Late Show with David Letterman

"The Late Show" redirects here. This article is about The Late Show With David Letterman. For other uses, see The Late Show (disambiguation)

Late Show with David Letterman
File:Lshowtitle cleaned.png
Starring	David Letterman Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra Bill Wendell (1993-1995) Alan Kalter (1995-Present)
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	2,762, as of May 25, 2007
Production
Executive producers	Robert Morton (1993-1996) Rob Burnett (1996-Present) Barbara Gaines (2000-Present) Maria Pope (2000-Present) Jude Brennan (2003-Present)
Running time	01:02:30
Original release
Network	CBS
Release	August 30, 1993 – Present, renewed through Fall 2010

The Late Show with David Letterman is a multiple Emmy Award-winning hour-long weeknight comedy talk show broadcast by CBS from the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway in New York City. The show debuted on August 30, 1993. It is hosted by David Letterman and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and bandleader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is Paul Shaffer. The head writers are brothers Justin Stangel and Eric Stangel. The announcer is Alan Kalter, who replaced Bill Wendell in 1995.

The show airs in the United States at 11:35 pm Eastern/Pacific time, but is recorded Mondays at 4:30 PM and 7:00 PM, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 5:30 PM, and Thursdays at 4:30 PM. The second Monday episode usually airs on Friday of that week (the show had previously recorded the Friday episodes on Thursdays). Each show is recapped in The Wahoo Gazette by production coordinator Mike McIntee on CBS.com's Late Show page.

Letterman was previously the host of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC from 1982 to 1993. The show was co-produced by Carson Productions, Worldwide Pants, and NBC Productions. Shaffer, Wendell, and several members of the band were also with the NBC show.

Transition from NBC to CBS

Letterman's decision to leave NBC was largely provoked by the network's decision in 1992 to have comedian Jay Leno succeed Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show. Letterman, Carson, and many others had long assumed that Letterman's years of service to NBC would be sufficient to result in him becoming the new host, but NBC ultimately chose Leno, likely due to Letterman's consistent public mockery of NBC executives in the past, as well as a belief that Leno would have more mainstream appeal.

Many erroneously still refer to Letterman's current show as Late Night, often resulting in Letterman or fans pointing out that while Late Night still exists, it airs on NBC and is hosted in its current incarnation by Conan O'Brien, whom Letterman has often publicly supported as his successor (Late Night is now co-produced by Lorne Michaels' Broadway Video and O'Brien's Conaco).

When Letterman moved to CBS and began the Late Show, several of Late Night's long-running comedy bits made the move with him. Letterman renamed a few of his regular bits to avoid legal problems over trademark infringement (NBC cited that what he did on Late Night was "intellectual property" of the network). "Viewer Mail" on NBC became the "CBS Mailbag", and Larry "Bud" Melman began to use his real name, Calvert DeForest. Paul Shaffer's "World's Most Dangerous Band" became "The CBS Orchestra," a not-so-subtle jab at NBC regarding the show's new home. Letterman's signature bit, the Top Ten List, was perfunctorily renamed the "Late Show Top Ten List" (over time it was simply referred to again by its original name).

After Letterman was introduced on the Late Show's very first episode, NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw accompanied him on stage and wished him luck "within reason". As part of a pre-arranged act, Brokaw then proceeded to retrieve a pair of cue cards while stating that "These last two jokes are the intellectual property of NBC!" After he carried them off stage, Letterman then responded, "I never thought I'd hear the words 'intellectual' and 'NBC' in the same sentence!"

Ratings-wise, Letterman's Late Show would enjoy a consistent domination over Leno's Tonight Show in its first few years. Letterman's much-criticized performance as host of the 1995 Academy Awards, however, served as an apparent precursor to The Tonight Show gradually and ultimately overtaking the Late Show in viewership later that summer. At times Letterman would even come in third in the late night timeslot behind Ted Koppel's Nightline, prompting him at one point to arrange for a Manhattan billboard proudly declaring himself and his show to be "#3 in Late Night," aping an older, nearby billboard which promoted Leno and The Tonight Show as #1. Despite its current standing in the ratings, the Late Show remains one of CBS's most profitable programs.

In recent years, Letterman and the Late Show have openly made jokes in reference to Leno, although it is often done in a self-deprecating manner. Such jokes usually refer to The Tonight Show's consistent (and perhaps frustrating) lead in the ratings, a common example being where a guest presenter of the Top Ten List will use one of the entries to declare his or her preference for Leno, resulting in Letterman feigning humiliation or surprise. In a "What Things Cost" sketch in 2000, Letterman explained that it cost $10,000 to keep an open phone line with actor Leonard Nimoy. Upon thanking Nimoy for his help, Nimoy tersely admitted that he was unable to talk because "I'm watching Leno."

Production

Episode structure

Act 1/Introduction

Early shows included a cold open, which featured Letterman in a baseball cap interacting with a celebrity. This practice was revived, albeit irregularly, in the summer of 2006. It often features Letterman in the green room, without a jacket on, talking to a Late Show staffer - usually former writer Gerard Mulligan or executive producer Jude Brennan - with Letterman being the butt of a joke.

The show's opening credits feature a series of shots of New York City (which have changed over the years) as the CBS Orchestra performs the Late Show theme (a livelier variation of the more jazzy Late Night theme). Announcer Alan Kalter proclaims "From New York: the greatest city in the world! It's the Late Show with David Letterman!" He announces the names of that night's guests, as well as Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra. Kalter finally introduces Letterman with a humorous modification, such as "And now, the one-stop shop for all your bridal needs: David Letterman!"

Letterman then walks out through the curtains on the show stage before performing his monologue, which often begins with an inside reference to something an audience member said to him during the pre-show Q&A; the scripted monologue jokes are usually based on pop culture, current events, and politics. The monologue is followed by Letterman's introduction of Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra, who then perform briefly. On most nights, Letterman will walk to his desk where he then chats with the audience and Shaffer, relating an unscripted personal story, discussing his anticipation of a particular upcoming guest, or continuing a running gag. He then explains who the scheduled guests are.

The show usually then transitions to a series of brief sketch comedy bits, which often consist of humorous commercials, disclaimers, video clips, or props. They are then followed by a more elaborate live or pre-taped skit, although lately, the skit (such as "Small Town News" and "Fun Facts") has been preceded by a commercial break.

Act 2

After returning from a commercial break, Letterman often reads the Top Ten List at this point before turning to guest interviews on the couch with a celebrity, politician, or public figure. On some nights Act 2 is instead dedicated to another comedy segment involving guest participants, such as Stupid Pet Tricks or Kid Scientists.

Act 3

On most nights, the first guest stays on through the commercial break and continues the interview, especially if he or she is a more well-known figure. In other instances, a second guest is brought out at this point.

Act 4

This segment is sometimes dedicated to a second scheduled guest. Occasionally, this guest is actually carried over from Act 3 and given two segments, with the first guest only being given one. On other nights, Act 4 will instead be dedicated to Letterman presenting either a Top Ten List or comedy bit involving a crew member.

Act 5

This segment often consists of an "audience sweep," where a camera pans across the applauding audience from side to side. A brief comedy bit or announcement, usually involving Kalter, is then superimposed over the sweep.

Act 6

The final guest of the show is usually featured here. In most instances, this consists of a live musical performance, although it may instead be dedicated to another interview, or a guest comedian performing a stand-up routine on the stage.

Act 7

The episode concludes with Letterman at his desk, who then will often comment to Shaffer on the final guest, or that night's episode in general. He will then thank all the guests who appeared before announcing the next night's guests. Letterman then ends the show, usually saying "Good night everybody!" As the CBS Orchestra is seen performing the Late Show theme, a truncated closing credit sequence consisting of only copyright and ticket information is presented. On rare occasions when time allows, a full credit sequence listing the show's entire crew is shown. After the closing, a Worldwide Pants production logo is displayed with an authoritative but non-sequitur voice-over, such as "Mmm... waffles."

Regular sketches

Main article: Sketches on Letterman

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Letterman sporting a "Barbecue Leftovers Sun Hat" during a "Hot Summer Products" segment on the show

The Late Show is well known for its repeated absurdist segments, often taking the form of competitions or audience participation. The charm of these segments is often that they are completely pointless, yet are taken seriously by Letterman and all involved.

Currently, the show's regularly scheduled segments consist of "Small Town News" on Mondays (coincidentally and possibly competing with Leno's similar segment, "Headlines") and "Fun Facts" on Fridays. Thursdays often feature a rotating set of three audience participation segments: "Know Your Current Events," "Stump the Band," and "Audience Show and Tell."

Letterman will also take a camera crew into the Hello Deli on a near-weekly basis. There he will often conduct a game with Rupert Jee and a contestant selected from the crowd of gatherers outside. Such games are rarely repeated in subsequent episodes, but those that have been often repeated include "What's on the iPod?" and "Beat the Clock."

"Stupid Pet Tricks" and "Stupid Human Tricks," two of Letterman's trademark bits from Late Night, continue to be presented on the Late Show, albeit on a rare basis.

A segment that is a fan-favorite but is also rarely featured consists of random items (such as paint and super balls) being thrown off of a roof several stories high by a team led by Late Show stagehand Pat Farmer, often with spectacular results.

On a random basis, Letterman will present one of several kinds of "desk comedy" sketches. Some will consist of a series of props, such as "Rejected FDA Items" and "Summer Reading." Others will consist of a series of visuals and captions, such as "Thanksgiving Parade Quiz" and "A Day in the Life of..."

With the exception of the Top Ten List, many segments that have been featured on a near-daily basis have come and gone over the years. Such regularly recurring segments currently include "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches" and "Will It Float?"

Yearly traditions

Every Halloween, Letterman stands in a house-like set on stage, where he answers a door and greets a series of trick-or-treaters dressed in elaborate, humorous costumes (a recent example being a gas station sign with changeable prices). The children are then given "treats" which have consisted of unusual items such as Lipitor, useless Yankees World Series tickets, and a Tonight Show tote bag.

Every Thanksgiving, Letterman visits his mother at her Indiana home via satellite, and tries to guess the two pies she has baked for her family dinner. Letterman will also show footage of that year's company Thanksgiving party, which often includes a particular clip from a previous party in which Letterman serves food while dressed in a pilgrim costume.

For Christmas, Letterman will often dedicate a segment to toy expert Shannon Ice, who demonstrates many of the newer toys that will be available during the upcoming season. The main appeal of the segment is Letterman's tendency to engage in horseplay with the various toys on display.

Paul Shaffer will often perform a brief rendition of Cher singing "O Holy Night" from an episode of her 1970s variety show. Shaffer sets up the bit with a straight-faced introduction before breaking into a humorous impersonation. This has been performed on-and-off since the Late Night years.

Letterman will also have local pizza-maker Joe G, gift shop proprietors Mujibur & Sirajul, and Hello Deli proprietor Rupert Jee top the Late Show Christmas tree with a pizza, Statue of Liberty miniature, and meatball, respectively.

On a later episode, Letterman and comedian Jay Thomas will then throw footballs at the tree from across the stage, attempting to knock down its top. This tradition began in 1998 when Letterman and NFL quarterback Vinny Testaverde threw footballs at a pastrami sandwich from the top of a tree but failed repeatedly. This prompted Thomas - who had been a guest earlier - to run out and take a shot, succeeding on his first try.

In recent years, Letterman has invited musician Darlene Love on the same night to perform "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)." This tradition dates back to Late Night, and Letterman often refers to the song as the only "rock-and-roll" holiday song one really needs.

Staff

Announcer Bill Wendell retired and left the show in 1995. He was replaced by Alan Kalter on the show's next episode which came after a two-week hiatus.

In 1996, Letterman reluctantly fired long-time producer Robert Morton as the result of various professional disputes, including an apparent botched attempt to move the show to ABC in place of Nightline. Head writer Rob Burnett was promoted to executive producer.

Director Hal Gurnee and producer Peter Lassally left the show soon after to pursue other interests. Gurnee was replaced by Jerry Foley. Burnett was absent from the day-to-day operations from 2000 to 2004, and was replaced by Barbara Gaines and Maria Pope, both of whom continue to serve as executive producers, with Gaines currently acting as on-air producer. In 2003, producer Jude Brennan was added to the team of executive producers.

Lassally, who had served as an executive producer for Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show, was invited back to the Late Show in January 2005 as a guest to discuss the recent death of Carson. Lassally currently serves as executive producer for Worldwide Pants' Late Late Show (dating back to its years under original host Tom Snyder) as well as the Tony Mendez Show, an online webcast featuring the Late Show's "cue card boy."

High-definition broadcasts

The show began broadcasting in HDTV on Monday August 29, 2005. About two weeks later, Tim Kennedy, the show's Technical Director, commented on the transition in the show's official newsletter:

The biggest challenge in the HD conversion was to renovate and upgrade our old control room, audio room, videotape room, and edit room while still doing five shows a week... This entailed pulling a remote production truck on 53rd Street running somewhere in the neighborhood of 50,000 feet of video and audio cable just to tie the truck to the existing technical plant...

The coolest piece of equipment is our new control room Virtual Wall. We have done away with the conventional monitor for every video source and replaced it with four 70-inch rear projection screens and within those screens we can "virtually" place as many video images as we want, anywhere we want them, and when we want it.

Kennedy and his crew won an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video for a Series" during the nearly-four-month-long transition to HDTV.

Host

Main article: David Letterman

Physical comedy

Letterman himself is known for his quirky physical comedy, which he has used in varied degrees throughout the years. Examples are throwing his blue note cards through the prop window behind him or throwing pencils at the camera (always followed with a sound effect of shattering glass), pausing to take a long drink of his coffee, exaggeratedly loud coughing and clearing his throat, showing the inside lining of his suit, showing his receding hairline, long awkward moments to organize his note cards on his desk, flipping pencils upward and trying to catch them one-handed (à la Johnny Carson), wiggling his tie, adjusting the height of his chair, stirring his guests' coffee with a pencil before they arrive, and pausing to clean his glasses.

Though Letterman is typically well-attired and neat; a common 'Dave gag' is pretending to eat or drink excessive amounts of both edible and non-edible items, for instance, eating mayonnaise straight from the jar, allowing it to slop onto his face and onto the front of his suit. During a cooking segment with Martha Stewart there was a table set up with ingredients to demonstrate how to prepare some sort of meal. Letterman feigned clumsy disinterest, measuring the wrong amounts, throwing raw eggs at the band, gulping down bottles of wine, eating half a stick of butter, and generally wreaking havoc in an attempt to fluster his guest. Stewart tried to nonchalantly continue her cooking presentation, until finally, in an apparent "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" moment, succumbed to the fun, taking a big bite of butter herself. A similar situation occurred during a cooking segment featuring British chef Jamie Oliver, beginning with Letterman eating raw onions and resulting in he, Oliver and the episode's first guest Tom Cruise all drinking from a bottle of olive oil.

One-liners

Another Letterman trademark is his penchant for odd, non-sequitur one-liners. Often they come from obscure sources with little to no explanation and appear to be mostly used for Letterman's own amusement. Some of the one-liners seem to derive from experiences in Letterman's personal life, random lines he heard on TV, or favorite lines used by his comedian friends. Others are exaggerations of typical talk-show patter, in keeping with Letterman's ironic take on his own television genre. Shaffer will often laugh at the jokes, although this is usually due to the repetition and familiarity of them, rather than the nature of the jokes themselves.

Some of the many one-liners during the Late Show years include:

• "And down the stretch they come!!" Mimicing the signature call of horse racing announcer Dave Johnson.
• "...And free balloons for the kids!"
• "Are you cookin' beans?"/"Is Zorro on?"/"What time is it?" Said in a Southern accent, Letterman has attributed this to a Jim Varney routine.
• "Hi, Bob. Hi, Stan. How's the go going?"
• "Hold on to your wigs and keys!"
• "I hope they're not neglecting their studies." Used in reference to a group of youths, often rock bands.
• "I wouldn't give his troubles to a monkey on a rock."
• "I'll handle the jokes!" Often used when a contestant gets in a funny line during one of the audience participation segments.
• "I'm high on coffee, cheap speed and donuts!"
• "...In my pants!"
• "It opens in selected cities... And I pray to God that your city has been selected."
• "It's more fun than humans should be allowed to have."
• "Ladies and gentlemen, please check yourself for ticks."
• "My doctor... Dr. Vinnie Boom-batz!" From a Rodney Dangerfield routine.
• "Not a match, the board goes back." From Concentration, usually after a joke fails.
• "Please do not attempt to approach the desk." When going into a trance to predict what kind of pies his mother has made for Thanksgiving.
• "Something from the meat case, Linda?"
• "There is no off position on the genius switch."
• "There's not a man, woman, or child alive today who doesn't enjoy a lovely beverage."
• "They don't give these shows to chimps."
• "This is only an exhibition, this is not a competition. Please... no wagering." From Stupid Pet/Human Tricks.
• "This is the only thing on CBS right now."
• "Turn out the lights and call the cops!"
• "Wake the kids and call the neighbors!"
• "Wash it; Gas it; Give me the keys."
• "We like to keep our comedy fresh." A standard reply when a guest comments on the cold temperature of the Ed Sullivan Theater.
• "What is this, Vassar?"

Self-deprecation

Letterman will often poke fun at himself in a wide variety of ways, ranging from the content of his show (such as admitting when a joke is not particularly funny), his personal life (portraying himself as a reclusive loner), his physical appearance (his hair or "advanced age"), and his staff's supposed frustration with him (being forced to work on holidays). Such jokes will be made through impromptu remarks made by Letterman, or even in scripted material presented by Letterman or various staff members. In one episode, foreigners would appear on stage one by one, hurling a flurry of insults at Letterman in their native languages. Another more common gag consists of audience members finding ways to leave the show to Letterman's embarrassment.

"Friends of the Late Show"

Many frequently invited guests have gone on to become favorites of the show, displaying an on-air friendship with Letterman that sets them apart from the more typical interview subjects. Perhaps most prominent among these are Charles Grodin and Regis Philbin, who will often playfully bicker with Letterman about their respective personal relationships. Philbin has made more appearances on the Late Show than any other guest in the show's history.

Other notable guests include Bonnie Hunt (with whom Letterman co-produced two short-lived sitcoms), Bill Murray (who has the distinction of appearing on the first episodes of both Late Night and the Late Show), Marv Albert (who had the most Late Night appearances), musical group Foo Fighters (whom Letterman had personally requested to perform during his first show after heart bypass surgery in 2000), and Warren Zevon (who was featured as the only guest in his final appearance prior to his death in 2003).

Some guests, particularly Murray, Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, and Bruce Willis, will often take the effort to accompany their appearances on the show with a pre-arranged routine or bit (such as when Willis put dots on his face to satirize Dick Cheney's recent hunting incident), or will appear elsewhere in the show in a skit. Martin Short will often conclude his interviews with a comedic musical number on stage.

Other favorite guests who have frequently appeared include Drew Barrymore, Matthew Broderick, Tom Brokaw, Harry Connick, Jr., Penn & Teller, Elvis Costello, Billy Crystal, Jack Hanna, Paul Newman, Sarah Jessica Parker, the late Tony Randall, Julia Roberts, Ray Romano, Isabella Rossellini, Amy Sedaris, Jerry Seinfeld, Martha Stewart, Howard Stern, and Robin Williams.

Some of Letterman's personal comedian friends who have often appeared on the show include Jeff Altman, Tom Dreesen, the late George Miller, Bob Sarlotte, Jimmie Walker, and John Witherspoon.

R.E.M., who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2007, made their international television debut on Late Night on October 6, 1983, just three years into their career (see here). To date, they have appeared on Letterman's show six times.

Memorable guests

Bill Hicks

On October 1, 1993, Bill Hicks was to appear on the Late Show for the first time (he had appeared on "Late Night" 11 times), but his appearance at the live taping was somewhat controversially edited out of the show that went on the air. At the time, Hicks was doing a routine about pro-life organizations, where he encouraged them to "lock arms and block cemeteries" instead of medical clinics, which was part of his set that was cut from the show. In its place, a stand-up segment performed by staff writer Bill Scheft from a previously unaired show was edited in. Both the show's producers and CBS denied responsibility for the cut, but the reason appeared obvious to many during the following week's Letterman show when a commercial for a pro-life organization was aired. Hicks felt betrayed, and wrote a 32-page letter of complaint. Less than five months later, Hicks died of pancreatic cancer. After his death, a somewhat somber Letterman expressed regret at the way Hicks had been handled, when interviewed for the special It's Just A Ride: A Tribute to Bill Hicks.

Madonna

Main article: Madonna on Letterman

In March 1994, pop star Madonna appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman. The unofficial 'Queen of Pop', who is known for controversy, infamously swore thirteen times throughout the interview and refused to leave at the end. Letterman, who asked her questions on various topics including her nose ring, music and love life was soon branded a 'sick fuck', after he suggested Madonna kiss a member of the audience. Madonna went on to ask if Letterman was wearing a 'rug', whether he wanted to smell a pair of underwear she brought on the show, or whether he thought the microphone was sexually big. In between this, Madonna often swore and referred to sexual themes including her vagina, saying: 'Did you know it's good to pee in the shower?' Eventually, she swore so much that the producers went to commercials and showed comedic monologues of Madonna. At the end of the interview, when Madonna refused to leave, Letterman cut to a break, and when they returned, Madonna was gone. Letterman has since stated, in USA Today: 'I'm not pleased with the way I handled it. I should have said, "You say that word one more time and you're gone. That's it. Adios." And I didn't.' Madonna appeared days later on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Although she appeared briefly at the stroke of midnight on Valentine's Day, 1995 to present Dave with a bouquet of roses, her return to the show as a guest was not until 2000, while promoting her album Music.

Johnny Carson

On May 13, 1994, Johnny Carson was lured out of his retirement to make a rare television appearance on the Late Show. He was to come out and deliver a joke while sitting behind Letterman's desk, but never had the chance to speak as the audience's applause would not stop while he was on stage. Carson later blamed laryngitis for his lack of a joke. Carson had not appeared on TV since his departure from The Tonight Show in 1992. The appearance occurred during a week of episodes in Los Angeles.

Drew Barrymore

In a 1995 Late Show episode, as a birthday present, actress Drew Barrymore stood on Letterman's desk and flashed her breasts, as part of an erotic dance. (The cameras only showed her from the back, during the flash). The dance shocked the usually unflappable Letterman; it was reportedly a gift from Barrymore, for his birthday. Letterman later said, 'I couldn't have been more pleased.' A later skit on The Late Show entitled "The David Letterman Story" referenced the incident where Letterman claimed his most memorable and favorite moment on the show was "when Drew Barrymore got on the desk and took her shirt off."

Anna Paquin

In 1996, an appearance by then-13-year-old actress Anna Paquin made headlines due to an apparent misunderstanding. Earlier in the episode, a man was given a chance to win $10,000 by making a three-point shot but he missed. After a tense interview with a petulant Paquin, Letterman offered her a chance to make a shot from up close. She made the shot and Letterman jokingly handed her the $10,000. When the producers took the money away from Paquin backstage, her parents told the local newspapers that their daughter should be allowed to keep it. The local press referred to the incident as "Paquin-gate". Two nights later, Paquin returned to the show and a visibly bothered Letterman gave her the $10,000 as a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He later looked in the camera and said "Get over it! Alright?" Letterman recalled in an interview:

I just thought 'This is the epitome of hypocrisy'. Here's this little girl, just dumb luck, hits the shot; I as a joke hand her the money - it's show business. It wasn't like 'gimme that 10 grand, you little... It would be different if we were dealing with a Bosnian orphan. We're dealing with an Academy Award-winning movie star, who's in big-budget movies.

Farrah Fawcett

The former model and 1970s sex icon Farrah Fawcett made headlines in late July 1997 when she notoriously appeared on Letterman's show appearing confused and disoriented. At the end of the show, Letterman thanked Fawcett for "almost being here."

Warren Zevon

Warren Zevon was a frequent guest and occasional substitute bandleader on Letterman's television shows since Late Night first aired in 1982. In 2002, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. On October 30, 2002, Zevon was featured on the show as the only guest for the entire hour. Appearing very underweight and weakened, Zevon performed and spoke at length about his illness. It was this show where Zevon offered his insight on facing death: "enjoy every sandwich." He performed three songs (his last ever before an audience): "Genius", "Mutineer" and a rousing version of his classic "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner." Zevon regarded Letterman as "the best friend my music ever had." He died on September 7, 2003.

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Janet Jackson on Letterman

Courtney Love

In March 2004, rock singer Courtney Love flashed David Letterman six times — once while standing on his desk.

Oprah Winfrey

Letterman and daytime talk show host Oprah Winfrey have had a peculiar public relationship. Although Winfrey appeared twice on Letterman's Late Night show in the 1980s, she had never appeared on the Late Show, and Letterman had never appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Winfrey had described her visits to Late Night as difficult, adding that "I felt like his whole mission [in earlier appearances] was to make me the joke." In the ensuing years, Letterman would often speak of his praise and reverence for Winfrey, in addition to making many jocular attempts to woo her back onto his show.

In 1996, in hopes of booking her for a Late Show taping in Chicago, Letterman contacted Winfrey by phone, but she declined to accept because - according to Letterman - she had claimed she would be "totally out of town." (Weeks later, she appeared on a subsequent Chicago Tonight Show taping.)

On November 8th, 2001, Dave started a daily journal called the "Oprah Log," in which he documented his trials and tribulations of trying to get invited to appear on Winfrey's show. Each entry would often consist only of brief updates such as "Did not hear from Oprah." Shaffer and the band accompanied each installment with a song entitled "It ain't Oprah till it's Oprah" (a play on the line "It ain't over till it's over"). Eventually Dave grew tired of the routine and declared in its last entry after 82 days: "I don't want to be on your damn show," adding that he had given up hope. For a period of time, the journal (which was simply a Mead Five-Star notebook with a piece of paper that said "OPRAH LOG" taped to the front cover) was displayed in a glass case in the lobby.

Shaffer's last version of the song, which also referred to various infamous incidents from the show's past, went like this:

"Well, Dave, I guess it's finally Oprah, And your beating heart has lost all shred of hope-rah. You kissed a duck, And you were bitten by a dingo, Then you said 'F you, Richard Simmons' In your lingo. So Dave, I'm sorry, but it's Oprah."

Their relationship seemed to warm following the birth of Letterman's son in late 2003, when Letterman used his show to express his gratitude for Winfrey's gift: a basket containing an assortment of children's books.

Soon afterwards, Letterman started another, more elaborate running gag centering around his hopes for her to appear on his show in what he billed "The Super Bowl of Love." Letterman proposed that this "hour of healing" would be mediated by Winfrey's friend, Dr. Phil McGraw, who had recently appeared on the Late Show (after being the butt of many Letterman jabs himself). In one instance he also promised that once she appeared on stage, "The love will explode. And at the end of the show, Oprah and I will go downstage, the audience will have flowers for us. Oprah and I will embrace. Oprah and I will kiss." While she never accepted the invitation, Winfrey did put out an invitation for him to appear on her show. Although he excitedly declared that Winfrey "no longer hates me," he never accepted either, claiming that he would "sob like a little girl," and that it would interfere with his "Super Bowl of Love."

Winfrey finally paid a much-publicized visit to Letterman on December 1, 2005 (her first since May 2, 1989). Explaining at the top of the show how Winfrey had finally been convinced to appear, Letterman quipped, "She thinks she's seeing Spamalot." Winfrey had been scheduled to be in New York that night because of the red-carpet premiere of the nearby Broadway adaptation of The Color Purple, which she produced.

During the interview, Winfrey expressed surprise by Letterman's serious nature when they discussed more solemn topics, such as her philanthropic efforts in Africa. Later she said, "I want you to know, it's really over, whatever you thought was happening... There is no feud," and then presented Letterman with a picture of herself and actress Uma Thurman, signed by both, to commemorate his "Uma... Oprah..." debacle at the 1995 Academy Awards. About 13.4 million people, according to preliminary Nielsen Ratings, tuned in to watch. The Late Show last attracted as large an audience in February 1994, when it had the 1994 Winter Olympics face-off between figure skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding as a lead-in. It drew its best adults 18-49 rating (4.4) since Letterman's return to the show following heart surgery in February 2000.

In 2007, Letterman and Winfrey appeared together in a promo for the Late Show during CBS's telecast of Super Bowl XLI (between the Colts from Letterman's home town of Indianapolis and the Bears from Chicago, where the Oprah Winfrey Show is based).

Bill O'Reilly

On January 4, 2006, Bill O'Reilly appeared on the Late Show, a forum he previously claimed to be one of the toughest interviews on TV. When O'Reilly began a discussion on the alleged "War on Christmas", Letterman replied, "I think that this is something that happened here, and it happened there, and so people like you are trying to make us think that it's a threat." Letterman accused O'Reilly of making up some of his claims on particular points on the supposed War, and O'Reilly replied with, "Then I could write for your show." According to Media Matters for America (a liberal organization frequently critical of O'Reilly), one supposed example O'Reilly used was false.

When O'Reilly criticized the views of Cindy Sheehan, Letterman said O'Reilly had never lost a family member in a war, and therefore O'Reilly should have nothing but sympathy for Sheehan. When asked if Letterman agreed with Sheehan's comparison of insurgents in Iraq to "freedom fighters" and how other parents of fallen soldiers feel about such an assertion, Letterman responded, "Well, what about why are we there in the first place?" Letterman continued, "I'm not smart enough to debate you point-for-point, but I have the feeling that about 60 percent of what you say is crap," to which O’Reilly replied, "Listen, I respect your opinion. You should respect mine." Under questioning by O' Reilly, Letterman admitted that he had never actually watched O'Reilly's show, but quickly added that he had "read about it".

Michael Richards

On November 20, 2006, Michael Richards appeared with former Seinfeld co-star Jerry Seinfeld on the Late Show, just three days after Richards' racist remarks at a Los Angeles comedy club after hecklers interrupted his show. Seinfeld, who was previously scheduled to appear, encouraged Richards to appear on the show via satellite transmission. Late Show executive producer Jude Brennan explained that it "was all Jerry's doing. He came to us and said: 'I'd like to be able to do this for my friend. I know he's just shattered by this, and if he could he would help.'" During a six-minute unscripted segment, Richards offered his apology to all who were offended, and expressed regret about the entire incident, saying that he was not a racist. "For me to be in a comedy club and flip out and say this crap, I'm deeply, deeply sorry," Richards said. At first, some audience members laughed, thinking the apology was part of a comedy bit, "until Mr. Seinfeld gently mentioned that the interview was not meant to be funny." The show won Letterman his highest ratings in almost a year.

John McCain

During his interview on the Late Show's February 28, 2007 episode, US Senator John McCain officially declared his intent to enter the race to be the Republican candidate for the presidency in 2008. McCain told Letterman that his formal announcement would be made in April of 2007. "You know, you drag this out as long as you can. You don't just have one rendition," he told Letterman. Pressed by Letterman, the Arizona senator joked: "This is the announcement preceding the formal announcement!" Paul Shaffer soon followed up by adding tongue-in-cheek that the "formal announcement" would be made on Jay Leno's Tonight Show, which consistently boasts higher ratings than the Late Show.

Memorable episodes

February 21, 2000

On January 14, Letterman made on The Late Show the announcement that he was undergoing an angiogram the following day, after doctors had recently been concerned about his high cholesterol and family history (his father died of a heart attack at 52). Soon it was discovered that he had blocked arteries and had to undergo a quintuple bypass. During his hiatus, the show had been off the air for a few weeks after which, while he was still recovering the show was being hosted by guests for the following weeks. On his first show after recovering, Dave brought out all the doctors and nurses on the show who had helped him during his surgery and recovery. Despite nearly breaking out in tears during the show, Dave seemed to find humor in his situation; while referring to one of his nurses, Dave said: "This woman saw me naked!". He continued to joke about the event for weeks after his return.

See also David Letterman's heart surgery.

September 17, 2001

File:917rather.jpg

Letterman with Dan Rather on Sept. 17, 2001.

On September 17, 2001, The Late Show returned to the television airwaves six days after the September 11 attacks, a high-profile appearance given the anxiety and grief still felt by many at the time, especially in New York City. Letterman reportedly was considering not resuming the show, and credited "the reason that I am doing a show and the reason I am back to work is because of Mayor Giuliani.... Rudolph Giuliani is the personification of courage."

Instead of the usual opening sequence, the episode began with an image of the American flag, followed by a silent image of the exterior of the Ed Sullivan Theater with the Late Show marquee. Letterman came out to subdued applause and began by indicating that there were things he needed to say, especially if the show was to continue:

The Ed Sullivan Theater, where The Late Show with David Letterman is taped.

"The reason we were attacked, the reason these people are dead, these people are missing and dead ... They weren't doing anything wrong, they were living their lives, they were going to work, they were traveling, they were doing what they normally do. Uh, as I understand it -- and my understanding of this is vague, at best -- another smaller group of people stole some airplanes and crashed them into buildings. And we're told that they were zealots fueled by religious fervor, religious fervor. And if you live to be a thousand years old, will that make any sense to you? Will that make any goddamn sense?"

That night Letterman hosted Dan Rather and Regis Philbin. The Dan Rather interview was one of the most emotional interviews in the history of the show, with both David and Dan Rather holding back tears while speaking about the attacks.

Since then, the regular opening, which had previously made fun of New York City, has consistently led with "From New York… the greatest city in the world…" These words have been omitted from the opening of each episode with a guest host, however.

January 31, 2005

Letterman's first show after long-time friend and mentor Johnny Carson had died. The show had been on a one week hiatus since his death, this being the second time in history the Late Show missed a broadcast (the other time being after 9/11). As a tribute, Letterman's opening monologue included jokes written by Carson (news reports in the weeks leading to Carson's death revealed that he had been regularly writing and sending Letterman some jokes) as well as clips shown from The Tonight Show. While describing how he felt about the news, Letterman stated: "There are so many things you miss about Johnny Carson... I was nearly this sad when the guy retired... Johnny Carson was like a public utility. At the end of the day, that's who you wanted to be there. The way that you know that Johnny was such a tremendous part of your life was when there was a guest host. You would be waiting all day to see Johnny and you'd tune in and there would be a guest host. And it would make you angry. And you'd be steaming mad, [though] not at Johnny, you would always take out your anger on the guest host."

International broadcasts

Country	Broadcaster
Middle East	Showtime Arabia Show comedy
Australia	Network TEN - (Previously Channel Nine) Bio. - (Previously W. Channel)
Brazil	GNT
Canada	OMNI.1 (Toronto) CH Montreal (Montreal) Channel M (Vancouver) CHEX-TV (Peterborough, Ontario) NTV (St. John's, Newfoundland) CBS (available in many areas over broadcast, and on all cable and satellite providers)
Denmark	TV 2 Zulu
Hong Kong	ATV Channel World
Italy	RaiSat Extra
Israel	Xtra Hot
Latin America	American Network
Malaysia	NTV7
Mexico	American Network
New Zealand	Prime Television
Norway	NRK2
The Philippines	Jack TV
Sweden	TV400 since January 2007, previously TV6
United Kingdom	No longer shown

Awards

Primetime Emmy Awards

• 1993-94 Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
• 1997-98 Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
• 1998-99 Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
• 1999-00 Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
• 2000-01 Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
• 2001-02 Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series

See Also

List of late night network TV programs

External links

• Late Show with David Letterman
• Late Show UK - fansite
• Late Show with David Letterman Fansite at DDY
• Petition to bring the Late Show back to UK television