“Our Show Was Much Too Hip, So We Got Cen-sor-ship…”
David has recapped The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour 50th anniversary for the New York Times this week, and in his TVWW blog. (2/10 – He also has a new, extended audio look at the Smothers' legacy on NPR's Fresh Air, here.)
Looking back, it’s no surprise the young brothers got their own show on CBS in 1967. Their timing, charm and wit were quite something, especially to the large demographic of under-25 viewers. (Their political daring would come quickly, making the show a landmark in broadcast censorship history.) The brothers returned to CBS for this 1988 reunion special along with Pat Paulsen, Steve Martin, Bob Einstein, John Hartford and many others. The cold open had CBS executives waiting for the brothers helicopter arrival with an anti-aircraft gun. A following montage of former guests included the greats of the day (The Doors, George Harrison), and a satire of the Mary Hopkins song, “Those Were the Days” – including the line, “our show was much too hip, so we got cen-sor-ship, those were the days…”