You Cannot Miss Darlene Love's Last-Ever Late Show 'Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)'

[Primetimer]

Seriously, though.

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[messyone15]

Wow, that's also a record of her beautiful skin! Does that mean tonight, Jay Thomas tells the yearly story and throws a football at the tree? Or did I miss that?

[biakbiak]

Yes, Jay will be on tonight!

[cassandle]

Just when I'd forgotten to be sad over Colbert ending I had to watch this. What else is going to make me cry today?

[marceline]

That video is an ode to how amazing Darlene Love is. In every performance she gives 100 percent and her voice remains top notch. You'd never guess that she's done that song eleventy jillion times.

[Pleasesendpants]

They are all amazing. But the soldier chorus gets me every time.

[Merneith]

She is amazing! I'm going to miss you, Dave! (And Paul!!)

[dcalley]

And Paul had better do his Cher impression!

[Lingo]

Just when I'd forgotten to be sad over Colbert ending I had to watch this. What else is going to make me cry today?

 

I suppose none of the previously.tv writers care about Craig Ferguson's show ending tonight as well. Nary a mention on ew.com either.  :(((

[Kris117]

Yes, I can hardly bear to turn on CBS tonight. 
 

That video is an ode to how amazing Darlene Love is. In every performance she gives 100 percent and her voice remains top notch. You'd never guess that she's done that song eleventy jillion times.

 
 
Or that she's seventy-freakin'-three! 
 
I have to include a couple of quotes from this article from the NY Times.
 

But she has vowed not to sing it for any other TV talk-show hosts after David Letterman, the man who gave her an on-air platform to perform it for nearly 30 years.

“People say, ‘He can’t demand that,'” Ms. Love explained, sweeping back her curly platinum hair. “I say, ‘He’s not demanding.’ I made a point myself, and I want to do it just for David.” …

The “Late Show” created its own tribute to Ms. Love at Thursday’s performance. After her quick desk-side interview with Mr. Letterman, the stage was filled with even more musicians, including string and horn sections and several backup singers. Ms. Love’s rumbling voice was still the most audible in the theater, and she sang her last verse atop Mr. Shaffer’s piano as artificial snowflakes fell around her.

Upstairs in her dressing room after the show, Ms. Love said she was “glad it’s over but sad it’s over,” and especially relieved that she did not break down in tears, which she said surely would have happened if Mr. Letterman had tried to embrace her.

Ms. Love explained this was why she took refuge on the piano: “They said, ‘Dave is coming up.’ I said, ‘Dave ain’t coming up here.'”

And I also have to mention the sax solo. It used to be Bruce Kaplan, but he's left the band, so I'm not sure who is doing it this year. 

And Paul had better do his Cher impression!

 

 

Paul's Cher impression is especially dear to me, given that I remember watching that very same Christmas special where Cher sang "O Holy Night." In case you didn't see the original, he nails it. 

[opus]

just in case....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qez7Cm5zSMI

[jjj]

I will leave other Christmas events tonight to be home in time to see Dave and Craig as their shows air.  So much change, so much affection on their sets and from us! 

[alynch]

 

and she sang her last verse atop Mr. Shaffer’s piano as artificial snowflakes fell around her.

 

So that means there'll have been two "on top of a piano" musical performances this week! I wonder if that's ever happened before.

[roseha]

That was an amazing string of performances. thanks for the video!

[buttersister]

Go, Paul/Cher! Darlene didn't want to get all sobby tonight? No worries, DL, I will enough for the both of us.

[Kromm]

Here for posterity... the last.

And the FIRST.

[scrambled eggs]

Just watched my recording. I don't watch the late night talk shows that much, unless there's a guest I really like, but the annual Letterman Christmas episode was always a must-watch. Next year won't be the same. 

[King of Birds]

Thanks for the links etc. I recorded on the DVR but when it got to Darlene, it was all fuzzy/snow/ digital dropouts. Ugh! I wanted to keep this episode / record to dvd.  (And it affected the opening number on Craig right after as well, so I was quite pissed to discover all this tonight.)

[SanDiegoInExile]

Thanks for the links etc. I recorded on the DVR but when it got to Darlene, it was all fuzzy/snow/ digital dropouts. Ugh! I wanted to keep this episode / record to dvd.  (And it affected the opening number on Craig right after as well, so I was quite pissed to discover all this tonight.)

 

The episode re-airs on XMAS Night.

 

Th 12/25: Josh Brolin, Jay Thomas, Darlene Love (R 12/19/14)

 

http://interbridge.com/lineups.html#LS