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Dick Smothers once said training at 20 Minutes to Fitness helped him get in the best shape of his life.

A TRIBUTE TO OUR FUNNIEST CLIENT EVER!

When we heard the sad news about the recent passing of Tommy Smothers, we at 20 Minutes to Fitness took our own trip down memory lane.  Tommy was one-half of a famous comedy duo, the Smothers Brothers. The other half of the duo was Tommy’s brother Dick, who trained at our studio in Sarasota, Florida.

If you are unfamiliar with the Smothers Brothers, we suggest taking a couple of minutes and reading this article from National Public Radio. Actually, go ahead and read it even if you DO remember the Smothers Brothers.

It will remind you of the many contributions Tommy and Dick Smothers made to comedy and American culture.  As the article explains, “Tom Smothers was not only an extraordinary comedic talent, who, together with his brother Dick, became the most enduring comedy duo in history, entertaining the world for over six decades — but was a true champion for freedom of speech, harnessing the power of comedy to push boundaries and our political consciousness.” As those of us who grew up then know, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was Must-See TV in the 1960s.  

MORE ON THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS

As the article explains: 

“The brothers had seemed unlikely to make television history. They had spent the previous several years on the nightclub and college circuits and doing TV guest appearances, honing an offbeat comedy routine that mixed folk music with a healthy dose of sibling rivalry.

They would come on stage, Tom with a guitar in hand and Dick toting an upright bass. They would quickly break into a traditional folk song — perhaps “John Henry” or “Pretoria.” After playing several bars, Tom, positioned as the dumb one, would mess it up,” the article continues.  “And then (Tommy would) quickly claim he had meant to do that. As Dick, the serious, short-tempered one, berated him for failing to acknowledge his error, he would scream in exasperation, “Mom always liked you best!”

They continued that shtick on their show but also surrounded themselves with a talented cast of newcomers, both writers and performers.”  Glen Campbell was a regular musical guest on their TV show.  A young Rob Reiner and comedian Steve Martin both wrote for them. In fact, Steve Martin later presented the brothers with a lifetime Emmy in 2008.

DICK SMOTHERS TRAINED AT 20 MINUTES TO FITNESS IN SARASOTA

That same year — 2008 — Dick Smothers began training at 20 Minutes to Fitness in Sarasota. Dick later offered to write an ad for us, for which we will always be grateful.  We are sharing it here so you can read it, too. Today, we also offer our condolences to Dick and wish him and his family all the strength they need as they honor Tommy Smother’s life and mourn his passing.