Lighting Dy-no-mite

Kimberley McGee

Friday, June 22, 2001 | 3:54 a.m.

Jimmie "J.J." Walker may be a self-described quiet man, but his voice booms with fervor when he discusses his views on politics, society and race relations.

When it comes to his opinion on the issues, he's not kidding.

He passionately pontificates on his website, dynomitejj.com, about the death penalty (which he favors) affirmative action (which he doesn't) and his secret crushes -- newscasters Kathleen Kennedy and Lynda Loveland to name a few.

His comedy seems to be saved for the stage.

The comedian performs at the Comedy Stop at the Tropicana Monday (which is also his 54th birthday) through July 2.

Walker, who has lived in Las Vegas since 1972, is probably best known for his role as the exciteable older brother from the cast of Norman Lear's "Good Times," which aired from 1974-1979 on CBS.

Walker began his career as a stand-up comedian in the late '60s in New York where he performed with Bette Midler and David Brenner.

When the show went off the air, Walker returned to the road with his boisterous comedy act. He made regular appearances on the "Tonight Show," as well as guest spots on prime-time shows.

Walker continues to tour the comedy-club circuit more than six months a year and fits in guest-starring roles on prime-time televisions shows, such as ABC's "Drew Carey Show." He also occasionally pops up on local talk radio.

In a phone interview from a hotel room in Vancouver, B.C., Walker jumped from one topic to another while discussing issues he said he felt strongly about such as life in Las Vegas, the struggles of single mothers and race relations:

Las Vegas Sun: You've said San Diego and Seattle are two of your favorite cities because of their liberal views. Why do you choose to live in Las Vegas?

Jimmie Walker: I like Vegas because you are out with a certain element of people. Once you are off the Strip you are in Iowa, really. This is a very small city.

Racially it is like America -- it's very prejudiced. But it's cool. I don't have a problem with that. People get all upset. I don't think the races should be together anyways. I've always said that.

Sun: Why do you think that?

JW: We don't get along.

It is separated anyway. I'll give you the perfect example. If you look at 20 years ago, before cable, when they had Ed Sullivan, you'd have Buck Owens and people -- black, white, Hispanic -- would watch the show.

Now, let's say I didn't like white people. Let's say this hypothetically. I could turn on (cable network) BET and never see white people. Let's say I'm a country guy and I'm only into the Dixie Chicks and Garth Brooks and Tracy Lawrence, I could have (cable network) CMT on the TV all the time, watch the white-news things I want to watch and never see black people. Let's say I'm Hispanic and I hate white people and black people, I can watch Telemundo and Univision all I want.

We are more segregated now than we have ever been. I'm just dealing with some realities.

The races are very much at odds and Vegas is very much a polarized city because of the job situation. You'll see on every shift they have one black guy as a pit boss. I'm not lying. There will be that one black guy or woman or that Asian person to say, "Please, Jesse (Jackson), don't come here. Don't march on us." We just aren't friends and we never will be.

Sun: You have worked on radio talk shows in Las Vegas. Do you have plans to return?

JW: The talk show (on KXNT 840-AM) wouldn't hire me. The new guy (Program Directer Gavin Stittle) doesn't know me. He has no idea what I do and how great I am. But that's OK.

I have a lot of opinions. I'm getting ready to type up a whole bunch of new stuff (for his website), too. Women are going to be (a topic on the website) as soon as I get back to town to type it in.

There's a big thing in Playboy this month with Ginger Harrison of the LAPD, posing nude. Isn't this exactly what they (women) said they don't want? They want to be seen as qualified people who can do the job, not as tushies and boobs and T&A.

I've been one to say I'm not sure women are qualified to do some of the (physical jobs) because they are not strong enough. Nothing personal, that's just the way it is. Women are not as strong as men.

Just like men can't have kids. That's just the way it goes. This (posing nude) is a big knock to women. Not a big knock, but just very hypocritical.

If they are going to be a fireperson, they want to go out and talk to young girls and say, "OK, you, too, can be a fireperson. You, too, can be a computer technology person. You, too, can be a newsperson. You don't want to be treated like T&A." So (posing nude), to me, takes something away from that.

Sun: Do you think the public is educated about issues?

JW: I think the public is very concerned about their life. They don't really care that much about what is going on.

I would tend to believe if you went into a casino and (asked), people know Oscar Goodman, but they don't know who (representatives Jim) Gibbons and Shelley Berkley are.

We are very much a survival town. We deal with probably the largest minority, or majority or whatever, in America and that's single moms. I would say, humbly, 45 percent of this country is made up of single moms.

They are so busy taking care of their kids, doing whatever that is, they don't vote, they have no political power, they have no political representation and all their issues are really off the table. That's a big, big bunch of people there, especially in our town.

That minority is really having a problem because they are hussling. They are trying to take care of their kids. These are things you have to be aware of if you are in politics. But I don't think (politicians) really care. That's just me. That's the way I walk around.