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Making music on TV used to be as common as commercials. In…

“Making music on TV used to be as common as commercials. In the '60s and '70s, prime time was stuffed with variety shows headlined by such major and treasured talents as Carol Burnett, Red Skelton, the Smothers Brothers and Richard Pryor, who had a very brief comedy-variety hour on NBC that was…” quote by Tom Shales
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“Making music on TV used to be as common as commercials. In the '60s and '70s, prime time was stuffed with variety shows headlined by such major and treasured talents as Carol Burnett, Red Skelton, the Smothers Brothers and Richard Pryor, who had a very brief comedy-variety hour on NBC that was censored literally to death.”

Tom Shales

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

TV variety shows once featured live music regularly, but later censorship and format changes reduced this practice.

In simple terms: Music used to be common on TV, now rare.

Key Takeaway

Recognize how media shifts affect content.

Themes

media censorship entertainment history

Mood

nostalgic analytical

Type

historical observational

When to use this quote

  • TV production
  • music licensing
  • archival research

Key Concepts

broadcast standards cultural change programming decisions

Questions to Reflect On

  • How did audience preferences influence programming?
  • What role did network policies play?
A Different Perspective

The decline may reflect broader commercial pressures, not just censorship.

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