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

Allan Neuwirth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2006

In the 1950s, Lucille Ball couldn't even say the word “pregnant” on TV. But by the 1990s, Carrie Bradshaw and her posse could say everything there is to say about sex—and 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, They'll 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

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A fascinating read. Allan Neuwirth has deepened my appreciation of television’s most daring and successful comedies. -- Susie Essman, Comedian and Actress, Curb Your Enthusiasm

"Reading—or should I say, devouring—this wonderfully (and literally) outspoken book is nearly as much fun as watching the shows themselves. -- Matt Roush, Senior Critic, TV Guide

From the Publisher

Neuwirth, a prolific writer, producer, director, and syndicated cartoonist (Chelsea Boys), is clearly fascinated with American television’s contentious evolution from the 1960s to today, a time which took us from married couples shown sleeping in separate beds, and forbidden words like pregnant, to the nearly anything-goes-outrageousness of today’s on-air antics.

"It was just a small group of groundbreaking primetime comedy series that caused TV to grow up, with Norman Lear’s All in the Family (CBS, 1971) as the main dividing point," Neuwirth points out. "We really have to view television in terms of B.L. or A.L.–– Before Lear and After Lear." Or as the great comedy writer Larry Gelbart observes in the book, "With that first (toilet) flush, you know, all of television’s inhibitions and ridiculous rules went down the drain, literally."

While researching and writing They’ll Never Put That On The Air, the author quickly realized that it would be smarter to let the voices of the famed TV creators tell their behind-the-scenes stories themselves. So the book became an oral history, filled with firsthand tales of determination and defiance, legendary battles with censors, and great showbiz anecdotes. Still, Neuwirth’s wry voice and cogent observations are very much on hand to guide us throughout.

The voices of many of the brightest lights behind these landmark shows, like Lear, Reiner, Gelbart, Tom Smothers, George Schlatter, Dick Martin, Susan Harris, Allan Burns, Jay Sandrich, Valerie Harper, Carroll O’Connor, Jean Stapleton, Grant Tinker, Fred Silverman, Larry Charles, and scores of others––as well as their then-adversaries, legendary chief censors Bill Tankersley and Alfred Schneider––are present and accounted for in the book. Filled with dozens of photos and distinctive black & white line drawings by artist Glen Hanson, They’ll Never Put That On The Air is both a visual and verbal treat, and reads as a terrific documentary on how TV grew up while making us laugh.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Allworth Press; First Edition edition (February 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581154178
• ISBN-13: 978-1581154177
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #365,474 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful and intelligently done, May 23, 2006

By 

R. Gorey "Behemoth" (New York) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: They'll Never Put That on the Air: An Oral History of Taboo-Breaking Comedy (Paperback)

Like his previous work, "Makin' Toons", Neuwirth's new book takes a unique look at the television industry by examining the lives, intentions, and minds of the people who created groundbreaking shows. Presented in an interview format (though not structured as actual interviews) "They'll Never Put That on the Air" follows the evolution of the half hour sitcom, from its early days in the fifties through the dense, complex, and controversial shows that appeared in the nineties. The approach is unusual: the growth of an industry seen through the filter of the censors at "standards and practices" whose often archaic rules and regulations forced writers and performers from the "Golden Age" to be even more creative. The result, according to Neuwirth, was elegant innuendo, clever misdirection...and better television. Later, as these restrictions were relaxed, television became more "realistic", but somehow less craftily subversive: shows like "Seinfeld", with its ferocious sense of the absurd, are the exception, not the rule. Neuwirth traces this journey through an admittedly subjective list of breakout hits: The Smothers Brothers, Mary Tyler Moore, All in the Family, Maude, and of course M*A*S*H and Seinfeld. Using these seminal shows as a barometer of public tastes and private genius, Neuwirth offers a cultural cross section of the past fifty years, and the result is informative and addictive. Thankfully it's not catty and dishy as well, though there are certainly angry and disgruntled voices along the way. A fine job of television scholarship: the only thing I might suggest is that the second edition be longer. This is a case where more information would have been welcome. Some elegant caricatures by noted cartoonist Glen Hanson add to the polish of this thoughtful work, and elevate it above the pack.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How television history was made, straight from the mouths of those who were responsible!, August 6, 2006

By 

An Avid Reader (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: They'll Never Put That on the Air: An Oral History of Taboo-Breaking Comedy (Paperback)

Allan Neuwirth has done an outstanding job of assembling an amazing collection of the combined voices of those responsible for some of the more iconic shows in television history. Neuwirth does not do the reader this injustice of clouding those voices with too much of his own prose or commentary. Instead he has done a masterful job of interviewing and assembling the remarks of the creators, writers and producers, so that the finished product reads seamlessly like a well written narrative.

Anyone who has ever enjoyed one episode of any of the television shows covered in this book would greatly enjoy exploring the backstory of how they came to the small screen, and learning of the bumps and hickups along the way that shaped and continue to shape even the shows we watch to this day.

An utterly enjoyable read . . . BRAVO!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine survey for any interested in just how TV comedy has changed, August 5, 2006

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: They'll Never Put That on the Air: An Oral History of Taboo-Breaking Comedy (Paperback)

American television has evolved over the years and censorship has changed the nature of what is acceptable and what is un-televised: They'll Never Put That On The Air: An Oral History Of Taboo-Breaking TV Comedy comes from writer/director Neuwirth's fascination with television content from the 1960s to modern times, and comes packed with firsthand accounts from TV comedy writers and creators who tell their behind-the-scenes stories. An engrossing blend of television history and oral history provides a fine survey for any interested in just how TV comedy has changed.