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Penn Jillette Gets Grief for Appearing on Beck TV |
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I was a fan of the Smothers Brothers growing up – took up the yo-yo based on Tommy. Once I found out their beliefs they’ve been done to me for years based on their insane liberal leanings. Too bad that their legacy’s will be only that they were wrong about most of their political views and not for their ability to entertain.
Hang in there, Penn. The message is the message. I don’t agree with your beliefs, but I feel so bad that someone you deeply care about treated you that way. It clearly hurt you very much.
Idols will always let you down in the end.
Isn’t there something just a little unhinged about a person yelling at someone for going on an opinion show? I don’t know. That sounds unhinged to me. Too bad. I grew up watching the Smothers Brothers but they sure sound like they have become unglued over politics…
Sorry you had to go through that Penn.
Penn is trying too hard to make sense of the actions of the paranoid, distorted, extreme left mentality of Tommy Smothers. Beck is the pariah of the left because he drew blood. Let’s face it, if he had not done a lot of damage to Obama’s administration, he would not warrant this level of attention. Penn is a open minded, rational person who believes in going on whatever show he chooses to, you know, that silly freedom of speech thing.
Obama bashed Republicans for being “followers” and hailed Democrats as “people who question”, but all I see are a bunch of sheep who do exactly what the head sheep dictates. In this case, following the ban that no one is to go on any of the Fox Network shows. Baaaaaah.
I agree with “JW” your candor is commendable. However it appears you have picked and idiot as an idol. Don’t all into the Liberal idea of only following your handlers. Being a liberal drone like Smothers is a waste of a life, when you stop thinking as most liberals are known to do. And just follow blindly the marching orders of the group think, you stop being free.
Bravo. It’s not rationalization. I’ve watched your shows, enjoyed them (though sometimes it’s painful!) You strike me as honest, at least it’s obvious where you’re coming from, even if I don’t always agree with your view.
If you’re looking for what you ‘are’, and as if you don’t know, you’re a realist.
Stay with it, unfortunate that Tom Smothers can’t see your point just because he disagrees with Beck.
AP
His idol was tommy smothers? Very strange. MARXIST=DEMOCRATS=TERRORIST All the same ask Penn Jellette.
I agree with JohnnyAmerica. You have walked the path of a free man. You still have feedom in this country Penn. I guess Smothers would vote for another Hilter candidate since he voted for Obama. I didn’t realize he was such a $hithead. I guess you learn something everyday. I would much rather support someone like Penn who is what he is instead of someone that puts on an act to make money like Smothers. I guess that’s why he clicks with Obamanation, they will be whoever, whatever you want at that second. No morals, they just blow with the wind/money.
I bet Tommy wouldn’t have the moxie to go on the Beck show. Go on an explain your opinion. It’s like Glen’s phone. If it isn’t true what Beck is saying, then the White House needs to call Glen’s hot line phone and disagree or better yet go on his show. It’s okay to be on the left and criticize Bush a lot but it’s not okay to state your opinion against Obama. This is why I don’t listen to MSNBC.
Hey Penn,Power at the point of a gun.Sound familiar?Mao.That is what TOMMY was doing to you by using force in your face my friend.PLEASE DO NOT DISAGREE WITH MY WAY OF THINKING is his thought pattern here.
I respect Penn’s openness and respect for the truth. You have seen how the Kool-aid drinking left deals with people who disagree with them. Perhaps your affinity with Glenn Beck is that you both respect freedom of speech. I don’t believe Tommy Smothers does – unless he agrees with it. It’s the First Amendment – the very first one! Maybe that means it’s the most important. We are witnessing the dismantling of our basic freedoms by this administration.
I wonder if Hollywood is going to blackball any comedian, actress, actor, or director who is not in lock step with the extreme left wing movement? I know that it happens, but they are not even trying to cover it up anymore. How ironic that the ultra conservatives were to blame during the McCarty years, now the “Liberals” are doing it.
Penn
It was difficult to watch how clearly hurt you were. As a Christian and a conservative I, obviously, disagree with you about a number of things but I couldn’t help but be very touched by how genuinely hurt you were.
I think that there is something very commendable about your willingness to go into the belly of the beast and say what is very important to you. I agree with Tommy Smothers that you are a very smart and articulate guy. Another thing I admire about you is that you have strong core values. What you believe matters a great deal to you. I think that’s wonderful.
It clearly was a difficult and painful conversation and I am very sorry.
OMG! This breaks my heart. Please Mr. Jillette, do not be so hard on yourself…….Smother’s reaction says WAY more about him than it does about you. The intolerance to an opposing viewpoint is truly breathtaking and is not a liberal trait. Liberal is not the right word to describe this type of person anymore. Keep doing what you are doing….you are right…..all viewpoints deserve to be heard.
Free minds and free markets – that is what Liberarianism is about.
What a surprise! The oh, so compassionate and tolerant and inclusive LOONY LEFT insults Mr. Penn and practically spits in his face because Penn dared to go on the Glenn Beck Show. What a bunch of moronic controlling FASCISTS!! The Smothers Brothers were my favorite group back in the 60’s and 70’s but I would die before I ever watch these screwballs again. Hey Tommy, Obama needs his boots licked. Get busy!!
Funny how Tommy was spewing hatred accusing Beck for spewing hatred, just more hypocrisy of the liberal numbskulls!!! Penn, I have always admired your open mindedness…. even if I disagree with you on alot of things, please don’t let the mad libs take that away from you. Embrace reality along with the rest of us, libs will NEVER find their utopia.
I understand he’s a hero of yours, but can’t you see that he behaving like a fanatical liberal. Beck is out there a bit but doesn’t deserve the level of contempt that Tommy Smothers has for him. Tommy has a lack of tolerance for people who don’t agree with him. Isn’t that obvious? I think so.
It sounds like you are an Atheist who believes in the Golden Rule.
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”
You did the right thing by being open minded.
Tom Smothers condemns someone (Beck) who has a different point of view.
Do not Liberals portray themselves as “tolerant”?
How can you be tolerant and expect a friend to not enjoy his freedoms and go on any show to express his views and maybe make an impact on others?
Sounds like he is a small time controlling man – even though I know he was one heck of a comedian – I know you feel priviledged to have had the relationship you have had with him – but now you have glimpsed his
weakness = controlling others.
Every show I watch or listen to I just “take what I need and leave the rest”.
Do not feel bad – just like him anyway.
Debbie
Penn looks very conflicted. I think he saw what the “libs” are all about in this instance. Penn isn’t fearful of Beck, but Tommy sure is.
I have always appreciated your honesty on both issues I agree with you on and on issues I disagree with you on. Please continue to put your voice into the discussion, your honesty, sanity and common sense will prevail. Keep up the great work!
Penn, I am a Libertarian Christian that has always looked up to you. I would like to tell you, if I can. Don’t worry about what people say, do what you feel is right. The truth shall set you free!
Now I understand why Bill Cosby punched Tommy in the face.
That is heartbreaking when one of your heroes is irrationally angry at you. What’s more heartbreaking is realizing your hero is a raving lunatic. And I mean that with the utmost respect for Mr. Smother.
I think I get it…Penn is upset because he saw a man whom he reasonably expected to be rational….that his idol would come to the same conclusion as he did that a venue to tell his truth should not be boycotted because of politics. My question is,”How well did Glenn Beck treat Penn when they were off camera?”
Having many friends and acquaintances from all over the political spectrum, I have found that hard left liberals uniquely do not separate the political from the personal. Holding a different point of view is not just a disagreement, but a personal insult to them. Penn, keep speaking your mind and don’t let Tommy Smothers’ personal problem affect you. And go ahead and go on Bill Maher and Glenn Beck and Olbermann and O’Reilly. All of them welcome different points of view.
A person of conscience should always be willing to examine his actions. I agree with your belief that the cure for bad speech is more speech. I hope you still feel that way. If Tommy Smothers wanted to spread his opinions, he would appear outside the Hollywood liberal echo chamber. So long as he stays inside, he will never spread his views nor will he allow his own views to be challenged. Either way, it’s just sad. We need more discourse not less.
Mom always liked Beck best.
Penn, I think everyone can imagine how intense and hurtful that must have been to you. I feel badly he felt he had the right to “lay you low”. Sounds like he has issues and you were a vunerable target. He must know that you admire him, which makes his outburst all the more punishing. I am one of those Christian conservatives that watches Glenn Beck. I have enjoyed your appearances and found it admirable that you and Glenn could so polietly agree to disagree. I do feel some people give them themselves too much credit for knowing what is best for us to do. Thats where we run into the problem of them wanting to control us through government. Maybe Tommy is feeling afraid and out of control. I don’t think it really has so much to do with you. Cheer up Penn! You seemed so sad!:)
Tommy Smothers is yet another tolerant liberal, isn’t he?
your childhood hero is an a**hole….PERIOD. Beck does not impose his views on people — unlike the Leftist nuts like Smothers a**hole. Sounds like he’s senile. Geesh, Beck = Hitler? Dump Smothers!! He’s a A**!
Abraham Lincoln:
Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.
WTF. You have stepped up to the plate and knocked it out. Discovering that honesty, regardless of consequences, is a true test of being a human, is more important that anything. I had the same image of Tommy, but if he can castigate a person for his beliefs without facing the truth, then he is no person that I would like to know.
You, however, have earned a new level of respect from me. Can you ditch Teller? He has never said anything that I agree with.
We hope to see you on Glenn Beck again very soon !!!!
Neither one of the two twinks in the piece are of sane mind. Tommy’s gift to humankind is his lack of whit and Penn’s gift is his (humor?). This is a non story. I mean like, who cares dude.
Well, at least you didn’t go on Letterman and lend David any legitimacy.
In seriousness, though, I have to say I am quite impressed with your attitude and character, Mr. Jillette. And I most adamantly disagree with you on most of your views – I am an Evangelical Christian, and agree with the Bible in viewing homosexuality as a sin; and I of course believe in God, and Jesus as the Savior. But I respect honesty, courage, integrity, and truthfulness in others, and those who exhibit these characteristics, and so I find I respect you. (I have not always been a Christian, by the way, and for some years was an ardent atheist. But even then I tried to be honorable, truthful, and fair – these things are not limited to Christians.)
Now, if you were a REAL magician, you’d turn Glenn Beck into Keith Olbermann, and vice versa. I look forward to the video.
When I was 13 at Summer camp, one of my friends came to me and said that someone had done something bad to him. He asked me not to be this kid’s friend. We were 13.
When I was in the music business I got to meet several of my heros. Some still hovering high and some on the way down. I was glad I had never taken them for more than brilliant musicians….
Hey Penn, I dig ya’ man, even though i think you’re a little weird, but, having said that, tell your idol to go to hell and stop budding into your life, YES, your life…
Besides that, you’re a pretty good comedian.
Here’s a personal anecdote — I used to be a typical conservative who watched Buckley on Firing Line. One show he had Dr. Thomas Szasz on, a libertarian (and controversial) psychiatrist talking about drug legalization. Sxass spoke with such rational clarity about drug legalization that I was converted that very hour to the libertarian philosophy.
Yes, go on shows you disagree with. As long as the host is civil and lets you make your case.
If you watch ‘Penn Says’ on youtube, you get to hear how the left attacks him all the time. But, this was especially disgusting. Penn was close to tears. Penn is an Atheist, a Libertarian, a Dad, a Musician, an amazing Entertainer, and a damn good man. He’s never afraid to talk to or debate anyone, and he doesn’t debate viciously. He’s very outspoken about free speech – and unlike the left, he means it. Smothers can suck it.
You’re an honest, honorable man, Penn, who understands Freedom.
We all have idolized stars and comedians without actually knowing anything about them. It’s one thing to enjoy their acting but in reality it should teach us to teach our children not to idolize the stars of today after all they are actors.
You need to question your admiration for a guy that berated you in public simply because you expressed your opinion on a television program hosted by someone who they have an irrational hatred for. I have to say I had more respect for Penn Jillette before I saw this video.
Many on the Left are deranged, hateful, almost violent — and certainly damaging to others as well as themselves.
Dennis Miller always says that he’s been hated by the Right and hated by the Left, and there’s no comparison….the Left is far more intolerant and vitriolic. As much as I admire and respect Penn for his willingness to intelligently debate his views on all forums, his willingness to question himself based on the rantings of an obvious lunatic is disappointing.
I’m not Beck’s biggest fan, but I’ve never heard him utter a racist, sexist or homophobic word ever (or seen one attributed to him). My advice to Penn would be, if someone tells you that you must only do what he/she approves of, you’ve picked the wrong person to admire. If you acquiesce, then you have betrayed the principles you claim to hold so dear.
Penn,
I can feel your pain that someone you look up to…derides you.
My father never agreed with me about many things but he said to always be true to yourself and you would just in your position…
God Bless You (even though you might not accept it)… I would be proud to have one Penn Jillette than 100 Tommy Smothers ( And I luv his comedy too) as a friend.
Just be the best Penn Jillette you can be…whether anyone agrees with you or not…you are true to yourself.
Chris Mc
Unfortunately, his idol is acting like a 3rd grade girl. This kind of thing is very common in 3rd grade.
Tommy Smothers is clearly a classic example of liberal “tolerance.”
I don’t think Penn cares. He is an free spirit…
I hope the Barbara Streisand is not one of your idols.
or George Clooney
or Alec Baldwin
It sucks when you don’t tow the party line. It is only the liberals that require you to tow the party line. They are the puritans of our time.
Ask yourself this: “Who is it easier to offend a liberal or a democrat?”
Penn, I am agnostic and I am constantly questioning whether there is a God. All of my friends have found their faith and we have great discussions. We don’t always agree, but we respect each other. That is the sad story of the far left. People like Maher, Olbermann, Smothers can’t stand that everyone is an individual and has their own belief system that works for them or they are trying to find what works for them. I see the far left attack everyone who does not agree lock step with them. The words idiot, stupid, racist, flat-earther sure are thrown around a lot and it really is sad.
I enjoy your appearances on Beck and agree with most everything you say. At the same time, I also agree with much of what Beck says. I’m agnostic, pro-choice, believe in evolution, but not global warming, believe our government is corrupt and intrusive and that our president is surrounded by radicals trying to transform America. So what kind of person am I? How would the left characterize me? Am I a hateful person because I don’t believe in this president’s agenda? Is that how all of us are going to be judged from now on?
I do hope to see more of you on Beck. Don’t let this incident intimidate you. Do what you feel is right for you.
Love Beck, listen to him all the time.
And I only watch FoxNews because I want my news Fair and Balanced.
Buying the new Palin book too! Can’t wait!
Penn, I have introduced you many times in Las Vegas and there is no question that I am often offended and disagree with you on most fronts… that being said.. I will disagree again regarding your “rationalizing.” The glory of this nation is our ability to freely exchanged ideas. Your appearances on Beck simply bolster the argument that he presents many opinions.
As much as I too was influenced by the Smother’s Brother’s it is scary to think that Tommy could be so upset at your very presence there and not hear the points that you were making.
I also believe you would have told the Fuhrer the truth, regardless the cost.
I respectfully continue to disagree on most things, I encourage you to continue appearing wherever you can make the points you believe in.
Penn don’t question your own beliefs based on this encounter. I admire your candor and your faithfulness to your truth.
The bottom line is that you should just kick his ass. He is a POS communist, Obama apologist. Tommy Smothers is nothing but Lewinsky giving hollywood wannabe elite. “F” him!
The Constitution is a beautful thing!
Penn,
A number of years ago, I had an opportunity to have an author attend a convention I was running as the Guest of Honor. I idolized this man. I loved his work. I thought his writing was magnificent. I paid his fee without question, his plane fare, arranged excellent hotel accommodations. We built a program around his attendance, and I looked forward to meeting him. I did not intend to hover, to fawn, or to press my attention, simply to shake his hand and tell him how much I appreciated his work.
I never got the opportunity. He came, and disappeared into his room. He ate room service. He came out of the room to attend panels we had scheduled, then vanished again. He did not mingle. He did not sign autographs. He did not hang out with the fans. He didn’t wander the halls, go to the masquerade, eat at the restaurant, or even seek out the people who had paid his way to say hello. I found out later that he used the trip to work on someone else’s project when he was not at scheduled panels, double-dipping on our dime. I never even got to say hello.
Later, he dunned us for his credit card bills, for extra services he had charged, and for changes to the plane itinerary — he didn’t fly directly home, but to the city where this other project would be discussed. He charged the extra plane fare to us. The additional expenses cost us what little profit we had made. This was my idol.
To this day, I still think very well of his books. They’re still magnificent. I still read and reread them, and enjoy them. But him? An utter waste of skin as a human being.
Idols are symbolic representations of people we put up on pedestals who, in real life, rarely if ever match the images we have of them. These are people, not idols, sometimes people with enormous talent, but still people just like us. With just as much potential for success, and just as much potential for suck. Sometimes, the feet of clay go clear to the nose.
Tommy Smothers is, and was, a great performer. But I don’t think I’d like him much as a person, if he treats those who look up to him in that fashion.
Jillette has obviously picked a very unworthy idol. If Smothers were secure in his convictions, he would proclaim his “truths” on Beck’s show, as did Jillette.
What I find interesting is that Mister Gillette did not reach the conclusion that Mr. Smothers was wrong. That he was becomes evident when Mr. Smothers equivicates Glen Beck with Adolf Hitler. If Glen Beck was the equivalent of Adolf Hitler, i.e. a facist racialist dictator that would exterminate a race of people, then Mr. Smothers’ argument would be correct. But since any sane rational person would recognize that Glen Beck is not a racialist mass-murderer, or anything close to such a monster, then Mr. Smothers has clearly lost touch with reality.
Penn,
I understand that it’s a drag to be yelled at by your idol, but when we
idolize people, that kind of crap happens. I love your act, and I think
Smothers is funny, too. I just like your politics and not his. Smothers makes
the mistake that alot of show-biz types make when it comes to references to
Hitler or fascism. Hitler, or national socialism, and fascism involve loss
of freedom, involve bloated government telling the citizens how to live their
lives. Glenn Beck is, and I think you are, too (because I’ve heard you)more
on the side of freedom than tyranny. Smothers is a smart guy, but amazingly
he doesn’t understand what freedom and liberty are compared to the liberal
schtick which involves reduction of freedoms, less liberty, and statism
where the government controls the people with the iron fist. Smothers is so wrapped up in his
Leftist ideology that he is a caricature, he doesn’t get it. So I applaud
you for speaking frankly; when you say Smothers was right, that’s where I
disagree. Smothers was an ass, and he used you, brother. He used that format
to trash Glenn Beck at your expense. I hope you remove his bust from your
mantle. Mark Tulsa, OK
Penn…are you serious? You are one of the most arrogant, ego-centric, narcissistic, verbose, vain, overbearing, cocky, presumptive, snobbish, condescending, dismissive, smark-alecky loud-mouth that has walked this earth. YOU are MY hero!
And you allow some mealy-mouthed, vapid, over-rated, has-been lefty affect you so?
Now, I am so disillusioned……
Tommy is right
Beck isn’t just WRONG, he’s a WET BRAIN racist who weeps on cue with Vick’s vapo rub.
I watch Olbermann, Letterman, Conan, Maher, you and Jillet…often disagreeing, but I don’t find you scheming and dishonest.
Do Beck’s show if you wish, but it diminishes you in my opinion.
Penn is finding out what it means to be a real American. It means taking whatever you have to in order to stand up for yourself and what you believe in!
Well you got more exposure in that one visit on Beck than Smoothers had in years…
Penn,
Keep going on Beck, dude. Tweak the showbiz types! Don’t give into the shrill tactics of the Left. Smothers
represents ironically a side of fascist thinking that denies the free exchange
of ideas, that shuts down dissent or alternative ideologies. Take that bust
of Smothers off your mantle, my brother. The choice is living free in a free
society, or living in Mao’s China. I can see Smothers wearing a grey suit
and one of those stupid little hats. Speak the truth to power, my friend.
Mark Tulsa, OK.
Mark….your an idiot
just like Mom always said you were !!!
Beck is not a Racist…That is just Liberal code for anybody you don’t agree with.
Grow up…you turned out just like Dad said you would…
A loser with brain damage and no morals….
Oh, yeah, convincing people to DOUBT GOD is real progress! Quite an achievement, you idiot. Oh, well, what can we expect from someone who calls Tommy Smothers “the man who created me”? GOD created you, dope! Sounds like BOTH Penn & Smothers need intense PSYCHOTHERAPY! And for Smothers to equate Glenn Beck as EVIL like HITLER shows that guy’s brains (what few he ever had) have turned to MUSH. You would think Smothers would RECALL the old days when THEIR SHOW WAS BANNED as “too controversial” because they spoke out against the WAR, and you would think Smothers could SEE a correlation to what the WhiteHouse is DOING to Glenn Beck & Fox News!!!
LIBS are just PATHETIC PEOPLE IN DENIAL, always PROJECTING their own shortcomings onto someone else.
It is important to get your message, whatever it might be, (as long as you are being truthful) to everyone out there as opposed to just preaching to the choir. The fact that you could possibly change someone’s mind, or at least see something from another perspective is what an intelligent debate used to be about. The extremes this country is going through right now turn every side a full 360 degrees, so even people who fight for freedom of speech ( like Tommy Smothers ) would dare to prevent it. He might as well just register as a Republican.
Don’t you sometimes feel like Charlie Gordon in “Flowers for Algernon”, wondering if you were better off when you didn’t know any better? 
KK
Geez, Penn believe it or not ol’ Tommy Smo is just a man with faults and overgrown toenails like the rest of us. What I always respected about you and your magic show compadre Sigfried is that you say your piece. You went on Beck (who has a pretty good size audience)and you represented warts,scars and all. You either got the message across or you pissed more people off. If a shmollzywood fop that should have crossed the river Styx years ago(Fits of anxiety?–Oh yes sir He will be in my dead pool next year)wants to get in your face with his malfunction what is that to you? So….Suck it up or buy a box of tampax maxis with wings. —Ciao for now Hombre
Veritas said it well.
I merely want to add that you had your first experience of what it is to be a non-liberal in any section of show business. Non-libs are made to feel as crappy as you feel in this video on a daily basis.
That said, I have always admired you, your work, your brilliance and your candor.
You are right to believe in stating your truth in any forum even if Hitler were host. That is what it means to be an American. G-d bless you and as always I will never buy a ticket to see the Tommy Smuthers (before my time anyway never got into him) but I will continue to see you!
Penn,
Everyone loved the Smothers Brothers for their entertainment values. Their political values turned America off. It’s too bad it took you this long to find this out.
If you find religion to be baloney, why do you think spreading atheism isn’t? I don’t appreciate preaching either way.
Glenn Beck doesn’t hate Obama because he’s black. He doesn’t like this Maoist stuff, his economic policies that don’t work and his incompetence.
Ugh. Okay, you’re now off the blacklist.
Tom Smothers condemned Penn Jillette for speaking his mind and debating in the free exchange of ideas. Surprising behavior from someone who was awarded the 2003 George Carlin Freedom of Expression Award.
“The only valid censorship of ideas is the right of people not to listen” – Tom Smothers.
@mark the evil twin
the abortion that lived
Mark, that video of Beck having Vicks vapo rub applied under his eyes so he could tear up was for a picture. A picture that was meant to be a parody of himself for a magazine article. The left has been using it as “proof” that Beck is faking tears on his show. Look at it again on YouTube. It is obvious, the backdrop, the photos being taken. He is making fun of himself. Liberals don’t seem capable of doing that.
Tommy is not right, Tommy is a gasbag who pukes up the Marxist party line of crap. His and your criticism of Beck is based on what you hear from the slimy left who have no trouble lying to trick and frame an argument on false information. Like Rush never said the crap about race that the lying left said. No honesty, no honor, no value. Liberal progressives are maggots and like all maggots they feast on rot. I think Dick Smothers is a Christian and a descent man, but Tommy licks Obamas O ring. Don’t you sometimes fantasize that you could meet Tommy Smothers in a dark ally and just beat the sheet out of him for about 5 hours?
Penn,
You’ve discovered something. Stand proud.
Like you I am an atheist, even a cryonicist, but I have a great affinity for Christians. I find them far more imaginative, tolerant, humble and optimistic than the strident atheists who have dominated our culture for the past 3 or 4 decades. Given a choice between a
Christian theocracy and an officially atheist state I would choose the former, for the latter would, if history is any guide, soon become totalitarian, with nothing – no considered higher authority, no immutable rights of the individual – to restrain it. In any case we are far, very far, from a theocratic state, and there are few among the Christians who really want to go there, though there are many who resent having gay worship and other things they consider sin shoved down their throats.
As for Tommy, I sort of liked him 40 years ago, but the last time I saw him he was spewing BDS. Whatever you may think of Bush he does not deserve the hatred that people like Tommy have for him. Not very loquacious, not able or driven to explain his reasons, he let the left define Iraq in one-dimensional terms, and he did nothing to control spending. For these he may rightly be blamed. But the screaming hatred, the excoriation as pure evil, these he did not and does not deserve. Tommy is on my do-not-resuscitate list.
Penn:
It’s obvious that you were questioning yourself and your own motives because of your affection and respect for Tommy. You were not rationalizing, you were right; the answer to bad speech is more speech.
There is no way anyone could agree completely with any of the TV pundits without being a fundamentalist of some ilk. If the venue and the discourse is respectful, of which there are few, then by all means appear. Have as open a discourse as possible. It is the root cause of the fracture in our society – the lack of civility and willingness to listen to an opposing view.
I don’t think you would allow yourself to be used, or to be fooled into being used.
i’m not a huge glenn beck fan but i do watch his show sometimes. though i’m not conservative i find conservative talk shows interesting and more informative than the liberal equivulant ( albeit with a certain spin) but they usually spend more time on the stories cnn, nbc,etc. ignore. there isn’t any scrutiny from the regular press on this administration and to me that is scary. anyway liberals have been eating **** for the last eight years so they forgot how to handle critisism. a lot of my childhood idols have od had drastically different points of view than me and as i get older i realize it more and more. i’m sure tim robbins would hate me. but i don’t think i’ll ever have to worry about them yalling at me. well you’re totally right to go on any show you want to. glenn beck is far from hitler. and i’m sure mister smothers didn’t have a problem with obama making the dali lama take a back seat to the human rights violators who run china.
I adored TS (Mason Williams as well). Having said that TS owes you a public apology (embarass in public, apologize in private, is cowardice). You did nothing wrong whatsoever.
Some Apt Quotes re: TRUTH TELLERS
(WHY does Glenn Beck come to mind??)
“The reason men are silenced is not because they speak falsely, but because they speak the truth. This is because if men speak falsehoods, their own words can be used against them; while if they speak truly, there is nothing which can be used against them – except force.”
–John “the Birdman” Bryant 1943 – 2009
“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed; second, it is violently opposed; and third, it is accepted as self-evident.”
–Arthur Schopenhauer
“To attempt to silence a man is to pay him homage, for it is an acknowledgement that his arguments are both impossible to answer and impossible to ignore.”
–JBR Yant
[Source: http://www.thebirdman.org/ ]
Bartie,
Me blacklisted? I’m not sure of the infraction that would have caused this.
Looking forward to Big Environment. With Copenhagen coming up, this is a must to get this up and going.
I would also suggest Big Economy, we are going to need this one too I’m afraid.
Best regards.
Who gives a damn what anyone else thinks. Stand up for what you believe in. Hollywood is full of irrational drones who follow the pack. Glenn Beck is a great American who’s giving us information we wouldn’t otherwise get since we have a state controlled media.
Penn,
Socialist Censorship is alive and well in old Hollywood, and it will escalate.
First is Tommy Smothers gets way up in is his face, now
Next, it will Jane Fonda dressed as Barbarellat to work her charms
As a last try, they will send out Larry, Curly, and Mo out to send Penn to a free market reeducation canp.
Anyone who demonstrates the shallowness and the dogmatic narrowness that Tommy displayed is not worthy to be the object of any sort of hero status. Penn exceeds Smothers greatness by a factor of ten both intellectually and professionally.
If Tommy Smothers is comparing Glenn Beck to Hitler, then Tommy Smothers is the unhinged person in the conversation. By the way, I’m a Christian conservative and if I thought the way Tommy Smothers does (and the way some Christian conservatives do), I would never have watched your show on Showtime (when I had Showtime), watched this video, or went to see your show in Las Vegas. You horrible atheist libertarian cooties didn’t rub off on may and make me unclean and sometimes I agree with you and sometimes I don’t. Heck, in one case, your show convinced me that the side you opposed was correct. The truth works that way sometimes.
For Democracy to work, people need to be willing to accept that sometimes people they don’t agree with are going to be in power but once people see their opponents as monsters, they are going to want to undermine democracy because you can’t ever accept letting monsters have power. That’s why, despite all of the professed compassion and goodwill, the left always seems to lurch toward totalitarianism and currently relies on bureaucrats and courts and votes on legislation that nobody gets to read before it’s passed to get their way rather than votes rather than by persuading voters and getting the consent of the governed. Once you have contempt for you opponents and believe your goal is noble, it becomes easy to support coercion and worse as means justified by good ends.
So far, I have yet to hear a conservative talk show host like Glenn Beck call for the bypassing of or undermining of democracy. Their message is always one of following the law and changing hearts and minds and winning in the next election. If that ever changes and they start advocating lawlessness or totalitarianism, then it makes sense to haul out the HItler analogies. Until then, it’s just hyperbole.
Here is an interview with another comedian, Dennis Miller, where he talks about liberals calling all of their enemies “Hitler”:
When is it wrong to tell the truth? People like Tommy Smothers only love free speech, when it is something they believe. When they don’t, they try to shut you up. The truth is never wrong. AND, I’d hate to burst anyone’s bubble, but freedom, freedom of speech, love and respect for your enemy are Christian concepts – Christians, like myself, hate the sin, but love the sinner. And we are all sinners. Thank you Penn for having the courage to speak what you believe. I think the curiosity and the truth in your heart will eventually bring you to Christ.
I think Penn would be an awesome Christian.
What struck me about this video was how hard it can be for an honest man to evaluate whether a friend’s criticism is valid or not. I admire Penn for wrestling with the criticism to see if he was in the wrong. Only good men do this sort of thing.
I was surprised that Penn did not almost immediately recognize that his freedom of association (1st amendment) was being challenged by Mr. Smothers. I was also surprised that Mr. S. did not care that Penn was not being a chameleon and would not recognize that Penn was speaking what he believed was true in every venue. Few men can do this without compromising themselves and I’ve never seen Penn be anyone other than himself on the shows I have seen him on. Was Mr. Smothers projecting his own flaws upon Penn?
I ended up thinking that Mr. Smothers is blinded by his biases and angrily trying to make Penn conform to his personal choices. Weird situation. I hope Mr. Smothers comes to his senses and apologizes for his pettiness.
This sounds a bit like those who fought for Civil Rights for African-Americans in the 50s and 60s now being against gay marriage, because apparently only THEIR rights are worth fighting for. Tommy Smothers seems to think that it’s ok to protest if it’s in HIS favor, but not in the favor of someone HE doesn’t like.
What Penn was saying was simply that he dislikes the people who write letters against something they don’t even know about, which is what helped bring down the Smothers’ Brothers in the ’60s. He’s simply saying that that’s not right, regardless of who you’re talking about.
This is a marvelous example of “pragmatic man” and “man thinking” as posited by Emerson; Jillette pontification exemplifies the irrational extant on any extreme, be it political right or left. I admire Mr Jillete immensely and I am a liberal who disagrees quite heavily with Mr Beck, yet watches him in fairness. Thank you, Mr Jillette, for solidifying and privileging my own rational thinking and pragmatism and for exemplifying its importance to not only all Americans but to all Humankind.
I would like to correct my last comment where I said, “I hope Mr. Smothers comes to his senses and apologizes for his pettiness.” Pettiness is the the wrong word. Disrespectfulness is a better word, but it still does not adequately describe the tantrum Mr. Smothers displayed.
I suppose I will never understand why some people think they should lord over others in personal matters that do not distinguish between criminal and non-criminal choices. Sheesh, I can only wonder if Mr. Smothers embraces the Free Polanski mentality, which is truly a criminal matter.
I feel your pain, Penn. Happens to me all the time, by other lesbians who constantly complain about how mean other people are. In these times, reason is hated; emotion, embraced. Meanwhile, blindness reigns. Reminds me of the beginning of Kipling’s “If”:
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too …
You’re a man, Penn, swimming in a sea of little boys.
Ah, come on. Don’t you people realize that not only is Jillette giving Smothers the business but also mimicking Beck?
This is hilarious!
I’m just trying to discern the difference between Glenn Beck and Tommy Smothers. Smothers seems to be what he hates; he’s only different in the details.
Penn does not seem to comprehend that Smothers and his ilk would throw him in jail if they could. Wake up Penn!
I watched this whole clip. I respect Mr. Jillette’s willingness to reason.
We are studying ancient civilizations this year, and my kids memorized the 10 commandments in Exodus 20. I think a lot of the commandments are for the good of man — to keep us safe, disease-free, content. I never thought about the second commandment in this way before. I thought it was God-centered, but now I see it’s another good-for-man one. If we look up only to God, we can’t be let down so hard. I know it hurts.
“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.”
This one from the prophet Isaiah is wise:
“Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?”
There is a story about Confusious, I hope I can get it right.
One day COnfuscious said he would go to the western mountains. His follows all asked why would he do sucha thing. The people of the western mountains are rubes and yokels and they have strange opinions compared to our people. Confusious replied that if he did not go then how would they ever learn or be exposed to ‘proper’ thinking?
So he’s a famous comedian who’s a jerk in “real life.” Reality bites. Humans can be; talented, well-educated, wise, cruel, biased, kind, leaders, followers, brave…you get the idea? Stand up for what you believe in and then brace yourself!
Mr. Jillette, please, please don’t second guess yourself. Your independence of thought is always refreshing to hear. You don’t fit in on anybody’s “side.” So what?! Too many ideologues, not enough questioners these days.
Tommy Smothers may have been a great comedian and musician, but no great thinker. He doesn’t sound like a nice person either. No need to scream at you or anybody.
Penn
I would suggest that perhaps your error is in conflating Tommy Smothers’ comedic talent with his views on ANYTHING ELSE. Idolize his talent, but, as we all do with our parents as we grow up, see him as the flawed man he clearly is and don’t feel a need to internalize his opinions if you don’t agree with them. His hostility to you was about him and his issues, and he was quite wrong to act that way to you.
Tommy Smothers and the Smothers Brothers were a great act with very funny material and excellent rapport. Their show was one of the best. They had 2 songs on the PBS special CD set from that era that I got for subscribing one year. My grandchildren loved to sing along with those 2 songs more than any others on the 6 CD set, so I bought a CD from their WEBsite for when we drive together. The kids know all the words and inflections. Fortunately the material promotes “openmindedness”, freedom of speech, and questioning authority that was once the hallmark of a “progressive” movement; not the mindnumbing adherence to a Party line that Tommy now exhibits by encounters such as that experienced by Mr. Penn. It is sad when a man one admired as a questioner becomes so certain he is correct that he not only will not listen to those who might bring new information that might cause him to question, he gets so angry he spits in their faces.
I saw the Smothers Brothers in performance a week ago in a small venue in central Arizona, and remain impressed by their abundant musical talents and ability to engage an audience, but they sure seem to be stuck in time! There were the lame digs at any Republicans in the a hall and the predictable Bush insults. Why do none of these libs ever find humor in Obama thinking there were 57 states, that Canada has a president not a Prime Minister, and that he wanted to be “Commander OF Chief?” And then there’s Biden…
I’ve become to believe that my well-meaning liberal friends really ARE stuck in time. When asked what their definition of “liberal” is they usually spout a classic dictionary definition like, “being tolerant and free from any prejudice or bigotry.” Geeze! When’s the last time we saw anything like that on the left?
P.S. Note to Tommy: The Yo-Yo Man bit has become somewhat tedious, too. I would have preferred a show where you & Dick sang more.
Tommy comes for the Stalinist friendly folk movement. Tommy Smothers never had problems putting folks who supported murderers like Stalin and Mao on his own show. And people who supported a movement that ordered the murder and imprisonment of dissenters from the communist movement.
This tells you all you need to know about Tommy Smothers. He’s been an enemy of free speech and open conversation in his associations and political affiliations for a long time.
I’ve been a big fan of Penn and Teller for years and like most of the posters here I have my differences with them. The one thing that I noticed while I was listening is how Penn equivocated throughout the entire video. To even think that somehow Beck is different (worse) than Oberman and maybe he shouldn’t appear on Beck but that it would be okay to appear on Oberman hit me hard. I had always thought that Penn had his head screwed on better than that. My opinion of Penn really dropped today.
Penn, Tommy has asked you to turn in your balls and only appear on “Approved” shows. you have your marching orders, now obey. Which person would tolorate (and be respectfull) of opposing ideas?
A. Adolf Hitler
B Tommy Somthers
C Glen Beck
Tie some mistletoe to your shirt tail and tell Tommy to kiss you under the mistletoe. It’s a shame to find that a childhood idol has feet of clay. Even worse, an idol with a head full of smegma.
There’s a museum in Berkley that houses memorabilia of the 60’s counter culture era. All the buttons of the past like ” Free Speech” etc. are now Republican standards. History shows Fascism always comes from the left.
Mao always liked you best.
Penn, I’m sorry you had to go through that. But please don’t change anything. You are so correct – the answer to bad speech is more speech. People in this country have got to listen to each other, but how can we if people with differing views won’t talk? That’s not the answer to anything.
You’re a hero to this practicing Catholic – please don’t change your approach at all. Like others have said, this episode says way more about Mr Smothers than it does you. Perhaps he should remember an old Smothers Brothers album – Curb Your Tongue, Knave.
Penn, I know a lot of people, including my parents who only get their news from FOX and Glen Beck. I also know a lot of people that only watch Olberman and Madow. If broadcasters only have guests on that agree with them we are in a sorry state. Please keep doing what you are doing.
The problem is the broadcasters that will not have on guests with differing views on their shows.
The problem is people that are afraid to listen, because they are afraid their minds might change.
I don’t think Hitler would have been a problem for you, you would not have been invited by him to appear. It is a false comparison. Hitler killed 6 million people. Glen Beck, like him or not, is not Hitler.
I believe those that make this type of comparison are guilty of over inflating their own egos by suggesting their “fight” is against some terrible and threatening dangerous evil. “Bravely” standing up to the whimpering and ridiculous Glen Beck.
Thanks
John
More speech is the solution.
Thanks John
The last thing this country needs is more people preaching to their respective choir while shunning people on the other side. What this country needs are more people who can show respect for people and for the processes by which people form their opinions, even if you do not respect their opinion themselves. We need people who are willing to meet in the middle or even cross over long enough to talk with (not just “to) other people and take a respectful shot at expanding their perspectives.
Mr. Gillette, I respect you. I do not always agree with you, but you still give me things to think about. I will always listen more to people who can share their opinions respectfully and not condemn me for mine. It’s that degree of “safety” in dialogue that allows people to open up and allow themselves to entertain new ideas.
Good for you for trying. In that particular area you will undoubtedly make a bigger, better difference in the world than a hundred hate-mongering Tommy Smotherses.
Who cares what Tommy Smothers says or thinks?
What is wrong with you?
You have every right to go on Glenn Beck or any other show. You have nothing to explain or apologize for.
Childhood heroes are from your childhood. When you get older you are your own man, even if you were influenced by former heroes. Often the former heroes turn out to be anything but heroes, in the light of your own life experience.
Doug Santo
Pasadena, CA
Penn,
Watching your video, I was struck by the similarity between the way you talked about your thoughts and the way an abused wife talks about her abuser. Which is exactly what Tommy Smothers did to you. Remove the relationship and imagine how you’d react if the fellow yelling at you about Beck was just “some guy” who you ran across in a restroom in the Rio. You’d certainly call security, and might even go as far as having him hauled in front of a judge on assault charges. Instead, you are here talking about how important he was to you in the past and how he’s really a nice guy (”He’s good with the kids”, “He’s not usually like this”).
Penn,
It seems rather obvious to outside observers that Tommy Smothers’ conduct was dogmatic, cowardly and manipulative while your reaction, despite your disappointment continues to be thoughtful, courageous and honest.
The hurt will not go away fast but go away it will. In the meantime, it may be a small consolation to you that strangers hold Penn Jillette to be the better man of the two.
Poor old Glenn Beck everyone with any sense hates him.
He’s a bully and a coward.
Glenn Beck is using an armed bodyguard, according to the New York Post’s Page Six.
The Fox News host who distrusts the government, has called President Obama a racist, and regularly stokes fears of a communist conspiracy, apparently attended the Broadway musical Memphis the other night with an armed guard in tow–even to the men’s room.
There are no public reports of violent threats against Beck, though Beck has previously joked about hurting others. In August, Beck pretended to poison House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
He knows he’s wrong and everybody hates him except most of the 20 percent that I.Ds as Republican and some of them hate him.Lindsey Graham don’t like him.
Penn,
You are an American, The Freedom of speech, to believe what you believe and to speak the truth as you see it, well honey if people like you are being squashed for being Americans what is happening to our Country? I do not always agree with you but I do respect your right to speak. Glen Beck or no Glen Beck, just as you have a right to speak so does Tommy. But name calling and Screaming isn’t the answer, it has happened to me twice just for asking questions of this administration, Keep speaking out!
FREEDOM OF SPEECH!!!!!!!!!!!
Penn, you cannot limit yourself to only shows who’s host you agree with 100%. That would limit you to just your own show. That would limit everyone to just their own show.
A man you respect and idolized has been disrespectful to you and shown himself to be less than ideal. And it rightfully hurts. But that is all it is. Remember: “No Permanent Damage”. Like the burn on the roof of your mouth, this too will pass. Please don’t change your ways.
Like many of the Christians on here, I was moved with compassion to hear the heartbreak in Penn Jilette’s voice over his childhood idol spurning him. But, I belive Penn is a man of prinicple (though I don’t always agree with his principles, but that’s another story). . .I don’t think he’ll change. And he shouldn’t. I hope he hangs in there and finds that sometimes, idols have feet of clay. . .
because Penn has always had b—s of brass. :p
*MissQuinn*
Readers of Orwell’s 1984 will remember Emmanuel Goldstein, enemy of the state of Oceania, whose face appeared daily on TV screens everywhere, with narration describing his latest wickedness against the state, and the “proles” whipped themselves into a frenzy of rage in what was called The Two Minute Hate. For US (pseudo)liberals, Beck is now Emmanuel Goldstein. And there are others: Bush, Cheney, and now Sarah Palin. The left’s irrational hatred of these figures resembles Nazi hatred of Jews, and it serves the same purpose. The hatred unifies the masses and distracts attention from the fact that US “liberalism” is philosophically bankrupt, utterly corrupt, and destructive of individual liberties. Smothers was just doing The Two Minute Hate as directed.
This was a great observation by Jana:
Penn is trying too hard to make sense of the actions of the paranoid, distorted, extreme left mentality of Tommy Smothers. Beck is the pariah of the left because he drew blood. Let’s face it, if he had not done a lot of damage to Obama’s administration, he would not warrant this level of attention. Penn is a open minded, rational person who believes in going on whatever show he chooses to, you know, that silly freedom of speech thing.
This was a keen observation and I wholeheartedly agree with all you have written. Hostility being shoved at someone who disagrees with you personally seems bizarre, paranoid, and perverted. If I were you Penn, I’d find another “idol”. You seemed pretty shaken by the whole ordeal and I’m sorry you went through that, but I hope it challenges you to re-think your values and beliefs. Please do not excuse this man’s behavior. It’s really inexcusable.
Bush is gone, the have their guy in the whitehouse, far lefties run congress, they’re putting people on courts,
The administrative and executive agenies are dominated by lefties…. but they’re still pissed and unhinged…
since there are still dissenting voices like fox and or some people who don’t agree with them… lame… a bit
scary too.
Hang in there, Penn, and remind yourself that your hero’s brilliance in one subject (the realm of comedy) does not give any guarantee that he’s even average-or-above in another subject (like politics.)
Mr. Jillete, that was a very powerful and candid segment. I am sorry you had to endure Mr. Smothers unhinged rants, but that kind of irrational hatred is consuming an ever larger segment of the radical left in this country.
You appear to be wrestling with one of their newly advanced principles. It used to be wrong to tell untruths: now it is wrong to speak truths, if those truths could be used by your political enemies to advance their agenda. It’s not enough to merely espouse the ‘right’ views, you now must be sufficiently virulent in your hatred of those who espouse the ‘wrong’ views. Mr. Smothers was essentially throw a temper tantrum because you were civil to someone that Mr. Smothers really really hates, even though the two of you are on the same ’side’ and share the same opinions.
Smother’s reaction says everything about how warped and flawed his view of the world has become, and doesn’t reflect poorly on you in the least. Having the courage to enter into dialogue with those who don’t share your views is commendable – and a necessary part of a vibrant democracy. Standing up for what you believe and attempting to persuade others of the justness of your views is a noble endeavor, not one deserving of a unhinged rant from Mr. Smothers. Essentially, Mr. Smothers is saying there is no room for people in the world who do not share Mr. Smothers opinion on Glenn Beck. That is a terribly myopic and intolerant viewpoint. All right and free thinking individuals must necessarily reject Mr. Smothers view on the proprietary of discussing your views with those who disagree.
Either way, this is a painful situation for you. It’s never pleasant to be confronted with an irrationally ugly side in someone who we have always looked up to.
Freedom of speech, it’s sad he treated you that way and sadly some people we love have the power to hurt you more.
Penn, I enjoyed and always enjoy your intellect and sometimes we get to see your soul but I admonish you to treat no one as an idol: not of heaven or earth. Idols are another fragment of tribalism, like the form of alpha male, the recurring theme which keeps humans from advancing faster than they do.
I enjoyed the Smoth Bros in their day but Tommy Smo is just to stupid for me. Being a rebel when you are twenty-something does not mean you are anything when you are sixty and are still living off your rebel-twenties!
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I feel must expand more on what a sick and twisted standard Tommy Smothers is advocating.
He is saying, if you do not agree with every single opinion someone holds, you must utterly ostracize them and treat them as a complete social pariah.
This is intolerant bigoted lunacy of the highest degree. It is the utter dismissal of the possibility that any ‘good’ person could ever disagree with Tommy Smothers, and that anyone who holds a different opinion from Tommy Smothers is an ‘evil’ person. It is a vicious assault on one of the bedrock foundations of civilization – that you need not be in complete conformity with others to live in peaceful harmony as friends.
And in fact, it goes beyond that. **Tommy Smothers isn’t attacking you for holding opinions with which he disagrees, he’s attacking you for not hating Glenn Beck as much as he does** There are few words to describe how bigoted, intolerant, and narrow minded this behavior of Tommy Smothers is. He is more concerned that he be allowed to express how much he hates Glenn Beck than he is that people with contrary opinions go on Glenn Beck’s show and try to convert some of Glenn Beck’s viewers to their side. It is utterly irrational and based on nothing more than an ugly hatred of Glenn Beck. It is very totalitarian and fascist to attack a friend for attempting to convert to their opinion, a 3rd you personally think poorly of.
Telling the truth is never wrong. Stand proud in what you believe, and don’t let petty bullies like Smothers get in your way, or get you down. They live in a fantasy world where everyone worth talking too believes exactly as they do.
I first assumed he was yelling at you over your Top Chef appearance. You had it coming for that.
We all like you better than ever Penn. Don’t surrender.
His post-show violation of Godwin’s Law is probably the funniest Smuckers thing I’ve heard since the 70s.
And of course we wanted to take pictures with you after the show. THAT you could have predicted.
I will say that any talk show host who invites guests with a differing opinion onto their show, and engages them in a good faith discussion (as Glenn Beck did) is to be encouraged, not excoriated.
And any individual who agrees to go on a talk show hosted by a man with differing opinions and catering to a largely ‘hostile’ audience, and lays out what he believes and why (as Jillette did) is to be honored, not hated.
And any intolerant, bigoted bully who gets angry that he cannot control the freedom of association that his friends enjoy (As Mr. Smothers did) is to be mocked, derided, and ridden out of town on a rail. Who are you, Mr. Smothers, to say who Mr. Jillete can and cannot engage in dialog?
The Erstwhile Mr. Jillette,
There seems to be a never-ending confusion over whether the message is, in fact, the message, or whether the medium is the message. The chances that you willingly take, conversationally speaking, prove without doubt that you are thoughtful, articulate, and clever, and most undeserving of the heaps of flyblown ridicule that so many seem willing to shovel in your direction. It’s one thing to endure anonymous drivel that spurts forth on the internet, but it must be quite another to be subjected to a rigorous face-to-face assault from a cherished icon.
Unfortunately, this sort of thing seems to be symptomatic of culture at large anymore, as if an ‘all-or-nothing’ mentality has become so far entrenched in our collective consciousness that civil discourse seems to be all but eroded. Perhaps it’s a bit axiomatic, and even a tad cliche’, but I’ve always found it helpful when approaching dialogue/debate of any stripe to remember that, while we can afford to be elitist in our deeply-held convictions (or even our lack of them, if that were truly possible), we must simultaneously strive to remain egalitarian in our relationships.
You and I would disagree on a great many things, that much is painfully certain. Yet this makes you no more of an imbecile than I. Those you count among your dearest and truest friends will surely recognize this, if their friendship is based upon more than the sheer convenience or shared political views, mutual sports interests, or similar tastes in film and theater. Your willingness to agree with various folks upon some points and not others simply marks you out as a thinker and a humanist (in the best ecumenical sense of that term).
Thanks for being willing to discuss your thoughts and feelings in a way that upbraids both freedom and diplomacy; we can all wish that everyone else would follow suit. 
Slainte,
Sean
[...] that being said, I found this video very [...]
tommy smothers: the myth of liberal tolerance, illustrated.
like myself, Penn has seen what the tolerant liberals do to those that dare to have brain
I was a liberal until I got out in the world and saw reality for what it is – the loons like smothers are obama’s base and their hate is the worst of America
unfortunately my military service benefited loons like smothers and obama – because these types do nothing by hurt America and the Real Americans
Penn – welcome to the reality of the liberal America haters
America gave carter a chance and got a ton of damage for it and now America is getting a ton of damage for its little excursion into the world of obama
Penn – good luck working in the world of liberal loons and America haters – you need all the help you can get, cuz you have to live with them
I’ve just lost a great deal of respect for Tom Smothers. I never realized his lack of character, lack of tolerance and bigotry.
What a small world such a person must inhabit, when they have to bully people into believing their opinions else risk being harangued.
I’d want Penn to go on the Hitler Show too. If you want to be effective in your disagreement with someone and change minds, you need to do it to their face and in front of their audience. Of course, Hitler would probably have the SS gun you down outside the studio, so there’s that.
Penn would DETEST most of you bat sh*t crazy fundies, who are racist, anti semetic, homobigots and detestable with AIDS hysterical hate.
***WATCH THIS VIDEO AND SEND THIS LINK to everyone you know to show them what’s being done behind their backs… http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Fall+Of+The+Republic+ThePresidency+Of+Barack+obama&hl=en&emb=0&aq=f#q=Fall+Of+The+Republic+1%2F14&hl=en&emb=0
Great talent does not equal great brains–Tommy Smothers is case in point. Wish more folks in the entertainment industry would understand that. I have admired Tommy’s talent. I completely despise the lack of intellect and judgement he has shown you and the world. It is an embarassment to Americans.
Keep fighting the good fight, Penn–truth & honesty in dialogue will solve problems, not the vituperous tripe and close-minded bigotry spewed by idealogues like TS. Us nobodies out here in TV land need your type, now more than ever!
Smothers Brothers or Jimmah Cartah they’re either brain damaged, senile, morons and/or all THREE!!!!
Piss on them if they don’t like your opinion the morons!!!
I heard him say that Drew Carey was made at him for appearing on Hannity before. God, man, stand up for yourself or quit whining about your so-called friends. Geez, libs can’t stand free speech, especially rich, overpaid, underworked “celebratards” in hollywad.
I thought Drew Carey was more open minded. I knew the SmotherBrothers were psuedo libs.
Mr. Gilette: The difference between you and Mr. Smothers is your integrity and tolerance. He isn’t fit to carry your spectacles for you!
“Penn would DETEST most of you bat sh*t crazy fundies, who are racist, anti semetic, homobigots and detestable with AIDS hysterical hate.”
I don’t know about anyone else here, but I have a picture of me with Penn and Teller after their Las Vegas show and none of our heads exploded and none of us burst into flames. We’ve all got smiles on our faces.
And here’s a free clue. The way to get conservative Christians to live and let live with the gay community is not to call them “bat sh*t crazy fundies, who are racist, anti semetic, homobigots and detestable with AIDS hysterical hate” (you forgot “puppy-kicking”) or to demand that they endorse and love gays. You can’t demand that other people love you and unless we can learn to live peacefully alongside people we don’t agree with and maybe even don’t like, our republic and any hope of civil coexistence are doomed and we’re on a path to a pretty ugly place. And, no, it doesn’t matter if you think the other side started it because as far as I can tell, it’s like the proverbial Appalachian feud where nobody can remember what really started it but both sides are sure the other side started it. Doesn’t anyone have parents that teach them that two wrongs don’t make a right anymore?
Mr.Gilette: If someone got into my face like that,i’d head butt him and say take a hike you liberal puke.
Penn – I am so sorry for what happened between you and Tommy Smothers. Your sharing a very personal reflection on the event was admirable and refreshing to watch. In fact, your openness gave me a boost of courage in my own personal position on current events. Mr. Smother’s knee-jerk, emotional and as other commenters on this thread have suggested – abusive reaction was childish and surprising for a man of his age and experience. There are many more people who, like you, know who they are and don’t try to force their values and opinions on to others, than there are who are like Mr. Smothers and your courage and action in posting your video has reinforced our courage as well. Aloha from across the pacific ~
Does anyone know if there is a link to Smother’s foot-in-mouth moment. I just cannot believe that Penn would allow anyone to wound him so.
Penn, you got a lot of great fans here.
Mr. Jillette,
For what it’s worth I worked with Mr. Smothers briefly on a show pitch back in the 90’s, and he pulled the rug out from under me too. Not in regards to politics, but just his communication style. I doubt he means to come off like that, but in five minutes talking to my face calmly, he gave good reason to walk away from a lifetime of admiration and respect. It broke my heart too.
I say do what I did…..don’t take it personal, and realize that whatever problems he has have nothing to do with you or your imperfect but infinitely more respectable and admirable search for knowledge.
Keep up the hunt!
I’ll echo the thoughts of many here. You’ve had the opportunity to know Beck as a person much better than Tommy has, so I encourage you to use your own judgement: is Beck a hateful, evil person, or simply one you feel is wrong? While your hurt is palpable, remember that what you saw in Tommy and what attracted you to him as a child was not his political stands and personal interactions, but his public and performing persona. It seems to me that all their talk of nuance, the typical Holywood left fully expects everything to be neatly packaged. If you believe in gay rights and abortion rights, then you MUST support PETA and the whole global warming scam and everything else in their grab bag of causes. If a director produces great films (line Polanski), then he must be excused for any minor personal failings (like drugging and raping a minor). If someone like Beck doesn’t agree with them, then he MUST be not just wrong but EVIL.
I will now break down the typical idiotic leftist post, this time from idiot troll “Ha Ha”
1) Poor old Glenn Beck everyone with any sense hates him.
Ha Ha has no sense, but hates Beck. I have tremendous sense and love Beck. Ha Ha got this one arse backwards.
2) He’s a bully and a coward.
Ha Ha making absolutely no sense again. Beck is a bully? How so? By disagreeing with Obama Beck must be a bully. Ha Ha is simply deranged.
And Beck is a coward? Because he has armed bodyguard? Obama then, using Ha Ha’s moronic logic, must be an even bigger coward, since he
has one thousand times more armed guards. Ha Ha is just a moron.
3) The Fox News host who distrusts the government
As though distrusting the government is a bad thing? Ha Ha continues to be a dolt.
4) has called President Obama a racist,
Obama is a racist. Having gone to an anti-white anti-jew church for twenty years is ample proof. Then we have Obama racist comments in his own book and then more recently his racist attack on the white police.
5) and regularly stokes fears of a communist conspiracy
Van Jones was a self declared communist. Obama was on the roles of New Party, a socialist group, and Obama surrounds himself with marxist friends, marxist teachers, marxist appointees, etc. Sounds like it is simply true that Obama should be worried about for being a marxist.
6) In August, Beck pretended to poison House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Jim Jones, leftist fake pastor and socialist democrat supporter killed hundreds with poison koolaid and Beck was showing that Nancy drinks of the same koolaid. Clever is what it was. But then Ha Ha, being a moron, missed the point.
7) He knows he’s wrong and everybody hates him
Beck gets an audience that is three hundred percent larger than Kurt Ubermann, Ha Ha’s idiot hero.
Lindsey Graham don’t like him.
Vast majority of republicans can’t stand Graham. So call it equal, dimwitted troll Ha Ha.
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Penn’s error was making an idol out of Tommy Smothers.
Tommy Smothers is a pus filled pimple.
Wow… I’m sorry for both Penn AND Tommy that an otherwise seemingly interesting professional relationship has soured this way. Reading all these comments, though, I think it’s funny that all the comments about “leftist drones” and “listening to liberal handlers” are so uniform… might actually look kind of like that’s the only desperate stereotype the right can fire these days after losing the election so badly and having no real agenda of their own (as evidenced by the last eight years). So is this what the CONSERVATIVE handlers are telling their small band of incredibly loud activists to shout these days?!
Thanks for sharing that.
I always liked your comedy. I have respected your opinions when I heard them. I respect you for being true to yourself. Give Hitler the honest truth when he books you.
Chuck wrote, “Mao always liked you best.”
LOL LOL LOL LOL
That was PRICELESS!
I have no idea why the Anti-war, anti-government activists of the 60’s have embraced Obama or the Democrats! It was the Democrats policies that brought us the war in Vietnam (Kennedy, Johnson), it was the Chicago Democrats that sent out the Gestapo police during the 68 DNC convention to gas, beat and arrest the anti-war protesters. It was the Democrats that used every trick in the book to try to limit the scope of the Civil Rights Ammendment and when it started to blow up in their faces, they blamed the Republicans. They said the Republicans were blocking its passage. But luckily the Republicans held out for language in the amendment that made the amendment harder to subverted by the individual states. You lefties really need to do some history homework. Oh, and by the way do you remember that Nixon ran on a platform to end the war in ‘Nam? Trouble was, he couldn’t get it done because the Democrats kept getting in his way. It was the Dems that wanted to bomb Hanoi into a wasteland….Nixon settled for limited bombing of civilian cities. If you are a 50 or 60 something American and really remember the political struggles of the era, you would be against both the Republicans and Democrats. They both have stolen our country, used people of color to further their political agenda and decieved the American public every chance they got. Hang in there Penn. You hero has been tainted by propaganda, he isn’t to blame.
Thank you for sharing your struggle on this, Mr. Penn. I have a thought which you may find useful. It may or may not be wrong: you’ll make your own evaluation.
You called Tommy Smothers your idol. Perhaps your idol was a virtual, internal, representation of Tommy Smothers, and not the real-life Tommy Smothers. This would involve taking what you had seen and read of Mr. Smothers, and “filling in the blanks” to make a more complete mental image of the whole man Tommy Smothers.
However, the real-world Tommy Smothers differed from the constructed image. It was that disconnect which surfaced in your encounter. Such encounters always discomfort a person.
You keep talking, you keep talking, you keep talking!… We have a voice, keep using yours!
EXCELLENT commentary, Penn!
Yes, I am a conservative Christian, but I am no real Glenn Beck fan.
It really is sad that Tommy Smothers feels the need to lecture you on being a bigot…all while being a total bigot himself.
Your retort about Hitler at the end was CLASSIC.
I disagree with you about your nonbelief in God, but you have always been such a decent guy about your skepticism, quite unlike so many other atheists.
Keep speaking the truth, and remember that what happened between you and Tommy said a lot about BOTH of you.
It was a sharp insight into just what a total jerk he really is…and it showed what an intelligent, good man you actually are.
Hope to see you on TV again soon, and your interview on Bob & Tom this week was terrific!
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Mr. Jillette, I was impressed by your candor regarding your encounter with your Idol. You have walked the path of a free man. Let’s hope we can keep this way. Kudos!
JW