During the 1960s "British Invasion", musical acts arriving from the UK often appeared on Cole's television shows before doing network shows such as "The Ed Sullivan Show". The Rolling Stones and The Who were among those who first appeared on Cole's television show. Cole's show differed from "American Bandstand" in a few ways: while both Cole and Dick Clark had an interest in young people and their music, Cole did not hesitate to join in on his show's dance floor. He was also more confident about booking lesser-known performers and comedians for his show.