Has Letterman lost his touch?

[Amasov]

I miss the other stunts such as working at the drive through window at McDonald's and Taco Bell or when he talks to little kids at Christmas time. Classic Dave stuff.

 

[USS Mariner]

Craig Ferguson is the Heir to the Late Night Throne. Fresh, witty, entertaining even on bad nights, and downright hysterical on tour. I can't wait for his next tour around here. Fucking hilarious.

Of course, that's assuming Les Moonves doesn't decide that his wife needs to steal more jobs from his employees.

The Early Show might as well be called "Julie Chen and Friends," considering they kicked off almost everyone else off to make room for ChenBot. Harry Smith is the only one I can stand now. I feel bad for him because he gets to interact with Walking Fridge every morning.

Oh, wrong rant.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Never did much care for Letterman. The only part of his show I liked was the Top Ten lists. I admit, though, I wish I could have seen the bit where Crispin Glover tried to kick him in the head.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Never did much care for Letterman. The only part of his show I liked was the Top Ten lists. I admit, though, I wish I could have seen the bit where Crispin Glover tried to kick him in the head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALapHYNSmoA

 

[Amasov]

Never did much care for Letterman. The only part of his show I liked was the Top Ten lists. I admit, though, I wish I could have seen the bit where Crispin Glover tried to kick him in the head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALapHYNSmoA

See, now that's the Dave I miss!

 

[Mr. Fergy]

Anytime you think Letterman has lost his edge, watch Leno for about 10 minutes. Or Carson Daly. Or Ryan Seacrest. It's a very American Idol world now, and even Dave at the least of his powers is miles above that awful schlock.

Agreed.

BTW: Carson Daly is foul, but Seacrest has a late nite show as well? Yuck!

 

[General Kang]

I fondly remember stuff that, in retrospect, was just asinine, like the Dancing Waters every night, and the "Late Night Thrill Cam" and the endless, pointless, bizarre and insipid variations thereof... and I was RIVETED every night - it was appointment viewing. Now? Well, the first half hour goes up against Colbert, and, well, Colbert wins.

 

[Hitman]

Letterman must be an American taste.I have watched his show on (very)late night cable.Bafflingly un-funny.

I'm of the same opinion. I occasionally pull some episode from the net, when there is some guest I'm interested in. But I always end up regretting having seen it. And that band leader, yuck!

 

[Dusty Ayres]

One person thinks that David Letterman has not only lost his touch, but that he's a warmongering cheerleader for George Bush:

Anyone out there see the Letterman-O'Reilly dust-up last week? On the surface it looked like a seminal moment in modern television history, a Godzilla v. Megalon monster epic in which Godzilla was finally toppled just outside the Tokyo city gates. Keeled over, its rubber eyes flitting dumbly against the cardboard landscape, we finally saw the great lizard's vulnerable side. It was almost possible to feel sorry for Bill O'Reilly, who had trotted out on set with the peace-offering of a plastic sword and shield, expecting to make nice with his fellow overpaid TV icon -- but who instead ended up skewered and turned over the video-spit by the end of the segment, with an apple in his mouth and Sumner Redstone's massive billionaire foot wedged firmly in his ass.
For the rest of his days, few people will forget the image of O'Reilly sitting glumly and taking it while some smug ex-weatherman called him a "bonehead" to raucous studio applause. Which is too bad, because Bill O'Reilly wasn't even the dumbest person on the set that day. For that honor my vote goes to Letterman. Here's Letterman's explanation of his initial position on the Iraq war:

I think I sort of felt the way everybody did. We felt like we wanted to do something, because something terrible had been done to us. We did not understand exactly why, all we knew was something terrible, something heinous, something obscene had been done to us. So, while it didn't necessarily make as much sense to go in to Iraq as it did perhaps to go into Afghanistan, I like most everybody else felt like, yes, we need to do something. We need to do something. And as the weeks turned into months, turned into years, and one death became a dozen deaths became a hundred deaths became a thousand deaths, then we began to realize, you know what, maybe we're causing more trouble over there than the whole effort has been worth.​

The Low Post: Not Better Late Than Never


​

 

[I Grok Spock]

^ I dunno, 8 years of "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches" hasn't exactly cast Bush in the most flattering light.

Yes, Dave of 2008 is not the Dave of 1985 when I started watching him, avidly taping him and then watching the next day after coming home from school. I do sometimes miss the edgier Dave, and some of the old gags and guests: velcro suit, throwing stuff off of the 5-story tower, Larry Bud, and Chris Elliot. I remember the Bullhorn incident and the Cher incident and the Crispin Glover incident and many other great yet awkward moments.

If you ever get a chance to see the Ernie Kovacs show, do so. I think Dave emulated Kovac's type of humor, even to the point of having the same announcer, Bill Wendel, in his early days.

He's definitely mellowed, but I still enjoy watching. He still gets off a good joke now and again (though Paul has really sharpened his wits in latter years). He also still has an "everyman" quality that makes him watchable, though somewhat ironic considering his well-known intensely private nature. I think the heart attack and having a son has warmed him up alot and worn the edges off a bit. He does seem awfully bored with all of the comedy bits on the show (notably "Will it Float?").

My guess is he'll retire shy of 30 years as to not exceed his hero Johnny Carson's Tonight Show run. Hopefully Craig Ferguson will get the slot, he is a hoot.

 

[Garrovick]

Letterman needs to retire. Years ago I used to prefer him over Leno, but in the last four years or so, he's just lost it.

He's no longer funny, just creates goofy and stupid jokes.

He's a dirty old man and lecherous.

He has a huge anti-Republican/Bush fetish, as opposed to let's say Leno's political event of the day jokes.

CBS needs to look hard for a replacement and soon.

 

[RobertScorpio]

Yes...years ago...the moment he went to CBS

Rob

 

[FordSVT]

One person thinks that David Letterman has not only lost his touch, but that he's a warmongering cheerleader for George Bush:

Anyone out there see the Letterman-O'Reilly dust-up last week? On the surface it looked like a seminal moment in modern television history, a Godzilla v. Megalon monster epic in which Godzilla was finally toppled just outside the Tokyo city gates. Keeled over, its rubber eyes flitting dumbly against the cardboard landscape, we finally saw the great lizard's vulnerable side. It was almost possible to feel sorry for Bill O'Reilly, who had trotted out on set with the peace-offering of a plastic sword and shield, expecting to make nice with his fellow overpaid TV icon -- but who instead ended up skewered and turned over the video-spit by the end of the segment, with an apple in his mouth and Sumner Redstone's massive billionaire foot wedged firmly in his ass.
For the rest of his days, few people will forget the image of O'Reilly sitting glumly and taking it while some smug ex-weatherman called him a "bonehead" to raucous studio applause. Which is too bad, because Bill O'Reilly wasn't even the dumbest person on the set that day. For that honor my vote goes to Letterman. Here's Letterman's explanation of his initial position on the Iraq war:

I think I sort of felt the way everybody did. We felt like we wanted to do something, because something terrible had been done to us. We did not understand exactly why, all we knew was something terrible, something heinous, something obscene had been done to us. So, while it didn't necessarily make as much sense to go in to Iraq as it did perhaps to go into Afghanistan, I like most everybody else felt like, yes, we need to do something. We need to do something. And as the weeks turned into months, turned into years, and one death became a dozen deaths became a hundred deaths became a thousand deaths, then we began to realize, you know what, maybe we're causing more trouble over there than the whole effort has been worth.
​

The Low Post: Not Better Late Than Never


​

I've got no idea why one would concider him a "Warmongering Cheerleader for Bush" by those comments. He's expressed a feeling a lot of people had in the days and weeks and years after 9/11, not just Republicans but Democrats too. And it must be even harder to sort things out when you're a New Yorker, and Letterman is literally a symbol of New York to many.

 

[Loupjo]

Obviously it's not top quality entertainment every night but I still like David Letterman. He makes me laugh, at any rate more then Jay Leno.
Conan O'Brien is good too though.

 

[Paxil]

One person thinks that David Letterman has not only lost his touch, but that he's a warmongering cheerleader for George Bush:

Anyone out there see the Letterman-O'Reilly dust-up last week? On the surface it looked like a seminal moment in modern television history, a Godzilla v. Megalon monster epic in which Godzilla was finally toppled just outside the Tokyo city gates. Keeled over, its rubber eyes flitting dumbly against the cardboard landscape, we finally saw the great lizard's vulnerable side. It was almost possible to feel sorry for Bill O'Reilly, who had trotted out on set with the peace-offering of a plastic sword and shield, expecting to make nice with his fellow overpaid TV icon -- but who instead ended up skewered and turned over the video-spit by the end of the segment, with an apple in his mouth and Sumner Redstone's massive billionaire foot wedged firmly in his ass.
For the rest of his days, few people will forget the image of O'Reilly sitting glumly and taking it while some smug ex-weatherman called him a "bonehead" to raucous studio applause. Which is too bad, because Bill O'Reilly wasn't even the dumbest person on the set that day. For that honor my vote goes to Letterman. Here's Letterman's explanation of his initial position on the Iraq war:

I think I sort of felt the way everybody did. We felt like we wanted to do something, because something terrible had been done to us. We did not understand exactly why, all we knew was something terrible, something heinous, something obscene had been done to us. So, while it didn't necessarily make as much sense to go in to Iraq as it did perhaps to go into Afghanistan, I like most everybody else felt like, yes, we need to do something. We need to do something. And as the weeks turned into months, turned into years, and one death became a dozen deaths became a hundred deaths became a thousand deaths, then we began to realize, you know what, maybe we're causing more trouble over there than the whole effort has been worth.
​

The Low Post: Not Better Late Than Never


​

I've got no idea why one would concider him a "Warmongering Cheerleader for Bush" by those comments. He's expressed a feeling a lot of people had in the days and weeks and years after 9/11, not just Republicans but Democrats too. And it must be even harder to sort things out when you're a New Yorker, and Letterman is literally a symbol of New York to many.

Yeah, that's crazy given those comments. Letterman is a good moderate to liberal man, as that clearly shows.

And yes, Letterman is getting a little tired, but so does everything after what, 30 years? He's still a super-genius superb entertainer compared to Leno, who was never good.

 

[FordSVT]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the birth of Letterman's son Harry. He himself has mentioned in several interviews that it's the single biggest reason he's "mellowed out" a bit in the last five years. Then there was the heart surgery in 2000.

That's two major, major events that's happened in the past eight years, enough to change any man. And he's still good.

I don't agree that Leno is some kind of hack though. I enjoy Letterman's show more, but that's just because it's less "produced" than Leno, and Leno's target audience is a slightly older baby boomer. His jokes are mellow because that's what his viewers want, and he's beaten Letterman in the ratings for years because of it. I'd rather Letterman stay in second place doing what he does well than mix up his show to compete more directly with Leno. But I think Leno as a person is a pretty funny guy, some of his monologues are pretty funny (his stand-up outside of the show is better), and he's pretty much the world's ultimate, "non-poseur car guy", which I can't help but relate too (and envy!). But I like that about Letterman too, what with his love of Ferraris and his involvement in racing.

Was just reading his Wiki, and I've always wondered why he gave out those canned hams...

"Letterman began his career as a radio talk show host on WXLW (AM), and on Indianapolis television station WLWI (now called WTHR) as a local anchor and weatherman. He received recognition for his unpredictable on-air behavior, which included jokingly calling attention to state borders missing from the weather map, and predicting hail stones "the size of canned hams". (Because this upset his bosses, to this day he occasionally gives out canned hams on his show.) One night he reportedly upset his bosses when he congratulated a tropical storm for being upgraded to a hurricane."

 

[I Grok Spock]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the birth of Letterman's son Harry.

I did.

I liked Jay as a standup comic and regular guest on Dave's show. It's a shame they fell out over the Tonight Show.

I know how badly Dave wanted to be Johnny's successor, but I wonder how well that really would have worked out for him.

 

[RobertScorpio]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the birth of Letterman's son Harry.

I did.

I liked Jay as a standup comic and regular guest on Dave's show. It's a shame they fell out over the Tonight Show.

I know how badly Dave wanted to be Johnny's successor, but I wonder how well that really would have worked out for him.

Well, I like Jay as the Tonigh Show host..I know it's not 'in' to say that, but I will anyway. I have been to two tapings of the Tonight Show over the years and each time Leno came out to prep us for the show (one of them when Shatner was a guest) and he really seems like a nice guy.

I have never been to a Letterman show, but a friend of my has and said that Letterman just seemed aloof from the crowd.

Rob
Scorpio

 

[Superman]

I started out as a Carson fan from a young age, and on Friday nights, I'd stay up and watch Letterman when he had Late Night.

I then watched him when he moved over to CBS and became a HUGE fan. He was clearly the successor to Carson's spirit and talent, in a way that lantern-jawed freak Leno could never hope to be.

Letterman has definitely changed, and I personally don't agree with his leftist leanings, which I think he's made too much a part of his show.

But the man is still a genius like few others.

But who trumps Dave for me, given my age?

I have to go with Conan...the man's a genius, and I can't wait to see what he does with The Tonight Show.

At which point I will probably only catch The Late Show on YouTube...

\S/

 

[John Picard]

Letterman was fantastic back in the 80's. Who else but Dave could convince Teri Garr to strip down and jump in a bathtub while the show was filming? Seriously, he had her convinced that it would be OK and she was ready to do it.