View Full Version : "The Ed Sullivan Show" was full of crap acts -- until The Beatles came along 50 years
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2004/02/teen_spirit.html
In 1964, viewers loved the crap on "The Ed Sullivan Show," explains Fred Kaplan. "That's all there was. There was no concept of an alternative," he says. "That's why the Beatles were such a big deal. From the moment they strummed those electric chords, wagged their mops of hair, and smiled those beaming, ironic, isn't-this-cool-but-also-a-bit-absurd smiles, we all knew it was something from a different galaxy."
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#00UFf8KbTs5UyAA2.99
Zoneboy 02-09-2014, 10:27 PM http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2004/02/teen_spirit.single.html
ohmrwilson 02-10-2014, 05:15 AM No, that is not true.
To just put down every single person who ever appeared on the show as crap is wrong and it makes me wonder how old the writer of the Slate article is.
Of course, the logic goes that if the Beatles are the #1 group of all time,
(and the #2 act of all time after Elvis), well, then it means they indeed were better than any other group to this day.
Now Elvis made a whole new art form of rock and roll on tv when he first appeared on Steve Allen and then Ed. Back then, nationwide, most people had only started hearing about rock and roll.
OH Nuts! 02-10-2014, 09:22 AM The Beatles were magnificent, but as a kid and young teen, I remember the Ed Sullivan show firsthand. There WAS NOT a lot of crap on it. In fact, Ed Sullivan was renowned for bringing THE BEST acts of the time, from all spectrums, onto his show--acrobats, opera singers, other famous rock groups and singers, brilliant and rising comediennes, famous actors--the list goes on and on. Everyone has a right to their opinion of course, but I couldn't disagree more with the sentiment that outside of the Beatles, the other acts were crap.
howilu 02-10-2014, 11:17 AM The Ed Sullivan show was not full of crap acts. There was an outstanding mixture of singers with their current hits as well as casts from Broadway musicals and comedians. Sullivan was an outstanding packager of family entertainment and it's one reason why his show lasted for 23 years. Let's not also forget the plate spinners, Senor Wences and Topo Gigio.
MacLeaper 02-10-2014, 03:30 PM Yes, The Ed Sullivan Show had The Beatles in 1964. And let's not forget that The Ed Sullivan Show also had Jim Henson and The Muppets!:) :cool:
http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/The_Ed_Sullivan_Show
OH Nuts! 02-10-2014, 04:25 PM The Ed Sullivan show was not full of crap acts. There was an outstanding mixture of singers with their current hits as well as casts from Broadway musicals and comedians. Sullivan was an outstanding packager of family entertainment and it's one reason why his show lasted for 23 years. Let's not also forget the plate spinners, Senor Wences and Topo Gigio.
Exactly. If it was such a caca show then how did it last 23 years? You said it well.
70s show watcher 02-10-2014, 06:26 PM The Beatles were magnificent, but as a kid and young teen, I remember the Ed Sullivan show firsthand. There WAS NOT a lot of crap on it. In fact, Ed Sullivan was renowned for bringing THE BEST acts of the time, from all spectrums, onto his show--acrobats, opera singers, other famous rock groups and singers, brilliant and rising comediennes, famous actors--the list goes on and on. Everyone has a right to their opinion of course, but I couldn't disagree more with the sentiment that outside of the Beatles, the other acts were crap.i agree the tone of that article was just mean spirted i have a number of sullivan shows in my collecton and none of the eps are crap by any means unless you call lucy and desi jerry lewis and rodgers aand hammerstien crap
mr awesome 02-13-2014, 07:40 PM I'm in the minority but I don't like the Beatles, they were and are overrated IMO. I'm tired of everyone saying how great they were! Personally give me a guy spinning plates any day of the week!
Vahan 02-13-2014, 07:41 PM I'm in the minority but I don't like the Beatles, they were and are overrated IMO. I'm tired of everyone saying how great they were! Personally give me a guy spinning plates any day of the week!
Then so beat it. I don't see anything wrong with what you said.
And I AM a big-time Beatles fan myself.
ThomasE 03-08-2014, 11:47 PM No, that is not true.
To just put down every single person who ever appeared on the show as crap is wrong and it makes me wonder how old the writer of the Slate article is.
Agreed. Who is this person to say what they are saying? I don't agree with that analysis at all.
ThomasE 03-08-2014, 11:48 PM I'm in the minority but I don't like the Beatles, they were and are overrated IMO. I'm tired of everyone saying how great they were! Personally give me a guy spinning plates any day of the week!
Actually, I do love the Beatles. I think they are a great group and at the same time, I like the guys that spin the plates as well.
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