heard on the radio that David Letterman told his studio audience at the taping for tonights show that hell be wrapping things up and retiring in a year or so, sometime in 2015. No firm date, but its official. Dave has never been everyones cuppa. But he was mine for many years. Rolling Stone did a piece on the current crop of hot comedians a few years back (maybe 2007 or 8 with Tina Fey, Louis CK etc etc) and nearly all of them said that Dave was The Godfather and helped bring comedy -especially comedy on late night tv- into the era its now, beginning with his goundbreaking Late Night show in 1982. With his original Late Show David Letterman tossed out our parents comedy -and a bunch of any kind of tv rulebook - and brought in the crazy, funny anything goes stuff ...that everyone does now. He kept things strong fresh and original for most of his run but seems to have walked it back some over the past few years. Ive watched Dave seem to slowly go on auto-pilot, but -for me- Dave on auto is better than many on a good/best night. The segment Dave still does every night after the monologue, were he just sits and the desk and riffs on some topic or other, or has an unannounced guest or a planted actor playing somebody so they can improv a sketch...all shows you his comedy mind is sharp as ever, as is his act...which has always bordered on Carson-level genius - with the timing, working the camera etc (to me, imho) ... A totally unique, off the wall style that David Letterman invented, perfected and has been doing for so long now that his imitators have imitators :) ---------- Dave is 67 and knows its time to go, just as his good friend Johnny Carson knew when it was his own time to leave (and leave em wanting more) -around 1991. With Jay Leno gone, Daves now the old man on the block (by far) and will leave gracefully, before hes asked to. When Jay was pushed out for the second time a couple months ago, I was already thinking how long till Letterman leaves? I figured he wanted to stay on the air longer than friendly rival Jay -just for the hell of it...then leave on his own terms, not because CBS had a young hot shot waiting in the wings to take over. And no slam on Jay, a hardworking standup comic who did a solid late night talk show that was what a lot of mainstream America wanted to fall asleep to for years. Dave is who us Letterman fans wanted :). ------- When Dave leaves hell have beat Johnny Carsons on-air record by a few years (33 or so years doing late night or vs. Johnnys 30)....though hell be the first to tell you that Johnny was the king and everyone else -ever- in late night is a pretender, himself included. Also, the first 10 years of Daves late night career werent in the prime 11:30pm spot. He began when when Johnny hired him to follow the Tonight Show with Late Night at 12:30am - and Dave was Johnnys personal choice to succeed him as host of the Tonight Show. But Jay had a better manager ...and - long story short - Jay got the gig. And Dave got his own show 11:30 show on CBS. So Dave didnt *truly* beat Johnnys record as the longest running host in late night (at 11:30) - but he and his writers did invent the modern era of late night tv comedy - just as Johnny Carson set the gold standard for talk show hosts. ---------- When Johnny announced his retirement a year out (in 1991) Id drifted away from watching him regularly, but started again once I knew the clock was counting down to the final show. And in that last year of shows - the ones i saw- there were some good ones. Im hoping Dave steps up his game a bit for his final year, as well- though Ill still watch even if he doesnt. Now its up to Jimmy and the rest of the young(er) guys. Also my second favorite host after Dave (actually maybe my favorite these years): Craig Ferguson ----------- This is all Imho and your mileage may vary stuff. This isnt a bash Dave thread/ opportunity. Its a first goodbye. Once again- David Letterman was never for everyone, but was a fave of mine for many years. I still have his infamous Madonna interview on vhs somewhere :) im sure its on youtube- and a tiny bit is in the clip shared here. This clip is mainly interview stuff, and mostly somewhat recent. Dave and his staff did much more than interviews during his many early years- whacky sketches and really: all those insane/absurd stunts and crazy stuff he did with people (and things and animals:) ...on the street, in restaurants...even showing up on peoples doorsteps..at their homes. I miss this in his current show- maybe some of it will come back, though all that stuff running around town, going on tops of buildings/whatever stuff was done by a younger David Letterman, not the nearly 70 year old guy whos retiring in a year. Well see. Ill be watching (a bit more) now no matter what.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Apr 2014 02:50:25 +0000
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