They'll Never Put That on the Air: An Oral History of Taboo-Breaking Comedy

About this book

In the 1950s Lucille Ball couldnt even say the word pregnant on TV. But by the 1990s Carrie Bradshaw and her posse could say everything there is to say about sexand demonstrate most of it. How have broadcast standards changed from the dawn of television till today? Through interviews with the creators of landmark shows author Allan Neuwirth traces that history revealing how the upheaval of the 1960s led to edgier fare such as The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour; how counterculture baby boomers made Saturday Night Live-style satire possible; how stand-up comedians changed the sitcom landscape; how UPN and the WB raised eyebrows with comedies aimed at minorities; and much more. In this age of FCC crackdowns Theyll Never Put That on the Air is as timely as it is entertaining and informative. Firsthand accounts of life in the TV trenches from producers and writers Handy genealogy chart traces TV comedy from the 1950s to today Insider author is an award-winning producer director and writer of TV comedy Allworth Press an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design theater branding fine art photography interior design writing acting film how to start careers business and legal forms business practices and more. While we dont aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.