{"id":2134663,"date":"2023-12-27T16:25:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-27T21:25:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tom-smothers-of-the-legendary-smothers-brothers-musical-comedy-duo-passes-at-86\/"},"modified":"2023-12-27T16:29:25","modified_gmt":"2023-12-27T21:29:25","slug":"tom-smothers-of-the-legendary-smothers-brothers-musical-comedy-duo-passes-at-86","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tom-smothers-of-the-legendary-smothers-brothers-musical-comedy-duo-passes-at-86\/","title":{"rendered":"Tom Smothers, half of the iconic Smothers Brothers comedy duo, dies at 86"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftom-smothers-of-the-legendary-smothers-brothers-musical-comedy-duo-passes-at-86%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2134663&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p><!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Comedians \u2064Tom and Dick Smothers \u2063(\u201cThe Smothers Brothers\u201d) pose before their show at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>OAN\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oann.com\/tag\/brooke-mallory\">Brooke Mallory<\/a><br \/>1:19 PM \u2013\u2063 Wednesday, December 27, 2023<\/h2>\n<p>According to a statement from his brother,\u2062 Tom \u200dSmothers, the comedian and musician who gained notoriety in the 1960s as one half of the \u200drenowned Smothers\u2063 Brothers performance\u2062 duo, has passed away. <\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1663871513696-art-3\" style=\"min-width: 320px; min-height: 50px; text-align: center;\">  \t<script>  \t\tgoogletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1663871513696-art-3'); });  \t<\/script>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"ad-slot__ad-label\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p>Tom died at age 86.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\u201cTom was not only \u2062the loving older brother that everyone would want\u2063 in their life; he was a one-of-a-kind creative partner,\u201d said Dick Smothers in a <a href=\"https:\/\/comedycenter.org\/comedian-tom-smothers-has-passed-away-at-age-86\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement<\/a> published on Wednesday. \u201cI am forever grateful to have spent a lifetime together with him, on and off stage, for over 60 years. Our relationship was like a good marriage\u2014the longer we were \u200dtogether, the more we \u200bloved and respected one another. We were truly blessed.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>According to a statement from\u200d the National Comedy Center, Dick Smothers confirmed that his brother passed away quietly on Tuesday at home with his family. He had fought stage II lung cancer, which ultimately\u2062 took his life.<\/p>\n<p>With their popular <em>CBS <\/em>program \u201cThe Smothers Brothers Comedy\u2063 Hour,\u201d which debuted and earned an Emmy in 1969, Tom and Dick Smothers set new standards in television.<\/p>\n<p>The brothers created both controversy and laughter as folk singers and self-labeled \u201cclowns.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bassist Dick Smothers\u2063 and guitarist Tom Smothers offered sharp remarks on \u2064a variety of subjects. They were well-known for their sibling rivalry routine and the quip that \u200dwent along with it: \u201cMom liked you \u200dbest!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The two were not afraid to address political problems that were dividing \u2064the country at the time, in addition to their music and humor.<\/p>\n<p>The brothers \u201csatirized \u200dpolitics, combated racism, protested\u200b the Vietnam\u2064 War, and led the way for Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, today\u2019s network late-night shows, and so much more,\u201d\u2062 according to the National Comedy Center.<\/p>\n<p>When Tom and Dick spoke with \u201c<em>CBS <\/em>Sunday Morning\u201d last year, they discussed the memorable years\u2064 of their legendary careers.<\/p>\n<p>In the interview, Tom asserted that he was not very\u2062 political\u200b while the \u201cSmothers Brothers\u201d variety show was airing, but he did characterize himself \u200cas \u201csocially conscious,\u201d pointing out that the other writers on the program, which included Steve Martin and Rob Reiner, were.<\/p>\n<p>The brothers had positive memories of\u200d the \u2064show, its effect on viewers, and \u200btheir bond overall.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\u201cPeople laughing is holy,\u201d Tom\u200b said. \u201cAnd if you can be part of that, control it, and create it, it\u2019s the best thing ever.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Dick then chimed \u200din, saying, \u201cWhen someone said, \u2018What\u2019s the happiest time in your \u200blife,\u2019 it\u2019s standing on that stage with my brother a few inches away on my right and having \u200bthat feeling with that audience. That defines my whole life. There\u2019s nothing better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The National Comedy\u2063 Center\u2019s executive \u2064director, Journey Gunderson, lauded\u2062 the brothers\u2019 innovative \u2064role in fusing political satire with sketch\u2062 comedy and Smothers\u2019 skill as an entertainer.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\u201cTom Smothers was not only an\u2063 extraordinary comedic talent who,\u2062 together with his brother Dick, became the most enduring comedy duo in history, \u200centertaining the world for over six decades\u2014but was a true\u2064 champion for freedom of speech, harnessing the power of comedy\u200c to push boundaries and our political consciousness,\u201d Gunderson said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In \u200baddition to his sister-in-law, several nieces and \u200cnephews, Tom Smothers is survived by his wife, Marcy Carriker Smothers, two daughters, Bo Smothers and Riley Rose Smothers, and a grandson, Phoenix. <\/p>\n<p>Sometime in 2024, a private memorial service will\u2064 take place.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote data-service=\"twitter\" data-category=\"marketing\" data-placeholder-image=\"https:\/\/c3.oann.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/complianz-gdpr\/assets\/images\/placeholders\/twitter-minimal.jpg\" class=\"cmplz-placeholder-element twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">RIP Tom Smothers. \u2062One of the \u200cfunniest bits I\u2019ve ever seen imo: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Dxd0qOZjOG\">pic.twitter.com\/Dxd0qOZjOG<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Bring Back Afino\u2026 \ud835\udd4f (@doozclooz) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/doozclooz\/status\/1740064728565911800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 27, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-service=\"twitter\" data-category=\"marketing\" async data-cmplz-src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox \u200dfor free. Subscribe here. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oann.com\/alerts\">https:\/\/www.oann.com\/alerts<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"rc-widget-10bad2\" data-rc-widget data-widget-host=\"habitat\" data-endpoint=\"\/\/trends.revcontent.com\" data-widget-id=\"278641\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"dpsp-share-text\" style=\"margin-bottom:10px\"> \t\t \t\tShare this post!\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>Former\u2062 CIA analyst and author \u2018John Gentry\u2019 tells One America News that \u200dthe Obama Administration changed the culture\u2064 of the intelligence community, which led to the politicization of\u2063 the CIA and the targeting of Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/charleston-s-c-elects-first-republican-mayor-since-the-reconstruction-era\/\" title=\"Charleston, S.C., elects first GOP mayor since Reconstruction\">real-estate \u200ddeveloper<\/a>, bankrolled by Silicon-Valley, is promising a new Utopian community \u200cbuilt on farmland in Northern California.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/calif-farmers-oppose-california-forever-lawsuit\/\" title=\"Calif. farmers against 'California Forever' lawsuit\">real-estate \u200bdeveloper<\/a>, bankrolled by Silicon-Valley is promising a new Utopian community built on farmland in Northern California. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>One America\u2019s Chief White \u2064House Correspondent Monica Paige finds out what people are most \u2064excited about in 2024. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>December 22, 2023 \u2013 6:05\u2063 AM PST HONG\u200d KONG (Reuters) \u200c\u2013 Chinese regulators announced on Friday a wide range of \u2064rules aimed\u2026 <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>One of the main bottlenecks for Tesla is the speed \u200dit can make the 4680 batteries used in the Cybertruck with its new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/navy-vet-defends-beheading-satanic-statue\/\" title=\"Navy vet supports beheading Satanic statue\">dry-coating technology<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>A\u200b group of 11 nonfiction authors \u2063have joined a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court that accuses OpenAI\u2062 and Microsoft of misusing books the authors have written\u2064 to train their models.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>San Francisco police Sergeant David Radford contacted Tesla about data on \u2064an alleged stalker\u2019s\u2063 remote access to a vehicle.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> rnrn  <\/p>\n<h2> How did Tom Smothers use\u200b his platform to address \u2063political issues and\u200b promote social consciousness?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u2062Comedian and musician Tom \u2062Smothers, who \u200drose to fame in the 1960s as one half of the renowned Smothers Brothers duo, has passed away at the age of 86. The news was confirmed\u2063 by \u2064his \u2062brother, Dick Smothers, in a statement published on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>In the\u2064 statement, \u2062Dick Smothers expressed his \u200dgratitude for having spent a lifetime with his brother, both on\u200d and off the stage, for over 60 years. He described Tom as not only\u200d a loving \u2062older brother, but also a one-of-a-kind creative partner. The two had a strong and respectful relationship, growing \u200bto love and respect each other more as time went on.<\/p>\n<p>Tom Smothers passed away at home with his family by his side \u2063after quietly battling stage II lung\u2064 cancer. According\u2064 to the National Comedy Center,\u2064 the \u200bbrothers&#8217; creation of the popular \u2063CBS program &#8220;The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour&#8221;\u200b in \u200d1969 set new standards in television. They were known for\u200d their satirical take on politics, as well as their music and \u200dhumor.<\/p>\n<p>The Smothers Brothers addressed political issues and used their platform to combat racism and protest against the Vietnam War. Their groundbreaking work paved the way for shows like Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show.<\/p>\n<p>During \u2064an interview with CBS\u2063 Sunday Morning, Tom Smothers\u2063 admitted that he wasn&#8217;t very political during the\u200c airing of their variety \u200cshow, but he considered himself \u2064socially conscious. He emphasized the \u2062joy of making people laugh and being\u200c part of that laughter. His \u200bbrother, Dick, echoed the\u2064 sentiment, stating that standing on stage with Tom and sharing that experience with the audience \u200ddefined his whole life.<\/p>\n<p>Journey Gunderson, the\u200c executive director of the National Comedy Center, praised Tom Smothers&#8217; comedic talent and his role in fusing political satire with sketch comedy. She also\u2064 highlighted his \u2062commitment to freedom of speech and his ability to push boundaries \u2064through comedy.<\/p>\n<p>Tom Smothers is survived by his wife, Marcy\u2062 Carriker Smothers, two daughters, and a grandson. A private memorial service is scheduled\u200d to \u2062take place in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Tom Smothers&#8217; passing has been met\u200d with an outpouring of tributes and memories from fans \u2062and fellow comedians on social media. His influence on comedy and his dedication to pushing boundaries will be remembered\u200b for years \u200dto come.<\/p>\n<p>Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to \u2063your inbox for free. Subscribe here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Comedians Tom and Dick Smothers pose before their show at the Comedy Store in LA. Tom Smothers&#8217; brother confirms his fame from the 60s as a comedian and musician. (Photo: Amanda Edwards\/Getty Images) OAN&#8217;s Brooke Mallory reports at 1:19 PM on Wednesday, December 27, 2023<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1866,"featured_media":2134664,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[542],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2134663","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oann"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2134663","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1866"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2134663"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2134663\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2134664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2134663"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2134663"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2134663"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}