A conversation with the ‘Yo-Yo Man’
Tom talks about goals, ethics and his brother, Dick

By Rhonda Dedyne

Lots of sharp humor combined with good music where the songs quite literally are "unfinished."

That entertainment recipe has been successful for Tom and Dick Smothers for the past 48 years – and, hopefully, will continue up to and beyond the half-century mark, if the brothers have anything to say about it.

"We’ll observe our 50^th anniversary in a year and a half – we’re kind of proud of the fact that we’ve stayed working and performing all these years," Tom noted during a telephone interview from his California home, prior to the Smothers Brothers March 1 performance at CMU’s Plachta Auditorium.

Performing in front of an audience is still fun for the guitar-playing half of the musical duo and his brother – ‘Mom always liked you best’ Dick.

"We always said when we stopped having fun, we’d stop performing – or, if people quit coming to see us," Tom says. "So far, we’re still having fun and people seem to enjoy themselves as much as ever at the shows."

No doubt, that enjoyment of audiences is due to the timeless nature of the Smothers Brothers routine where the humor is as fresh – and pointed – today as it was when the pair began performing in The Purple Onion in San Francisco in 1959.

"It’s a feel-good show – with an attitude," Tom says of the eclectic blend of music and comedy that is a Smothers Brothers trademark. "When the show is finished, the audience knows where we stand on things."

Being true to moral convictions certainly came through loud and clear on sketches that were part of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour during its successful – but, short-lived – run on television in the late 1960s.

"One thing I’m most proud of is the ethics we had during the Vietnam War – being fired by CBS," Tom says of that time period.

Guests who attend the CMU performance can expect the brothers to engage in some lively banter that sometimes touches on current events – most usually interjected by Tom during the course of Dick’s singing some well-known Smothers’ tune.

"We still never quite finish a song," Tom says with a laugh. "I suppose we sing well enough – but, we’re really not that good musically."

It’s a safe bet that an audience favorite will also make an appearance during the CMU gig. The legendary ‘Yo-Yo Man’ will almost certainly show off a few tricks with the spinning toy. The character got its start during the television show.

"Mason Williams brought us this song about a Duncan Yo-Yo demonstrator and said, ‘Why not try using a yo-yo with it?’ Most of the time at first, I was winding it up – not being very good at it. Eventually, I gained some dexterity with it – it’s a sweet toy.

"Then, Dick became the "Voice of Yo" since the Yo-Yo Man never talks. People still come up to us at shows today and say, ‘Gosh, that Yo-Yo Man bit is really good.’"

Tom admits that the brothers have had their share of difficult times over the years, but also notes that their differing attitudes and demeanors help in the creative process of developing material.

"Siblings can argue at times, that’s a fact, but we’ve always been able to work things out. We really are completely different people – that comes through during performances. All of our material has evolved from our improvisational conversations."

While audiences think the brothers are funny, the humor is sometimes lost on Smothers’ family members.

"They don’t think I’m very funny here at home," Tom says, laughingly recalling an incident at the dinner table several years ago when he was teasing his son. "I said, ‘Don’t you think Dad is funny?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, Dad, but I just don’t get it.’"

Maybe he just needed Dick’s help. The give-and-take between the two brothers is a vital component of the Smothers Brothers routine.

"Dick is a great ‘straight man’ because he’s very believable, and you have to have a good straight man in this sort of act," Tom says. "He’s kind of a combination of Oliver Hardy and Dean Martin, with a little bit of Bud Abbott thrown in."

Tom says that they’ve gleaned inspiration over the years from several ‘classic’ comedy duos, like Laurel and Hardy.

"We learned a lot from watching videos of them, and early on, I was influenced musically by Burl Ives. I’d like to think that we’ve gotten better at our craft.

"Maybe someday, we’ll become icons – like George Burns."

If so, the Smothers Brothers will be performing well past their 50^th anniversary goal.

That’s good news for Yo-Yo Man devotees everywhere.