Behind the Scenes

"Behind the scenes," during my days on the Dean Martin Show, my pals Jim Mahoney, and Charlie Barrett were former publicists for Sinatra, Dino, Carson, and Daily Variety. In the early 70's I was working in NBC News Production. But I would visit Studio 4 on Sunday's to revisit my days as an NBC Page on the Show. Stand in the same spot. during breaks. and recall all the wonderful times of the 1st and 2nd Seasons standing next to Dean. I digress. We often talk about our NBC days on three of the most popular shows in the history of Television. One story....at an L.A. meeting NBC affiliates cited a Life Magazine article that a handful of viewers expressed concern that Dean's Show was "too suggestive and lacked taste." Dean was probably thinking, "Che cazzo dici?" NBC took the article seriously. ​Of course they did! ​They CC'd Greg Garrison and he warned the show's writers and staff to clean up scripts for the upcoming season. Supposedly the negative letters were from "young people!" My view, it was BS! Typical NBC censor crap! Probably some NBC "big wig's" goofy wife. Another negative review was "The Dean Martin Show," was a "cheap, disgusting production." Dean was a "dirty old man" (BS), one viewer stooped low to describe the show as "a disappointing display of garbage." Some viewers, claimed that Dean's jokes about sexual orientation, ethnicity and the opposite sex had become to "risque to enjoy!" More BS! So, 14 to 16 million watched the "The Dean Martin Show," every Thursday night, and a few "stunads" wrote letters of objection. Big Deal!!! In my view, these were the seeds of what we now, call ​"​Political Correctness.​"