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

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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.

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!

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.

This is an indispensable treasury of quotes, insights, and verbal lessons in television's rich history...all the good stuff you wanted to know. An essential volume for any serious TV collector. Some of the funniest and most interesting quotes come from TV veterans like Carl Reiner, Paul Junger Witt, Larry Gelbart, Dick Martin, among others. What a wonderful assemblage of insights into the world of breaking TV's patterns and taboos throughout the decades. Highly recommended.

Both Rosie O'Donnell and Megan Mullally auditioned for the role of Elaine on Seinfeld. That's the kind of quality trivia you'll find in They'll Never Put That on the Air. Author Allan Neuwirth lets the writers, producers, directors, and actors tell the stories of their sitcoms in this oral history. While that tidbit gave me an enjoyable five minutes imagining what Seinfeld might have been like without Julia Louis-Dreyfus (different, but still funny), this is not "taboo-breaking" television.

Commercial TV doesn't break taboos. Sponsors are very skittish and don't want to offend any potential customers. It's true that all these sitcoms pushed TV boundaries a little bit, but the taboos had already been broken. Commercial TV follows, it doesn't lead. All in the Family used words (ethnic slurs) and sounds (toilet flush) that hadn't been heard on TV before, but everyone was familiar with them. Laugh-In's jokes were a little more suggestive than the usual TV comedy, but it was the late Sixties and everyone was familiar with images of scantily clad flower children and talk of free love.

However, when the Smothers Brothers got a little too edgy for the sponsors, criticizing the Vietnam War and presidential politics, CBS pulled them before they knew what was happening. Everyone learned a lesson and while it wasn't long before boundaries involving sex and violence were being tested again, it would take cable TV and shows like The Daily Show to test political taboos.

They'll Never Put That on the Air is a fun and quick look behind the scenes at some of the most popular comedies: M*A*S*H, Maude, Mary Tyler Moore, Soap, Laugh-In, All in the Family, Seinfeld, and more.

Allan Neuwirth has done a fantastic job with this book. If you think you know all there is to know about some of the greatest shows that have ever hit the TV airwaves, Neuwirth has packed this book with info you didn't know! This book is rich with great stories from the stars, the studio execs and the censors. If you are a fan of MASH, Mary Tyler Moore, Seinfeld, Maude, Soap, Dick Van Dyke, Smothers Brothers - this book is a MUST read! I couldn't put it down.