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‘Car Talk’ co-host Tom Magliozzi has died ‘Car Talk’ co-host Tom Magliozzi has died
(35 minutes later)
Tom Magliozzi, one of the brothers who hosted NPR’s long-running “Car Talk” program, has died, the broadcaster announced Monday. Magliozzi, known with his brother Ray as “Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers,” was 77. Tom Magliozzi, one of the brothers who hosted NPR’s “Car Talk” program, has died, the broadcaster announced Monday. Magliozzi, known with his younger brother Ray as “Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers,” was 77.
The radio host died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease, according to NPR. In a statement announcing his brother’s death, Ray said, “Turns out he wasn’t kidding. He really couldn’t remember last week’s puzzler.” The radio host died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease, according to NPR. In a statement announcing his brother’s death, Ray said: “Turns out he wasn’t kidding. He really couldn’t remember last week’s puzzler.”
That humor is characteristic of the popular, long-running show, which first aired 37 years ago. During the hour-long call in program, the brothers advised callers about their car problems. But that was just the show’s framing, not its heart. Ray and Tom’s fans came back, week after week, for the brothers’ banter, what Car Talk’s statement called a “uniquely Boston-Italian style of expressing affection through friendly insults and teasing.” The show was full of personalities: the callers, the brothers, and the cars – often clunkers –  themselves. That humor is characteristic of the popular, long-running show, which first aired 37 years ago. During the hour-long call-in program, the brothers helped callers with their car problems.
In 2012, the brothers announced that they would retire, in a statement called, “Time to Get Even Lazier.”  In that statement, Ray wrote, “my brother turning over the birthday odometer to 75, we’ve finally decided that it’s time to stop and smell the cappuccino.” After their retirement, NPR continued to air classic segments from the brothers’ long run.  But that was just the show’s framing, not its heart. Ray and Tom’s fans came back, week after week, for the brothers’ banter, what “Car Talk’s” statement called a “uniquely Boston-Italian style of expressing affection through friendly insults and teasing.”
The fact that the show remained a top-rated program in syndication speaks to the staying power of Car Talk. So do the reactions to the news from Tom’s co-workers and fans: The show was full of personalities: the callers, the brothers, and the cars – often clunkers – themselves.
Don't drive like my brother — Andy Rosen (@andyrosen) November 3, 2014 In a Washington Post profile of the brothers in 1999, Frank Ahrens described what it was like to interview the Magliozzi brothers:
Don't drive like my brother You want to know what makes their public radio show so popular, how they got from air hoses to airwaves. Instead you get shtick. Which pretty much answers your question. On the phone — as on their one-hour Saturday show — the brothers crack wise in their Hah-vahd Yahd beaneater accents, busting chops and giggling hardest at their own jokes.
— Andy Rosen (@andyrosen) November 3, 2014 You want to know what makes their public radio show so popular, how they got from air hoses to airwaves. Instead you get shtick. Which pretty much answers your question. On the phone — as on their one-hour Saturday show — the brothers crack wise in their Hah-vahd Yahd beaneater accents, busting chops and giggling hardest at their own jokes.
The brothers once again spoke to The Post in 2005. During the interview, Tom told  Mark Leibovich that “George Bush is a [unprintable vulgarity],” a statement that NPR and the brothers repeatedly, and often hilariously, attempted to walk back, as the pair were in DC to lobby for government support for public radio. 
In 2012, the Magliozzi brothers announced that they would retire, in a statement they headlined “Time to Get Even Lazier.”  In that farewell announcement, Ray wrote, “my brother turning over the birthday odometer to 75, we’ve finally decided that it’s time to stop and smell the cappuccino.”
After the siblings’ retirement, NPR continued to air classic segments from the brothers’ long run.
The fact that it remained a top-rated program in syndication speaks to the staying power of “Car Talk.” So do the reactions to the news from Tom Magliozzi’s co-workers and fans:
Click has lost his Clack. NPR announces Tom Magliozzi of @cartalk has died. Rest in peace — Arnie Seipel, NPR (@NPRnie) November 3, 2014Click has lost his Clack. NPR announces Tom Magliozzi of @cartalk has died. Rest in peace — Arnie Seipel, NPR (@NPRnie) November 3, 2014
Click has lost his Clack. NPR announces Tom Magliozzi of @cartalk has died. Rest in peaceClick has lost his Clack. NPR announces Tom Magliozzi of @cartalk has died. Rest in peace
— Arnie Seipel, NPR (@NPRnie) November 3, 2014— Arnie Seipel, NPR (@NPRnie) November 3, 2014
W/o @cartalk , @WaitWait would not exist. A direct lineage, via our common producer, Doug Berman, but also b/c they proved NPR comedy works. — Peter Sagal (@petersagal) November 3, 2014
W/o @cartalk , @WaitWait would not exist. A direct lineage, via our common producer, Doug Berman, but also b/c they proved NPR comedy works.
— Peter Sagal (@petersagal) November 3, 2014
Don't drive like my brother — Andy Rosen (@andyrosen) November 3, 2014
Don't drive like my brother
— Andy Rosen (@andyrosen) November 3, 2014
I remember when Tom Magliozzi told me squirrels had been living under my hood. And I had killed them. #ClickandClack http://t.co/MoJouu5c9F — Jill Zuckman (@jzuckman) November 3, 2014I remember when Tom Magliozzi told me squirrels had been living under my hood. And I had killed them. #ClickandClack http://t.co/MoJouu5c9F — Jill Zuckman (@jzuckman) November 3, 2014
I remember when Tom Magliozzi told me squirrels had been living under my hood. And I had killed them. #ClickandClack http://t.co/MoJouu5c9FI remember when Tom Magliozzi told me squirrels had been living under my hood. And I had killed them. #ClickandClack http://t.co/MoJouu5c9F
— Jill Zuckman (@jzuckman) November 3, 2014— Jill Zuckman (@jzuckman) November 3, 2014
Here is the statement posted on the Web site for Car Talk by Ray Magliozzi: Called my dad at work to let him know about Tom Magliozzi, Some of my favorite memories with my dad involve Click and Clack. — Elizabeth DiRusso (@3liz4b3th) November 3, 2014
  Called my dad at work to let him know about Tom Magliozzi, Some of my favorite memories with my dad involve Click and Clack.
And some of the show’s statement on Tom’s passing: — Elizabeth DiRusso (@3liz4b3th) November 3, 2014
Along with the solid car advice he dispensed on the radio show with his brother, Tom often took on the additional roles of philosopher king, life advisor, moral scold, and family counselor. “He’d always ask guys who were in a dispute with their wives or girlfriends one question: ‘Would you rather be right, or would you rather be happy?’” said Ray.  “In his own personal life, Tom always chose ‘right,’ hence he leaves behind two wives, and a passel of children and grandchildren.” He is survived by his first wife Julia; second wife, Joanne; his children, Lydia Icke, Alex and Anna Magliozzi; five grandchildren; and his close companion of recent years, Sylvia Soderberg. “He and his brother changed public broadcasting forever,” said Doug Berman, the brothers’ longtime producer. “Before Car Talk, NPR was formal, polite, cautious….even stiff.  By being entirely themselves, without pretense, Tom and Ray single-handedly changed that, and showed that real people are far more interesting than canned radio announcers. And every interesting show that has come after them owes them a debt of gratitude. Here is the statement posted on the Web site for “Car Talk” by Ray Magliozzi:
Along with the solid car advice he dispensed on the radio show with his brother, Tom often took on the additional roles of philosopher king, life advisor, moral scold, and family counselor. “Tom was the first in his family to attend college, enrolling at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a degree in Chemical Engineering,” the “Car Talk” statement said. “He applied that degree to research and consulting jobs until, in his late 20s, he was making his tedious 45-minute commute in traffic one morning, had a near miss with another car, and had a revelation that he was wasting his life. Upon arriving at work, he walked into his boss’ office and quit on the spot. He hated putting on a suit and working in the 9-to-5 world.”
The statement added:
“He’d always ask guys who were in a dispute with their wives or girlfriends one question: ‘Would you rather be right, or would you rather be happy?’” said Ray.  “In his own personal life, Tom always chose ‘right,’ hence he leaves behind two wives, and a passel of children and grandchildren.” He is survived by his first wife Julia; second wife, Joanne; his children, Lydia Icke, Alex and Anna Magliozzi; five grandchildren; and his close companion of recent years, Sylvia Soderberg.“He’d always ask guys who were in a dispute with their wives or girlfriends one question: ‘Would you rather be right, or would you rather be happy?’” said Ray.  “In his own personal life, Tom always chose ‘right,’ hence he leaves behind two wives, and a passel of children and grandchildren.” He is survived by his first wife Julia; second wife, Joanne; his children, Lydia Icke, Alex and Anna Magliozzi; five grandchildren; and his close companion of recent years, Sylvia Soderberg.
“He and his brother changed public broadcasting forever,” said Doug Berman, the brothers’ longtime producer. “Before Car Talk, NPR was formal, polite, cautious….even stiff.  By being entirely themselves, without pretense, Tom and Ray single-handedly changed that, and showed that real people are far more interesting than canned radio announcers. And every interesting show that has come after them owes them a debt of gratitude. “He’d always ask guys who were in a dispute with their wives or girlfriends one question: ‘Would you rather be right, or would you rather be happy?’” said Ray.  “In his own personal life, Tom always chose ‘right,’ hence he leaves behind two wives, and a passel of children and grandchildren.” He is survived by his first wife Julia; second wife, Joanne; his children, Lydia Icke, Alex and Anna Magliozzi; five grandchildren; and his close companion of recent years, Sylvia Soderberg.
In 1999, the Washington Post profiled the brothers: The “Car Talk” statement said that the Magliozzi family would prefer Tom’s fans donate to either a local NPR station or to the Alzheimer’s Association — “in lieu flowers, or rotten fruit.”
That’s what it’s like when you call the “Car Talk” boys for an interview. You want to know what makes their public radio show so popular, how they got from air hoses to airwaves. Instead you get shtick. Which pretty much answers your question. On the phone–as on their one-hour Saturday show–the brothers crack wise in their Hah-vahd Yahd beaneater accents, busting chops and giggling hardest at their own jokes. Remembering Tom. http://t.co/0ekgwHmVlY pic.twitter.com/td2nvaiNwD — Car Talk (@cartalk) November 3, 2014
That’s what it’s like when you call the “Car Talk” boys for an interview. You want to know what makes their public radio show so popular, how they got from air hoses to airwaves. Instead you get shtick. Which pretty much answers your question. On the phone–as on their one-hour Saturday show–the brothers crack wise in their Hah-vahd Yahd beaneater accents, busting chops and giggling hardest at their own jokes. Remembering Tom. http://t.co/0ekgwHmVlY pic.twitter.com/td2nvaiNwD
Car Talk’s statement adds that the family would prefer Tom’s fans donate to either a local NPR station or to the Alzheimer’s Association, “in lieu flowers, or rotten fruit.” — Car Talk (@cartalk) November 3, 2014
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[This post has been updated.]