They Ll Never Put That On The Air

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 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 don't 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.

Between 1971 and 1979, All in the Family was more than just a wildly popular television sitcom that routinely drew 50 million viewers weekly. It was also a touchstone of American life, so much so that the living room chairs of the two main characters have spent the last 40 years on display at the Smithsonian. How did a show this controversial and boundary-breaking manage to become so widely beloved? Those Were the Days is the first full-length study of this remarkable television program. Created by Norman Lear and produced by Bud Yorkin, All in the Family dared to address such taboo topics as rape, abortion, menopause, homosexuality, and racial prejudice in a way that no other sitcom had before. Through a close analysis of the sitcom’s four main characters—boorish bigot Archie Bunker, his devoted wife Edith, their feminist daughter Gloria, and her outspoken liberal husband Mike—Jim Cullen demonstrates how All in the Family was able to bridge the generation gap and appeal to a broad spectrum of American viewers in an age when a network broadcast model of television created a shared national culture. Locating All in the Family within the larger history of American television, this book shows how it transformed the medium, not only spawning spinoffs like Maude and The Jeffersons, but also helping to inspire programs like Roseanne, Married... with Children, and The Simpsons. And it raises the question: could a show this edgy ever air on broadcast television today?

"I love my FedEx guy 'cause he's a drug dealer and he don't even know it . . . and he's always on time." --Mitch Hedberg Talking about weed? It never gets old. There's just a whole lot to be said. And in this book, you'll find more than a thousand hilarious, half-baked quotes about marijuana and its (medicinal, calming, overall awesome) influence on movies, people, politics, and pop culture from well-known stoners like Tommy Chong to closet inhalers like Jennifer Aniston. Within these papers (er, pages), you'll be treated to tasty nuggets of wisdom from Jay Leno ("Forty million Americans smoke marijuana and the only ones who didn't like it were Judge Ginsburg, Clarence Thomas, and Bill Clinton.") to Bob Marley ("When you smoke the herb, it reveals you to yourself.") and every pothead in between. As you roll through these words of wisdom, picking up new knowledge to drop on your friends, you'll wish you thought of these killer buds first. So gather around the bong, grab some snacks to share, and burn through this collection of essential pothead wisdom.

I can’t believe I’m thinking of going up against the Ministry. But what other choice do I have? This world is in shambles because of them. I’m learning now that people need something to believe in, something to inspire them to act. When they have it, they’re capable of great courage. And there is already talk of that something. That something is us. For the first time in probably their entire lifetimes, people have hope. The realization and enormity of it all, the weight of who I am and what my mission truly entails, sends chills down my spine. Noah and I, we are Chosen. Still, this wondrous gift and this ability to restore life to a dying world, as amazing as it is, presents us with problem after problem. Where do we go? Where do we hide? Who is on our side? And the biggest question of all… will it be worth it?

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "Wolfville Nights" by Alfred Henry Lewis. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

2024 Stonewall Book Honor Award Winner—Israel Fishman Non-Fiction Book Award Featured on NPR's Books We Love 2023 One of Vulture's Best Comedy Books of 2023 "This book is a triumph and everyone should read it." —Dan Savage, journalist and author, on the "Savage Lovecast" "Hi Honey, I’m Homo is a heartbreaking historical document, but ultimately one that will leave the reader feeling proud of how something as maligned and disposable as the network sitcom used comedy to bring about such profound and important social progress." —Vulture "[A] well-curated compendium of prime time broadcasting . . . Baume is a companionable guide." —Shelf Awareness Behind the scenes of the most popular sitcoms of the 20th century, a revolution was brewing. For decades, amidst the bright lights, studio-audience laughs, and absurdly large apartment sets, the real-life story of American LGBTQ+ liberation unfolded in plain sight in front of millions of viewers, most of whom were laughing too hard to mind. From flamboyant relatives on Bewitched to closely-guarded secrets on All in the Family, from network-censor fights over Soap to behind-the-scenes activism on the set of The Golden Girls, from Ellen’s culture clash and Will & Grace’s mixed reception to Modern Family’s primetime power-couple, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! is the story not only of how subversive queer comedy transformed the American sitcom, from its inception through today, but how our favorite sitcoms transformed, and continue to transform, America. Accessible, entertaining, and informative, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! features commentary and interviews from celebrities, behind-the-scenes creators, and more.