History Firing Line: William Buckley vs. Noam Chomsky In 1969, William F. Buckley took on Noam Chomsky on Buckley’s PBS show “Firing Line.” At one point in the debate, Buckley threatens to “smash Chomsky in the goddamn face.” Share This Previous ArticleLouis Armstrong on His Chops Next Article'DIRTY WARS': Jeremy Scahill and the Perils of Drone Warfare June 27, 2013