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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Smothers Brothers mark their CBS firing 50 years ago
NEW YORK (AP) Getting fired from work isnt usually a cause to celebrate. But the Smothers Brothers arent your run-of-the-mill comedians.
The duo has stepped out of retirement to commemorate the day 50 years ago when CBS canceled their show over their political impudence.
Tom and Dick Smothers aged 80 and 82 respectively reunited Monday for several appearances at the Chautauqua Institution and the nearby National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York.
Its really an honor to be honored in this way, Tom Smothers told The Associated Press on the eve of the events. At least were both alive and not having someone speak for us. We can mumble our own way through.
The two discussed their firing in an onstage discussion and later unveiled a display of archival material they donated to the center, including their iconic red suit jackets, Toms guitar and Dicks bass, scripts and creative papers, and legal documents.
Read more: https://apnews.com/6e2df9337df04d459f66d519d1daa5aa
FILE - This Oct. 29, 2002 file photo shows The Smothers Brothers, Tom Smothers, left, and Dick Smothers at the Kennedy Center in Washington for the Mark Twain Prize for Humor Award ceremony honoring Bob Newhart. The duo has stepped out of retirement to commemorate the day 50 years ago when CBS canceled their show over their political impudence. The pair reunited Monday, July 29, 2019, for several appearances at the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson, File)
murielm99
(30,657 posts)I enjoyed their show so much.
I remember one joke where Tommy was dissing LBJ. His brother stopped him and told him that LBJ had a tough job. "How would you like to trade jobs with him?" he asked his brother.
Tommy said, "No, I wouldn't like that. I would not trust him with my show."
People did not say things like that on TV in those days.
Rhiannon12866
(203,029 posts)My parents also had a lot of their albums. And my parents usually voted Republican, but they were also liberals. How things have changed.
BootinUp
(46,928 posts)ProudMNDemocrat
(16,485 posts)For their contributions to political discourse in introducing the sublime, but very funny Pat Paulsen. Not to mention, Glen Campbell was a regular guest who got his own show eventually.
"Mom liked you best," was Tom Smothers favorite line.
Rhiannon12866
(203,029 posts)BigmanPigman
(51,432 posts)can be his running mate while Tommy is the campaign manager.
Rhiannon12866
(203,029 posts)I loved that show - my parents had it on all the time!
BigmanPigman
(51,432 posts)CBS was too conservative and shortsighted to see that their immense talent was appreciated by almost everyone else. They deserved much better treatment from CBS.
*They had great musical guests too.
Rhiannon12866
(203,029 posts)I was thinking of Stephen Colbert - who I just posted. My parents watched and enjoyed the show and I know they voted for Nixon. As for their guests, yikes! I was looking through the YouTube videos and their show was a catalog of the greats of the time - who we still admire today!
Dave Starsky
(5,914 posts)There was a lot of brilliant talent feeding that show.
pecosbob
(7,511 posts)They will always be respected for their decision. I also always respected Nolan Ryan the baseball pitcher for sacrificing a large part of his career to military service. Funny how that respect thing swings both ways.
I had a record of their performance at the something (maybe Purple?) Onion when I was a kid. I always thought of them as a funny Pete Seeger.
Rhiannon12866
(203,029 posts)I probably would remember most of the words.
TexasBushwhacker
(20,044 posts)in San Francisco. My parents had that album too.
msongs
(67,199 posts)proud patriot
(100,700 posts)Thanks for sharing he's going to love it <3
Rhiannon12866
(203,029 posts)And I think I remember your Dad, hope he's doing well!
Dennis Donovan
(18,770 posts)Rhiannon12866
(203,029 posts)That was Steve Martin!
Vinca
(50,170 posts)Dave Starsky
(5,914 posts)You must have been a Bonanza fan.
Vinca
(50,170 posts)Dave Starsky
(5,914 posts)They were on different networks at the same time. Such was life long before VCRs.
Grandma was always firmly in the Bonanza camp, but she'd make an exception if that "nice, smiling boy from Arkansas" (Glen Campbell) was going to be on The Smothers Brothers.
Vinca
(50,170 posts)malaise
(267,823 posts)Thanks for this
Rhiannon12866
(203,029 posts)It's not always easy, but The Smothers Brothers are still funny!
malaise
(267,823 posts)although I had some family in town with two adorable kids. The bigger one had me howling with laughter for four days.
Rhiannon12866
(203,029 posts)And when I get down after reading the news on DU, I look in The Lounge for puppies. They make me smile too.
spanone
(135,636 posts)K&R...
sl8
(13,584 posts)Wikipedia says that Tom is the eldest.
Either way, I never realized how young they were when they hosted their show.
Gidney N Cloyd
(19,781 posts)Brother Buzz
(36,217 posts)Tommy was always the brains and creative genius of the act, and Dick was the reluctant straight man. Other than a decent singing voice, Dick was an empty suit. Hell, he initially used the bass as a prop because he didn't even know how to play it.
Why are you lying? National policy.
sinkingfeeling
(51,279 posts)Liberal In Texas
(13,453 posts)empedocles
(15,751 posts)Rights, stamped , CENSORED
The uncle declared, 'that should not be allowed.'
I met Tommy Smothers once, at a Stewart Mott sponsored confab in DC. Talked a bit. Tommy lived to his reputation, of living his character. The 'Mom liked you [Dickie] best' motif was a powerful driver.
Good to see that their faces are still so recognizable at their 80's.
MurrayDelph
(5,281 posts)"We're allowed to say Ronald Reagan was a lousy actor, but we're not allowed to say he's a lousy Governor.
"That's ridiculous; everyone knows he was a good actor."
empedocles
(15,751 posts)GemDigger
(4,305 posts)The audience was laughing so hard and loud that they had to pause to let us get it together. Of course with them taunting us to hush up just made us howl louder. It was 30 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday.
Paladin
(28,204 posts)ellie
(6,928 posts)Mendocino
(7,431 posts)but they would watch the Smothers Brothers... So were my siblings, I was the hippie.
Rhiannon12866
(203,029 posts)And my parents had numerous Smothers Brothers albums! We loved them! From my perspective now, my parents were pretty liberal - back in the day when liberal Republicans existed.
PCIntern
(25,347 posts)It was David Steinberg's work that got them in REAL hot water with CBS.
I refer people to the HBO documentary: Quality Balls which is the biography of Steinberg. I watched Smothers Brothers as a kid and was amazed at their intellect, wit, and bravery.