he is the American television host comedian and producer with the trademark
comedian and producer with the trademark
comedian and producer with the trademark gap-toothed grin welcome to
gap-toothed grin welcome to
gap-toothed grin welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be taking
watchmojo.com and today we’ll be taking
watchmojo.com and today we’ll be taking a look at the career of David Letterman
a look at the career of David Letterman
a look at the career of David Letterman and I thought about this all day and in
and I thought about this all day and in
and I thought about this all day and in his honor in honor of Alexander Graham
his honor in honor of Alexander Graham
his honor in honor of Alexander Graham Bell tonight I’ll be phoning it in born
Bell tonight I’ll be phoning it in born
Bell tonight I’ll be phoning it in born on April 12 1947 in Indianapolis Indiana
on April 12 1947 in Indianapolis Indiana
on April 12 1947 in Indianapolis Indiana Letterman emerged to prominence from a
Letterman emerged to prominence from a
Letterman emerged to prominence from a fairly ordinary childhood independent
fairly ordinary childhood independent
fairly ordinary childhood independent and often the class clown in his youth
and often the class clown in his youth
and often the class clown in his youth he went on to graduate from Ball State
he went on to graduate from Ball State
he went on to graduate from Ball State University he then became a weatherman
University he then became a weatherman
University he then became a weatherman TV announcer and radio host for the
TV announcer and radio host for the
TV announcer and radio host for the first half of the 1970s when a tropical
first half of the 1970s when a tropical
first half of the 1970s when a tropical storm became a hurricane I would wish
storm became a hurricane I would wish
storm became a hurricane I would wish her well and they they didn’t like that
her well and they they didn’t like that
her well and they they didn’t like that sort of thing because later would go on
sort of thing because later would go on
sort of thing because later would go on to destroy millions and millions of
to destroy millions and millions of
to destroy millions and millions of dollars of property following this he
dollars of property following this he
dollars of property following this he worked as a struggling stand-up comic at
worked as a struggling stand-up comic at
worked as a struggling stand-up comic at The Comedy Store and started writing for
The Comedy Store and started writing for
The Comedy Store and started writing for television shows such as good times he
television shows such as good times he
television shows such as good times he became a minor celebrity in the latter
became a minor celebrity in the latter
became a minor celebrity in the latter part of the decade after appearing on
part of the decade after appearing on
part of the decade after appearing on various television programs and game
various television programs and game
various television programs and game shows this exposure prompted his many
shows this exposure prompted his many
shows this exposure prompted his many appearances on The Tonight Show with
appearances on The Tonight Show with
appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and even led to his role
Johnny Carson and even led to his role
Johnny Carson and even led to his role as substitute host during this time NBC
as substitute host during this time NBC
as substitute host during this time NBC saw great potential in the young
saw great potential in the young
saw great potential in the young comedian and in 1980 he was given his
comedian and in 1980 he was given his
comedian and in 1980 he was given his own daytime talk show called the David
own daytime talk show called the David
own daytime talk show called the David Letterman Show unfortunately it was a
Letterman Show unfortunately it was a
Letterman Show unfortunately it was a ratings disaster due to its timeslot and
ratings disaster due to its timeslot and
ratings disaster due to its timeslot and it lasted only a few months yet as luck
it lasted only a few months yet as luck
it lasted only a few months yet as luck would have it the host of the tomorrow
would have it the host of the tomorrow
would have it the host of the tomorrow show Tom Schneider was simultaneously
show Tom Schneider was simultaneously
show Tom Schneider was simultaneously forced off the air as a result Letterman
forced off the air as a result Letterman
forced off the air as a result Letterman quickly became the star of Late Night
quickly became the star of Late Night
quickly became the star of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC Letterman
with David Letterman on NBC Letterman
with David Letterman on NBC Letterman brought to television an extremely
brought to television an extremely
brought to television an extremely unconventional take on the late-night
unconventional take on the late-night
unconventional take on the late-night talk show format
talk show format
talk show format he used his program to focus on politics
he used his program to focus on politics
he used his program to focus on politics random calls to strangers and making his
random calls to strangers and making his
random calls to strangers and making his guests feel uncomfortable due to this
guests feel uncomfortable due to this
guests feel uncomfortable due to this shake-up he became a household name and
shake-up he became a household name and
shake-up he became a household name and an instant draw for audiences
my first guest tonight is one of the
my first guest tonight is one of the greatest actors living today and this is
greatest actors living today and this is
greatest actors living today and this is probably the first time he’s ever
probably the first time he’s ever
probably the first time he’s ever followed a giant fan in 1992 many
followed a giant fan in 1992 many
followed a giant fan in 1992 many thought Letterman would be a shoo-in to
thought Letterman would be a shoo-in to
thought Letterman would be a shoo-in to replace Johnny Carson after his
replace Johnny Carson after his
replace Johnny Carson after his retirement
retirement
retirement despite this NBC leaned towards Jay Leno
despite this NBC leaned towards Jay Leno
despite this NBC leaned towards Jay Leno as a substitute for Carson following a
as a substitute for Carson following a
as a substitute for Carson following a very public and vicious spat Leno
very public and vicious spat Leno
very public and vicious spat Leno claimed the highly sought-after position
claimed the highly sought-after position
claimed the highly sought-after position within a year
within a year
within a year Letterman left NBC to work for CBS as
Letterman left NBC to work for CBS as
Letterman left NBC to work for CBS as the star of The Late Show with David
the star of The Late Show with David
the star of The Late Show with David Letterman in a timeslot
Letterman in a timeslot
Letterman in a timeslot that directly competed with Leno Show it
that directly competed with Leno Show it
that directly competed with Leno Show it was actually a mr. Leno who first spoke
was actually a mr. Leno who first spoke
was actually a mr. Leno who first spoke the heresy out loud you know what this
the heresy out loud you know what this
the heresy out loud you know what this shocking move prompted another round of
shocking move prompted another round of
shocking move prompted another round of battles this time NBC claimed
battles this time NBC claimed
battles this time NBC claimed Letterman’s staples show elements belong
Letterman’s staples show elements belong
Letterman’s staples show elements belong to them as intellectual property this
to them as intellectual property this
to them as intellectual property this included his top 10 list and even his
included his top 10 list and even his
included his top 10 list and even his habit of throwing a pencil at the camera
habit of throwing a pencil at the camera
habit of throwing a pencil at the camera Letterman eventually won this battle and
Letterman eventually won this battle and
Letterman eventually won this battle and dominated The Tonight Show in the
dominated The Tonight Show in the
dominated The Tonight Show in the ratings for two years however after Hugh
ratings for two years however after Hugh
ratings for two years however after Hugh Grant made a guest appearance on Leno
Grant made a guest appearance on Leno
Grant made a guest appearance on Leno Show to discuss his arrest and
Show to discuss his arrest and
Show to discuss his arrest and involvement with a prostitute the NBC
involvement with a prostitute the NBC
involvement with a prostitute the NBC show consistently beat Letterman in the
show consistently beat Letterman in the
show consistently beat Letterman in the ratings in the mid-1990s Letterman
ratings in the mid-1990s Letterman
ratings in the mid-1990s Letterman hinted at his retirement but an
hinted at his retirement but an
hinted at his retirement but an impressive 14 million dollar per year
impressive 14 million dollar per year
impressive 14 million dollar per year deal kept him with CBS his high profile
deal kept him with CBS his high profile
deal kept him with CBS his high profile was maintained during this time by Drew
was maintained during this time by Drew
was maintained during this time by Drew Barrymore’s infamous table dance his
Barrymore’s infamous table dance his
Barrymore’s infamous table dance his cameos in the film’s cabin boy and man
cameos in the film’s cabin boy and man
cameos in the film’s cabin boy and man on the moon and his hosting of the 67th
on the moon and his hosting of the 67th
on the moon and his hosting of the 67th annual Academy Awards one of the
annual Academy Awards one of the
annual Academy Awards one of the pictures nominated night for a Best
pictures nominated night for a Best
pictures nominated night for a Best Foreign Film
Foreign Film
Foreign Film as you know eat drink man woman
coincidentally as I understand it this
coincidentally as I understand it this is also how Arnold Schwarzenegger asked
is also how Arnold Schwarzenegger asked
is also how Arnold Schwarzenegger asked Maria Shriver out on their first date
not just a talk show host
not just a talk show host Letterman became an active head for his
Letterman became an active head for his
Letterman became an active head for his production company worldwide pants and
production company worldwide pants and
production company worldwide pants and has served as the executive producer on
has served as the executive producer on
has served as the executive producer on shows such as Everybody Loves Raymond
shows such as Everybody Loves Raymond
shows such as Everybody Loves Raymond however in January 2000 tragedy struck
however in January 2000 tragedy struck
however in January 2000 tragedy struck when the host was diagnosed with a
when the host was diagnosed with a
when the host was diagnosed with a coronary arteriogram was forced to
coronary arteriogram was forced to
coronary arteriogram was forced to undergo quintuple bypass surgery his
undergo quintuple bypass surgery his
undergo quintuple bypass surgery his recovery and return to the show only
recovery and return to the show only
recovery and return to the show only further increased his popularity the top
further increased his popularity the top
further increased his popularity the top ten pieces of advice for people having
ten pieces of advice for people having
ten pieces of advice for people having heart surgery yes this is because ten
heart surgery yes this is because ten
heart surgery yes this is because ten years ago today I had quintuple bypass
years ago today I had quintuple bypass
years ago today I had quintuple bypass surgery in recent years Letterman has
surgery in recent years Letterman has
surgery in recent years Letterman has toned down his show and has opted to act
toned down his show and has opted to act
toned down his show and has opted to act and dress more conservatively yet other
and dress more conservatively yet other
and dress more conservatively yet other late night show hosts such as Conan
late night show hosts such as Conan
late night show hosts such as Conan O’Brien have adopted Letterman’s earlier
O’Brien have adopted Letterman’s earlier
O’Brien have adopted Letterman’s earlier off-the-wall hosting style despite his
off-the-wall hosting style despite his
off-the-wall hosting style despite his newfound low-key presence on television
newfound low-key presence on television
newfound low-key presence on television his name was once again in the headlines
his name was once again in the headlines
his name was once again in the headlines in 2009 due to an extortion attempt made
in 2009 due to an extortion attempt made
in 2009 due to an extortion attempt made against him this led to the revelation
against him this led to the revelation
against him this led to the revelation that he had been engaging in sexual
that he had been engaging in sexual
that he had been engaging in sexual activities with several of his show’s
activities with several of his show’s
activities with several of his show’s female employees as a result he made a
female employees as a result he made a
female employees as a result he made a public apology for his actions and his
public apology for his actions and his
public apology for his actions and his show continued along unaffected you
show continued along unaffected you
show continued along unaffected you can’t be victimized by criminals so you
can’t be victimized by criminals so you
can’t be victimized by criminals so you have to go ahead and push back if you’re
have to go ahead and push back if you’re
have to go ahead and push back if you’re being pushed by by something illegal
being pushed by by something illegal
being pushed by by something illegal like this David Letterman is one of the
like this David Letterman is one of the
like this David Letterman is one of the most nominated people in Emmy Award
most nominated people in Emmy Award
most nominated people in Emmy Award history and he continues to be an
history and he continues to be an
history and he continues to be an oftentimes controversial and offbeat
oftentimes controversial and offbeat
oftentimes controversial and offbeat television presence it’s good to have
television presence it’s good to have
television presence it’s good to have you thank you very much I really
you thank you very much I really
you thank you very much I really appreciate it means a lot to thank you
appreciate it means a lot to thank you
appreciate it means a lot to thank you you have no idea who I am do you know
”
Be First to Comment