David Letterman is getting ready to leave the air, but he still keeps doing it better than pretty much anyone else. Last night Tina Fey was his guest and proceeded to remover her dress and give it to him. It was a bit, but it was a really good bit.
It's hard to relay how important David Letterman was. When he started his Late Show on NBC (after someone thought him hosting a daytime TV show was a good idea. It bombed, but did win two Emmy's), Carson was still king, but 'safe.' Carson was brilliant, and beloved by the parents and grandparents who watched him religiously. Letterman was for the college and high school kids. His instant popularity with younger viewers brought so many people to late night viewing. Today, it's hard to think about television mostly being just late news, movies and sign offs.
He was so good, leading a polished show which looked like it was done by the seat of their pants with a bone dry budget. They had very intelligent writers who looked at comedy and the talk show format in a very different light. Chris Elliot, man on the street interviews, throwing stuff off of buildings and just plain goofy stuff were common highlights. Plus the music he would book was unheard of by most of America.
I remember my friends setting their VCR's to tape him, getting up the next morning and watching, talking about all the bits and jokes. It was a generational thing, as my parents hated him back then. They could not figure out why anyone watched him. I know they wouldn't remember their dislike of him from back then, as he has become the old guard of late night today.
This is why many people, including myself, feel as if Letterman was betrayed by NBC, when they handed the Tonight Show to Jay Leno. I understand they wanted a 'safe' host that would keep the moms and grandmas watching, but they brutally stabbed him in the back and lost their cool edge. I mentioned in a past Friday link the Conan situation, yet another betrayal by Leno. When it came to Fallon, there was no way they were going to let Jay come back a third time. Fallon is quite good, but he is 'safe' too. His real talent is taking relatively safe activities and making them seem edgy.
Going back to those first years, it's hard to remember what it was that first got us all talking about Letterman, but you couldn't miss the buzz the day after he debuted the velcro suit. Here is that classic bit, still as funny as ever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9uxxqKGmYg
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