I don't know what lessons you have drawn but these are some that I saw in the video:

1) Healthy people can disagree with friends and get quite angry and yet remain friends (Tommy Struthers modeled this)

2) You will ultimately disagree with virtually everyone on something. Isolating people because they disagree (ie Glenn Beck) with you is childish and results in your own inability to get your message out.

3) Our idols are as deeply flawed as ourselves. We are foolish if we hold on to them too tightly. We are also foolish if we allow them to change our own beliefs too easily.

4) Penn Jillette is flawed as anyone else in showbiz but he's a heck of a lot more mature than Tommy Struthers.

Place not your faith in men...

I didn't even know he was still alive. I used to love a Smothers Brothers album when I was a little kid.

Tommy Smothers has always been a pompous ass. You get so angry that you get in someone's face, it's time your face gets rearranged. Adults learn to manage their anger, Tommy just proves he's never grown up.

The lesson I drew is that Tommy Smothers is an evil man.

I learned to never drive that car that you had on your wall as a kid. You will almost ALWAYS be let down. Yes, as cool as it looks, the Lamborghini Diablo is a POS. I know first hand... Sad day for me.

AKA leave your childhood memories alone. You will almost always be disappointed when the wool is pulled back.

This clip is about something that is not taught in public schools anymore. This clip is about civilization and civilized behavior.

I came home tonight complaining to myself about a friend I had who saw two gays being affectionate at an IHOP. This friend of mine said he almost threw up, and for the rest of his meal he sat there shaking with rage. He wanted to hurt them.

I was shocked when my friend told me this. I had no idea this was his character; if I had known this about him when we first became friends, I would not have become his friend.

Civilization is when people do things by agreement. Tribalism is when people do what they think is necessary, no matter what. Democracy is the uneasy marriage of the two.

I am surprised that after so many years in the "biz" that Penn was blind sided like this.
I learned a long time ago to repsect my "heroes" for their specialty and not let the halo effect spread that admiration to their entire lives. I couldn't listen to most music otherwise :)
John Paul II may be the only person I can think of that had my 100% respect and admiration.. but then not many people are on the fast track to be sainted these days.

Smothers is an intolerant fool and bully.

jim m: "Healthy people can disagree with friends and get quite angry and yet remain friends"

Agreed.

"(Tommy Struthers modeled this)"

Disagree. Unless you mean Tommy was a model of what NOT to do. It sounds like Tommy went beyond disagreement and into disrespect and hatefulness with the way he treated Penn. That's not acceptable for friendship.

The lesson I drew is that Tommy Smothers is an evil man.

I wouldn't go that far. He is, however, a typical clueless lefty boob. His brother probably is, too. I remember his show getting axed by CBS in, what, 1968, for being too politically controversial, although it would be tame by today's standards. It allowed them to strike moral poses and convince themselves and their fans they were "speaking truth to powah." It shouldn't surprise anyone that when they say "free speech", they mean, "free speech for me. You, maybe not so much."

Lesson Learned: You are in trouble from the get-go if your idol is Tommy Smothers.