Mary's menacing brother Caesar (Wali Jamal), a police officer with a mean streak. The characters (minus Caesar) have an easy chemistry that suggests a tight-knit community and many long nights spent shooting the sh-t* in Ester's parlor. But the plot is set into motion by a new arrival called Citizen Barlow (Jonathan Berry), who's recently left his home in Alabama under shadowy circumstances. He's come to Ester for absolution, though he's not sure what that might look like.

Ester, it turns out, is 285 years old (this being 1904, that would put her birth year at 1619, a pointed year in the history of the slave trade in the U.S.). She has an all-knowing, comforting way of talking, but she's much more than a charismatic speaker. As the program explains, "Aunt Ester is the ultimate ancestor, the conduit for all the history of Black America." And it's in this context that Ester's role — inside and outside the confines of 1839 Wylie — becomes clear. Her mystical powers are vague, but the specifics don't matter. Ester has knowledge and a spirit that transcend the constraints of time and place.*

And so Ester (Chrystal Bates) takes Citizen on a spiritual journey on the slave ship the Gem of the Ocean to a watery graveyard called the City of Bones. Director Andrea Frye stages the scenes of magical realism with a light hand, letting the setting — watching characters in 1904 as modern cars whiz by below — convey the surreality on its own. Not all stories are better experienced in their literal settings, but for a piece this richly bound to and inspired by its location, the approach is incredibly powerful. The set is so effectively insular, so at odds with its surroundings, that it feels that Ester could, if she wanted, snap her fingers and detach the room from its soil and send it sailing into the sky. That doesn't happen, but what does is almost equally fantastic, unbelievable, and affecting."
-snip-
*These sentences are given in italics to highlight them.

****
SOURCE #2
 From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gem_of_the_Ocean
"Gem Of The Ocean"Date premiered April 28, 2003

Place premiered: Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL

Gem of the Ocean is a play by American playwright August Wilson. It is the first installment of his decade-by-decade, ten-play chronicle, The Pittsburgh Cycle, dramatizing the African-American experience in the twentieth century.

Plot

The play is set in 1904 at 1839 Wylie Avenue in Pittsburgh's Hill District. Aunt Ester, the drama's 285-year-old fiery matriarch, welcomes into her home Solly Two Kings, who was born into slavery and scouted for the Union Army, and Citizen Barlow, a young man from Alabama searching for a new life and in search of redemption. Aunt Ester is not too old to practice healing; she guides him on a soaring, lyrical journey of spiritual awakening to the City of Bones.

Characters

Aunt Ester Tyler

a former slave and a "soul-cleanser", who is the head of 1839 Wylie Avenue. She claims to be 285 years old and acts as the benevolent, if disciplinarian, ruler of the household. She entertains the romantic ambitions of Solly. She is a recurring character in several of Wilson's plays of the Pittsburgh Cycle.

Citizen Barlow

A young man from Alabama who comes to the house to be cleansed by Ester. He is enlisted to help construct a wall, and eventually journeys to The City of Bones.

[...]

Synopsis

1904, Pittsburgh: 1839 Wylie Avenue in the Hill District is the home of Aunt Ester, a 285-year-old former slave, who is a keeper of tradition and history for her people and a renowned cleanser of souls. The people who pass through her parlor and kitchen include Eli, Aunt Ester's protector; Black Mary, her housekeeper and protégé; Solly Two Kings, a former slave, conductor on the Underground Railroad and scout for the Union Army; Black Mary's brother, Caesar, a constable; Rutherford Selig, a peddler; and Citizen Barlow, a new arrival from down South who needs Aunt Ester to help him absolve the guilt and shame from a crime he's committed."...

****
DESCRIPTIONS OF THE CHARACTER "AUNT ESTER" IN AUGUST WILSON'S PLAYS
Source #1:
From https://www.jstor.org/stable/20642023?seq=1 
“She Make You Right With Yourself”: Aunt Ester: Masculine Loss And Cultural Redemption In August Wilson’s Cycle Plays
By Cynthia L. Caywood and Carlton Floyd
"In Two Trains Running introduces an offstage character who he comes to see as “the most significant persona of [his ten play] cycle. (2005). This character is Aunt Ester, the centuries old former slave who, Wilson says, is “the embodiment of African wisdom and tradition- the person who has been alive since 1619…and has remained with us.” (Denzell, 2006 , 255). In the play, which is set in Memphis Lee’s Pittsburgh diner in 1969, Aunt Ester provides solace and salvation to several of the characters who are attempting to find guidance through their turbulent and changing world. She urges them to reconnect with their past.  Her advice is simple: “If you drop the ball, you got to go back and pick it up.” (Wilson, 1963, 109).

[…]

Abstract

August Wilson proclaimed the centuries old matriarch, Aunt Ester, his most significant character. Her presence incarnates a key Wilson idea: The need for African Americans to move forward into the future through embracing their past. This movement has been hindered by African Americans embracing European American values, particularly African American men, who have been hopelessly disenfranchised by European American definitions of masculinity that reward assimilation and result in the rejection of the African sensibilities that Wilson saw as essential to African American survival. Wilson's Decalogue documents repeatedly the need for African American men to reconnect with traditional, culturally rooted African sensibilities as they have been preserved by Aunt Ester. Ultimately, Aunt Ester must die to make way for a male redeemer whose presence symbolizes a restoration of this traditional African ethos in African American lives, a presence not yet existent, but one for which a glimmer of hope remains."...

****
SOURCE #2
 From https://dctheatrescene.com/2007/02/06/gem-of-the-ocean/
Gem of the Ocean

February 6, 2007 by Lorraine Treanor

Produced by Arena Stage

Reviewed by Debbie Minter Jackson
…."Once you get past the artifice of a 285 year-old Aunt Ester (yes, that was a stretch for me, too), you can sit back and let [playwright August Wilson]’s language and ideas have their way with you. Aunt Ester represents the ancient, mystical matriarch referred to in many of Wilson’s works. Now, in this earliest (1904) of Wilson’s 20th century series, we finally get to see what all the fuss was about. Aunt Ester is the faith healer of souls, keeper of history, community anchor, spiritual mother, collective conscience and consciousness, bridging from African roots across the Diaspora to the current black experience. Yes, I know it sounds heady, but Wilson pulls it off through exquisite character development and masterful story telling.

[…]

Wilson recognizes that we can all use help escaping from the various chains of emotional slavery that oppress, maim and kill us, and that, for me, is the most powerful message in Gem of the Ocean."...

****
SOURCE #3
From https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00001593/00001 "Discovering Aunt Ester In Gem Of The Ocean By August Wilson"

by Anedra D. Johnson
..."Spearheading this spiritual journey to redemption, Aunt Ester is the “critical figure mediating between the African past and the African American present” (Elam 184) in Gem of the Ocean. Wilson cleverly uses Aunt Ester to represent the blood memory that connects Africa to the American culture. Through Aunt Ester, he seeks to infuse a spirit that speaks to the African American culture; a spirituality that represents and connects African Americans to one another. Wilson‟s tactic is revealed via the parables Aunt Ester tells prior to dispensing advice, and in the ritualistic manner in which she leads others to their redemption."...
-snip-
This pdf excerpt is part of a University Of Florida, Graduate School Project, Degree Of  Master Of  Fine Arts,  2011]

****
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Visitor comments are welcome.

"Sanford & Son" TV Series' Aunt Esther: One Example Of What 'Aunt' Sometimes Means In African American Culture

J.M.T. FLIX, Apr 10, 2020

Lawanda Page played Aunt Esther on Sanford and Son. These are some of her funniest moments. This was made strictly for entertainment purposes only.

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcase a YouTube video that presents clips of the character "Aunt Esther" from the African American comedy television series Sanford and Son.

Information about that series and its "Aunt Esther" character are given in this post along with selected comments from the discussion thread of that YouTube video

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural and entertainment purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to  Lawanda Page, Red Foxx, and all others who starred in the Sanford and Son television series. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT SANFORD AND SON TELEVISION SERIES
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanford_and_Son
"Sanford and Son is an American sitcom television series that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977. It was based on the BBC Television programme Steptoe and Son, which had its original broadcast run in the United Kingdom from 1962 to 1974.[1]

 Known for its edgy racial humor, running gags, and catchphrases, the series was adapted by Norman Lear and considered NBC's answer to CBS's All in the Family. Sanford and Son has been hailed as the precursor to many other African-American sitcoms. It was a ratings hit throughout its six-season run, finishing in the Nielsens top ten for five of those seasons.

While the role of Fred G. Sanford was known for his bigotry and cantankerousness, the role of Lamont Sanford was that of Fred's long-suffering, conscientious, peacemaker son. At times, both characters involved themselves in schemes, usually as a means of earning cash quickly to pay off their various debts. Other colorful and unconventional characters on the show included Aunt Esther, Grady Wilson, Bubba Bexley,[2] and Rollo Lawson.[3]"...

****
DESCRIPTION OF "AUNT ESTHER" FROM THE SANFORD AND SON TELEVISION SERIES
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_Anderson_(Sanford_and_Son)
..."Esther Anderson is the Bible-toting sister-in-law of Fred Sanford. She is a staunchly religious Baptist who finds little use for humor and often criticizes Fred. Elizabeth, Esther's sister, was married to Fred, and Esther and the rest of the Winfield family were against the marriage from the outset. However, Esther often expressed that if anything good came out of the marriage it was her nephew, Fred's son, Lamont.

Lamont adored his aunt Esther, and would, against Fred's and Grady's wishes, allow her to stay in their house and often defended her against their insults. Since Esther and her family were the only real connection he had to his late mother, Lamont welcomed her often. She, in turn, was there to counsel Lamont on his life, and did her best to help him to get out of living in his father's junkyard house. She did so because she felt that Elizabeth would not have wanted Lamont, whom Esther felt was very intelligent, to remain in such a limited life.

Fred responded to Esther's entrances by making exaggerated grimaces. He would then proceed to ruthlessly insult her, likening her to animals and fictitious movie monsters. Fred often focused on Esther's looks, once telling her, "I could stick your face in some dough and make gorilla cookies!" He also often insulted her by calling her "ugly" and pronouncing it Ug-leee!.

Esther's usual reactions to Fred's antics were to scowl and say, "Watch it, sucka!" Sometimes, cracking from the constant barrage of insults, she would swing her purse wildly in Fred's direction while angrily calling him an "old fish-eyed fool" or "heathen", among other names. Once, during a public prayer, Esther made reference to Fred, calling him a "snaggle-toothed jackass." She also clashed with Fred's friend Grady Wilson, whom she disliked because he was Fred's friend.

Despite their constant arguments, some episodes reveal that Esther and Fred were capable of kindness towards each other, such as when Fred helped her adopt a child. In one episode, Fred gave Esther $100 he won gambling to help her church, leaving him 35 cents.

Esther's long-suffering but loving alcoholic husband Woodrow (played by Raymond Allen) appeared infrequently later in the series. Woodrow was constantly drunk and somewhat henpecked. He eventually became sober so he and Esther could adopt a young orphan, Daniel (Eric Laneuville) in "Aunt Esther Meets Her Son".
-snip-
Here's some information from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaWanda_Page about Lawanda Page the actress who portrayed Aunt Esther:  
"LaWanda Page (born Alberta Peal; October 19, 1920[2] – September 14, 2002)[4][5] was an American actress and comedian best known for her role as "Aunt" Esther Anderson in the popular television sitcom Sanford and Son, which originally aired from 1972 until 1977.[3] Page later reprised this role in the short-lived television shows Sanford Arms (1976–1977) and Sanford (1980–1981). She also co-starred in the 1979 short-lived series Detective School.[6]

[...]

Page had been performing her comedy routine in nightclubs in St. Louis and then Los Angeles for several years, but had planned to leave show business to move back to St. Louis to take care of her ailing mother. When Redd Foxx was offered the sitcom Sanford and Son in Los Angeles, he brought his childhood friend Page to the attention of one of the show's producers, who was already familiar with Page and her act. Foxx subsequently asked Page to read for the role of Esther Anderson ("Aunt Esther"), the sister of Fred Sanford's late wife Elizabeth. …. Page's Aunt Esther went on to become one of the most popular TV sitcom characters of the 1970s.[7] Page's Aunt Esther was a combination of devout churchgoer and tough-as-nails realist, unafraid to state whatever was on her mind. While her relationship with Foxx's character, Fred Sanford, was usually confrontational, she portrayed a tender side when it came to her nephew Lamont. Common issues between brother-in-law and sister-in-law were Sanford's lack of business success and lukewarm religious faith. Sometimes, primarily because of their shared love for Lamont and the late Elizabeth, the two adversaries managed to find common ground. Although Sanford and Son was clearly Foxx's vehicle, Page's Aunt Esther could hold her own against the show's star. The church-going act of Esther was a great contrast to the raunchy, expletive-filled material of Page's live act and records."...

****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE VIDEO THAT IS EMBEDDED IN THIS POST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHb1Etc8w6M&ab_channel=J.M.T.FLIX

In addition to comments about that series and this actress and actors, I'm intersted in documenting what I believe are comments that refer to a particular  characterization of Black (African American) aunts/aunties. 

Numbers are added to these comments for referencing purposes only.

2020

1. Carrie Lucas
"Omg I LOVED AUNT ESTHER !!!!"

**
2. Regal Baby 82
"Classic comedy team supreme...RIP  Lawanda Page and Redd Foxx. ❤️❤️❤️"

**
3. markee k
"I love the way Lamont loves his Aunt Esther."

**
4. Lord Leamington
"Aunt Esther was the best part of this show by far"

**
Reply
5. Steve Kay
"No it was a great ensemble cast!!"

**
Reply
6. aliasdyln33
"​ @Steve Kay  Both statements are 100 percent true. Gotta so love both Aunt Esther, Fred, Lamont, and the ensemble cast: Skillet, Donna, Grady, Bubba, Rollo, Melvin, Lucky Leroy, Hutch, Julio, Swanny, Otis, Doctor Caldwell, Smitty, Ah Chew, and do so reply with whoever of the many I must be leaving out . ."

**
7. Sabrina Taylor
"Ester didn't bite her tongue she keeps it real 😆"

**
Reply
8. Connie Avant
"This reminds me of the old schoolers in my family. I miss the good times I had with them, and most of all I miss their wisdom."

**
9. Mr. Roboto
"Esther says to Fred " I have the Spirit of Christmas. Fred says to her... and the face of Halloween!"

**
10. SING UNTO THE LORD Inspired by the holy spirit
"If looks could kill. Every man in this show would be dead other that Esther nephew"

**
11. John Hanson
"Esther did not take crap from anybody. When she walked through that door you knew somebody was getting their ass kicked."

**
12. Roseanne Milton
"If evil eyes could kill, Esther would have life without the possibility of parole...😹"

**
13. Maria Ddub
"This was so fabulous to see!!  Aunt Esther is my favorite church lady of all time😂😂.  God fearing but will do battle with anyone at the drop of a hat.  I felt all those pocket book blows and they hurt😂😂.  I still watch this show to this day because I need all the laughter I can get and Sanford and Son never fails❤️❤️❤️❤️❤"

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14. Diane Calhoun
"Loved aunt Esther's comebacks to Fred's putdowns. Sooooo Sooooo funny. When God made her he brokje The mold."

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15. Northern California
"No one could deliver those lines like Lawanda Page"

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16. Joseph
"She made that character work"

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17. Mad Mike
"No telling how many times those scenes had to be retaken, 'cause the only person in the room with a straight face wouldve been Ms Page 😆🤣🤣"

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18. Jim Kasprzak
"She and Redd Foxx were the best of friends in real life"

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19. Marcel Walker
"Aunt Esther was as much a cartoon character as Fred and his friends...but the older I get, the more I understand where she was coming from. And she loved Lamont, so that counts for a lot."

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20. tmcmurra63
"Who didn't love Aunt Ester?  I know we grew up thinking she was all that.  And she kept a tight leash on Fred.  LOL

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21. sunshine712009
"7:58 Always saving the heathen's souls but right in the mix with 'em at the Juke Joint. Get it Aunt Esther!!"

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22. Maria Ddub
"This was so fabulous to see!!  Aunt Esther is my favorite church lady of all time😂😂.  God fearing but will do battle with anyone at the drop of a hat.  I felt all those pocket book blows and they hurt😂😂.  I still watch this show to this day because I need all the laughter I can get and Sanford and Son never fails❤️❤️❤️❤️❤"

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23. Noe Berengena

"Funny how Lawanda Page and Redd Foxx both had x-rated routines when they did stand-up. Back when there was actually ratings to alert people to filthy comedy routines. The old days"

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24. Eddie Landreth
"I still use my favorite Esther line to this day, which is "Don't make me have to knock you out!""

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25. Dee Hannibal
"Esther was GANGSTA!!😆👍🏾👏🏾"

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26.Ernestine Maloy
"Esther's raiders...man and that pocket book of hers was a lethal weapon...lmmfao....she even chased a gangster out of Fred's home with that thing...."

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27. Pat Moffit
"Only Aunt Ester can put the fear in my main man Rollo"

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28. emptyhand777
"I love how Rollo was afraid of Ester."

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29. Charles King, 2021
"It was RESPECT and fear..."

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30. Bigstooler0
" "Ain't that Rita Lawson's boy Rollo?" "

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31. 2u2
"Yep! But notice his reply...he said yes mam! Now let's fast forward to Todays young people...what you think their reply would be????"

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32. Sharon Jackson

"😂🤣😂🤣😂"

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33. b Ollie
"Classic 😂😂😂"

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34. Mz. Kendra
"When Rollo's cigarette fell out his mouth, I was done!!🤣😂"

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35. jlv3x
" @2u2  no matter how bad you thought you were, you knew you had to respect your elders back then!!!"

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36. 2u2
"@Caleb Mayfield  Well to enlighten you...in some cultures it doesn't matter how old you are.When talking to your elders....Saying yes ma'am or yes sir! used to be and in some cultures,still is... a sign of respect to those older than you.But I gotta remember a lot of people especially after those day's were and are not taught to speak in a manner of respect to older folks any longer."

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37. 2u2
"@Caleb Mayfield  Caleb also.Like

within some Asian communities their actions and the way they speak to their elderly are in a very respectful manner.Just like in the southern States of America...Whenever I used to visit.I would hear the young people when talking to the older people saying things like yes Sir and No Sir or Yes Ma'am or No Ma'am.It's just a way that the younger people respectful talk to older people that's all.They used say that,that was a form of southern hospitality shown to older people."

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38. 2u2
" @Caleb Mayfield  I've  seen 40 year old people talk to senior citizens using yes ma'am or yes Sir so I don't think being an adult means you stop respectfully speaking to those older than you just because they're now adults....that's all."

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39. Rhonda Saunders
"She asks him that every time she sees him. I be weak every time. 😂😂😂"

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40. Dr. Dee
"I grew up in Detroit,  but I formerly lived in Los Angeles, and I thought Aunt Esther was  portraying the role of a Sanctified matriarch, because there's so many Holiness churches in Los Angeles, but on the show, she was Missionary Baptist. When I was a kid, most of the churches in the black community were Missionary Baptist, and I never recall seeing the Baptist matriarchs shout like  Esther did, only in the Sanctified churches. She was hilarious. "Huuugh, glory!"

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41. Chief Pontiac
"One of the best shows ever. Did you know that Redd Foxx was only 42 years old when he starred in this show? All of his friends on the show, Aunt Ester, Big Boy Bubba, Lucky Leroy, Slick Skillet all used to play on the chitlin circuit back in the 40's and 50's as comedians. Check out LaWanda Paige's old comedy recordings. She was no saint!"

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42. Tricia Johansen
"She and Fred were good friends in real life. Redd threatened to quit if they got rid of Aunt Esther!😎"

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43. Ricoville
"He was born in 1922, so he was already 50 when the show debuted in '72, but his character was 65."

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44. Spency Chestang
"Great writing + Redd Foxx's & Demond Wilson's pinpoint timing/chemistry, toss in Lawanda Page, Whitman Mayo as Grady, Leroy Daniels, Ernest Mayhand (or "Skillet", ALL of whom had been friends of Redd for years before the show) and it all equals comedy gold excellence (!) Give me this show and "All In The Family", some Carol Burnett Show with Harvey Korman, and the one & only Tim Conway, and you can pretty much keep everything else."

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45. thequieterubcomethemoreuhear
"Epic laughter! And they could cut a rug & all that jazz too! 😎😎💞💞😂😂😂 Love these folks & this show! 💞

I couldn't handle their raw comedy outside this show but Sanford and Son was one of the greatest & still is! 😎"


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46. benHoda'ah Shedar'
"Aunt Esther : every  "Black" person in americas' ;  aunt , grandmother , mother , lady in the neighborhood......one of the cornerstones of the show"

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47. Phoenix85040
"I always wanted her as my aunt!"

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48. Jim F
"You don't have to be black to love Esther."

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49. benHoda'ah Shedar'
" @Jim F

that's not what I was saying"

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50. T Y
"Amen, dear BenHodah'ah Shedar' !!!"

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51. K Moore
"benHoda'ah Shedar' Relax! He was just chiming in. He wasn’t challenging what you said, geesh!"

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52. benHoda'ah Shedar'
"@k Moore

If so ; My apologies"

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53. DP Students
"My favorite Fred and Esther moment:

Esther: "When I was born, my body was blessed by Mother Nature."

Fred: "And as you got older, it was cursed by Father Time!""

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54. Rae Gasper
"Here’s my favorite moment: Fred: Goodbye “dear” Esther: oh you called me “dear” Fred: Why shouldn’t I call you “dear”, you look like Bambi’s father. Lol 😂"

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55. Maurice Doss
"Here's my favorite moment; Fred: "Ester what's wrong with you, Esther:"What's wrong with me,she had the nerve to call us witches. Fred:"And she was right you three ugly witches and you kissed your husbands and turned them into frogs."

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56. Savannah Rivers Amore
"I laughed when Fred Sanford came back from St. Louis and bought Esther a clear piece of plastic and she held it up to her face and he told her it was her Halloween mask I hollered"

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57. Faizel Harris
"That bag of Esther is deadly"

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58. Steven Dye
"We need Esther for this Virus , she would say get thee behind me satan."

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59. Tricia Johansen
" @Steven Dye  she would be the cure for the coronavirus!!!!😎🙏"

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60. J 5 mobile
"Coronavirus you old pickle eyed bear hugging fool begone"

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61. Hope Dunkel
"Aunt Esther's side eye and bad ass temper are goals."

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62.  Natleata Williams
" "Stop!🤚🏾 there's no peace says the Lord unto the wicked...😂"

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63. Zacharias3
"Loved how she could deliver a line and THAT evil eye. Acting perfection. Perfect comedy timing!!"

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64. Max Redman
"Best Aunt Esther line ever... "I wish I had some Dough, then I could stick your face in it and make Gorilla Cookies". Redd Foxx was hilarious."

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65. Diamond Kim71
"Here something we can all agree on, Aunt Esther did not play!!! Lol"

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66. Marcus Trice
"Admit it y'all. We all have a "Aunt Esther" in our family."

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2021

67. Jim Angler
"Ain't that Rita Lawson's boy ralo you ought to be ashamed of yourself LMFAO never gets olddddd"

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68. Tom Servo
"Rollo acting like a 5 year old caught with his hand in the cookie jar lol. My Dad even remembered this by quoting "Aren't you Rita Lawson's boy?!"

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69.Teshome Vaughn
"She reminds me of my grandma 😆"

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70. Bobby moore
"THIS HOUSE CORRUPTED EVEN MY FAVORITE NEPHEW,  AND BROKE HIS ARM JESUS LOL"

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71. Jon-Eric Phoenixx
"5:49 Eight day old collard greens wouldn't agree with Superman.

Only Aunt Esther's one liners, kept the show, tight like glue."

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72. Sportz N Sh*t
"Most black families has an Aunt Esther in there household love the lord but would cuss u out in second and tells it like it is 🤣🤣🤣"
-snip-
This is how that blogger’s name is written in that discussion thread.

In that comment "Black" probably specifically means "African American". 

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73. Lisa Guy
"THIS WOMAN GAVE THIS SHOW LIFE!!!!!"

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74. Robert Lanich
"I like when Aunt Esther said the three words Shame, Shame, Shame, I think she got that from Jim N."

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75. In this World
"This show is legendary. The Big Money Grip episode was one of the funniest TV episodes period. I also love when she had her entourage with her. When we had matriarch s to keep us in line.

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76. Faithful Forever
"The Lord will smite thee; but I can't wait!"  I absolutely love Aunt Esther.  "Fool!" "Heathens!"

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