Country Joe's Place

America Meets the “Rag”

_____________________

In 1969 on the David Frost TV show, "Fixin' to Die" was performed on prime time coast-to-coast television. Frost soon received a sack full of letters condemning him for having such a "sick, unpatriotic" act on his show. Here are some of them:


December 20, 1969

Dear Mr. Frost:

It has taken me a week to compose myself after seeing your show with "Country Joe and the Fish." Did you stop to think that in your home audience there might have been mothers that lost sons in Viet Nam? "Be the first one on your block to have your boy come home in a box." We, here in the west know how bad the S.D.S. is. Is someone putting the pressure on you to expose left-wing extremists? You actually smiled and applauded those creatures when they finished.

The housewives doing their ironing in the late afternoon like to laugh and see pleasant things.You, Mr. Frost, are a bitter disappointment.

Mrs. W.A.
Concord, California


December 17, 1969

As a member of the silent majority, I was offended by the David Frost Show. It reached a new low in bad taste.

How any network could have permitted that "kettle of Fish" with their anti-American song and their unsightly garments to go before American public is incredible. It was the ultimate in ugliness to say the least. Mr. Agnew was right about the mass media. The whole show was a Frost.

L. L. D.
New York, NY


December 21, 1969

Dear Sir,

I would like to voice my objection to the singing group which appeared on the TV. They were a disgrace to this great country.

Mrs. R. J.
Springfield, Massachusetts


December 12, 1969

Mr. Frost,

The unbathed folk group who sang about Vietnam this morning should be shipped to any country of their choice. They are cowards of the worst degree. I'm proud to say my son fought and met the commies standing for freedom. He was shot 3 times. CBS should pay the folk singers to leave the country.

Mrs. S. D.
Provo, Utah


December 12, 1969

Dear Mr. Frost,

After seeing those things "the Fish" I felt like going to the bathroom and throwing up. Your show has hit rock bottom and you have just lost this viewer.

Mr. & Mrs. R.F.B.
Van Nuys, California


Sirs:

Shame - the dirty unkempt creeps (the Fish) and their song on Viet Nam were disgraceful. The weak audience applauded. We tuned you out for good. -TRASH - SCUM -

A former listener
The Commonwealth Motel
Boston, Massachusetts


December 6, 1969

Mr. Frost

I must protest vehemently your presentation of the obnoxious singing group called "Country Joe and the Fish" singing that repugnant song concerning the war in Viet Nam.

The lyrics appalled me especially the line: "be the first one on your block to have your boy come home in a box." In behalf of every mother whose son died in Viet Nam I am asking you in all humanity not to present these dirty unwashed people to us again with all their verbal diarrhea spewing from their filthy minds and mouths. I refuse to patronize any of the sponsors if this situation ever occurs again.

M.K.P.
Carbondale, Pennsylvania


December 5, 1969

Gentlemen,

Last night, December 4, 1969, the show was excellent except for the last few minutes. Why-oh-why did the beautiful interview with the Robbs have to be debased by a hoarse voiced, hairy unwashed creature giving forth with what I assumed was supposed to be a song?

I thought it was a most unfortunate finale to one of the otherwise best shows you have ever done.

Sincerely
E.L.A.
Bowie, Maryland


December 4, 1969

Dear David Frost,

We both have great respect for your show and watch it daily. We considered it great and high class. However today after Lynda Bird and Charles Robb -how dare you give us that bearded slob who looks like a tate murderer!!!! [All band members were clean-shaven at this time --TW] he sang like an animal in pain!!!!!!! If you omit his kind, be assured your rating will not go down!

Sincerely
Mr. & Mrs. H.H
North Miami Beach, Florida


December 10, 1969

Dear Sirs:

I would like to register my disgust and horror at the number I'm watching at present on the David Frost Show, Wednesday, December 10th - the combo is called "Country Joe and the Fish" and the song "What Am I Fighting For?" at the dinner hour no less, when children are watching, it is blasphemous, disrespectful and anti-everything decent. I'm not for war but this is too much.

Mr. G. B.
Cleveland, Ohio


Mr. Frost,

I'm really disgusted with you for permitting that disgraceful song to be sung by those unkempt men or are they really women. I'm only 21 but these men embarrass me with their horrible appearance and shocking lyrics.

Yours truly
Mrs. F.C.
Bellerose, New York

_____________________


H  O  M  E