Anthony Anderson Says John Amos ‘Reminded Me Of My Dad’ in Clip From ‘Black Comedy In America’

When Anthony Anderson was looking for someone to play his onscreen dad in his sitcom All About the Andersons, he knew exactly who he wanted: TV legend John Amos. The Emmy-nominated actor (who died in August 2024) was well known for roles such as Kunta Kinte in Roots and Good Times dad James Evans Sr. But for Anderson, the desire to cast Amos came from a more personal place, he says in the Oct. 29 episode of Black Comedy in America. 

John Amos reminded Anthony Anderson of his dad 

“John Amos reminded me of my dad,” he says in a clip from the Vice TV docuseries, which explores the Black comedic pioneers of film, television, and the standup scene. “And that’s why I cast John Amos as my father in my first show that I created, All About the Andersons.”

All About the Andersons premiered in 2003 and aired for one season on The WB. It followed Anderson’s character (also named Anthony Anderson), a single dad and struggling actor who has to move back in with his parents. In addition to Anderson and Amos (who played Anthony’s dad Joe), it starred Roz Ryan as Anthony’s mom Flo and Aimee Garcia as Lydia Serrano, a student who is renting a room in the Anderson family home. 

Men like John Amos were ‘what I wanted my father to be,’ Anderson says 

For Anderson, men like Amos were an inspiration. “As I grew and got older, all of those men stood out to me for what I wanted my father to be when he wasn’t,” he says. “And for what I wanted to be as a father when I became one.”

Anderson has two children, Kira and Nathan, with his former wife, Alvina Anderson. The couple split up in 2022 after more than two decades together. 

In interviews, the Black-ish star has spoken about his relationship with his stepfather, whom he sees as his dad. 

“He was the only father I knew or cared about,” Anderson told People in 2017. “He raised me as any father would, with love, patience, understanding, and discipline. I’m grateful because he taught me what it took to be a man. He wasn’t perfect, which made him even more of my hero.”

“It takes a helluva man to raise another man’s child as his own and that’s what my father did with no fuss or fanfare because that’s what real men do,” he added. 

The ‘Black-ish’ star says his stepdad taught him ‘what it took to be a man’ 

Anderson’s dad sometimes embraced a tough love approach. After the actor moved back home after college, he insisted on charging him rent and even installed a pay phone in the family room. But Anderson said he learned valuable lessons from his stepfather. 

“Again, my father taught me what it took to be a man,” he shared. “Those things were courage, responsibility, love, compassion, patience and understanding. Thank you, dad. I love you and I miss you!”

Black Comedy In America airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Vice TV. 

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