Has the mainstream TV gone more conservative over the last decades?

[Martinus]

Recently I have come upon this little gem from 1970s:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3VbSfQ3nAM

The very audacity of this just made me giggle. Could a song like this happen on today's mainstream tv? And the fact that it's Bea Arthur and Rock Hudson just makes it dreamy. 

[Neil]

Maybe.  Then again, I'm not sure that it's conservatism so much as it is the War on Drugs.

[saskganesh]

they don't do those kind've variety shows mostly. sometimes you'd get similar stuff on shows like SNL, Mad TV and other late night ensemble shows.

dramatically, some of the edgier drug stuff now goes to cable HBO (Sopranos), Showtime (Weeds) .

on networks, its PG. for example, every episode of "That 70's Show" had pot smoking...you just never saw it explicitly. but the camera spun and the characters went nonlinear. of course, there's also the famous Murphy Brown medical marijuana episode where she toked.

none of the above have homosexual icons, so I guess it doesn't meet Marty's definition. thus the real question is: "why has gay culture gotten more conservative over the last decade?"

[Ed Anger]

they don't do those kind've variety shows mostly.

Thank god.

[saskganesh]

they don't do those kind've variety shows mostly.

Thank god.

weirdly, the Simpsons is directly influenced by them. tons of guest stars; short, often connected skits; frequent musical numbers and numerous costume changes.

[frunk]

Family Guy and South Park also frequently break out in song.

[DontSayBanana]

Family Guy and South Park also frequently break out in song.

Seth MacFarlane is more directly influenced by Broadway with some occasional Vaudeville thrown in.

[saskganesh]

all influenced by the Simpsons of course.

classic primetime cartoons, like the Flintstones, would have the "Way Outs" or something, but not as a regular element.

[katmai]

What kind of dumbass question is this, oh it's from Marcin, nvm.

[saskganesh]

What kind of dumbass question is this, oh it's from Marcin, nvm.

so do you think "Gay culture has gotten more conservative over the last decade?"

[katmai]

What kind of dumbass question is this, oh it's from Marcin, nvm.

so do you think "Gay culture has gotten more conservative over the last decade?"

No, and neither has Mainstream tv.

[Sheilbh]

they don't do those kind've variety shows mostly. sometimes you'd get similar stuff on shows like SNL, Mad TV and other late night ensemble shows.

More's the pity:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFgdhZGLJrY

none of the above have homosexual icons, so I guess it doesn't meet Marty's definition. thus the real question is: "why has gay culture gotten more conservative over the last decade?"

Gone mainstream.  We want to settle down, get married and (GOD FORBID!) move to suburbia

This moment can be placed precisely if you find out when gays increased rather than decreased an area's property prices.

[KRonn]

TV hasn't gone nearly conservative enough! I've heard cuss words in some movies!!    

[Queequeg]

Breaking Bad couldn't have been on HBO a decade ago.   

[katmai]

Breaking Bad couldn't have been on HBO a decade ago.   

Yes it could have, you moronic chimp.