Broken News – Short And Sweet…And Sour

R.I.P. Tommy Smothers

December 28, 2023

This past Tuesday, the world said good-bye to one of its finest. Entertainer. Activist. Mensch. And Tommy Smothers was the Yo Yo Man.

Yo Yo Man

I grew up watching the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour every week for three years – after which they were canceled for being too controversial. Mostly, too politically controversial. Whatever else might have been at play, Tom was a comedic genius.

Tom as Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show

I had the good fortune to see the Smothers Brothers live in 2001. Less than one month after the events of 9/11. The brothers were in fine form, hadn’t lost a step. Despite the world practically falling off its axis at the time, they were able to bring great joy and laughter. Funny, topical, talented as ever.

Here are the Smothers Brothers, joined by George Seagal, doing Phil Ochs’ Draft Dodger Rag

And here are Tom and Dick doing The Impossible Dream

And when you watched them perform, you just knew that Tom always liked you best.

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We now return you to your regularly scheduled mishegas.