It’s been 3 decades since Bern Nadette Stanis last played the role of Thelma on “Good Times.” The actress, now 56, says she continues to act whenever parts come along, but is also happy to indulge in her other pastime, writing books. Stanis is spending these days promoting her second book, “Situations 101: Relationships, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.”
“I did 101 different [relationship] situations and my responses to each and every one of them,” she explains, adding that the book is for both male and female readers.
“I love being an author, I dance, and you’re gonna see, I am a painter,” she says – to the shock of both EUR’s Lee Bailey and her “Good Times” co-star Jimmie Walker, who was sitting next to her.
Stanis says she regularly paints in oils, and boasts that she’s much better than her fictional older brother, who admits he can’t paint a lick even though his character JJ was a talented “ar-teeste.”
“I would say once a month, some guy comes up and says, ‘I’m a painter, and I was inspired by your work,’” laughs Walker. “As we all know, Ernie Barnes did all of our paintings and he was fabulous. Unfortunately, Ernie’s passed away, but I can’t even do stick figures.”
Whether it’s painting, writing, dancing or acting, Stanis says her main focus is to just go with the flow. “I just keep doing things that I feel to do,” she says. “Things keep evolving and I go with it.”
For more information on Stanis’ book, visit her Web site: ThelmaofGoodTimes.com
