SHOWS FOR TROOPS
Hope Not In Favour (N.Z Press Assn. —Copyright) COLUMBUS (Ohio), September 1. Big entertainers like Bob Hope, Art Linkletter and George Jessel are “unacceptable” to most of the United States troops now overseas, according to a Government official who books the acts. "The kind of entertainment popular 20 years ago when Americans were serving in Korea fails to bring laughs and applause from soldiers turned on to pot smoking and rock music,” Mr Kenneth Smith, chief of the United States Special Services Agency for Entertainment in Europe, said. He said that Bob Hope was so concerned about a lack of response from the troops during a recent tour that he kept three writers awake all night revising jokes for the next. show.
Sentimental, patriotic material did not appeal to soldiers between the ages of 18 and 25, Mr Smith said. The problem of booking acts was compounded by the refusal of young entertainers, particularly blacks, to appear before the military, he said. Mr Smith noted that most of the popular groups based their acts on criticism of the establishment, particularly the military.
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Press, Volume CX, Issue 32391, 2 September 1970, Page 17
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185SHOWS FOR TROOPS Press, Volume CX, Issue 32391, 2 September 1970, Page 17
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