Without much fanfare, because that’s the kind of guy David Letterman is, it was announced Monday that the Late Show host will stay on CBS until 2010, which will mark his 28th year in late-night. (Considering how messy and publicly embarrassing late-night renegotiations have often been, this one was handled with surprisingly litlle drama or indiscretion.) No surprise, we love David Letterman — he’s always maintained an incredible balance of gravity, levity, and plain ‘ole witty irony unmatched by any of his peers.
As a tribute (and on the advice of EW Senior Writer Karen Valby), here are three moments, in no particular order, that demonstrate why this guy deserves four more years!
Michael Richards. Incredibly awkward, but riveting television.
Crispin Glover. On acid? Just being Crispin Glover? Who cares, it’s hilarious.
Bill O’Reilly. Dave can do a hard-hitting interview and still be so charming that his squirming subject comes back for more.
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I miss monkey-cam.
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Gilbert, what about Madonna? It’s been said for a long time that the best “bad” best moment on Letterman was that horrendous interview with Madonna 10 years ago where she smoked the cigar. It’s a baaaad train wreck that one can’t seem to stop looking at.
This is definitely something.
I was a huge fan of Dave since Late Night came on in the 80s.He deserved better ratings than that twit, Leno. Dave’s show has gotten predictable in the last few years. I have beem watching the Colbert Report instead. Someone needs to rerun the Late Night shows like Trio did.
As far as great moments, how about Drew Barrymore flashing Dave on his birthday.
He’s 63, has money oozing out of his pores, is an aloof taskmaster (from numerous accounts of former employees and guests), has kids to raise, and strikes me as flat-out bored on-camera. Yet he re-signs.
More evidence that being a talk show host is pathological … or he just hates his own family.
I can think of a significant percentage of the population who prefer ‘the same’ [translation = predictable]
Cheers
Gilbert Cruz? That is thee most LATIN-Oh name I’ve read on the EW Popwatchers – FINALLY!
Anyway, is David Letterman going to be around till 2010? Isn’t he pushing 80?
Meh. I’m not a fan of Letterman. He can be funny sometimes, but in general, I don’t like his demeanor.
It’s hard to get into his show anymore, the “Grumpy Old Man” schtick is wearing thin. He should follow his hero-Johnny Carson, and bow out gracefully while he’s still somewhat entertaining.
Letterman is one of the all-time greats of television and he’ll be long remembered for his cutting-edge comedy. Everyone else is influenced by him now.
For me, his greatest moment came 20-something years ago when General Electric bought RCA, NBC’s parent company. Letterman, whose “Late Night” followed Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show” on the Peacock Network, came up with the brilliant idea of taking a fruit basket (and a camera crew) to the G.E. Building unannounced. The cold treatment he received from G.E. security was priceless!
I’m done with Dave. I used to think he was funny, but how many times can you watch “Will It Float?” before you don’t care anymore? Honestly, Dave kinda upset me with the O’Reilly interview. Just ’cause you disagree with a guy doesn’t mean you have to attack him — it’s a frickin’ talk show, not some political roundtable.
Give me the Colbert Report and Jimmy Kimmel anyday. Speaking of which, the latter’s show has gotten quite funny over the past few months. More people should give Kimmel a shot.
I like Letterman better than Leno (which, I know isn’t saying much), but to me Conan is now BY FAR the best late night talk show host.
Also, how can you put three signature Letterman moments and not include Farrah Fawcett famously spacing out during an interview…or at least Drew Barrymore getting on top of his desk and flashing her boobs at him!
Letterman is my absolute favorite late night host. Don’t get me wrong, I love Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Conan O’Brien, too — but Letterman is just classic. And influencial. I know he had a lot of influence on Jon and Conan. I’ll never understand how generic-brand Leno pulls in better ratings than original Letterman. Of course, I’m probably biased, because I’ve been a fan since I was 10 (I’m 22 now).
Oh, and Monkey-Cam was awesome. I was psyched when Richard Simmons showed up on Letterman last week, because it reminded me of all those old bits where Letterman would chase Simmons off stage with a fire extinguisher.
As for other great moments, how about the times he worked the drive-thru’s at Taco Bell and Burger King? That was priceless!
I loooooooove Crispin Glover. He really should come back into all of our lives.
Two points
1. Dave looks jaded and bored with the whole talk show thing .
2. His side kick /band leader Paul Schaeffer who’s idea of wit is just to parrot the last sentence that Dave say’s it’s very very very annoying . why doesn’t Dave get someone who will riff with him and be funny
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