Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" by David Bianculli

Apr 02, 2010 Bill Kerwin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, biography

Clearly written and organized, and very informative. Bianculli had the advantage of full access to the Smothers Brothers, and it shows. Any of you remember that Firesign Theatre album title, "Everything You Know is Wrong"? Well, I found out this was true of my memory of the whole Comedy Hour controversy. I thought the series ended because of the Vietnam War, Pete Seeger's "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy," and pressure from the Johnson White House, when in reality it had more to do with falling rati...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Jeff rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The first three-quarters of this book rates five stars, but the last quarter, which should have been omitted, turns into a political rant in which Bianculli offers idiotic opinions and lame-brain conclusions. Bianculli obviously sees the canceling, or firing, of The Smothers Brothers as some kind of conspiracy and some kind of right-wing conspiracy at that, rather than what it was--Tommy Smothers self-destructiveness spiraling out of control. Rather than spending so much time trying to uncover b...more The first three-quarters of this book rates five stars, but the last quarter, which should have been omitted, turns into a political rant in which Bianculli offers idiotic opinions and lame-brain conclusions. Bianculli obviously sees the canceling, or firing, of The Smothers Brothers as some kind of conspiracy and some kind of right-wing conspiracy at that, rather than what it was--Tommy Smothers self-destructiveness spiraling out of control. Rather than spending so much time trying to uncover blame elsewhere for the battles that ultimately led to the cancellation, why didn't Bianculli try to find out what was really going on with Tommy Smothers at the time, since he seemed to have unfettered access to the brothers during the writing of the book.

This book offers no new insight into the story, although the story itself is chronicled in interesting and lively detail. What it doesn't offer is much perspective from Tommy and what was going through his mind when he pulled some of the stupid stunts he did with CBS. He doesn't take Tommy to task at all, nor challenge him in any way on his actions. Nor does Tommy seem to take any real responsibility for the cancellation. Instead its offered up as political censorship, ignoring the fact that those who censored and ultimately canceled the show weren't opposed to the brothers politics, they simply didn't want to offend the viewers on topics such as religion and sex or to offend anyone personally. It was never about the political ideas espoused.

The book could have been great if Bianculli had just kept his left-wing snarking asides out. It wasn't about Democrats versus Republicans as it so often is today. It was the younger generation versus the establishment. In fact, the Democrats of the 1960s were even more conservative than the Republicans. It was a Democrat, Pastore, who talked of censoring the brothers and most everyone involved in the censoring and ultimate firing of the brothers were Democrats. As is still the case in recent years when government censorship is pursued by Democrats such as Tipper Gore.

Here's a passage from the book that shows how much Bianculli wanted to uncover a right-wing conspiracy:
"Finding a smoking gun connecting Richard Nixon directly to the demise of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was a task at which I proved unsuccessful, but not for lack of effort." Doesn't this guy have an editor at Simon & Schuster?

How can someone who spends so much time researching a story ignore the facts he uncovers and come to such idiotic conclusions? This is what partisan politics does to a writer.

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Sep 09, 2012 Ken rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is more than the story of the three year run of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. It is also the story of The Smothers Brothers. If you like the Smothers Brothers, it is a treasure trove of info about how the act was started and how it was shaped.

I listened to one or two of their comedy albums over and over, as a kid. I didn't see their show, except in re-runs and documentaries, but since I have a brother, their comedy was very funny to me.

Later in life, when I learned that Tommy (G...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Leah added it

"I think I must have seen every episode of that show as a kid growing up and this behind the scenes look is fascinating. The author covers pretty much every episode their creation and evolution, and interviews many of the participants, many of whom went on to famous careers themselves. Steve Martin. Rob Reiner. And of course Pat Paulsen. I had never realized that the Bob Einstein who played "Officer Judy" and now haunts "Curb Your Enthusiam" is Albert Brooks' brother. Tommy Smothers is particula...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Richard rated it 3 of 5 stars

If you remember the Smothers Brothers, read this book for a tiptoe thru the tulips (I know it was on a competing show, but timeliness was the aim) buried under the neiges d'antan. If either phrase has left you scratching your wig-holder, look THAT up in your Funk and Wagnalls.

But don't read this rather dense, somewhat longwinded recap of the three-season run of the Smothers Brothers's show. It will mean little to you, and the density of the behind-the-scenes material won't fascinate. The author...more If you remember the Smothers Brothers, read this book for a tiptoe thru the tulips (I know it was on a competing show, but timeliness was the aim) buried under the neiges d'antan. If either phrase has left you scratching your wig-holder, look THAT up in your Funk and Wagnalls.

But don't read this rather dense, somewhat longwinded recap of the three-season run of the Smothers Brothers's show. It will mean little to you, and the density of the behind-the-scenes material won't fascinate. The author clearly knows his onions about TV, about the time period, and about the brothers. His style isn't sparkling, but it is very informative and it's never dry. Just thick. Like a fallen souffle, it still has the savor but the texture's just a little off.

I grew up on Smothers Brothers material because my sisters are both much older than I am, so were listening to their albums, and Kingston Trio albums, and Vaughn Meader albums, and Bob Newhart albums. *sigh* What a way to grow up. Then along came the Beatles, and out went everything else...except the Smothers Brothers, the eldest sister was a granola-and-granny-gowns girl to the horror of our Balenciaga-wearing mother.

So along comes the TV show the clean-cut young men put on, on Sunday night opposite "Bonanza" which neither of my parents cared diddly about (if it had been opposite "Gunsmoke" I'd've never even heard of it); the closing-in-on-50 mom and closing-in-on-40 dad tried to be gravy (joke on "groovy," slang of the times...they were as inept at modern slang as I am, and you will be, youngsters) by watching it with their teens and the caboose.

We all loved it. Pat Paulsen was so funny that my arch-conservative parents thought he was the highlght of the show with his first-time-ever-done fake run for President. My sisters loved "Share Tea with Goldie", with a flower child making in-jokes about drugs that Mama and Daddy didn't get. I was in love with Mason Williams, of "Classical Gas" fame. Still one of my very favorite pieces of pop music, up there with "In Your Eyes" and "Solsbury Hill" by Peter Gabriel.

No one used dirty words. No one was more than mildly salacious, to my father's disgruntlement. But everyone was ethically opposed to the Vietnam war, and my mother's nephew was a Navy pilot at risk, plus she'd lost "someone close" in the Ia Drang battle (never discussed in detail, quite mysterious), so we as a family were opposed to the unwinnable war (Dad's name for it).

Hard to imagine now, in this fractured entertainment landscape, but the Smothers Brothers drew 35% (THIRTY-FIVE PERCENT) of the TV-viewing audience...and got canceled! If someone drew a 35% share today, the network execs would offer their grandchildren as slaves and their houses as rewards to the people who delivered such monster ratings. Then, well...that was just ordinary. What wasn't ordinary was the men delivering the ratings were young and idealistic and ready to talk about things that were taboo (eg, religious hypocrisy, racial politics) without hesitation. The people who watched the Smothers Brothers were mostly young, mostly rich, mostly well-educated and almost always all three. What an audience!!

And they got canceled.

Even my arch-conservative parents thought that was stupid. "Can't stop people thinkin' and best not to try," said Mama. "What's the use of a Constitution if you can only agree with powerful people?" asked Dad.

Yeah. That's what I'm sayin' after reading this book. They didn't back down from any fight, and they lost the war...but damn, it's hard not to admire their spirit. Tommy, though, comes across as a self-righteous little pisher and Dickie as a self-absorbed bore. But hey, they fought a good fight and today's TV landscape looks the way it does in good part because of these guys and their irritating ways.

Someone give them a show, quick! They're still alive, but who knows for how long! (less)

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Jan 28, 2011 Paul Pessolano rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you are looking for a book that is funny, nostalgic, and informative this book will satisfy you. The book will have special appeal to those who grew up in the Folk Era with The Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul, and Mary, and of course, THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS. The book gives the reader a glimpse of their lives before they became folk singers/comedians. They grew up without and a father, and a mother who came and went through several marriages and spent a lot of time in the bottle. The brothers, at an...more If you are looking for a book that is funny, nostalgic, and informative this book will satisfy you. The book will have special appeal to those who grew up in the Folk Era with The Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul, and Mary, and of course, THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS. The book gives the reader a glimpse of their lives before they became folk singers/comedians. They grew up without and a father, and a mother who came and went through several marriages and spent a lot of time in the bottle. The brothers, at an early age, were sent to a Military School. This was a short lived experiment that had the brothers being bounced between relatives and their mother. They started their act during high school but had little success. They continued their act after high school with pretty much the same results. Almost broke, they were able to mix their folk music with comedy, Dick playing the straight man, and Tom providing the comedy. Who can forget Tom's famous line, "Mom liked you best". Their success continued to grow but they were still playing in small venues and college campuses. It was only when CBS was desparately looking for a summer replacement show to put up against the unbeatable "Bonanza" that "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" was put on the air. The show did better than anyone expected. A lot of the success came from the new acts and biting political satire that became a standard on the show. Some of the acts that performed on the show were: The Turtles, Jim Morrison and the Doors, The Mamas and the Papas, The Who, and Pete Seeger. Some of the famous writers, musicians, and actors to receive their start on the show were: Steve Martin, Rob Reiner, Mason Williams, and Pat Paulsen. Who can forget Pat Paulsen's run for the Presidency.

The book is full of the better moments and routines of the show, but the book mainly focuses on the Brothers fight with CBS over censorship. A long and heated battle that went on for years that was finally won by the Brothers, but even though they won the war they really lost the battle because they never became a force in the media again.

One of their best routines, and it is in the book is, "My Old Man", in which the Brothers sing about the profession of their father. Dick takes on a tongue twister, a daringly high risk one: "My old man's a cotton-pickin', finger-lickin' chicken plucker." "What do you think about that?" Tom snickers and replies, "You better not make a mistake">

Enjoy this book, it is well done and is history.

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Nov 13, 2010 Kathleen Hagen added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-audio-books, 2010-nonfiction

Dangerously Funny, the Uncensored Story of the Smothers Brothers’ Comedy Hour, by David Bianculli, Narrated by Johnny Heller, Produced by Tantor Media, downloaded from audible.com

This book is about the rise and fall of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. It appealed to kids and young people below age 30. I was definitely in that age range and I remember the wonder of such wonderful satire on television. The publisher’s note says it as well as I could say it:
Decades before The Daily Show, The Smot...more

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Jul 15, 2010 Michael rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the kind of book that I occasionally find in the library that I would never read otherwise. It is mostly chronological description of two-and-a-half seasons that the Smothers Brothers had a TV series on CBS with some pre- and post- history, with a focus on what they did that was advanced (in some sense) for the time and the things that got them in trouble with CBS and others - usually the same things.

Because of the focus on their being "dangerous" there is perhaps not as much about the i...more

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Mar 29, 2010 Blog on Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

We always knew that Tommy Smothers was the more political of the famous Smothers Brothers comedy duo, but perhaps we never knew just how stridently he fought to maintain it. In 1967, (pre-cable) television was not the place for making snide, clever or obtuse political references on an entertainment variety show. At least so thought the well ensconced executives who ran the Tiffany network, CBS.

WIth guests like Joan Baez, David Steinberg, Pete Seeger and The Who (not to mention in-house talent l...more We always knew that Tommy Smothers was the more political of the famous Smothers Brothers comedy duo, but perhaps we never knew just how stridently he fought to maintain it. In 1967, (pre-cable) television was not the place for making snide, clever or obtuse political references on an entertainment variety show. At least so thought the well ensconced executives who ran the Tiffany network, CBS.

WIth guests like Joan Baez, David Steinberg, Pete Seeger and The Who (not to mention in-house talent like Steve Martin, Pat Paulsen, Mason Williams ("Classical Gas") and Glen Campbell), Tom and Dick Smothers produced a Sunday night, prime-time variety show that was made for the counter-culture times (drugs, anti-war, anti-cop, etc...) The trouble was, CBS didn't feel like inviting push-back from it's myriad of constituencies, ranging from big-name sponsors to the eventual Nixon White House. Thus the brothers found themselves in endless battles over content with the network censors such that each show, each skit had to be reviewed by various people in the food-chain to determine it's appropriateness in the days leading up to each broadcast.

Such machinations ultimately created a war between Tom and the network that, by 1969, ended in the termination of the show altogether.

Television writer, David Bianculli (Teleliteracy: Taking Television Seriously) has painstakingly gone back through every episode, internal memos, court transcripts (they sued CBS for breach of contract) as well as conducting interviews with everyone from the brothers to Lorne Michaels (then a writer for Smothers' competitor "Rowan & Martin's Laugh In") to CBS executives, former managers and others, in assembling the ultimate Smothers Brothers story. (Unfortunately, it took nearly fifteen years for Bianculli to finish the book between other projects and a heavy case of self-admitted procrastination.)

While much of the material that was considered `too hot for television' back in 1967-69 would seem undramatically harmless today, it is clear that the brothers were pushing the limits of network television content by 60's standards. To witness what they went through in combining comedy and politics and the effect it had on the times (the Vietnam War, LBJ, the Beatles, etc.) one cannot help but draw a straight line between their show and the work of modern day cable satirists like Bill Maher, Stephen Colbert and John Stewart, who would not be where they are today without the work of Dick and particularly, Tom Smothers.(less)

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Sep 28, 2010 Brady rated it 3 of 5 stars

I remember watching the Smothers Brothers in the 80s and liking them, though I was too young to get a lot of their jokes. I've been listening to some of their albums again and loving them, so I figured this book would be a great companion to that. The brothers were and continue to be a fascinating duo. But the book doesn't quite carry me away. There are a lot of facts I had no idea about, but Bianculli spends too much time (for my taste) getting into the nitty-gritty of the multitudes of specifi...more

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Feb 21, 2010 Donna rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: lovers of pop culture and free speech

Shelves: nonfiction

I was ages 13 to 15 while The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was on the air, so my reflections are tinged with the first understandings of early adolescence. I remember watching this ground-breaking show, but know also that there were weeks we went to Grandma's to watch Bonanza on her color television. I think I was a bit behind others of my generation to appreciate the new rock music scene, though I was very tuned in to the anti-war movement (blame the Catholic school and nuns for both). I remem...more I was ages 13 to 15 while The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was on the air, so my reflections are tinged with the first understandings of early adolescence. I remember watching this ground-breaking show, but know also that there were weeks we went to Grandma's to watch Bonanza on her color television. I think I was a bit behind others of my generation to appreciate the new rock music scene, though I was very tuned in to the anti-war movement (blame the Catholic school and nuns for both). I remember Pat Paulsen's campaign for president more than I remember any hidden drug references in comedy or music.

This book which looks at Tom and Dick Smothers lives and early career examines in detail their 76 television programs and their ongoing fight with CBS censors. Interestingly it turned out that the very topics they were forbidden from presenting became standard fare simultaneously on NBC with Laugh-In and just months later on CBS with "All in the Family". The Smothers Brothers were on the absolute cutting edge of breaking the anti-war/drug/political comedy barrier, but unfortunately were just on the wrong side of time. A year or two after they were fired by CBS, their show would have been considered tame.

Forty years later the comedy (even in this written, non-visual form) still provokes laughs. It's hard to believe that a sermon parody would cause such a corporate uproar. Those were much more innocent times. And it was the very focus of this political comedy that helped America shed its innocence (naivete?) and open the door to freer speech in broadcast television.

I'd really like to get a chance to see the DVDs.

The author admits that it took him 15 years to write this book which was well past all of its due dates at the publisher. Yet in the discussion of the various television episodes it still feels like 20 little essays strung together without reference to each other. Too often bits and insights are repeated in two or more chapters which breaks the flow (for me) of the narrative.

Not a perfect written work, but a book well worth reading.(less)

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Jan 08, 2010 Kasa Cotugno rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vine, genre-biography-memoir, subject-show-biz

It's always easy to sentimentalize the past -- the light is always gold, things were more innocent, at least that's all true if the remembered time were really so halcyon. Jon Stewart recently pointed out that the best time for most adults occurred when they were children. Adults have a different take on the times. The late 60's were full of turmoil, change, not all of it for the best. But that could be said of any era. The Smothers Brothers grew with the times and tried to make their show more...more

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Dec 31, 2009 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars

TV reviewer David Bianculli has put together a fun, highly-informative, loving look back at "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour", a (in hindsight) revolutionary show that crossed a lot of boundaries in television. I watched this show with my parents when it was on (and even stood up my dad's acoustic guitar and pretended to play bass like Dickie Smothers), I was but 3 years old and the political and social progressiveness of the show was lost on me.

Bianculli spent a lot of time with Tom and Dick...more

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Dec 21, 2009 Chad rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography-memoirs-essays

David Bianculli's adoration for Dick and Tommy Smothers practically leaps off the pages of what turns out to be a quite entertaining and informative look at the comedy duo and their largely forgotten impact on the way comedians have used the medium of television to comment on society. The author probably uses the phrase "the most important moment in Smothers Brothers history" ten or twelve times, but his exhuberance is so earnest that it comes off as quaint rather than hyperbolic.

For those with...more David Bianculli's adoration for Dick and Tommy Smothers practically leaps off the pages of what turns out to be a quite entertaining and informative look at the comedy duo and their largely forgotten impact on the way comedians have used the medium of television to comment on society. The author probably uses the phrase "the most important moment in Smothers Brothers history" ten or twelve times, but his exhuberance is so earnest that it comes off as quaint rather than hyperbolic.

For those with short memories, it would be easy to dismiss The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour as just another variety show in an era where seemingly anybody with a SAG card could be given one. But beyond that immediate impression you may have of the brothers being a standardly wholesome clown and straight man, you may remember that Tom and Dick spent the better part of their original three seasons on the air (1967-1969) rocking the boat in a way that no one had ever really done before.

In these pages, David Bianculli gives a rather detailed and fair account of the behind-the-scenes antics of Tommy Smothers and the motley gang of rabblerousers he'd gathered to produce the show (brother Dick went along for the ride, but was never the instigator his older brother was). The author also paints a pretty vivid portrait of the television landscape of the late 60's and the role it played in that turbulent era. Television these days can be pretty racy, and political ideology is in no short supply on whatever channel you turn to. But how many people would credit The Smothers Brothers with paving the way in a time where escapist Westerns were the most popular genre on all three networks?

Tommy and Dick Smothers spoke out against the war in Vietnam. They made it a point to slip as many drug jokes into each show as they could. They constantly pushed against the divisions between the races: few people realize they beat 'Star Trek' to the first ever interracial kiss when football player Rosey Greer kissed Mama Cass during a skit making fun of their primary Sunday night competition, 'Bonanza'. They hired writers like Rob Reiner, Steve Martin, and Bob Einstein (Super Dave!) and featured music from the likes of The Who and The Beatles. They ran a fake presidential campaign in the real world 40 years before Stephen Colbert would do the same. And they forcefully pushed back against network censorship in a battle that would clear a path for future generations of television humorists, but at the expense of a red-hot career trajectory.

Bianculli covers all of this quite brilliantly, even if he sometimes sounds like a love-sick school girl. His passion for his subject is backed up by a truly interesting story, which is presented here very succinctly.(less)

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Jan 09, 2012 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars

I didn't know who the Smothers Brothers were before reading this book, I read it because George Clooney is making a movie about them, and their television show was controversial. In reading about the Smothers Brothers, their show, and their constant battles with the CBS censors during the turbulent times of the 60s the author does a fantastic job of connecting this to our own times. The Smothers Brothers were inspirations for several television shows and it'll make you roll your eyes to hear how...more

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Jul 19, 2010 Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

This book was very interesting. I stayed up until 4 in the morning finishing it up rather than put it down. The book will be even more interesting after I watch Smothered, the documentary about how the brothers were fired and the series on DVD. I discovered why season 3 of the Smothers Brothers came out on DVD first. Tommy thought of it to throw people off and again not play by "the rules". Season 2 and 3 are out and season 1 will come out last. I appreciated the description of the show, the bus...more

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Sep 26, 2010 Walter rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, own

I was too young to appreciate the controversy that the Smothers Brothers caused when their show was on the air, but I remember watching it every week and enjoying it quite a bit. My very conservative father controlled the TV dial in those days and apparently he enjoyed the show too, otherwise we wouldn't have watch it, so CBS may have greatly misjudged mainstream tastes when they pulled the plug on the show.

In any case, I have been a lifelong fan of the comedy duo and thus I am a somewhat biased...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Lane Willson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, non-fiction

Fired not Canceled and other irrelevant distinctions of the Genius Tommy Smothers
I just finished Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” by David Bianculli. It is a wonderful recounting of Tom and Dick Smothers overcoming the death of their father in a POW camp on Bataan, and the revolving door of men in and out of their mother’s life. I laughed and laughed, and Mr. Bianculli does a wonderful job of capturing their rise to fame that at first seemed like as...more Fired not Canceled and other irrelevant distinctions of the Genius Tommy Smothers
I just finished Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” by David Bianculli. It is a wonderful recounting of Tom and Dick Smothers overcoming the death of their father in a POW camp on Bataan, and the revolving door of men in and out of their mother’s life. I laughed and laughed, and Mr. Bianculli does a wonderful job of capturing their rise to fame that at first seemed like as arbitrary and strange as driftwood washed up on a beach. Their self-destruction seems just another of the many vast right wing conspiracy stories that like a chronic drug induced paranoia hang over what is left of the brains many of the 1960’s flower power warriors. Like many, many other examples in their career, they were possibly the first recorded case psychedelic battle fatigue.

Some self-disclosure: From a political standpoint, there in not a single position of Tom and Dick that I know about that I agree with. But I have always loved their humor, and for some reason the Smothers Brothers show is one I actually remember from my early childhood. I was only 6 or 7 when it went off the air.

Politics aside, Tommy was a genius. The caliber of talent Tommy was able to place in front of America over and over and over again was and remains unparalleled. The writers alone included names like Steve Martin and Rob Reiner. The Who, the Doors, Jefferson Airplane all appeared on the Smothers Brothers before they were widely known to America and the world. Tommy worked with the greatest straight man, his brother Dick, since Gracie Allen. All of this was fueled and focused by Tommy very real and passionate idealism. Each week Tommy used his persona as a not too bright, but warm hearted little boy whose only desire was to have his mother’s love, trapped in the body of a grown man who took positions each week that put the counter in counter culture – and he killed. KILLED!

The Smothers Brothers went up against the biggest baddest television icon of American independence and grit – Bonanza; and the Smothers Brothers achieved what no one before them had ever done. The Smothers Brothers drew more viewers. This is what makes Tommy’s actions so infuriating and incomprehensible.

Apparently Tommy is allergic to censorship. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not about to defend CBS standard and practices, the Nixon administration, or even the lemming like mindset of the greatest generation who by this time were in their 40’s and just wanted a century or so of peace after surviving WWII. But Tommy was fighting the wrong battle.

Almost from the start CBS began limiting what he could say, and how he could say it. Over and over again, the anti-war, anti-establishment, anti-conformity present in Tommy’s humor resonated with his audience, and he had the love of the American people to prove it. Rather than using his immense talent to express his ideas in a different way. Knowing CBS would veto a bit with a not too subtle marijuana reference “Tea with Mary Jane”, the name that followed “A Little Tea with Goldie O’Keefe”. It got past the censors, but not the Smothers Brothers audience. With each battle Tommy became more entrenched, and victory with the audience was superseded by Tommy’s demand for a victory with the CBS censors. Tommy’s stubbornness was equivalent to Vincent Van Gogh demanding praise from the blind.

Ultimately, Tommy was not the loser, but rather the American people. In the arena of ideas the best idea does not always win. Look no further than the words our own Declaration of Independence “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”, an idea that was almost immediately vanquished in constitution that did not outlaw slavery. Tommy had the chance to elevate the ideas being discussed in his day, and he missed it. Satire by its very nature is subversive, but Tommy became more interested in preaching about the hypocrisy of the censors. Yell at a fat man about his obesity, and he will remain fat. Make him chase you and like or not, his physical condition will improve.

From the moment CBS took the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour off the air, and to this day, Tommy has argued with all his might that the show was not canceled, but that he and Dick were fired. A federal court would later agree with Tommy. But the Vietnam war continued for five more years, Nixon was elected to a second term before endangering our republic and disgracing his office, and Tommy’s ideas, censored or not, were no longer in front of a massive American audience.

Tommy is certainly not to blame for these events. But there is a cliché of note which says that a rising tide lifts all boats Had his ideas remained in the American arena now known as “the ‘60’s” it may have been enough to raise us past these outcomes. Sadly, all we know for sure is that Tom and Dick Smothers were fired and not canceled.
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Oct 14, 2011 Steven Dzwonczyk rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was pretty young when the Smothers Brothers were on TV, and I have only vague memories of it, though I'm fairly sure my family probably wouldn't have watched it when it was up against "Bonanza" and later up against "Laugh In". (I actually do remember watching "Laugh In".) Listening to "Dangerously Funny" helped to clear some of the cobwebs from my memory, including my confusion of Dan Rowan and Dick Martin with Tommy and Dick Smothers.

Tommy Smothers, I came to find out, was the older of the b...more

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Feb 22, 2010 Diane Ferbrache rated it 3 of 5 stars

If you are over 50 (like me) or a fan of 60s culture and TV, you will really enjoy this story of the Smothers Brothers and their short-lived variety show. It's an entertaining look at their early years leading up to the TV show. Then there's a close examination of the show itself -- including detailed accounts of each episode. The anectdotes are funny and you get a realistic picture of how television shows are created and/or destroyed by the network executives. There is plenty of context here, s...more

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Dec 23, 2012 Frederick Bingham rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is the story of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, a show which ran on CBS for 2 1/2 seasons in the late-1960s, 1967-1969. The show featured all kinds of comedy, as well as music and commentary. The real story of the book is the fight between Tom Smothers and the censors at CBS, who were constantly trying to expunge the content of anything remotely controversial. Smothers managed to keep some edgy stuff in the show. The brothers were fired by CBS at the end of their third season becaus...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Mike rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: hippies and baby boomers

Shelves: biography-showbiz

Dick: People don't tune in to us to listen to us argue!
Tom: Some of them did.
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I was one of those people who tuned in between '67 and '69 to listen to Tom and Dick Smothers argue and sing and make me laugh on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour." David Bianculli's book, "Dangerously Funny", traces the Brothers' career, but spends most of it's pages examining the evolution of Tom's enlightenment as an anti-establishment proponent in the sixties and his constant battles with the CBS censors...more

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Oct 12, 2012 John Teehan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved this book. While I was too young to enjoy them during their TV years, their influence on the world of comedy and social awarenesss (off and on screen) cannot be denied. If you were there, this book will take you back and give you some inside skinny on the famed duo, their infamous comedy show, and their history. If you weren't there... you'll feel like you were. Despite being icons of the 60s and 70s, they--to me, at least--are timeless.

Does this make me a biased reviewer? Not necessarily...more

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Sep 20, 2010 Patty rated it 3 of 5 stars

I like the Smothers Brothers but not as much and Bianculli appears to, if this book is anything to go by!

I'll admit to not finishing it because there is too much detail. If you want to know every guest, every song and every fight with CBS censors then this is the book for you. Me, I think I'm saving some pennies to buy the complete set of the series on DVD to enjoy each guest, each song and just know in the back of my mind that much of this came at a great cost to Tom and Dick Smothers in their...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Wileyacez rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Excellent book! Turned down so many page corners because there was so much follow up material in this book. I was 7-9 when this program ran, and remember my father just loving it. Obviously, all the "naughty" stuff went right over my head, and any complaints about politics were already rattling around in our house. I just loved how funny they were. My son was just the right age for the revival, and there came another generation of fans.

It was interesting to get the back story on how the brothers...more

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Apr 06, 2010 Marlene rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book brought back a lot of memories as I grew up with the Smothers Brothers. I found the censoring of the times very interesting. We forget how strict TV used to be. The author details the start of the Smothers Brothers, mostly about their stint with CBS and the censors, and where they are today. Their CBS time was during the Vietnam War and Tom, especially was very anti-war, very liberal. His intent was to use the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour as his pulpit. The author is obviously in agre...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Smothers Brothers story is more incredible than I thought. At the time, most of the material was over my head. In my opinion David Bianculli did a fantastic job in telling their story. So much was going on behind the scenes...! Tommy should be given more credit for what he achieved....every show should have a disclaimer or a nod of thanks to him. Looking back...perhaps he did go to far in his battles...but then again...I wasn't there to know what he was up against.

I look forward to the movie...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Katie Christian rated it 3 of 5 stars

The author points out that you can't judge past situations from todays perspective and that is definitely the case with the Smothers Brothers battle with censorship. It seems so foreign now, but the country was a much different place in the late 60s. I enjoyed the lead-up to the boys careers on television. I grew up listening to their Sibling Revelry record repeatedly, and I'm a huge fan. I was hoping for more of a biography of the brothers, but the title does clearly warn me that this is the st...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Dustin Harris rated it 4 of 5 stars

While the content of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour seems tame by today's standards, in the late 1960s it was anything but. Tom and Dick Smothers were the only people on television directly satirizing politicians, the Vietnam War and racism, all the while pushing the envelope of broadcast standards with jokes about drug culture and censorship. Mastermind Tom had something to say a fought hard to say it, eventually losing his top-rated CBS show because the censors simply didn't want to deal wi...more

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Jan 31, 2010 JanOMalleycat rated it 3 of 5 stars

A tepid book about the Smothers Brothers, emphasizing the development of their show into a new kind of variety show and their battles with censors. Neither CBS nor the Brothers came off looking particularly good in said battle, though the author's support of Tom Smothers is clear.

The best part of this book is that it made me buy and watch DVDs of seasons 2 and 3 of the show. The nostalgia was delightful and the brothers still seem funny. I imagine the book's descriptions of episodes or skits of...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Favorite Musical Guest?	2	2	Aug 22, 2012 09:54am
Favorite Smothers Brothers Song?	1	2	Aug 22, 2012 08:37am
Smothers Brothers season one DVD	1	2	Aug 22, 2012 08:30am

title link	preview: Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour"
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7152879-dangerously-funny?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347487006l/7152879.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7152879-dangerously-funny?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" by David Bianculli[/url]

Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour"

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