Returning from a trip to Kentucky a station wagon loaded with instruments and luggage passed us. They pulled into the Holiday Inn. For some reason we followed the car in. The station wagon parked and out step the Smothers Brothers! My Aunt and I were so excited. Dick disappeared, but Tom was in the lobby. We ran in for an autograph. We didn’t have any paper, but my Aunt spotted a piece of paper in my purse. She grabbed it and tore it half. I about had a heart attack. I cried out that the paper was the basis for my term paper! Tommy was so sorry, but I said go ahead, sign it. He did for both of us. I still managed to write my term paper. Got an A on it. Still have that autograph . . . Somewhere.
RIP Tommy Smothers, The Smothers Brothers act was wonderful. I never new about any of this, I was too young. I am grateful to have watch this video and gotten the real story. Wow!
They were performing at the Playboy Club & Resort outside of Lake Geneva, WI. Dick is a pilot and they flew in, in Dick’s wee Piper Cherokee. Tommy hung out up at the hotel, but several times, Dick wandered down to the airport, which was located in the northeast corner of the resort, and talked airplanes and flying with us.
Thank you so much for this. The Smothers Brothers were always my favorite. I remember them being a little controversial, but that’s what made them so great. I never understood why they were cancelled when they were so high in the ratings. Again, thanks for posting this. I would love to have the entire catalog.
I was 7 yrs. old when this was a hit show. We did'nt know why it was canceled. We did'nt know what racial or political was...we also had Smothers Brothers vinyl records....
It never aired on CBS. I remember seeing a TV Guide of a few months later (New York-Metropolitan Edition) where WNEW-TV 5 ran it. Dickie's "spat" was staged, as he had a racing car commitment he had to meet, thus Rowan filling in.
I was 10 when the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour went off the air. I watched every episode. I loved the show, even at that young age. I remember being sad when they disappeared and not understanding why. Seeing this last episode makes me yell "BS!". David's sermon was not offensive. Heyal, the fact that Dan Rowan did blackface was far worse. But no, they were fired because of the overall atmosphere of them doing what they wanted and not cowtowing to the network. I'm glad they were paid for the remainder of the season and that they won their courtcase. RIP Tommy. ♥
Loved how Tommy ended the show on a serious note by paying homage to MLK. It was a shame that CBS canned the show simply because the brothers addressed the current political and social issues of that time, but I suppose they felt the mainstream just wasn't ready for such candidness.
Cile was my mother's friend. Cile loved to laugh. With her big horsey teeth, boy, she loved to laugh. .. and, she loved the Smothers Brothers .. .. and, the Smothers Brothers came to our town .. .. and Cile and I went. And how she laughed .. the tears running down her face .. Cile up there. And now, Tommy, you up there .. boy there must be .. it must be shaking the rafters up there .. if they have rafters up there .. .. can almost feel it down here ..
Imagine, instead of the sermonette, the brothers could have inserted Pat Paulsen, whose humor is always guaranteed a laugh and the season might have continued for the brothers. Instead, dick had to insist upon another sermonette that he knew would piss off CBS.
If you think one person or one "sermonette" killed the show, you may want to Google it. CBS could have just censored it, like usual. The brothers and the writers of the show were constantly making fun of the President and joking about the stupidity of the Vietnam War and CBS was constantly cutting those parts out as too controversial. That had been happening for years and CBS kept renewing the show.
@@GAKTV-z4byeah, but Pat Paulsen was not featured on this skit and he was featured in many episodes. You don’t know what might have happened. We do know that the serminette skit pissed off a lot of the affiliates in the South.
What is sad that we never learn. Nixon was president and believe he was above the law. Today we have crazy Trump. One difference is Nixon had a brain Trump doesn’t. Plus at that time the Republican Party still cared for the country unlike today. I wish their was a Smother Brothers around to show this absurdity through their comedy. Tommy your insight will be missed.
@@ginilinenkemper9261 George Conway has called him a "narcissistic psychopath" on national TV. Rob Reiner has called him a "psychopath" on national TV. He is now so far past just being a sociopath!
I guess they don’t believe in limits to what can be put on tv. That’s their right, but most people believe there has to be common decency. Sad that they didn’t. The saddest part is, they think they are some kind of heroes.
I' ve been a huge Smothers Brothers fan since early 60s. That bit, as well as the opening bit with Dick and Dan Rowen and the pies really wasn't funny. Both sketches were kind of sad.
Returning from a trip to Kentucky a station wagon loaded with instruments and luggage passed us. They pulled into the Holiday Inn. For some reason we followed the car in. The station wagon parked and out step the Smothers Brothers! My Aunt and I were so excited. Dick disappeared, but Tom was in the lobby. We ran in for an autograph. We didn’t have any paper, but my Aunt spotted a piece of paper in my purse. She grabbed it and tore it half. I about had a heart attack. I cried out that the paper was the basis for my term paper! Tommy was so sorry, but I said go ahead, sign it. He did for both of us. I still managed to write my term paper. Got an A on it. Still have that autograph . . . Somewhere.
What a precious memory you have of the Smothers Brothers. Thanks for sharing. Rest peacefully Tommy!
I love your story. I saw them perform in Las Vegas.
Thank you for sharing your story with us! ❤
That's so COOL!
RIP Tommy Smothers, The Smothers Brothers act was wonderful. I never new about any of this, I was too young. I am grateful to have watch this video and gotten the real story. Wow!
They were performing at the Playboy Club & Resort outside of Lake Geneva, WI. Dick is a pilot and they flew in, in Dick’s wee Piper Cherokee. Tommy hung out up at the hotel, but several times, Dick wandered down to the airport, which was located in the northeast corner of the resort, and talked airplanes and flying with us.
I remember watching this show as kid. I’m glad they were there. Someone needed to push those boundaries
When comedy and satire aren't 'allowed' to express thought-provoking thinking, it's more than tragic; it's suppression of Freedom.
Smothers Brothers, you are great, an i loved your humor and heart felt wisdom. Angela
Always will LOVE Tommy & Dickie. Two showbiz GREATS
Thank you so much for this. The Smothers Brothers were always my favorite. I remember them being a little controversial, but that’s what made them so great. I never understood why they were cancelled when they were so high in the ratings. Again, thanks for posting this. I would love to have the entire catalog.
A landmark episode & show over all. I love the Smothers Brothers! Iconic
Awww sweet dreams in peace Tommy❤We’ll miss you here in Sonoma County where you lived for so long ❤
How appropriately ironic that it begins with both of them fired. Thanks, James. Fantastic upload.
Anybody can be cancelled, anyone can be replaced.
Too true.
Blessed to have been an 11-year-old Smothers Brothers and Laugh-In afficianado in '69.
It is incorrect to say the show never aired. I remember watching it, at the age of 17 back in 1969, In CANADA, where it aired nationally.
Not only that, Tom Smothers flew to Toronto to watch the episode. He was discussing a deal with CTV to tape the following season at CFTO.
It also aired in New York - on WNEW-TV (Channel 5). Where it never aired, of course, was on CBS.
Americans don't believe that they are as highly censored as they are/were.
The song with Nancy Wilson is so beautifully done! I love the skit after too! Very funny!❤❤❤
Good night, Tommy. Rest in Peace.
I was 7 yrs. old when this was a hit show. We did'nt know why it was canceled. We did'nt know what racial or political was...we also had Smothers Brothers vinyl records....
It never aired on CBS. I remember seeing a TV Guide of a few months later (New York-Metropolitan Edition) where WNEW-TV 5 ran it.
Dickie's "spat" was staged, as he had a racing car commitment he had to meet, thus Rowan filling in.
I just him in The Racing Scene' with James Garner.
I was 10 when the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour went off the air. I watched every episode. I loved the show, even at that young age. I remember being sad when they disappeared and not understanding why. Seeing this last episode makes me yell "BS!". David's sermon was not offensive. Heyal, the fact that Dan Rowan did blackface was far worse. But no, they were fired because of the overall atmosphere of them doing what they wanted and not cowtowing to the network. I'm glad they were paid for the remainder of the season and that they won their courtcase. RIP Tommy. ♥
RIP Tommy Smothers.
Loved how Tommy ended the show on a serious note by paying homage to MLK. It was a shame that CBS canned the show simply because the brothers addressed the current political and social issues of that time, but I suppose they felt the mainstream just wasn't ready for such candidness.
The political content was tedious and made the comedy flat.
@@Dudemon-1 Many, myself included, would disagree with you.
@@Dudemon-1not so. It was very edgy at that time. I remember controversary over the use of the word condom. Tommy said condone as a substitute
Disagree in what sense?
I'm watching this on MLK day.
I have to wonder if the duet wasn't the killer and not Steinberg?
Either way, I'm glad that I got to see this.
These boys are just too much.
This should be released, it's a great example of their, John's blues and rock influences. So raw and real.
Cile was my mother's friend.
Cile loved to laugh. With her big horsey teeth, boy, she loved to laugh.
.. and, she loved the Smothers Brothers ..
.. and, the Smothers Brothers came to our town ..
.. and Cile and I went. And how she laughed .. the tears running down her face ..
Cile up there. And now, Tommy, you up there .. boy there must be .. it must be shaking the rafters up there .. if they have rafters up there ..
.. can almost feel it down here ..
Wonder what happened to the singers, dancers, orchestra, sound/lighting/film directors, writers, etc., who were laid off when the show stopped airing?
Tommy
26:42 David Steinberg sermon
Audio is messed up.
Tom Smothers, 1937-2023
It's weird but the audio is totally disturbed while I'm trying to view this on 12/30/2023. I've never seen this episode. I'm 63.
No sound here. . .
This episode seems so incredibly ironic in and out of context.
So many of the shows had that quality. There was a lot of truth in the exchanges.
So needed cable back then . . . .
Those poor excuses for Americans who denied the country this gem should be eternally ashamed.
There is no sound on this now.🤫and no cc is availed. How come?
Your computer sucks.
Can’t hear it very disappointed
To me, the comedy seemed a bit weak. Cancellation doesn't seem to be out of the question
Agree - this ‘last’ episode was no lol 😮
I heard it ! It was so fynny! In perfect pitch and timing 👌 sheesh i would kick myself if I were you!!
No audio .. xx
No sound.
Can't hear it
Could be a little louder 🙄🗣
Can't hear it it is garbled
Tommy......
@jamesrhoades3999
Thank you for uploading these full length episodes! What a comedy treasure.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!! :^) ❤
Boil that cabbage down would add context, but who needs that? 10:33 Look at those vicious beasts in the crevasses. Sure look like pumas. Take it.
Imagine, instead of the sermonette, the brothers could have inserted Pat Paulsen, whose humor is always guaranteed a laugh and the season might have continued for the brothers. Instead, dick had to insist upon another sermonette that he knew would piss off CBS.
Tom
If you think one person or one "sermonette" killed the show, you may want to Google it. CBS could have just censored it, like usual. The brothers and the writers of the show were constantly making fun of the President and joking about the stupidity of the Vietnam War and CBS was constantly cutting those parts out as too controversial. That had been happening for years and CBS kept renewing the show.
@@GAKTV-z4byeah, but Pat Paulsen was not featured on this skit and he was featured in many episodes. You don’t know what might have happened. We do know that the serminette skit pissed off a lot of the affiliates in the South.
What is sad that we never learn. Nixon was president and believe he was above the law. Today we have crazy Trump. One difference is Nixon had a brain Trump doesn’t. Plus at that time the Republican Party still cared for the country unlike today.
I wish their was a Smother Brothers around to show this absurdity through their comedy.
Tommy your insight will be missed.
No today we have demented Biden for your info mr fascist
@@californian1459 Dream on, little one.
Nixon had a brain but just as sociopathic as Trump.
@@ginilinenkemper9261 George Conway has called him a "narcissistic psychopath" on national TV. Rob Reiner has called him a "psychopath" on national TV. He is now so far past just being a sociopath!
I guess they don’t believe in limits to what can be put on tv. That’s their right, but most people believe there has to be common decency. Sad that they didn’t. The saddest part is, they think they are some kind of heroes.
I can kind of understand why this episode was cancelled. I would have cancelled it for imparting too much liberal BS.
would reactionary BS be ok
Not much of a fan then, since that describes about every show they did.
I liked they were anti Vietnam war
Liberalism is reactionary BS.@@evans54
Never thought Steinberg was funny and I never liked him, Pat Paulsen was funny
Totally beg to differ with you. They were both excellent stand ups.
I' ve been a huge Smothers Brothers fan since early 60s. That bit, as well as the opening bit with Dick and Dan Rowen and the pies really wasn't funny. Both sketches were kind of sad.
No sound
No sound
None on my lap top, but OK on my iPhone.