Blog Post.

[bigginsjp]

We are all behind you, Tom, no matter what.

Agreed. God bless you Tom Scharpling.

I mean it.

[hk11]

Tom,

I lost my father just coming up to a year ago. Worst thing that's ever happened to me too. A year on, and it's still painful. It always will be - no one can replace that guy you shared so much with. Still, a couple of times a week he appears in my dreams and the painful realization that he's not really with us anymore is just terrible. Utterly heartbreaking. You have my sympathy, you really do. It's an awful, awful thing to go through.

Everyone here is behind you 100%, i'm sure. Whether you carry on, show-wise, every week, or fortnightly or once a month or if you never do another show, it doesn't matter, everyone here wants you to have some kind of serenity in your life, which you so rightly deserve. Obviously we all want the Best Show to remain with us for as long as possible, but your own state of mind is much more important.

You've given me and everyone else here hours and hours and hours of amusement and i for one, can't thank you enough. I've never met you, but you come across as a truly lovely, decent guy, and i hope you can find the answer. All the best to you and i hope, seriously hope, that 2015 improves for you.

Best birthday wishes to Terre, and stay strong.

[mackro]

Hi Tom, you and your family have my full support - as well as the support of multitudes of others. I will step up and help in any way I can when you say the word. Much love to you, Terre, AP Mike, Dudio, Pat, Brendan, Kristen and so many others.

[Mike Desert]

Thanks Tom. Been there last year with my dad and going through something similar this year. Try to find comfort and happiness, whatever you do.

[Carver]

All the best as you take time for yourself Tom!

[erg79]

What everyone else has said, please take all the time you need to take care of yourself.

[Epic Soundtracks]

I have enough Best Show downloaded to last a lifetime. He's given me so much, just want him to get out from under the curse he's been under and be happy again. Godspeed, Tom, you are very loved.

[mike a]

Take your time, Tom.  You've given us a decade and a half of great radio, and there's an enormous box set coming out in a few weeks.  We'll live.

Happy birthday to Terre as well!

[dontuknowimloko?]

It was extremely heartfelt and I hope you can find a way to cope with everything. We're all here for you and your people.

[Gleepglop]

Do what ya gotta do, man.

I appreciate the transparency and the rawness of that blog post, and I just feel lucky/blessed to have discovered Tom, The Best Show, and everyone/everything around it.

Sincerely hoping 2015 manages to deliver some joy and respite to Tom and family.

[dicester]

All the best to you and your family Tom.

[dave from knoxville]

You know where I stand Tom. Anything I can do.

[roman]

All the best to Tom.  What was going on this past weekend on Facebook and on Twitter was blown way beyond the initial scope of the post which was about getting listener input for guests to be on the show.  It was tough to read the aftermath and it seems like some people got their feelings hurt by reaction to a simple question which was asked in good nature and tried to get input from the community.

Thanks Tom for all that you do.

[snappykyle]

Tom, you're an incredible guy and I wish you the best and will support you no matter which road you take.

I'm also one of the (apparently) rare fans who could easily be offended by some of the things on The Best Show.  I'm conservative and politically active, but I value the smart humor that you bring to me more than I care about the political differences that may exist.  I wish that people would put aside whatever agendas they may have and simply enjoy the show for what it is, and not try to meld it into whatever social/political stance they are championing.

I think that there will always be a small, vocal group of people who put agenda above all else.  That's wrong. I put humanity above all else, and I think that you are a brilliant example of humanity. No qualifications...you've made three hours of my week better for years, and for that you will always have my support. 

[buffcoat]

I missed the aftermath of the post on Facebook, and I'm not sorry for missing that.

Sometimes you get people who are just rude about a thing, or pushing their own agenda where it doesn't belong. Sometimes you get (and Tom once had a long talk with a caller who was of this persuasion) people who love a thing so much they "just gotta destroy it."

In any case: this show is and has been a great thing. I've spent more time listening to this show than I have spent with any other single entertainment entity except my local newspaper, which I started reading, um, a good while earlier than the Best Show.

The show has meant a tremendous amount to me. The messageboard is one of the places I hang out and enjoy posting about stuff with other like-minded and non-like-minded people. Just a few, judicious posts here and there for me.

I hope the show goes on and, most importantly, provides positive outcomes for Tom in terms of career success and creative satisfaction. But whatever he decides to do is the right thing, and I'll continue to be a fan regardless.