Episode 19: ”Rube Tube” – Sara K. Eskridge

Sure, you think you know about the Ozarks. The home of Branson, the Baldknobbers, and the Beverly Hillbillies…right? Well, in this series, we'll talk about the Ozarks—a region covering roughly half of Missouri—as a cultural identity as well as a physical place. So, come along for a trip to the Ozarks. This episode features a conversation with Sara K. Eskridge about her new book, Rube Tube: CBS and Rural Comedy in the Sixties. Published by the University of Missouri Press, Rube Tube examines the rise and fall of so-called "rural comedies"—several of which had ties to Missourian Paul Henning—as television networks like CBS sought to rebrand themselves during the turbulent decade of the 1960s.

Episode Image: General Electric television set, 1949 [Charles Trefts Photographs (P0034), SHSMO]

About the Guest: Sara K. Eskridge holds a Ph.D. in History from Louisiana State University. Presently, she serves as an instructor at Western Governors University. Her book, Rube Tube: CBS and Rural Comedy in the Sixties, was published by the University of Missouri Press in 2018.