TV Censorship

AN EDITORIAL -- "SHOULD TELEVISION SHOWS BE CENSORED?"

The time has come to quit %&@$%@# around and talk about censorship. We of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour have had our share of censorship problems, but we are not against censorship because we realize there is always the danger of something being said.

Many people feel that censorship is a violation of Freedom of Speech. Bull feathers! Censorship is not unconstitutional. Censors have the right to censor what you hear. The Bill of Rights says nothing about Freedom of Hearing. This, of course, takes a lot of the fun out of the Freedom of Speech. But without censorship of television, how can you, the American public, have the protection you want from vulgar scenes, overexposed bodies and all the other sights you like to see. There is nothing in the Bill of Rights about Freedom of Seeing. You can look for it, but if you see it, you'd better not show it to anybody.

Therefore, censorship does not interfere with the constitutional right of every American to sit alone in the dark, in the nude and cuss. The censors on our show are not unreasonable, I know these men and they like a good joke. They object to questionable material only if the audience laughs at it.

Without the censors we would all be at the mercy of the warped minds of the television industry and Deity only knows what you would see -- probably some of the most foul, nasty disgusting vulgar, funniest, greatest stuff in the world.

But let's face it -- there have to be some realistic taboos, especially with regard to political comment. After all, the leaders of our country were not elected to be tittered at. The censors must draw the line somewhere. We're not allowed to say Ronald Reagan is a lousy governor, but we are allowed to say he is a lousy actor. That is ridiculous. We know he's a good actor.

So, in conclusion, you can see that there is a place for censors and we only wish that we were allowed to tell you where it is.

Thank you,

PATRICK L. PAULSEN