Radio Shows Cut Off!

[Yhtapmys]

Fun's Over(?) NBC Bows To Comics
HOLLYWOOD. April 24.—(UP)— The four-day skirmish between the National Broadcasting Company and its radio comics was over today with the comedians planning an un-opposed field day of jibes at the network.
But the fun was over. NBC turned its other cheek and invited the comics to say anything they wanted to about the network.
The controversy started Sunday night when the NBC cut comedian Fred Allen off the air briefly during a wisecrack about a mythical network vice-president in charge of overtime, who gets his vacation by accumulating seconds from the ends of overtime broadcasts.
It ended when NBC last night lifted its order to "fade" any jokes directed at the network and appointed Allen and comedians Bob Hope and Red Skelton, who also were cut off during NBC jokes, as honorary vice-presidents.
TURNS DOWN JOB
Allen turned down his vice-presidency, pleading "pressure of regular work" and poor health that "precluded strenuous outside activities."
Allen was cut off for 25 seconds, and Hope and Skelton finished wisecracks about the network into dead air Tuesday night when the network clicked, the switch for about 15 seconds on each program.
Lifting of the NBC ban was regarded by the airlanes comics as a signal for open season on radio jokes.
Dennis Day was the first to have his fun last night without being shunted off the air. His radio girl friend, Mildred, coming into the room, asked:
"What are you doing?"
"I'm listening to the radio," Day replied.
"But I don't hear anything," she said.
"I know it," Day answered. "I'm listening to the Fred Allen program."
GAGS GO ON
Burns and Allen and Jack Benny, who like Day had threatened to go through with anti-network gags despite the ban, trot out their jokes today and Sunday.
Half a dozen others got in their cracks last night.
Ed "Archie" Gardner, of Duffy's Tavern, presented a show based on a political campaign by Archie.
"I think I'll get Fred Allen to make my campaign speeches for me during the times he is cut off the air," Archie said at one point. "And then again—I don't think I will. I might want to be a vice-president."
COMEDY OF ERRORS
Kay Kyser said the whole controversy was a build-up for his last night's show, a new type quiz proram, and wanted to thank Allen, Skelton and Hope for the big-sendoff.
"They were faded for their errors and that's my new show—'Comedy of Errors.'"
Information Please also got in a jibe on the rival Columbia Broadcasting System. (Although, according to Associated Press, CBS deleted reference to the NBC ruckus on the Carson show).
The American Civil Liberties Union took a serious view of the matter.


MR. ALLEN! MOLEHILLS ARE
CLUTTERING YOUR ALLEY
Little Men in Big Jobs Set Up as Censors
By JOHN CROSBY
Last Sunday Fred Allen was cut off the air for 25 seconds after a dispute of several hours' duration over a line of microscopic importance.
The line—"There's a little man in the company we work for" —was considered injurious to the dignity of radio.
The momentous decision to cut off Allen for the first time in 15 years rather than have the air lanes smirched with that nasty line was taken by C. L. Monser, vice-president of NBC, and his staff of censors.
Before they reached their decision, a lot of messages had been exchanged between Allen on one floor and the NBC people on another, a complicated and tedious process surrounded by as much protocol as a State Department note to Russia.
The final ultimatum from on high to Allen, referred to hereinafter as the NBC doctrine, was that he shouldn't kid radio any more.
BARE EXECUTIVES
Where does NBC find the men to make such small decisions anyhow? The world is full of executives who can make large, sweeping decisions but men who can make such minute decisions or even see such a tiny issue in the first place must be hard to find. To quote Allen on this subject: "A censor is a man who comes into his office every morning and finds a molehill on his desk. His job is to build that molehill into a mountain before he goes home."

Oakland Tribune, Thursday, April 24, 1947, Page 28

Yhtapmys
"Drive Your Blues Away!"

[JohnM]

Just curious where you are getting these old news articles? I hope you are not re-typing them, and that you can copy and paste from an electronic source.

Interesting that cracks about the network censor have such a distinguished heritage, and funny that they were initally censored!

As said before these contemporary accounts are very welcome. One small favor to ask - when posting them can you mention the year published, for the historically persnickety among us?