“I like to drive with the windows open. I mean, before you know it, you’re going to spend plenty of time sealed up in a box anyway, right?” Tom Magliozzi
The first time I heard Tom and Ray Magliozzi was on a Saturday morning running errands. The car radio was tuned in to WBEZ, Chicago’s public radio station.
Saturday morning and public radio were as much a part of weekends here in Chicagoland as high school football games and caramel/pecan coffee cake from the corner bakery. As I drove, two guys who, except for their strong Boston accents, talked and laughed and could just as easily been sitting around the kitchen table of my childhood. There they were, on 91.5, bantering back and forth, one ribbing the other about who was smarter – and they were discussing cars! Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers; graduates of MIT who managed to engineer a living talking to folks from around the United States about their cars.
As time went on, Car Talk became a Saturday morning ritual. Cleaners, grocery, softball practice – and Car Talk. Whether making the bed, folding laundry, or heading to a cross-country meet, Car Talk was our conversation of choice. Tom or I would make sure the other was “tuned in” if we weren’t together – and if we were, we laughed out load, puzzled over “The Puzzler”, and smiled as the audio credits rolled, attributing the show to illustrative talents such as the law firm that represented them. Dewey, Cheatem, and Howe.
They were that kind of funny!
Car Talk. A radio talk show as much for women as men.
Tom and Ray Magliozzi reminded me of my father, uncles, and the rest of the gang “discussing” life’s events around the table of my life, while they also taught me a bit about cars and a bit about life as big brother, Tom, and younger brother, Ray, gave folksy advice to listeners calling in, with some armchair therapy along with it.
Tom Magliozzi has passed on to that great garage in the sky. My Tom sent me an email message with the news while I was in a meeting on Monday. That sort of news just couldn’t wait until I returned home, and I know it is one sad bit of news Tom did not want me to hear on the radio, the media that mad the Magliozzi boys famous.
As I read the message, I swear I could hear Tom Magliozzi’s infectious laugh, the windows to his car wide open, as he entered the Pearly Gates Auto Shop.
Image from Boston Globe via Google. Also on Car Talk website.
Oh,I am so mad at myself for not being more aware of these guys. I only, with Tom’s passing have realized what I should have known all along – I would love these guys!. I’d love to listen to some audio now, but that would never replace a radio show. It sounds like fun and it’s so sweet that your Tom knew to call you with the news. Wonderful photo of them! Thank you for pushing me even further towards getting to know them, even now.
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Teresa, these two brothers are real treasures. They retired the show a year or two ago, but, public radio stations have been re-running the episodes each week here in Illinois. I wonder if a PBS station, maybe KAXE where we hear your poetry, might be airing Car Talk. Their shows are still fun and informative – and it is not too late to hear them. I do think you would enjoy any of the episodes.
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I have not heard these guys, but have listened to the car guys that talk out of St. Louis. They also have some witty banter. I also enjoy the man on the radio who has done a home improvement radio show for many, many years. His name escapes me. It will probably come to me in the middle of the night. He is so patient with callers who want to give him way too many details about their problem. It makes me laugh when they make sure that the problem was caused by a brother-in-law or want to give what they think the answer should be. I’m surprised he never says. “If you know how to fix the mold stains on your roof, why are you taking up time on my program?” But he is patient and always kind and helpful.
Sorry to hear that you lost one of your favorites.
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I’ll look for that name in the middle of the night, Janet. 🙂 The shows you listen to sound like fun and similar.
Car Talk was so different for public radio, which was at the time Tom and Ray started Car Talk and brought many more listeners. I think you would enjoy them. Tom Magliozzi had a laugh that begged you to laugh with him. Both brothers were funny. In fact, Ray had some funny things to says about his brothers even in passing, but, in an affectionate way. I hope you get to hear them some time.
Thank you.
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We didn’t have it here of course, but it sounds like a great show, that carries many memories for you and Tom.
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It was a great show, Juliet, and went on for a few decades. Sad to hear the news.
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I was so so sad to learn this news — with this and the election predictions, mostly sadly coming true, I just wanted to crawl back in bed for a few years.
It is so especially sad that someone with that laugh (that wonderful laugh) and that sharp brain had developed Alzheimers. I did not know this before reading of his death — of course I knew the show was no longer live, but I had just assumed they got tired of the schedule.)
This afternoon (while driving of course) I heard ‘Fresh Air’ and Terry Gross ran a repeat of her interview with both Tom and Ray from just a few years ago and she spoke (today) to Doug Berman, the producer. I am going to listen to the whole thing again as soon as I have time to find it on the NPR website. Because driving and errands of course I missed a lot of it.
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It is such a sad story, Sallie. I didn’t know of his condition either, but, looking back, it was likely the reason they retired the show just a few years ago. The oldest son of immigrant parents, raised in a rough neighborhood, Tom Magliozzi garnered his education,, at MIT, the first in his family, and then lead a successful life exactly, it seems, as he wanted to, making the world a little better along the way.
I missed Fresh Air yesterday; also in the car, I was “reading” a book on audio. How I wish I had caught that interview. Thank you for mentioning it. I’ll have to find it on the website as well.
Okay. Back under the covers I go.
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I am so glad you shared your personal memories of such enjoyment of this dynamic duo, and in particular, recalling Tom’s infectious laugh! I can hear it in my mind right now, and I think that’s actually what I first thought about upon hearing the news. I listen to music or NPR a lot during my day, even at work, and I have favorites that are much like family. The “car guys” were weekend enjoyment, and although not a staple in my life as you and your Tom have enjoyed, certainly often enough that I felt a loss upon hearing of Tom’s death, and a pang of sorrow to hear that Alzheimer’s was the primary cause. I missed Fresh Air yesterday, too, so I just pulled it up and will listen while at work. I loved your personal reminiscences, Penny. I wonder how many people have had a similar relationship with these two very unique, “just themselves” and just plain old lovely men!
Here’s a link to the Fresh Air episode…not that it’s hard to find! 🙂 ox
http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=3&islist=true&id=13&d=11-04-2014
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Thanks for sharing the link, Debra. I just listened to it, well done as Fresh Air always is, and had a few belly laughs as I was doing chores. I was thinking that rare are the folks such as Tom Magiolizzi who have such a zest for life. It was interesting hearing a bit about their parents, and how the two brothers, 12 years apart, related to each other.
I imagine many people have had similar reminiscences. whether family “talk” or going to the garage to get a car repaired. Tom’s uncles owned a filling station in a small town in Iowa that Tom spent many a summer vacation helping out at and I think some of those memories naturally emerged when listening to the show. Hmmm – just gave me an idea for a future post.
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I have to ask, Penny–I love regional differences in terms. You mentioned Tom’s uncles and the “filling station.” Is that a current name for what we call “gas stations” or was that simply the term used when Tom was a young boy? It just jumped out at me because I don’t recall the term used in the west, although it may have been used at one time. Just curious. 🙂
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I was just going to turn the computer off and here you are. 🙂
Filling station is an old term that is no longer used much and is what you, and we, call gas stations. When I think of the station and his uncles, I just think “filling station”. They filled the cars with gas – and they took gas out to the farms. It was probably more a midwest, mid-century term, Debra. I’m glad you asked.
Hope you had a good day – and another tomorrow.
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[…] a comment on my recent post about the passing of Tom Magliozzi of Car Talk, Debra, over at Breathlighter, wondered about my use of the term “filling station”. The […]
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I was never a huge listener of Click and Clack but Fred sure was – and then later when Declan came to the US he loved to listen too! I certainly was familiar enough with them to be very sad when I heard that Tom Magliozzi had passed away.
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The odd thing was that I actually discovered them before Tom, Janet; a real testament to their appeal to so many. They were a Saturday morning staple here for a great many years. Sad to hear of Tom Magliozzi’s passing, but, what a legacy!
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