Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour"
by David Bianculli
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Book Summary Information
Author: David BianculliEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-12-01
ISBN: 1439101167
Number of pages: 400
Publisher: Touchstone
Book Reviews of Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour"
Book Review: A not-always-funny story of comic innovation
Summary: 5 Stars
I used to watch the Smothers Brothers show as a kid, and was kind of embarrassed for Tommy. He seemed to be such a stupid guy, always stuttering and screwing up and freaking out. Little did I know that Tommy was the mastermind behind the show, and according to David Bianculli's wonderful new book, had a virtuoso's feel for talent. AS well as a huge ego and volatile temper.
The book provides a peek at the early life of the Smothers Brothers (+ sister Sherri) who grew up as army brats in New England and elsewhere. Dad didn't survived a Japanese POW camp, and the boys grew up with their alcoholic Mom. Once success started, though, it would not stop. Soon, the boys had their own show on CBS, but were set up against NBC's ultra-popular western "Bonanza" at 9pm on Sunday, the so-called "suicide slot," known for chewing up any show set up against it. The Smothers' mix of acts, as well as their edgy comedy and musical talent, appealed to older and younger viewers alike. But as the 1960s heated up, the Smothers (especially Tommy) and their show became more and more political, anti-war and anti-administration. They and their writers tried constantly to slip drug references, anti-war and anti-Johnson and lefty views (pro-civil rights, anti-gun, etc.) into the show. The censors were not pleased, rankling Tommy, who believed he had total creative control over the show's content. After three seasons of popularity but ever-escalating bickering and posturing, CBS fired the duo.
Several things stand out about the Smothers, whose show to a young eye seemed so tame and innocuous. By describing their sketches and jokes, Bianculli makes a great case that the Smothers Brothers were true path breakers. Tommy managed to get huge acts -- Cream, Jefferson Airplane, Harry Belafonte, Peter Seeger, the Beatles (by videotape) -- onto his show. He helped to re-introduce talent to America like Seeger and Burl Ives who had been blacklisted during the McCarthy witch hunts of the 1950s. The Smothers championed racial equality and a desire for peace at a time in America when such sentiments were dangerous. Some of the Smothers Brothers' segments were innovative and paved the way for comic styles we now take for granted. Pat Paulsen's editorials and faux bid for the presidency, for instance were classic comic theater that made possible the work of Chevy Chase, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, to name a few.
Occasionally, Bianculli overreaches. The back-stage bickering that eventually got them fired was childish, sad and unnecessary. By being so inflexible and strident, Tommy lost an opportunity to challenge a very conservative America with viewpoints it needed to hear. Bianculli makes a rather weak, circumstantial case that President Richard Nixon retaliated against them for tweaking him with their humor. Even to this freedom-swilling lefty, their antics seem impolitic, immature and counterproductive. Which, I guess, means that David Bianculli has done a nice job of telling a balanced tale.
Kudos to David for shining a light on some of the lesser known battles of the 1960s. The Smothers Brothers' goofy front veiled a hard-as-nails love of liberty and equality that I find exemplary. They may have blown their chance to keep spreading the word, but it's great that they were on the right side of so many important social battles. The book also got me to look up many of the classic skits that Bianculli mentions. Very funny, mostly, and far ahead of their time.
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Summary of Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour"
A behind-the-scenes look at the rise and fall of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour -- the provocative, politically charged program that shocked the censors, outraged the White House, and forever changed the face of television.Decades before The Daily Show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour proved there was a place on television for no-holds-barred political comedy with a decidedly antiauthoritarian point of view. In this explosive, revealing history of the show, veteran entertainment journalist David Bianculli tells the fascinating story of its three-year network run -- and the cultural impact that's still being felt today.
Before it was suddenly removed from the CBS lineup (reportedly under pressure from the Nixon administration), The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was a ratings powerhouse. It helped launch the careers of comedy legends such as Steve Martin and Rob Reiner, featured groundbreaking musical acts like the Beatles and the Who, and served as a cultural touchstone for the antiwar movement of the late 1960s.
Drawing on extensive original interviews with Tom and Dick Smothers and dozens of other key players -- as well as more than a decade's worth of original research -- Dangerously Funny brings readers behind the scenes for all the battles over censorship, mind-blowing musical performances, and unforgettable sketches that defined the show and its era.
David Bianculli delves deep into this riveting story, to find out what really happened and to reveal why this show remains so significant to this day.
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