Outrageous : a history of showbiz and the culture wars / Kliph Nesteroff.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Nesteroff, Kliph, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Arts and society--United States--History.

Arts and society.

Performing arts--Political aspects--United States--History and criticism.

Performing arts.

Performing arts--Social aspects--United States--History and criticism.

Theater and society--United States--History.

Theater and society.

Time--Social aspects--United States--History.

Time.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (iii, 312 pages, 4 unnumbered pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Abrams Press, [2023]

Summary:

The book explores the concept of 'Culture War' in the context of American show business, particularly comedy. It investigates how various forms of entertainment, from jazz and rock music to stand-up comedy, have been scapegoated and censored as threats to American society. The author delves into the political strategy of Paul Weyrich, who used the 'Culture War' to consolidate political power and influence public opinion. The book argues that despite new taboos, there's more freedom of expression in today's television than ever before, contrary to popular belief. Generated by AI.

"From the preeminent historian of modern comedy comes an expansive history of showbiz and the culture wars. There is a common belief that we live in unprecedented times, that people are too sensitive today, that nobody objected to the actions of actors, comedians, and filmmakers in the past. Modern pundits would have us believe that Americans of a previous generation had tougher skin and seldom complained. But does this argument hold up to scrutiny? In Outrageous, celebrated cultural historian Kliph Nesteroff demonstrates that Americans have been objecting to entertainment for nearly two hundred years, sometimes rationally, often irrationally. Likewise, powerful political interests have sought to circumvent the arts using censorship, legal harassment, and outright propaganda. From Mae West through Johnny Carson, Amos'n'Andy through Beavis and Butt-Head, Outrageous chronicles the controversies of American show business and the ongoing attempts to change what we watch, read, and hear."--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction

The 1800s: protest.censorship.control.

Down with the movies

Radio, protest, and scandal

Nazis, racists, and World War Two

TV: immoral and filthy and possibly racist

The Civil Rights Movement and the John Birch Society

Rock 'n' roll and juvenile delinquency

We shall overcome (blackface)

Dirty movies and drug music

Women's lib and gay lib and the Frito Bandito

Extremists versus comedy

Paul Weyrich: culture warrior

Punk rock, Frank Zappa, ad the PMRC

Eddie Murphy, Sam Kinison, Andrew Dice Clay, and their haters

Shock jocks, talk radio, and the fairness doctrine

Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and rap music

To have a cow

Endless culture wars

Epilogue.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 257-297) and index.

Part of the initial metadata in this record was created by AI, based on the text of the resource.

Description based on online resource (viewed 23 April 2024), publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Part of the metadata in this record was created by AI, based on the text of the resource.

Description based on print version record.

Other Format:

Print version: Nesteroff, Kliph Outrageous

ISBN:

9781647006372

1647006376

OCLC:

1409593815