Celebrities, fans react to death of Tom Smothers on social media

With the news that comedian and longtime Sonoma County resident Tom Smothers died Tuesday at age 86, many took to social media to express their love for him and his groundbreaking work.|
CHARLES SWANSON
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

With the news that legendary comedian and longtime Sonoma County resident Tom Smothers died Tuesday at age 86, many took to social media to express their love for him and his groundbreaking work, and their sadness about his death.

On the social media platform X, Director Rob Reiner said, “Tommy Smothers...gave me my first writing job for his show,” and called Smothers “funny, smart and a fighter.“

Actor Michael McKean called Smothers “a character within a character, and a nice guy beneath it all.”

“Kids in the Hall” founding member and comedian Dave Foley said Smothers was “an important and influential force in the history of comedy.”

Frank Coniff, a writer and comedian who played the character TV’s Frank on the original “Mystery Science Theater 300” program, said Smothers was “a comedy icon for most of my life.“

Actor James Urbaniak shared that Smothers did “the world's most uncanny Johnny Carson impression.”

TV writer Mike Scully said that “nobody could make me laugh with a look the way Tommy Smothers could.”

Comedian Greg Proops simply said, “Tommy Smothers was a blessing.”

Comedian and actor Matt Besser said the Smothers Brothers “had the most unique style of comedy that still holds up.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney called Smothers “one of the funniest people I have ever encountered on and off screen” and shared a video of Smothers playing guitar with John Lennon.

Author Paul Myers called Smothers the “the friendly face of activism for so many in mainstream America.”

Author Greg Renoff shared a video of The Who performing “The Kids are Alright” on “The Smothers Brothers Show” in September 1967, which featured Keith Moon’s infamous exploding drum kit.

Former Press Democrat sports columnist C.W. Nevius also posted on X, saying that Smothers ”sang, joked, did yo-yo tricks and reminded us to yell ‘Fire!’ If you fell into a vat of chocolate. Because nobody would come if you yelled ‘Chocolate!’”

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