Fired On-The-Air - Even those in the Hollywood limelight have to face the fear that one day the lights will go out. Such was the case  in the life of Julius La Rosa, a popular singer who was given the axe "on-the-air" during October of 1953 courtesy of his mentor Arthur Godfrey, host of ARTHUR GODFREY AND HIS FRIENDS/CBS/1949-59. Julius LaRosa, a young Italian crooner from Brooklyn had just finished singing his weekly number when Arthur Godfrey walked up to him and told the audience "Thank you, Julie. And that folks was Julie's swan song." The public couldn't believe their ears. Sympathy letters by the thousands flooded the program expressing their disappointment at Godfrey's decision. Despite all the support, Julius LaRosa never returned. Arthur Godfrey explained that Larosa was fired for "improper lack of humility." In reality it was LaRosa's growing independence from Godfrey's autocratic style that finally caused a break between the two. LaRosa did go on to limited success, having several hit records and guest spots on THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW. He also appeared as a regular on TVS TOP TUNES/CBS/1955, and hosted his own music series THE JULIUS LAROSA SHOW/CBS/1955; and musical variety series THE JULIUS LAROSA SHOW/NBC/1956-57. Julius La Rosa was just one in a number of celebrities who lost their positions in the limelight over the years. When playwright Arthur Miller was remarried to Marilyn Monroe by a rabbi, musician Oscar Levant stupidly remarked on his weekly program "Now that Marilyn Monroe is kosher, Arthur Miller can eat her." That remark got him thrown off the air the same day. TRIVIA NOTE: A rare example of pulling the plug on a show occurred on February 5, 1969 when the bawdy ABC comedy TURN ON was canceled after only one episode because of all the negative reaction from viewers. See also  MONEY - "Soupy Sales" and NICKNAMES - "The Champagne Lady"