Directed by Maureen Muldaur

An incredible slice of America's media and pop-culture history, Smothered tells the story of the censorship struggles of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, broadcast on CBS from 1967 until it was prematurely struck from the airwaves in 1969. As beloved hosts of the infamously funny variety show, Tom and Dick Smothers pioneered a turning point in American television history, using friendly folk music and wholesome charm to bring a new and incendiary brand of political commentary to the American public. In the era of such escapist entertainment as Bewitched, Bonanza, and The Beverly Hillbillies, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour broke all the rules and captured our nation's attention, paving the way for such hit television shows as Saturday Night Live and Late Night with David Letterman. Chock full of hilarious, outrageous, and rarely seen clips from The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, Smothered features interviews and appearances by a who's who of celebrity writers, performers, and network honchos, including Joan Baez, Harry Belafonte, Pete Seeger, Rob Reiner, and the Smothers Brothers themselves. Together, they tell the real story of how this groundbreaking television program became a hot bed of controversy, where media, politics, and two funny guys clashed together-igniting laughter and social consciousness across a nation.