#ResistanceRoots Today in history, 1963: Bob Dylan, then unknown, was set to perform “Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues” on the “Ed Sullivan Show.” Dylan walked off the set after network censors told him during dress rehearsal that he could not perform the song. /1 - ThreadSky

bambooshooti.bsky.social • 41 days ago

#ResistanceRoots

Today in history, 1963: Bob Dylan, then unknown, was set to perform “Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues” on the “Ed Sullivan Show.” Dylan walked off the set after network censors told him during dress rehearsal that he could not perform the song. /1

Comments

dsteuer.bsky.social•41 days ago

Ed Sullivan was a good guy.

beachblond52.bsky.social•41 days ago

Glad Dylan stood firm!

bambooshooti.bsky.social•41 days ago

“Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues” is a satirical talking-blues number that parodies the tendency of the right-wing John Birch Society to view everything as a Communist conspiracy. Dylan had run through the song for Ed Sullivan himself, and no concern was raised. /2

bambooshooti.bsky.social•41 days ago

However, an executive from the CBS Standards and Practices department informed the show’s producers that Dylan could not perform the song. CBS lawyers saw it as having the potential for defamation lawsuits. Dylan politely refused to perform anything else. /3

bambooshooti.bsky.social•41 days ago

The media reported that Dylan stormed off the set of the country’s highest-rated variety show, establishing his reputation as unwilling to compromise his artistic integrity. That free publicity likely did more for Dylan’s career than appearing on the show. /end