This program gave people the vapors in the South

April 8, 1968 –
The TV special Petula airs on NBC on this date. Most people would not remember this special except at one point in the show, host Petula Clark grabs hold of Harry Belafonte’s arm while they are singing a duet.

As bizarre as this may seem, the show marked the first time a man and a woman of different races had physical contact on American television.