Late Show With David Letterman - General Discussion

[Morbs]

I'd love to see Richard Simmons but last I heard he has become a recluse due to depression and not being able to run his classes like he used to.

[SingerIslander]

I'm lucky. Instead of me going to New York to visit Letterman. Letterman came to me.

 

Well, sort of.

 

My first years of high school coincided with Letterman's first years at CBS.

 

And during those first few years, Letterman would take his show out to L.A. and tape at CBS Television City (where James Corden, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars and The Price is Right currently tape.)

 

 

That's great!  Those shows were gems, too, as I recall.

 

I figure I have a better chance of marrying Prince Harry than I do of winning a ticket for one of the remaining Letterman shows, but I had to try.  I'm a NYC resident and there's no excuse for me not trying before now to see the show live.  I guess I always thought there'd be time to watch Dave live.  That's my fault.

 

Someone mentioned Regis further up thread.  I'd like to see him on the show one last time, too.  He doesn't have to have three segments, but I'd like to see him on the show somehow as well.   

[Balboa]

Found it odd that Dave acted like they were out of time with the Rickles interview and then let the credits roll for two minutes. Would have loved to hear more of Rickles.

Did Howard Stern unintentionally let the cat out of the bag that Jay Leno is going to be Dave's final guest?

[jjj]

Really?  Still three hours to go on this coast...

[alynch]

I'm pretty sure Howard was just inquiring based on reports that have been out there for months about Leno having an invitation to appear. If anything, Dave's response seemed to point to it not happening. Dave also stated that Jay invited him to appear in his final week, which he declined. Maybe I just wasn't paying attention, but I never heard that before.

[kib]

Did Howard Stern unintentionally let the cat out of the bag that Jay Leno is going to be Dave's final guest?

Funny, I read it as Leno wouldn't be making an appearance after Dave said he declined an offer to do the "Tonight Show" at the end of Leno's run out of respect that it might take away the spotlight on their wrapping things up.

Who knows?  Leno's sense of respect, in my humble opinion, is suspect at best so he may well crash the party.  To Howard's credit, his feelings about it were unambiguous.

[nowandlater]

My prediction for the final week:

 

--Tom Brokaw will make a brief unannounced cameo. (So Dave could ask how he's doing after his cancer treatment.) He'll do what he did for Letterman's first CBS show, and act as a representative for NBC.

 

--Jay Leno will appear for a brief/extended cameo. What I mean is it won't be close to being a normal interview because that would be way too awkward, and Leno will totally be in his jokey mode for deep conversation. But it'll be slightly longer than when Johnny Carson would visit Letterman's CBS show. It'll happen either Monday or Tuesday. Because it shouldn't distract from the final show.

 

Dave's producers like to announce big guests at the last minute (like Obama was announced a few days before), so they're not going to spoil the surprise for Howard Stern.

 

--Regis will appear, probably as a Rickles-like 2nd guest.

[opus]

Found it odd that Dave acted like they were out of time with the Rickles interview and then let the credits roll for two minutes. Would have loved to hear more of Rickles.

 

Dump the racing and shakes, edit down the Rickles ovation after he had come out and was seated, pull the credits like you said, and he could have had a lot more time.

[dcalley]

Did Howard Stern unintentionally let the cat out of the bag that Jay Leno is going to be Dave's final guest?

Since he was brought out the RS with Dave on the cover, I believe he was asking about this: "Rolling Stone learned, while reporting on the cover story, that Letterman's staff has been trying to secure Leno as a possible surprise guest for an upcoming show. As of press time, he had yet to accept the offer."

 

I, too, was surprised at the (shared) interview cut short and extended credits, though it's nice to see so much of the band.

[alynch]

Not a Sandler fan at all, but that song was both sweet and funny. It contrasted nicely with the full-blown production numbers we'd seen from Crystal, Short, and Lane.

[jjj]

That was exactly the right song to say goodbye to Dave -- sweet and heartfelt, but wicked funny.  Rhyming "Letterman" with "wetter than" -- you can't find that in a rhyming dictionary.  Glad that one did not get bleeped.  Hope Adam's mother has a good sense of humor...

[nowandlater]

 

Edited May 13, 2015 by nowandlater

[Fisher King]

I almost skipped the Adam Sandler bit but glad I didn't. Hard to believe it's been 24 years since Sandler's first appearance on Dave.

[biakbiak]

I totally thought that Bill was going to say that by the time Charlotte was old enough to understand that he was President her grandmother would be President! But his answer was sweet.

[Grommet]

Loved Sandler's song, really sweet (except for the wet line!).

[opus]

Go YouTube an early interview with Valerie Bertinelli for a good example of the type of interview Julia Roberts was referring to about Dave making a young actress feel very uncomfortable.

[stonehaven]

God, did I love Paul Shaffer's segment..If it's just Dave and Paul on the last show trading stories bullsh-- free on the last show, that would be epic...with a long, musical number that can linger in the heart long after it's over....

..and I just looked at my local listings....CBS is not wasting time..no reruns to end the week...On May 20th it is over for good...the schedule switches to CBS crime reruns(which I knew but figured they would at least wrap the week up)

Anyone know how long Dave's show will be available on CBS All Access after he's done?

[kib]

Very happy Al Chez was included in the "On Broadway" video, sad Bruce Kapler wasn't. (that must have been some epic breakup)

Also pleased Sanborn was included since he was akin to being the 'fifth Beatle' for the band for many years.

Edited May 14, 2015 by kib

[Milburn Stone]

The Stern/Rickles show made me laugh out loud--guffaw out loud is more like it--more than any episode of a talk show in forty years. Neighbors walking by the house probably considered calling the cops.

[stonehaven]

One random piece of why I love Paul and the band..is that they would take songs and change the lyrics to match whatever preplaanned bit...

To this day, whenever I hear "Single Ladies"..I sing it as "Mike Singletary"..and right now, 4 Non Blondes is playing and all I want to sing is "What the Hell is it?"...

I tried You Tubing that and couldn't find it...sigh...

 

also...JohnnyCarson.com has been paying homage to Letterman:

http://www.aol.com/article/2015/05/12/this-day-in-history-johnny-carson-made-his-last-tv-appearance/21182425/

 

This Day is history..Johnny made history..

Edited May 14, 2015 by stonehaven

[opus]

 I was thinking James Corden should do some type of segueway tribute hour to Dave on the 20th , but couldn't up with any decent ideas or guests to have on in LA that night. Any suggestions? (I stuck this here because the James Corden board is pretty dead).

[SingerIslander]

It's official.  Bill Murray will be Dave's last guest on the second to last show.

 

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/05/14/bill-murray-david-letterman-final-guest

 

The last show will be Dave and the band, surprises and memories.

 

In addition, there's a new name who will also show up next week--Eddie Vedder.  We already knew Tom Hanks will be in one of the last three shows.  I guess he's Monday's guest.

 

Can I just say that I will miss anxiously waiting to find out who's on Dave for the following week almost (but not quite) as much as I'll miss the actual show?  Damn. 

Edited May 14, 2015 by SingerIslander

[kib]

 I was thinking James Corden should do some type of segueway tribute hour to Dave on the 20th , but couldn't up with any decent ideas or guests to have on in LA that night. Any suggestions? (I stuck this here because the James Corden board is pretty dead).

I don't know GaryE.  Seems kind of pointless considering Corden has shown no institutional memory to speak of, I think he was only a guest once or twice on Letterman's program and didn't his people make a stink when Dave cracked wise about Corden's build?  We'll always have the charming transition Ferguson did after the Darlene Love Christmas show.

 

Props to Kimmel and his decision to run a repeat so he can stay home and watch the last program.  Fallon's doing exactly what I expected considering he put up a 'knockoff' version of the Ed Sullivan Theater marquee some weeks ago before the body was even cold. Not unlike Leno, he's being a good company man.  I might have thought Conan would have made some gesture beyond the outstanding written piece he did a few days back, but he's got his own troubles so no foul as far as I'm concerned.

[jjj]

I don't know GaryE.  Seems kind of pointless considering Corden has shown no institutional memory to speak of

That was my feeling, also -- he did not grow up with Dave as part of the culture, and I've never sensed any connection.  Plus, the shows are so different, unlike the cord that connected the Letterman and Ferguson shows.  And Cordon seems to tape shows in advance (I've only seen part of one show, but read that), so it would be a pretty hollow salute.

[opus]

As a pipe dream, I came up with having Jimmy K on that night (I'm trying to disregard network politics).

[alynch]

It's official.  Bill Murray will be Dave's last guest on the second to last show.

 

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/05/14/bill-murray-david-letterman-final-guest

 

I think EW might be making a false inference there. Here's what the CBS press release says about the final show:

 

 

These shows all lead up to Letterman’s final LATE SHOW broadcast, Wednesday, May 20, which will be an hour filled with surprises, memorable highlights, the show’s final Top Ten List and more.

 

 

It doesn't explicitly say that there'll no guests for the final show.

[SingerIslander]

I'll go out on a limb and say that Bill Murray will be the last guest to sit down and do an interview with Dave for at least two segments.  I think that's what EW.com meant.  The fact that there are surprises could be where Regis or Brokaw or the NYC mayor show up, and they talk for a bit.  But I think that Bill Murray is meant to have a place of honor and that anyone who might show up on Wed. will not be given the interviewer/interviewee treatment.  If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but that's my guess.  

[thispersonstinks]

I'll go out on a limb and say that Bill Murray will be the last guest to sit down and do an interview with Dave for at least two segments.  I think that's what EW.com meant.  The fact that there are surprises could be where Regis or Brokaw or the NYC mayor show up, and they talk for a bit.  But I think that Bill Murray is meant to have a place of honor and that anyone who might show up on Wed. will not be given the interviewer/interviewee treatment.  If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but that's my guess.  

I was about to say Bill gets the last sit down and agree it might be a parade of stars or staff on the last show. 

 

The last few weeks have been spectacular with Fey's stripping, Romano's emotional talk, Sandler's song, and sadly, we have 5 more of these.

 

The only thing that worries me is Regis becomes the new Bruno Kirby.

[nowandlater]

I'll go out on a limb and say that Bill Murray will be the last guest to sit down and do an interview with Dave for at least two segments.  I think that's what EW.com meant.  The fact that there are surprises could be where Regis or Brokaw or the NYC mayor show up, and they talk for a bit.  But I think that Bill Murray is meant to have a place of honor and that anyone who might show up on Wed. will not be given the interviewer/interviewee treatment.  If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but that's my guess.  

 

Yeah, and it just makes so much sense to have Murray as the first and first and last guest.

[nowandlater]

Corden taped his first few shows in advance (just one day in advance), but mostly tapes on the same day.

 

Except for this week. I saw a photo of Corden busking on the streets of New York City with Sting on Wednesday, yet he has all new shows all 5 days this week. (He usually does 4 shows a week.)

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3081903/James-Corden-joins-Sting-busking-session-middle-New-York-film-sketch-Late-Late-Show.html

 

As a pipe dream, I came up with having Jimmy K on that night (I'm trying to disregard network politics).

 

 

Incidentally, Kimmel will be in L.A. the evening of the finale...

 

[opus]

 

 

 

Incidentally, Kimmel will be in L.A. the evening of the finale...

 

If I wasn't clear, I was putting JK on my fictional James Corden tribute follow up. Since it won't happen, let's toss Conan on there too.

[SanDiegoInExile]

I suppose I am a little surprised that the last show would be only Dave, Paul, and the band. As much as I love Dave and his desk-chats, it seems out of character for him to go on and on and on for 6-7 segments.  A parade of guests sounds annoying. They've all been parading through the past few weeks. We already had a clip show and they have dragged out some faves over the past month.  Aside from the surprisingly invisible Regis, there really isn't any other person of note who hasn't been on the show.

 

I suppose Regis could host a This Is Your Life type of bit for part of the finale.  Maybe that would kill a couple segments.  And an epic final Top Ten. Perhaps a segment for Will It Float or Is This Anything or (be still my heart) CBS Mailbag.  That knocks Dave down to having maybe 3-4 segments where he just talks.  Carson talked a lot during his finale, so maybe Dave has enough he wants to say to fill 30+ minutes.

 

I am also surprised that CBS isn't doing the quick rerun thing and reairing a recent show on Thursday and the finale on Friday.

[Fisher King]

Free the glutens!

[opus]

At the desk, Tom Waits is Brian Regan 11 years from now.

[stonehaven]

I don't care what Dave does on his final night...These last few weeks have been amazing..I laughed throughout this entire episode...from start to finish...and I loved Tom's song at the end..his singing is not my style but it reminds me of a great songwriter who passed away back in 2008..John Stewart...I can hear abit of John in Tom....

..and I would love to be handcuffed to George Clooney...

and how could I forget, Al Pacino..So damn much greatness in one big episode...

"The warden through a party at the county jail"...indeed...

[jjj]

Dave talked about the final show, and the plans for the final show, on NPR today, and it fits what we have been reading in his interviews.  He won't talk the whole time, but the production staff has been preparing segments, and he has his own elements he wants to introduce.  He said the final thing on the show (I am guessing it could change) will be a few images, and then him saying "thank you".  One of those images is sure to be him and Johnny Carson.  Him and his staff.  Him and his Mom or other family.  But he said he is content to leave the planning to staff, although he sounded like he knows what will be happening, and thinks it is appropriate for a finale. 

[alynch]

I suppose I am a little surprised that the last show would be only Dave, Paul, and the band. As much as I love Dave and his desk-chats, it seems out of character for him to go on and on and on for 6-7 segments.  A parade of guests sounds annoying. They've all been parading through the past few weeks. We already had a clip show and they have dragged out some faves over the past month.  Aside from the surprisingly invisible Regis, there really isn't any other person of note who hasn't been on the show.

 

I suppose Regis could host a This Is Your Life type of bit for part of the finale.  Maybe that would kill a couple segments.  And an epic final Top Ten. Perhaps a segment for Will It Float or Is This Anything or (be still my heart) CBS Mailbag.  That knocks Dave down to having maybe 3-4 segments where he just talks.  Carson talked a lot during his finale, so maybe Dave has enough he wants to say to fill 30+ minutes.

 

I am also surprised that CBS isn't doing the quick rerun thing and reairing a recent show on Thursday and the finale on Friday.

 

They haven't done a final Stupid Pet/Human Tricks installment, and I know for a fact that the show has been holding auditions for a final installment over the past several months. It's also (arguably) Dave's most iconic bit, so I'm guessing it'll occur in the finale.

 

Man, tonight was such a great show. Pacino being spacey during the Top Ten. Clooney & Dave just riffing. Waits spending his entire interview dropping hackey grade-school puns. And then closing it out with an emotional song. It's everything you could want.

[jjj]

It is not just Dave I will be missing -- I'm going to miss you all, too!  

[Fisher King]

I'm going to handcuff myself to this Letterman thread and throw away the key.

[jjj]

I have the feeling I might understand that in about two hours on the West Coast? 

[Medicine Crow]

I was a bit disappointed with George Clooney tonight -- a bit lame -- just sayin'.  The rest, Al Pacino -- What??

[stonehaven]

With the passing of BB King, I posted this to my FB wall this morning..Boy, the Late Show has given a ton of great musical moments...

 

..and for you West Coasters around 8:15am, Paul Shaffer is on CBS' Morning show..they show a great montage of Paul over the years..and CBS This Morning added this to You Tube moments ago..It doesn't include the cool montage before that though:

Edited May 15, 2015 by stonehaven

[Fisher King]

I was a bit disappointed with George Clooney tonight -- a bit lame -- just sayin'.  The rest, Al Pacino -- What??

 

Yes, live Al Pacino has always made for awkwardness to me.

 

I think Dave was really uncomfortable about the handcuffs but trudged through it because...well, it's George Clooney.

 

Tom Waits was the best part of the show for me.

[alynch]

The general awkwardness of the Pacino appearance and the handcuff gag were what made it so great. I laughed every time either of them raised or moved their hand, because it was clear neither of them were trying to be funny when they did it. They were just temporarily forgetting and being reminded. The best part was when he intro'd Waits' song and they both tried to clap at the same time.

 

Also, Bob Dylan's been added to Tuesday's show.

Edited May 15, 2015 by alynch

[Fisher King]

I was silently hoping Dylan would make an appearance. Thanks, alynch!

 

(I was also hoping for weeks that Cher would come back and remind Dave that he's still an asshole. Glad I didn't miss that last week, too!)

[jjj]

The best part of the handcuff gag was when Clooney was seated on the stool behind Tom Waits.  I watched Clooney exclusively, and his small and larger reactions were hilarious.  For a while, he sat like a Rodin statue, looking off in the distance.  But when Tom Waits was talking about being approached to do deodorant commercials, he said, "but you know, they want to study you and spend weeks with you to learn all about you," and Clooney started a tiny wise-looking head nodding, to say, "oh yeah, I've been there."  Then he reverted to being a statue, but did start to react more.  Much as I have loved the Late Show, it would have added so much over the years to have had George Clooney sitting behind Dave all the time, reacting with facial expressions. 

 

Do they tape twice on Thursdays?  Best opening ever would be Dave coming out with George still cuffed to him tonight. 

 

Wow, Bob Dylan???!!!  What an event! 

Edited May 15, 2015 by jjj

[alynch]

Do they tape twice on Thursdays?  Best opening ever would be Dave coming out with George still cuffed to him tonight.

 

Yeah, they tape the Friday show on Thursday, and I do suspect that they're going to continue the handcuff gag tonight. Three reasons why:

 

• He remained cuffed the for entire show.
• They never showed a clip from his movie.
• 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.

[jjj]

Yeah, they tape the Friday show on Thursday, and I do suspect that they're going to continue the handcuff gag tonight. Three reasons why:

Just when I think this can't get any better!  It does!  (maybe!) 

[dcalley]

It's been several days, but there was a paper bag on Dave's desk that never amounted to anything. I think it was on the Clinton episode. I believe it had writing on it that I was unable to make out. Did I imagine it?

 

I watched Adam Sandler, despite my disgust with his most recent movie.

 

I hate that CBS is jumping straight into reruns of prime-time shows instead of running some interesting Late Show reruns from the '90s or '00s. I hate that I never got to attend a taping. I can't believe there are so few shows left and that this is really ending.

[partofme]

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.