Remembering Rob Reiner

An icon gone much too soon

Rob Reiner as “Meathead,” his character in the iconic 1970s-era sitcom, “All in the Family.”

Sad News

The horrific news revealing the murder of Rob Reiner and his wife is particularly hard on those of us who still see him as “Meathead.”

For the uninitiated, the name, when used, floated between being a term of endearment and a label of derision.

Fact: For many years in the 1970s, Rob Reiner played the character of “Meathead” in one of the era’s most iconic television programs, “All in the Family.”

For any kid growing up during this time, the classic Norman Lear TV show was must-see viewing. Leading the the Saturday night lineup, the show was the first stop on an evening of family TV watching, starting at 8:30, and ending at 11pm, with equally classic shows filling the airwaves in-between. All in the Family was followed by MASH, then the Mary Tyler Moore show, which led into the Bob Newhart show and was finally topped off with Carol Burnett, whose eponymous comedy hour highlighted and ended the night.

As a kid growing up during that time, this weekend TV-watching ritual was one that was anticipated by us all, with my brothers, my parents and me huddled around the black and white TV set at 8:30 sharp.

The original cast of All in the Family (CBS)

We knew that Archie Bunker - the main character on the show and creator of the Meathead label - would not disappoint, nor would he fail to shock. His casually racist, misogynist, homophobic and xenophobic ramblings were a staple of the show and were to be expected by anyone who had watched the program even once. This was who he was and his character failings were germane to the show. Not surprisingly then, his nickname for his son-in-law was par for the course. Married to Archie’s daughter, Gloria, Michael Stivic, which was “Meathead’s” real name, was a continual thorn in the side of his wife’s father.

In today’s parlance, Mike was a full-fledged member of “Antifa,” with his left-leaning, socially democratic and generally progressive stances on all things social and political. In stark contrast to Archie’s right-leaning and very narrow mindset, the grounds for ongoing conflict were set each week. Always the voice of reason, he was a stabilizing force in the Bunker household.

On the show, Mike often mitigated Archie’s insane viewpoints with anger, empathy and always, facts. He showcased an unwavering, compassionate-yet firm-in-his-beliefs stance on all things good and right. He was a pain in Archie’s side, and to the latter, Mike was nothing but a Hippie, and a “Pinko,” a term he used often in relation to those of Mike’s political leanings. In Archie’s world, being good was bad, what was right was wrong, and there was no middle ground in which to meet.

Reiner’s character, though diminished to the demeaning and belittling name of Meathead, was not cowed by his father-in-law’s ignorance. Rather, his “give them enough rope…” attitude allowed Archie hang himself with his own words and actions, every single time. In many of these instances, the misinformed man had to begrudgingly learn many of life’s lessons the hard way.

Archie’s lack of self-awareness was often illuminated by Mike’s pointed responses to the former’s often uninformed viewpoints. His continual counter arguments and resolute stance in response to almost everything Archie said was a highlight of the show.

Ironically, Reiner’s character was a harbinger of who he really was in life, decades after the last All in the Family show left the airwaves.

A staunch supporter of the disempowered, the weak and the marginalized, Reiner used his platform to raise the voices and support the rights of those who would often go unheard. He lived this ethos until the day he died.

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Reiner’s character in the show was a harbinger of who he really was in life, decades after the last All in the Family show left the airwaves. A staunch supporter of the disempowered, the weak and the marginalized, Reiner used his platform to raise the voices and support the rights of those who would often go unheard. He lived this ethos until the day he died.

It was clear that Michael Stivic was a champion of equal rights, feminism, anti-racism and anti-fascism. For those of us who fondly remember Reiner’s character in the show, it is of no surprise that in his final years and in real life, Rob Reiner was a champion for these same tenets.

Tragically, the peace-loving, anti-violence character that he played on a sitcom was more fortunate than the actor who played the role, meeting his ultimate fate in a most violent and horrible manner that no one would have ever anticipated.

A Reflection on Society

As a Black child growing up in Toronto in the 1970s, there were particular topics on the show that left an indelible mark on me, ones that I cannot easily forget. There were many that I did not understand at the time, but intuitively felt the magnitude of, despite my limited life experience.

I think about it now - some of the subject matter that and words used in the program that would now be seen as shocking, and I shake my head.

The racial slurs - you were allowed to say the N-word, “hard ‘R’” and all, and no one batted an eye (fun fact: watching the term become verboten once the O.J. Simpson trial commenced then ended, and the impact of the word on Black folks was finally understood by others, was a trip) - were commonplace. So too were the derogatory terms for gay people, women and people of Polish backgrounds (none of which are to be repeated here) - as was Archie Bunker’s son-in-law, also known as Meathead.

Certainly times have changed since the 1970s, but people, sadly, have not. We are still battling with the scourge of racism, ignorance, hatred and xenophobia, perhaps more pointedly today than at any time in the past. Everything old is new again and it seems that being closed-minded, ignorant and recalcitrant to common decency is more acceptable than ever. The resurgence and growth of the Archie Bunker Perspective on Life™️ is now a feature, not a bug in today’s world.

The lessons learned from the program, and from the one member of the Bunker family who really seemed to get it - Meathead - still ring true today.

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In his final years and in real life, Rob Reiner was a champion for the same tenets that he upheld in the show. Sadly, the peace-loving, anti-violence character that he played met his ultimate fate in a most violent and horrible manner that no one would have ever anticipated.

Years after All in the Family left the airwaves, Rob Reiner went on to achieve incredible fame and well-deserved accolades for directing such blockbusters as Stand By Me, When Harry Met Sally and This is Spinal Tap, to name a few. His talent was only paralleled by his commitment to the causes of what was good and right, and that made better people of us all.

Rob Reiner’s impact on the world, whether from his directorial lens, political lens, or both, cannot be underestimated and will not be forgotten. Though to younger generations he may only be known as a prolific director (if he is known at all), but for many of us Generation X folks, he will always be “Meathead.”

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