Did Tom Snyder's Unique Style Shape Late Night TV?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the impact of Tom Snyder's unique style on late night television, particularly through his show "The Tomorrow Show." Participants share personal anecdotes, memorable episodes, and reflections on Snyder's approach to interviews and entertainment.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants recall Snyder's light-hearted approach to news and entertainment, noting his ability to blend humor with serious topics.
  • Others mention specific memorable episodes from "The Tomorrow Show," such as the interview with Omar the Baker, who discussed successful panhandling strategies.
  • A few participants reflect on Snyder's interactions with guests, highlighting moments of tension and humor, such as the interview with Johnny Rotten and Keith Levine.
  • There are mentions of Snyder's physical appearance, including a humorous anecdote about his eyebrows, with some uncertainty about whether it was due to stress or chemotherapy.
  • Several participants express nostalgia for Snyder's interviews with various celebrities, including Elton John and Muhammad Ali, and discuss the cultural significance of these moments.
  • Some participants attempt to find clips of Snyder's work, particularly parodies from "Saturday Night Live," but encounter copyright issues.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on Snyder's influence and the memorable nature of his show, but there are varying opinions on specific episodes and the details of his personal anecdotes. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the impact of his style on late night television as a whole.

Contextual Notes

Some statements rely on personal recollections and may lack complete context or verification. The discussion includes subjective interpretations of Snyder's humor and style, which may differ among participants.

Ivan Seeking
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SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- Talk show host Tom Snyder, whose smoke-filled interviews were a staple of late night television, has died after a struggle with leukemia. He was 71. [continued]
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/obit.snyder.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

I have been a fan of Snyder since his early days as an anchor of NBC news in Los Angeles. While Snyder essentially pioneered the light-hearted approach to news broadcasts that we see today - adding some humor to the stuffy traditional style of the time - he also managed to get into trouble on a regular basis. IIRC, he lost his job at NBC news when he started kidding his co-anchor, Trisha Toyota, by repeatedly citing the car slogan, "try a Toyota". And though destined to be a controversial figure, Snyder was the first to make the news entertaining. My dad and I watched him every night for the comedy as much as the news.

From there he went to The Tomorrow Show, which I watched for many years. I remember him talking one night with a comedian and good friend - forget his name - about an evening at an expensive Los Angeles restaurant. After getting exceedingly drunk, they noticed two suits of armor in the lobby. Somehow they managed to get into the armor and started greeting guests with a sword and lance, which nearly got them arrested.

RIP Tom. You gave us many great hours of laughter and entertainment.
 
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I remember when his eyebrows fell off.
 
His eyebrows fell off? Do you mean from chemo-therapy?

Or was that a joke about his eyebrows? :biggrin:
 
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Ivan Seeking said:
His eyebrows fell off? Do you mean from chemo-therapy?

Or was that a joke about his eyebrows? :biggrin:
No, he said it was from stress, it was kind of funny.
 
I liked his Tomorrow show.

My favorite episode was Omar the Baker - the guy who made a good living panhandling. He explained the secrets to successful panhandling - namely, the importance of having a professional appearance and location, location, location. You make a lot more money panhandling in the men's room of high class restaraunts than you do on a street corner, especially if your attire makes you look like you belong in a high class restaraunt. It's easier to get a $100 dollars to pay for a business lunch when you've forgotten your wallet than to get busy pedestrians to drop a dollar bill in your cup.

The episode with the guy that talked to machines had to rank up there, as well. Playing a tape of machine sounds and having the guy interpret what they were saying was a nice touch. Turns out machines don't have much regard for humans. They keep your spare change intentionally and really are more likely to "break" when you need a job done quickly.
 
"Tomorrow Show" with Tom Snyder Greatest Hits
With Elton John, Stephen Spielberg, Johnny Rotten, Bono and "The Edge" from U2, Cheech and Chong, Alfred Hitchcock, Charles Manson, and Muhammad Ali. (more)


I was trying to find a video of Akroyd's parody of Snyder from SNL, but didn't see any. Great stuff though!
 
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Ivan Seeking said:
"Tomorrow Show" with Tom Snyder Greatest Hits
With Elton John, Stephen Spielberg, Johnny Rotten, Bono and "The Edge" from U2, Cheech and Chong, Alfred Hitchcock, Charles Manson, and Muhammad Ali. (more)


I was trying to find a video of Akroyd's parody of Snyder from SNL, but didn't see any. Great stuff though!
Those were great! There must be some!
 
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Ivan Seeking said:
I was trying to find a video of Akroyd's parody of Snyder from SNL, but didn't see any. Great stuff though!
I found one, but it had been removed due to copyright violation.

Apparently some/most SNL stuff, like Akroyd's impersonation of Snyder is still under copyright.
 
Ivan Seeking said:
"Tomorrow Show" with Tom Snyder Greatest Hits
With Elton John, Stephen Spielberg, Johnny Rotten, Bono and "The Edge" from U2, Cheech and Chong, Alfred Hitchcock, Charles Manson, and Muhammad Ali. (more)


I was trying to find a video of Akroyd's parody of Snyder from SNL, but didn't see any. Great stuff though!


I remember staying up to watch the Johnny Rotten & Keith Levine interview. They were being total a-holes, but I thought they were so cool. I didn't know Tom Snyder at all, and so I totally took him for another "establishment" minion deserving all of the rudeness he got. I just watched it again 27 years later, and boy it looks different now.

Then I watched Johnny Rotten on Judge Judy! Oh my lord...
 
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Another one that sticks out in memory was a guest who I think was a rock star... certainly a sex idol for the ladies. Snyder asked him: "Why is it that when women see you, they want to jump in the sack and have a good time, and when they see me, they want to sit, have a cup of coffee, and talk?