He was close to John Lennon and had a well-rounded understanding of wine, politics and literature. He only played the role of a boor on stage.
I read the news today, oh boy.
John Lennon's words came to mind as soon as I read my friend Marcy Carriker Smothers' messages on Tuesday. The first was a photo of a guitar next to a fire and a Christmas poinsettia. The second was news. “There is a beautiful and peaceful transition today at 13:40. “We had a wonderful Christmas.”
Tom Smothers had been in hospice care for months, so the news of his passing triggered sighs rather than gasps. I thought about the lyrics to “Day in the Life” not because of the circumstances of his death (Tom was 86 and died of lung cancer), but because Lennon and Tom were close. He strummed only two acoustic guitars on the 1969 Montreal recording of “Give Peace a Chance.” One is in Lennon's hand; the other by Tom.
Tom came to the anti-war movement with sadly good intentions. His father was a West Pointer who said goodbye to his namesake son in 1940 before heading to the Pacific to defend freedom. He never returned.
There's nothing funny about this origin story. However, Tom and his younger brother Dick found their way into comedy through music and created a play that instantly impressed “Tonight” host Jack Paar. “I don't know what you have,” Paar said in 1961. but no one will steal it.”
Six years later, the brothers launched their seminal variety show, “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” which used comedy to satirize topics such as the Vietnam War, racial politics and drugs.
Despite the heavy topics, Tom appeared cheerful and simple. During the audience question-and-answer session, a woman asked, “Are you both married?” she asked.
“No, ma'am. "We're just brothers," Tom said.
In real life, Tom thought and felt deeply. He placed emphasis on social justice and the creative process. He worked on the details. The biggest contradiction was Tom's on-stage personality. A classic Smothers Brothers sketch would begin with the duo singing a song until Tom interrupted or messed up the words so badly that Dick pulled the plug. This will lead to sarcastic observations or a punchline argument. The brothers would later return to the song, giving the sketch a natural and satisfying ending. In essence, this was a character comedy where Dick played the bass guitar and was a straight man, and Tom played the guitar and was a jerk.
In the first episode, the brothers went out singing Maurice Chevalier's hit "Louise" while sporting boater hats. They stopped to discuss French and romance, and Tom claimed they instantly recognized each other. “Do you really know those French wines and women?” Dick challenged Tom.
“Oh, I know all about that.”
The audience laughed, doubting his claim.
Dick wasn't about to let Tom off the hook. “French wine – what do you know about it?” pressed.
“It gets you drunk,” Tom replied, getting the punchline perfectly. zamemphasizing with understanding.
In real life, Tom knew everything about wine. For decades, he owned and operated a vineyard in Sonoma that produced award-winning merlot and cabernet sauvignon. At first he lived in a barn on the property, then he designed a main house with a large stone fireplace and views in every direction so you could follow the sun throughout the day. If Jacuzzi could talk, she'd tell spicy stories about parties in the 1960s and '70s, and she'd probably be the only person who could remember what happened.
When I visited Smothers-Remick Ridge Farm, the hot tub was a place for kids to have fun. I first met Tom in 1988 when I was hired as a writer for the variety show's second incarnation. While working on the reboot, I roomed with co-executive producer Marcy Carriker, who married Tom in 1990. Their two kids – Bo and Riley Rose – would play with my two kids. Marcy hosts a food and wine radio show with Guy Fieri, so dinner is always zamThe moment was delicious. After dinner Tom would sit by the fire and read a thick novel.
It was a family picture that didn't last long. Getting wet in wine country meant drinking a lot, and the more Tom drank, the less fun it became. Knowing how intelligent and generous he could be, it pained me to watch his behavior change. If this seems harsh, I mention it because the truth was important to Tom. Marcy and I would go on long walks to discuss the situation. We found one sentence that sums it all up: “It's too complicated.”
Tom and Marcy separated 15 years ago but never divorced. When Tom got sick, she and her children were by his side. “They are rocks,” Marcy texted me hours after she died. I've been told that Tom hasn't seen anything in the last few months. zamHe said that a stranger was not interested in him. She, Bo, Riley Rose, and Tom's former road manager, Marty Tryon, kept an eye on him.
And so Tom had a lovely Christmas Eve and Day surrounded by his family. He escaped the next afternoon. Each zamperfect as now zamunderstanding.
I hope Tom is remembered. He was last on television thirty years ago, so there was no reason for anyone under 40, except comedy buffs, to recognize him. If you're wondering, there's "Smothered," a smart 2002 documentary about the brothers' firing from CBS, and "Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," an excellent book by David Bianculli. Both the movie and the book reiterate what history makes clear: Tom was absolutely right that war was stupid and civil rights were worth fighting for. He also defended freedom in his own way.
Or try sliding down a YouTube rabbit hole where you'll stumble upon early routines by Steve Martin, whom Tom hired as a writer before encouraging him to perform. I have never met an entertainer who is as respectful of others' talents as Tom is. He admired many of his artist friends, including Harry Belafonte, Harry Nilsson, Martin Mull, and (Mama) Cass Elliot, who illuminated one of my favorite sketches from the 1968-69 season.
The concept is Elliot singing his hit song "Dream a Little Dream" to Tom as he tries to fall asleep on a big brass bed. Tom doesn't say a word but laughs a lot. It's kind of sweet, original, musical and fun. Tom was all of those things when you stripped away the complexities.
