‘Good Times’ Star John Amos Gives Update After Accusing Daughter of Elder Abuse
John Amos is hoping to put the past behind him when it comes to recent family drama, noting that “all families go through trials and tribulations of some sort.”
The Good Times star and his filmmaker son, K.C. Amos, recently spoke with People about their family struggles; earlier this year, the legendary actor accused his daughter, Shannon Amos, of “elderly abuse,” something which Shannon denied.
“It is his sibling, that is my daughter, my first child. I love her. K.C. loves his sister. We just have, I guess, what might be best described in the tabloids is an acrimonious relationship, but everything heals in time, and the love is still there,” John told the publication.
Back in June, Shannon started a GoFundMe page for her father, claiming he was a victim of “elderly abuse.” However, the page was later taken down after John and K.C. said the claims were false and that Shannon was the one inflicting the abuse.
“To all of my fans, I want you to know that I am doing well. I am not in ICU, nor was I ever fighting for my life,” John said in a statement at the time. “First, I want the GoFundMe campaign about me to stop immediately, and the funds subsequently returned to those who made donations.”
John Amos and his son K.C. Amos; Leon Bennett/Getty Images
K.C. later shared a video of his father in the hospital, talking on the phone with what was presumed to be a lawyer or police officer. “[Shannon] would be the primary suspect, if you would,” John said in the video. “I don’t know if that’s the right term to use or not. But she’s the one that I would attribute my elderly abuse to. It’s definitely a case of elderly abuse.”
A month later, K.C. was arrested in West Orange, New Jersey, for allegedly threatening to kill Shannon. In the complaint, Shannon said she’d received several threats from her brother, including text messages with photos of “firearms and gang affiliations.”
Shannon also claimed that her brother has bipolar disorder and believed that she had hired a person to kill him, and this was him attempting to retaliate because he thought his life was in danger.
Shannon Amos and her father John Amos; J.Sciulli/WireImage for Cure Autism Now
In the latest interview, John said he hopes the family can have a “harmonious relationship at some point,” adding, “Right now, it is somewhat acrimonious, but never mind what you might read or hear about in the paper or on this medium or that medium platform. Suffice it to say we are still family, and we love each other, and that’s the bottom line.”
John, who is best known for his role on Good Times and playing Kunta Kinte in the landmark miniseries Roots, will delve deeper into his life in the upcoming docuseries America’s Dad, which has yet to receive a release date.
“We’re calling it America’s Dad because so many young men have come up to me and said, ‘Your father was my father,'” K.C. told People. “And I mean, people of all walks of life. I mean, even guys [who] look like bikers with ZZ Top beards have come up to me and said, ‘Can I give you a hug? Your father was my father, man.’ And they just want a chance to shake his hand.”
John also paid tribute to Norman Lear, who passed away last week at the age of 101. Lear helped develop Good Times, which catapulted John to the limelight.
Norman Lear and John Amos; Eric McCandless via Getty Images
“I know I was in the hands of probably the most innovative and important figure ever to grace television or any studio production facility,” John said. “He was one of a lifetime master, an innovator, and he had tremendous character.”
