In light of the tragic passing of Thomas Mikal Ford, I have composed this list of life lessons his character Tommy, in the 90's sitcom Martin, taught me over the years. You brought laughter to America through your shenanigans as Tommy Strawn with your wit and willingness to endure the constant roast, from your bald head to your lack of a job. You will be missed. Rest easy, "DAWG!"
Baldness Appreciation
Sheneneh: "...excuse us, MC No Hair!"
Everyone appreciates a full head of hair, but not enough people appreciate the full glow of a freshly polished dome. Even though the whole crew cracked jokes on his shiny head, he remained true to himself. He even laughed with them. This taught me to appreciate what others may consider flawed. He was unapologetically Tommy, and I'll be unapologetically me.
You don't need a job to be happy
Everyone: "You ain't got no job, man!"
If you were a true fan of Martin, you'd know that Gina revealed that Tommy worked at the Boys and Girls Club of America. However, before that announcement, it was a well known fact that Tommy did not have a job. As a young adult, you get a lot of flack for being unemployed or working a minuscule job. Tommy didn't let that stop him and he was consistent with his claims of having a job. Stand by what you believe in and what you're passionate about, no matter how many people doubt you.
Sometimes our friends are stupid...and that's ok
Tommy: "Cole...you stupid."
We all have that one friend who thinks it's a great idea to give away free soup, and rent spoons. Well, maybe not. But we all have that one friend who has more than a few screws lose in their head. It's our job as a good friend to let them know that their ideas may not work, and aren't necessarily reasonable. Tommy took the straight forward approach with his well noted phrase, "Cole...you stupid." We don't have to be that blunt, but it is always a good idea to be honest with your friends. The truth may hurt more immediately, but letting your friend rent spoons could come back over times and bite you. Honesty is always the best policy.
Bee-dee-bee needs love too
Tommy: "That special woman...is pam." Martin: "Noooooooo!"
Our best friends can be our worst critics, especially in regard to our love lives. Tommy knows this all too well when he pursues his best friend, Martin's, archenemy, Pam. Pam and Martin have a very uniques relationship that consists of cracking jokes and...well that seems to be the main activitywithin that relationship. Though, deep down (and I do mean DEEP), they have love for each other and are considered friends, Martin can't accept the fact that Tommy chose her. Tommy starts to defend Pam from the ridicule while also teaching me that it doesnt matter what others think of the person you chose to love. They make you happy, and Tommy wasn't afraid to let it be know that he was seeing Pam. He stood up for what he cared about. "You go, boy!"
Even our best friends find it hard to hold their tongue
Tommy: "Beside, it's not like I talk about how many pillows Gina done flattened wit' that big dome of hers."
Being Martin Payne's best friend can be frustrating. With all of the wise cracks it becomes hard to hold your tongue and Tommy has let it rip on several occasions. Sometimes hold your tongue can be what holds the friendship together, but in this case, speaking up made it stronger. I feel like Martin appreciated Tommy's witty comebacks because they were clever, and relatively unexpected. Though he may have told you to "step!" you made sure you said your piece. In any relationship it is important to say how you feel even if it's on a rare occasion. The most modest joker has to sometimes showcase his abilities. That's what Tommy did. He hay have a shiny head, but it's size is no where in comparison to Gina's (his words, not mine). Tell 'em how it is, "DAWG!"
