More seriously....
The problem is that the powerful magnets inside, and the magnetic fields created by, the speakers could sway the scanning beam of electrons created by the emitter at the back of the cathode ray tube as it whizzed towards the screen on the front. Either you got a really messed up picture or the neighbor's cat would get zapped.
The TVs didn't damage the speakers, though.
LCD / LED TVs, probably even plasma TVs if anyone still has one, don't create beams of electrons so won't be affected. Probably not a good idea to put one of those huge scrap yard electromagnets next to one, but hifi speakers should be okay.