the-dick-van-dyke-show-why-one-episode-filmed-but-too-risque-air

‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’: Why One Episode Was Filmed But Was Too Risqué to Air

The Dick Van Dyke Show was relatively conservative when it aired in the 1960s. Though some episodes visited touchy subject matter, it rarely got too far into certain areas. However, one episode did and was deemed too risqué to air, despite it already being filmed.

Season five of The Dick Van Dyke Show has an episode where the Petries are faced with that wonderful conversation most parents have with their children about sex. Called “Go Tell the Birds and the Bees,” Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke awkwardly inform Ritchie about human reproduction.

However, what some fans may not know is there was an episode delving deeper into the subject. The episode in question had a similar theme but was considered too risqué for the time. Dick Van Dyke spoke about the premise with The Sacramento Bee.

“We ran into a problem once on the old show with a story about our child having walked in and seeing us make love in the morning,” Van Dyke said. “We didn’t show it or anything. It was a story about behavior. The kid is acting very strange, and we finally figured out that’s what must have happened.”

The episode we saw was overt and involved lectures, but as Dick Van Dyke said, the one that never came to pass focused on behaviors. Being a physical comedian, Van Dyke liked the episode. “It was a lovely little show, and we couldn’t put it on the air,” Van Dyke bemoaned.

Upset about the episode’s potential, the legendary actor told The Sacramento Bee no one would bat an eye over such an episode now. “Today it wouldn’t even get anybody’s attention,” he lamented.

Dick Van Dyke Graciously Talks about ‘American Knighthood’ Regarding Kennedy Center Honor

The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual honor given to those for lifetime contributions to American culture. As such, saying it’s prestigious is an understatement. This year, Dick Van Dyke received it and opened up about what it means to him.

Van Dyke joined four other individuals as part of the 43rd class of artists to receive the honor. In an interview shared on the Kennedy Center’s official Twitter account, Van Dyke was humbled, to say the least.

“They pick artists. And, they certainly did pick the right ones I think. Not myself,” he opened with a laugh.” Later during the interview, he jokingly says he waited for someone to call him and state it was a mistake.

Dick Van Dyke ends the video on a lighthearted and perhaps confused, note by the lifetime achievement. “I don’t know what you do after this,” he said. “This is American knighthood. I never dreamed of it, but I’m so happy.”