Rosalind Cash plays the older woman dating JJ, and also played a similar role as 'the older woman' involved with Dorothy's son in the classic 1985 episode of The Golden Girls 'Mixed Blessings'.
When Jessica asks JJ what he would do if he had to stop painting tomorrow, he answers 'Play fullback for the Chicago Bears'. Ernie Barnes, the real-life artist who painted JJ's paintings used on Good Times, was also a professional football player.