Tom Snyder RIP

(photo from http://www.exclaim.ca)


Talk-show host Tom Snyder died Sunday at the age of 71 from complications from leukemia. Tinsel and Rot has many fond memories of watching Mr. Snyder on "The Late Late Show" and the CNBC show that preceded it. In fact, one of our fondest TV memories is waking up to find the TV still on and Tom Snyder talking to Howie Mandel about Howie's young daughters and if he ever ogles her friends out by the pool. Seriously. He said that. On national TV.

And that was part of what made Snyder such an entertaining interviewer. You never knew what he'd say or what off-the-beaten-path guests he'd have on. His interviews with Robert Blake in the years when most of the world had forgotten about Baretta were also classics. And then there were all his great interviews on the smoke-filled "Tomorrow" show, including an interview with Charles Manson that's worth the trip to the newly renamed Paley Center for Media (formerly the Museum of Television and Radio).

Some "Tomorrow" highlights courtesy of YouTube:



There are also DVDs of Snyder's music-related "Tomorrow" shows--one called "The Tomorrow Show: Tom Snyder's Electric Kool-Aid Talk Show" and another called "The Tomorrow Show: Punk and New Wave"--available for purchase.

Fire up a colortini for Tom Snyder today.