Effects of wardrobe malfunction on live television in the 1950s

As most people in the US probably know, the Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" incident on the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show caused a moral panic and a wave of censorship on television that lasted several years, after Janet Jackson's breast was shown on live TV.

Similarly, the Hays Code was implemented in the 1930s and censored most movies in the US from 1934 to the mid-1960s, after films in the late 1920s and early 1930s had become racier and racier.

Television in the 50s was already heavily censored- for example, in "I Love Lucy", when Lucy announces she's having a baby the word "pregnant" was banned by CBS executives because it was too spicy (because it implies the outcome of sex), so the phrase generally used was "I've been expecting". The first toilet and bathroom shown widely on broadcast television was in 1957 with "Leave it to Beaver", with again, CBS executives flipping out over showing a toilet or bathroom on television.

So what would be the effects of a wardrobe malfunction on live television, say, from anywhere from 1956 to 1958 when television had wide viewership? i.e. Jayne Mansfield or Marilyn Monroe is having a live interview or is speaking at the Academy Awards, broadcasted live across the US (on NBC for the Academy Awards) and her entire top is revealed to at least 50 to 60 million people who are tuned in?

Would there be a massive moral panic with a chilling effect on television viewership? Increased censorship for years to come? Soviet propaganda galvanized and screeching more about the "decadent Western capitalist states"? What else could happen, politically and socially?
 
I vaguely recall where I think on a live program a woman emerged from behind a set door completely naked. Cant recall what show though.
 
With 525 line resolution NTSC and then the additional reduction in quality away from the originating broadcast retransmission by coaxial cable or Kinescope

Network 'Live' sometimes wasn't as live as people thought, outside of the originating NYC or Chicago area. The Networks were regional, sending films to other regions at first for rebroadcast.

Microwave Relays and Coaxial cable allowing Nationwide simulcast across ABC/CBS/NBC was started in 1951, the AT&T 'Long Lines' For the most important of events or specials.

Like Truman addressing the nation, or Football :)

If some 'nasty' was there, it would have been edited out from the Kinescope before rebroadcast.

It's possible areas would miss out on Jaynes dress giving up.

Scandal?

Not as much as the Superbowl
 
It was the 1950s. They didn't have the wardrobe that could malfunction. There's layers and buttons between your whatnots. At worst, you'd see someone's briefs.

I vaguely recall where I think on a live program a woman emerged from behind a set door completely naked. Cant recall what show though.

There was a stripper on Soupy Sales. But it was a crew prank, and it never aired to anyone. It's one of those things where the television legend got repeated so much it became the fact.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cherobZX9cc
 
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It was the 1950s. They didn't have the wardrobe that could malfunction. There's layers and buttons between your whatnots. At worst, you'd see someone's briefs.

Or More.

wallpaper_Jayne_Mansfield_HD_Wallpapers-607x680.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cherobZX9cc
 
Actually,malfunctions of ALL sorts did happen on live television in the 1940's through 1960's -everything from unintentional flashing to serious physical mishaps [e.g. Jackie Gleason broke his leg, Nanette Fabray sustained a serious concussion running between scenes] to rather un-family friendly language happened. What usually happened was that the network would fade to black ASAP and apologize for whatever had just transpired- then the other performers would scramble to try to cover [literally and figuratively] for whatever had happened.
 
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