Late Show With David Letterman - General Discussion

[jjj]

I went to the taping of the episode that airs tonight.  I had horrible seats(I could see better on the tv screen that hangs over head, could barely see the stage) but it was an exciting experience.  I live in NYC and have been a fan for years and have never been before.  I've applied online over the years to no luck, what actually worked was going to the studio and applying in person.

Please tell us more after it airs!  So glad you managed to get to a taping! 

[partofme]

I don't know  how to make spoilers or I could tell you more now.

[jjj]

Interesting, I don't see the spoiler icon on the toolbar; but we can wait until after it airs.  We pretty much like any details, from waiting in line to pre-show to anything! 

[Fisher King]

I use this:    [.spoiler] put spoiler info here [/.spoiler]  but leave out the  two dots inside the brackets.

 

It'll look like this: 

put spoiler info here

[opus]

Norm has a heart. Who knew?

[alynch]

Norm MacDonald is about the last person I ever would've expected to see cry.

[Fisher King]

Yeah, I never figured on Norm getting verklempt.  Loved him retelling the old Dave joke.

[auntieminem]

Every show is bringing me tears but I thought I might make it through this one.  But no, damn you Norm.  

 

I have recorded every show of his since 1985.  I am not sure what I will do now with that extra hour.  

[LJonEarth]

Norm damn near broke me! When I was growing up, my dad and I bonded over two things: David Letterman and Norm Macdonald's Letterman sketch. Next week's going to be rough.

 

Question: Has John Witherspoon been on in this farewell batch of shows?

 

[Edited because crying and reading tweets and typing don't go together.]

Edited May 16, 2015 by JinNashville

[Badlands]

I was hoping to see Springsteen as a surprise guest on the last show, as he was on Dave's last "Late Night" show on NBC, but it's probably unlikely.

 

I'm a big Dylan fan, but last time I saw him in concert, he was horrible. A few times, he was playing one of his classic song and I had no idea what it was until a few minutes into the song. Hopefully, the Late Show appearance will be a lot better.

[Milburn Stone]

An article from a few days ago, from cleveland.com (the website of the Cleveland Plain Dealer), about the Letterman appearances of the great Harvey Pekar:

 

http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2015/05/david_letterman_brought_harvey.html

[Grommet]

 

I have recorded every show of his since 1985.  I am not sure what I will do now with that extra hour.  

 

Me too.  I started watching in 1980, back when I had to actually stay up and watch it - along with prisoners.  I was glad when VCRs came along because I was out of grad school by then and had to get up and got to work in the morning.

 

I'm going to miss this thread and our little band of Dave fans.  Someone said in the Rolling Stone article (Michael Keaton maybe) that he was glad Dave wasn't the most popular even though he was the best, and I agree.  I've always felt that being a Dave fan shows that I'm smarter and more discerning than the average Leno fan.  Or maybe it just shows that I find neurotic self-haters very funny.

 

Jon Stewart (there's another half hour I'll have soon!) did a very nice few minutes on Dave at the end of Thursday's show.  It made me cry.

[SingerIslander]

Yeah, the thought of losing both Dave and Jon Stewart within less than 3 months of each other has hit me hard.  There was a great opinion piece in the NY Times the other day which explained it better than I could--it's about the loss of honest conversation where the talk show host's voice is sincere.  Even if he doesn't like what his guest is saying, it's still his voice, as opposed to many hosts putting on an act to seem interested or gushing way too much.  It's true that Dave has, on occasion, pretended to like something which he probably didn't, but on more occasions than not, and certainly over the past few weeks/months since his retirement announcement, he seems to be more engaged and telling it as he sees it, and that's always been one of Dave's strengths.  The opinion piece went on to say that the only other person who does that is Jon Stewart, and we're losing him, too.  In any event, I love the respect which Dave is getting from so many people.  It's so deserved.  However, I am a little sad that all it took was for Dave to announce his retirement for the tributes to pour in.

 

On a related note, Dave's ratings have been stellar lately and I read on another site that he's been besting Fallon with his recent shows.  

 

If anyone had told me that Ray Romano, Adam Sandler and Norm MacDonald would be the ones to gut me like a fish and make me cry, I'd have thought they were crazy, but those three guys have had such honest, heartfelt reactions to being on Dave one last time, and have expressed what he's meant to them, that I have cried big fat tears watching them.  And I love that Dave is honestly moved as well. 

Edited May 16, 2015 by SingerIslander

[opus]

Had to look ahead to see who the Tonight Show has on May 20. Seems to be Regis, Bonnie Hunt, and the Foo Fighters. Just kidding. Its David Duchovny, Jeff Foxworthy, and Pitbull.

[Medicine Crow]

LOVE Jeff Foxworthy & Pitbull.  Duchovny?  Not so much!!

 

ETA:  Bonnie would have been my dream guest.  Love her!!!

Edited May 16, 2015 by Medicine Crow

[biakbiak]

Dave, Oprah isn't you she never gets embarrassed by people praising her. Heck she gets upset if they don't!

[jjj]

Wow, NBC reran the 1997 Saturday Night Live episode that had Norm MacDonald doing a parody of Dave in the Letterman show -- it was great, and it took me a while to realize it was Norm MacDonald.  What great timing (for Norm).  He really had all the Dave mannerisms nailed.  (Don't know who was playing Paul, but he also got it perfectly.)  ("Uhhhhhhhh, ya got some GUM????")

[Kromm]

I've never cared what ANYONE else says about Norm.  I've always loved him unreservedly no matter what else anyone said.

 

Glad to see him appreciated here and now though.

 

And.... here's the official CBS posting of his performance...

 

http://youtu.be/X9I9zafXQkk

[dcalley]

I did not expect Norm to make me cry, but I am glad he did.

 

 

Julianna Margulies was photographed outside the the theater yesterday. Her making some "surprise" appearance makes a hell of lot more sense if Clooney's still there.

 

I read your spoiler before Friday's show and fully expected Julianna to show up with the keys to release Dave from George. I thought maybe she or CBS had gotten Dave and George to go along with her/her show's need for some good press at the moment. I wonder why she was there.

[SanDiegoInExile]

.......maybe she or CBS had gotten Dave and George to go along with her/her show's need for some good press at the moment. I wonder why she was there.....

 

I suspect that the entire group of A-listers who have trekked to the Ed Sullivan Theatre have done some type of pretaped comments/appearance, which will be integrated into the last three shows (or the website?).  She and Clooney may have done a pretaped snippet tying their ER days to Dave's show.

[jjj]

Yes, when she did not appear on the show, I also assumed she was there for some taped segment.  Would love to see her with Clooney again! 

[opus]

What are your no more Dave plans?

 

a) switch to Jimmy F.

b) switch to Jimmy K.

c) wait for Colbert

d) done with 11:30pm talk shows

e) other

Edited May 17, 2015 by GaryE

[Medicine Crow]

What are your no more Dave plans?

 

a) switch to Jimmy F.

b) switch to Jimmy K.

c) wait for Colbert

d) done with 11:30pm talk shows

e) other

Absolutely b) or c).

[Kromm]

What are your no more Dave plans?

 

a) switch to Jimmy F.

b) switch to Jimmy K.

c) wait for Colbert

d) done with 11:30pm talk shows

e) other

Not that I expect him to be the SAME as Dave, but Colbert is the only one on that list I have any trust to actually entertain me.

 

Kimmel has MOMENTS, but that's all they are--moments.  Overall he still just kind of comes off as a bit of an unlikable jerk.  Fallon is mostly garbage.  Again there are moments, but those are well covered by the clips the show puts on the Internet and usually involve him doing other stuff besides actually trying to be a talk show host.

 

Going beyond 11:30, Ferguson was always stellar, but he's gone now.  His replacement, Mr. Corden, has arrived at having a very Jimmy Fallon-like show, aside from the bit with interviewing multiple people at once (an idea borrowed from Graham Norton).  Mr. Meyers?  I was bored out of my skull the times I watched him and stopped.

Edited May 17, 2015 by Kromm

[Milburn Stone]

c)

 

I don't know if he's up to the challenge, but there isn't a single other person in show business who is. Including the people who already have shows.

[jjj]

(c.) for sure, although (b) if I am desperate for something to watch until then.  But summer plans include out of the house by 6:00 AM, so I am hoping to be asleep by 11:30.  Until (c.).  I am so glad Jon Stewart will be on the air until early August. 

 

ETA:  huh, had to put a period after (c.) to avoid getting this:  ©

Edited May 17, 2015 by jjj

[LJonEarth]

Option C

 

I was planning to watch Comedy Central until Colbert starts and then decide between the two after Colbert settles. However, I'm not enjoing what's on CC now, so it'll be Stephen or nothing.

 

Not that I've watched him at the new timeslot, but I was hoping Jimmy K would be more like Dave. But they also seem to be chasing the viral video thing now just like Jimmy F. I still think Dave would have been popular on social media back in the day with all of his stunts, but there's something off-putting the way things are in late night now. 

[thispersonstinks]

A and B, I can watch clips online, or my friends sharing and re-tweeting. C, I'm waiting for anticipation. Knowing that CBS has control of Colbert's show and that he will have sponsors within the show, I want to see how Colbert will do with it. For the summer, I go with E: either sleep or watch old Letterman clips.

[alynch]

B & C for me. I've never really given Kimmel much of a chance, and I really appreciate just how vocal he's been in his praise of Dave over the years, so I feel like I owe him a summer tryout. And then I'll of course check out Colbert when he premieres.

[ebk57]

What are your no more Dave plans?

 

a) switch to Jimmy F.

b) switch to Jimmy K.

c) wait for Colbert

d) done with 11:30pm talk shows

e) other

 

Going to try b) , never having watched Jimmy K.  I feel like giving him a try because he loves Dave so much.  But even if I like him, I'll only watch him until c).  

 

Jinx alynch!!  :-)

Edited May 17, 2015 by ebk57

[stonehaven]

I may just watch Netflix at that time..Kimmel can amuse me but there's no one like Dave for me..and it's not just Dave..It's Paul and the band..it's Biff..Alan...and the way Dave talks about New York and all it's weirdness with a glee that the other NYC talk shows don't share...

So, yeah, Netflix...or Hulu...

Edited May 18, 2015 by stonehaven

[Grommet]

I'm looking forward to Steven's show, though it surely won't fill the void that Dave will leave. But he's smart and funny, so I'm hoping his show will be good. I might start watching Rachel Maddow more regularly, but I'm afraid I'll get too angry if I ingest too much politics.

I'm randomly watching shows from the past two weeks, when I feel I can deal with the crying, and just watched Norm M. Very touching.

[LJonEarth]

The Top Ten made me question, has anyone seen anything about where the staff is going? The more visible guys (Biff, Alan, Barbara, etc.) are at or near general retirement age.

 

I did see some thing that had Alan in an Off-Broadway show recently. At the taping I went to, I was struck by how Alan seemed to be running the show.

[stonehaven]

I wanted to adore the show tonight but my local affiliate kept hicupping during parts..Still, of what Isaw..I loved...My Tom Hanks love knows no bounds.and his Ron Howard made me smile, not JUST because it was funny but I knew Dave would LOVE it...and I have never been an Eddie Vedder fan but that song rocked..and I especially loved seeing the CBS Orchestra rock out and have fun...

Have I mentioned that I will truly miss this band?

All in all, a great show...Don't go Dave...I am sooooo not ready for this...

[opus]

-Damn, the movie looks good

-Not sure about Bob Dylan tomorrow. Would have preferred the Foos or Billy Joel (full circle with Bill Murray).

[alynch]

I'm officially not ready.

[bannana]

I loved Tom Hanks tonight, he was on it, and kept it going.  Dave was entertained.

 

He mentioned Dave's early morning talk show in 1980.  I watched that show.  Not a housewife, I was a student at the time, in Toronto.  But it ran sort of end of semester and then was cancelled about six months later?  I remember thinking, WTF is this, this is great. The only guest I actually remember is Mary Tyler Moore, and I didn't record it so I maybe only saw a few dozen episodes.  I don't know, but I don't think "housewives" would have disliked it.  I think it was the timeframe and it was out of the box thinking at the time.

[Milburn Stone]

He mentioned Dave's early morning talk show in 1980.  I watched that show.  Not a housewife, I was a student at the time, in Toronto.  But it ran sort of end of semester and then was cancelled about six months later?  I remember thinking, WTF is this, this is great. The only guest I actually remember is Mary Tyler Moore, and I didn't record it so I maybe only saw a few dozen episodes.  I don't know, but I don't think "housewives" would have disliked it.  I think it was the timeframe and it was out of the box thinking at the time.

 

It was brilliant, as I recall.

[dcalley]

The band is the greatest. There's no one else like them. I will miss them a ton.

[jjj]

Yes, they have played "My Baby Does the Hanky-Panky" for Tom Hanks before, but I went "awwwww" when they did it for the Last Time last night. 

[alynch]

The closer we get to tonight's show, the more I like the Dylan booking because of how nervous he's making me. He adds some nice chaotic tension to the show since we have no idea whether he'll be amazing or terrible.

[jjj]

Well,Tom Hanks set it up very nicely when he told us he and his wife had attended a Bob Dylan concert and couldn't tell what he had sung until they saw the playlist in the newspaper the next day.  "Oh, look, I didn't know he played *that*!" 

[dcalley]

I saw Bob Dylan in 1999 at an outdoor venue and it was hard to understand him and a bit disappointing in some ways, but I was still thrilled.

[Grommet]

I remember the morning show when the guy's shoes caught fire. Merrill Markoe mentioned it in a recent article and reminded me of the context.

I'm going to watch the final show as it airs, one of the few times I'll be willing to sit through commercials. I'm still not ready, though.

[jjj]

The Wahoo Gazette for last night says that most of the staff have not been looking for jobs yet -- and the Gazette ends when the show does, although the author Michael said a few days ago that he will be starting a blog.  http://www.cbs.com/shows/late_show/wahoo_gazette/  Hard as it is for us, they will be in a real limbo after the last show.  One of the articles today (New York Times?) said they have to have their offices cleared out by Friday. 

[LJonEarth]

The Wahoo Gazette for last night says that most of the staff have not been looking for jobs yet -- and the Gazette ends when the show does, although the author Michael said a few days ago that he will be starting a blog.  http://www.cbs.com/shows/late_show/wahoo_gazette/  Hard as it is for us, they will be in a real limbo after the last show.  One of the articles today (New York Times?) said they have to have their offices cleared out by Friday. 

Thanks! I had no idea that the Wahoo Gazette still existed. The not looking thing combined with Dave's thing, about having things in the works he can't talk about, makes me hope/think he may be taking some people with him.

[kib]

I saw Bob Dylan in 1999 at an outdoor venue and it was hard to understand him and a bit disappointing in some ways, but I was still thrilled.

Dennis Miller had the best take on this. He said it was odd that Jim Nabors talked like he was all goofed up but sang just fine and Dylan was the complete opposite.

[opus]

Share a personal Dave story. Here's mine. Back in college, I had a roommate who did NOT like Dave, but I would watch every night. By the end of the semester, he was hooked. Still makes me smile. This was back in the NBC days.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Eddie Vedder killed it. You can tell Letterman really thinks a lot of the guy.

[SingerIslander]

Share a personal Dave story. Here's mine. Back in college, I had a roommate who did NOT like Dave, but I would watch every night. By the end of the semester, he was hooked. Still makes me smile. This was back in the NBC days.

 

Mine is similar.  I started watching Late Night on NBC occasionally during the (high) school year and consistently during vacations (especially summer vacation), and my brother (3 years older) was also up and would pop in to see why I was laughing so much.  To this day, he still brings up Dave in the Suit of Suet, and Alba Ballard and her talking parrots, along with Kreskin, and K-Mar, the Discount Magician, whenever I mention those days.  It's a bonding thing with us.  We'll always have Dave.