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Tributes are pouring in for the late folksinger and activist Pete Seeger, who died Monday at age 94. But for students of television, one of the most significant Seeger-related memories was his performance of the Vietnam War protest song, "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy," on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," in the 1960s.

The episode seemed to encapsulate much of the turbulence of the 1960s. First, there was the unexpectedness of the comedy singing duo the Smothers Brothers evolving into politically minded figures, the longer their show -- which debuted in 1967 -- stayed on the air. It's a sign of the times then that Tommy and Dick Smothers, who had first found fame by singing tunes about falling in a vat of chocolate and arguing about which one their mother liked best, became embroiled in censorship battles over edgy content with CBS, which aired the series.

As the jokes became more counter-cultural and anti-establishment (as they said in those days), the clashes between the network and the show's hosts and writers increased.

When Seeger -- who had long been absent from television because of being blacklisted for his political activities -- appeared in a 1967 episode of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," he performed "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy." CBS objected to the lyrics (with its pointed barb at President Lyndon Johnson -- "the big fool says to push on.") Seeger's performance was cut from the show for broadcast.

The Smothers Brothers didn't stay quiet about the move, which smacked to them of censorship. After a public airing of their differences with CBS, Seeger returned and performed the song in an episode that was broadcast in 1968.

But this proved to be one of the many battles over content that led to CBS abruptly cancelling "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" -- despite its good ratings -- in 1969, and replacing it with "Hee Haw." Subsequent Smothers Brothers shows on other networks never met with the same success as "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour."

Here's a video of Seeger performing "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy."

Read more from the original source:
Pete Seeger and the Smothers Brothers censorship fight: TV Talk