This day in music history.

December 19, 1970, President Nixon commends MGM chief, Mike Curb (later to be Lieutenant Governor of California), for taking the initiative in ridding the music biz of drug users through his well-publicized dismissal of 18 MGM acts who supposedly advocated drug use. Actually, this was an excuse to get rid of some unsuccessful acts, since popular performers like Eric Burdon or Bobby Bloom, who did the same thing, were kept by the label. During the early 70s, MGM filled up its performers with family entertainers and "bubblegum" acts like Sammy Davis, Jr., Petula Clark and The Osmonds, which were extremely successful in domestic and overseas markets, helping the label to right itself financially and helping the world to get self induced lobotomies.