Vulgarians at the Gate: Trash TV and Raunch Radio

Actress Jayne Meadows talked about her late husband, entertainer Steve Allen, and his last book Vulgarians at the Gate: Trash TV and Raunch Radio, Raising the Standards of Popular Culture, published by Prometheus Books. Ms. Meadows was joined by her son, Bill Allen, and they talked about the history and quality of television entertainment, and how Steve Allen helped shape it. In his later years, he watched the changes in television, music and radio, which inspired him to write the book. Mr. Allen said his father, a liberal Democrat, wasn’t interested in the government regulating television, but wanted to empower the American citizenry about how to react to today’s entertainment and change it for the better. Ms. Meadows and Mr. Allen also said Steve Allen wrote the book to challenge the Hollywood marketing culture that programs television and releases records with vulgarity and violence. After their presentation they answered questions from members of the audience. close