Scribbler's Rave & Favorite Five Special Edition: A Tribute to Thomas Mikal Ford

When the initial rumors circulated about Thomas Mikal Ford passing away last Wednesday afternoon, one of my favorite Facebook friends poignantly noted, "If Tommy dies.....2016 just became the most indubitably trash[i]est year of the new millen[n]ium."  Due to a major social media faux pas, it ended up not being true as information surfaced about him still being on life support.  Once we realized that, everybody wanted the brother with the infectious laugh we all know and love as Tommy Strawn a.k.a. Mr. "You Ain't Got No Job, Man" from FOX's hit series Martin to pull through because 1) we want our heroes to live as long as possible and 2) we couldn't take yet another death in 2016.  As I kept checking Facebook for updates, what we all feared unfortunately came to pass as Ford succumbed at the age of 52 after suffering an aneurysm in his abdomen.  So my friend is absolutely right: this year is trash truck juice.  Nevertheless, rather than mourn or be morose over another loss in this year of immense tragedy, I choose to do what we always do here at New Problem Tuesdays: give people roses, even when they're not here to receive them.  Hence, in this special edition of my "Rave & Favorite Five", I'm paying homage to some of Tommy Ford's best moments on one of my favorite TV shows of all time...

#5 "DO YOU REMEMBER THE TIME?" (Season 2 Episode 1, 08/22/1993).  There is one simple reason why this particular episode is on the list: it explains how the seemingly-unlikely pair of Martin (Martin Lawrence) and Gina (Tisha Campbell-Martin) met in the first place. However, the problem with going down memory lane was the element of exaggeration: Martin "was a mack that night" with Grover Washington-like saxophone skills in tow as Gina glided across the room; Pam (Tichina Arnold) portrayed Martin as a classless hooligan on the loose; Cole (Carl Anthony Payne II) was too busy in a farcical fantasy where Pam fell in love with him; and Gina made Martin look like an uncoordinated nerd/lost puppy as she chose him over her elitist companion to be her pet project.  As the resident voice of reason, Tommy stayed true to his character and once again provided perspective and a bit of comedic truth: "Yes I do [know the truth], Martin!  You weren't all that fly!  Gina and Pam, y'all weren't divas!  And Cole?  You need prayer."  Gina responded, "Well, Tommy is the only one who doesn't have anything to gain by lying."  His retelling of the story was such an accurate recollection that Martin appeared to have parroted it on his radio show at the end of this hilarious episode.  He proved one thing: when in desperate need of neutrality, seek wise counsel from your best friend...

#4 "GET A JOB" (Season 3 Episode 10, 11/17/1994).  Before Tisha Campbell-Martin spilled the beans this year about Tommy being a counselor at the Boys and Girls Club, there was the "Get a Job" episode where we originally thought we'd find out his occupation.  Martin dragged Gina along on a two-hour stakeout at the wrong address before ending up at Strippendales.  With Pam as the mistress of ceremonies, she introduces a dressed-to-the-nines Mr. Strawn as Chocolate Thunder.  However, per his usual, Martin overreacts, embarrasses Tommy in a room full of ladies with money to burn and eats crow as Pam explains it was a charity event for the Feed the Youngins Foundation.  When Martin asks Tommy why he didn't tell him, he said, "I didn't want you clownin' me, man!  I didn't tell anybody!  Hey, I didn't even tell the people on my job!"  On cue, Martin responds, "That's exactly what I'm talking about: lyin', man...about having a damn job, Tommy!  [To Gina] You know what's funny, baby?  We done went through all this and I still don't know what he does for a living!"  When asked if he's doing anything illegal, Tommy claims, "I have a simple 9-to-5 just like the next man."  Not even Pam's persuasion could get the answer out of him by episode's end as his beeper went off and took him away to his mystery job.  Classic...

#3 "DEAD MEN DON'T FLUSH" (Season 1 Episode 5, 09/24/1992).  Although this was a team effort like most Martin episodes, Tommy was the star as he led the group in prayer when Martin thought his plumber croaked.  Combining his Christian roots with his comedic flair, Tommy delivers one of his most jocular monologues ever:

Brothers and sisters...we are gathered here today...to pay tribute...to DP [Dead Plumber].  Now we don't know if he was a good man.  Huh?  I said we, we don't know if he was a bad man...see all we know eeyuh [is]...he was a man.  A ham sandwich...eating man.  [With a singing preacher's tone] A no-appointment keeping man.  A low-pants riding...[Gina repeats "low-pants riding"]...he's a creepin...[Pam sings "creep, creep"]...sing it for me four times...[Gina and Pam sing together like Luther Vandross' background singers "creep, creep, creep, creep"]...I say he was a buttcrack showin'...you, you, you don't hear me...well goodbye, brother DP...we wish you well on your journey 'cause we know the good Lord has called you home 'cause He must have some toilets stopped up up there!  Let us all say...Amen...

After the riveting prayer, a round of hymns and a moment of silence, the plumber scares the living daylights out of everybody by coming out of his stupor and leaving with his infamous "it'll cost ya" spiel.  In the end, Pam summed the magic of this scene with four simple words: "But Tommy, you preached."  Come on, somebody...

#2 "NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE" (Season 2 Episode 16, 01/09/1994).  Widely recognized and celebrated as one of the best episodes of the series, Martin takes his case of a simple parking ticket to court and questionably decides to go pro se.  Now although his examinations of his friends were all humorous, the highlight was his grilling of Tommy, who didn't witness Martin's infraction because he was looking for a number in his address book.  After clowning him for having "a lot of brothers" in his book, Martin stumbles upon "Claudine, G.T.D."  When questioned about the initials, a reticent Tommy mumbles twice before Martin pressed him further: "Mannnnnn! You are in a court of law!  There are a lot of people in here!  We can't hear you!  Your honor, you're gonna have to make him speak up!  WHAT DOES G.T.D. STAND FOR?!?!"  In one of his most iconic moments, Tommy screams back, "GOT THE DRAWS, OKAY?!?!  GOT THE DRAWS!!!"  He then pulls out a pair of black panties, waves them in front of Martin and Judge Wheatley (Francesca P. Roberts) and proceeds to high-five his fellow brethren like Joe Dumars or Allan Houston hit a big shot at a Pistons game.  I know I rewinded that part at least three or four times...excellent stuff right there, slim.  Truthfully, it's extremely difficult not to have this at No. 1, but the top dawg entry is where it is because of an even bigger "right on" moment...

#1 "THE CLOSER I GET TO YOU" (Season 3, Episode 6, 10/06/1994).  I have to reevaluate my forthcoming "Rave & Favorite Five" edition regarding TV crushes because Tichina Arnold is currently not on the list and she was the bar for my "type" during the 90s.  Anyway, I always cheered on Tommy when he'd flirt with Pam without being Sahara Desert thirsty like Cole.  So when Martin got on his "Love Doctor" flow and Tommy sought his "wise" counsel for a change, ole Marty Mar gave his brother some sound advice: "You need to tell her how you feel, and if she's a friend, she'll be right there for you."  After Pam's date stood her up, Tommy gladly escorted her back to her apartment to finally make his move: "I mean, we search all over for a soulmate...friend...someone to spend our time with...when all the time, the most beautiful, most precious things are right under our noses...like a sweet smelling rose."  Impressed, Pam and Tommy traded an affirmative "word" as they went in for the kiss to seal the deal.  Even at 15, I was ready to jump through our RCA screen and give him a gold medal for bagging one of the baddest women on TV at the time--not to mention I probably got like 22 percent of my game from that scene alone.  Although the most comedically ironic part came toward the end when Tommy raised up on Martin for clowning Pam and sent the "Love Doctor" into a tizzy after finding out she was the sister about whom he was seeking advice, being able to live vicariously through Tommy like many other brothers who were avid Martin fans and knew Pam was the real shooter was the best.

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Although it's been bittersweet walking down memory lane, perhaps the greatest memory of Tommy Ford is a recent one where he's celebrating a group of young Black men--which immediately made me think how he would've fit in perfectly as a mentor or a guest speaker at the very least for Mayor Barry's Youth Leadership Institute.  In a three-and-a-half minute video where he speaks about how his commitment to these young brothers takes precedence, he expressed the following heart-warming and encouraging sentiment:

Every kid asks me when I first met 'em, "Did Tommy have a job?"  [Crowd laughs.]  I told 'em, "I have a job, but I don't have the answer I think you wanna hear."  There's a difference between my job and my occupation.  My occupation is things I do to get a check.  God has blessed me real good.  But when I'm doing my job, I'm doing what I'm born to do, and we are born to be about our Father's business...

Thomas Mikal Ford the real-life man was not much different than Tommy Strawn the character: he was the intelligent, level-headed and stand-up brother with a heart of gold and had your back no matter what.  We often don't realize someone's light until they're no longer physically here to shine it, but one of his greatest gifts on and off stage was the sincerity, coolness and familiarity he exuded.  Rest in Paradise, brother Tommy...

Whether it was a moment from Martin, his stand-up routines or any of his other work, PLEASE feel free to share some of your favorite memories and keep the celebration going for brother Tommy Ford.  Don't forget to return for the next edition of "Scribbler's Rave & Favorite Five"!!!