Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" » (Unabridged)

David Bianculli has been a television critic for more than thirty years, currently on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross and at www.tvworthwatching.com. He is also the author of two books on television and its impact: Teleliteracy: Taking Television Seriously and Dictionary of Teleliteracy: Television's 500 Biggest Hits, Misses, and Events.

Decades before The Daily Show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour proved there was a place on television for no-holds-barred political comedy with a decidedly antiauthoritarian point of view. In this explosive, revealing history of the show, veteran entertainment journalist David Bianculli tells the fascinating story of its three-year network run—and the cultural impact that's still being felt today.

Before it was suddenly removed from the CBS lineup (reportedly under pressure from the Nixon administration), The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was a ratings powerhouse. It helped launch the careers of such comedy legends as Steve Martin and Rob Reiner, featured groundbreaking musical acts like the Beatles and the Who, and served as a cultural touchstone for the antiwar movement of the late 1960s.

Drawing on extensive original interviews with Tom and Dick Smothers and dozens of other key players—as well as more than a decade's worth of original research...

The New York Times - Jim Windolf

Most of Dangerously Funny is easygoing and informative, with Bianculli serving as a friendly but authoritative guide. He does not set your brain on fire with his perceptions or his prose, but he makes apt comparisons, and he has good taste…Bianculli's book, while singing the act's praises, serves as a testament to a lost comedy world.