The release of the Coen brothers’ new film, “Inside Llewyn Davis,” has sparked

The release of the Coen brothers’ new film, “Inside Llewyn Davis,” has sparked renewed interest in the folk-music scene of the early 1960s (a concert honoring the movie and its era airs Friday on Showtime). Back in the day, though, the times were indeed a-changin’ as some of TV’s best-known sitcoms were “hip” enough to even incorporate folk music into their plots:

v “The Jack Benny Show” (Jan. 14, 1964): Peter, Paul and Mary guest-star as themselves, perform “Blowin’ in the Wind” and create an original folk song titled “Waukegan” (referring to Benny’s Illinois hometown) about the thrift-minded comedian (sample lyric: “A silver dollar was his teething ring”).

v “My Favorite Martian” (Nov. 8, 1964): Extraterrestrial Uncle Martin (Ray Walston) inadvertently becomes a folk-music sensation.

v “The Patty Duke Show” (April 21, 1965): Patty (Patty Duke) wants to be a folk singer at the local coffeehouse, even though her father (William Schallert) has forbidden her.

v “Gidget” (Nov. 17, 1965): Gidget (Sally Field) urges a folk singer to raise his voice against unfair movie prices.

v “The Beverly Hillbillies” (March 23, 1966): Miss Hathaway (Nancy Kulp) quits her job at the bank as Mr. Drysdale’s secretary to pursue a career as a folk singer. Meanwhile, she encourages Jethro (Max Baer Jr.) to scrap his plans to become an astronaut and instead try his hand at folk singing, too.

“Kelly Clarkson’s Cautionary Christmas Music Tale” (10 p.m., NBC): This offbeat special has the pop star learning some lessons about the meaning of the holiday. Blake Shelton, Trisha Yearwood, Reba and others join her on the journey.

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African Children’s Choir in concert

BOARDMAN

The African Children’s Choir, a group of 8- to 10-year-olds from central Africa, will perform at 7 p.m. Friday at St. Charles Church, 7345 Westview Drive. Tickets are $15 ($5 for children 6-12) at the door. An incorrect time was given in an article in Sunday’s paper.

The choir, made up of disadvantaged but talented children, sings traditional African songs and contemporary tunes, using their native instruments and clothing.

Tyson is forced to scrap UK tour

LONDON

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson has scrapped promotional appearances in London because previous convictions bar him from entering Britain. Tyson, 47, was due in London this week as part of a promotional tour for his autobiography “Undisputed Truth.”

His publisher, HarperCollins U.K., said in a statement Tuesday that it had been “unaware” of recent changes to U.K. immigration law and for that reason Tyson had to reroute to Paris.

Under Britain’s immigration rules, anyone sentenced to more than four years in prison is barred from entering the country.

Tyson served three years of a six-year sentence in the 1990s for raping a teenage beauty-pageant contestant.