David Letterman
David Letterman entertaining troops in Iraq.
Pseudonym	Earl Hofert
Birth name	David Michael Letterman
Born	April 12, 1947 (1947-04-12) (age 61) Indianapolis, Indiana
Medium	stand-up, television
Nationality	American
Years active	1974 - present
Genres	Observational comedy, Surreal humor
Subject(s)	self-deprecation, everyday life
Influences	Steve Allen, Johnny Carson, Ernie Kovacs, Jack Paar, Paul Dixon
Influenced	Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Jim Gaffigan, Jon Stewart, Rove McManus
Spouse	Michelle Cook (1969–1977) Regina Lasko (2003-)
Notable works and roles	Host of Late Night with David Letterman (NBC) Host of The Late Show (CBS)
Website	CBS.com/latenight/lateshow
Emmy Awards
Outstanding Host or Hostess in a Variety Series 1981 The David Letterman Show Outstanding Individual Achievement - Writers 1981 The David Letterman Show Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program 1984 Late Night with David Letterman 1985 Late Night with David Letterman 1986 Late Night with David Letterman 1987 Late Night with David Letterman Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series 1994 Late Show with David Letterman
American Comedy Awards
Funniest Male Performer in a TV Special (Leading or Supporting) Network, Cable or Syndication 1989 Late Night with David Letterman 1995 Late Show with David Letterman: Video Special Funniest Male Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) Network, Cable or Syndication 1994 Late Show with David Letterman 2001 Late Show with David Letterman

David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American Emmy Award-winning television host and comedian. A pseudonym is a fictitious alternative to a person's legal name (see Alias) Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Stand-up comedy is a style of comedy where the performer speaks directly to the audience with the absence of the theatrical " Fourth wall " Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic Nationality is a relationship between a Person and their State of Origin, Culture, association Affiliation and/or Loyalty The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Comedy may be divided into multiple Genres based on the source of humour the method of delivery and the context in which it is delivered Observational comedy is a style of Humor based on making remarks about various facets of Everyday life. Surreal humour is a form of humour, laughingly in a style related to the artistic ambitions of the surrealists, based on bizarre Juxtapositions absurd situations Self-deprecation is a form of Humor in which people or Comedians make jokes about themselves their shortcomings or their culture usually without Personal life (or everyday life or human existence) is the course of an individual Human 's life especially when viewed as the sum of personal choices Steve Allen, born Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen ( December 26 1921 – October 30 2000) was an American John William “Johnny” Carson ( October 23, 1925 &ndash January 23, 2005) was an American Television host and Ernie Kovacs ( January 23, 1919 — January 13, 1962) was an American comedian whose Jack Harold Paar ( May 1, 1918 &ndash January 27, 2004) was an American Radio and Television talk show host Paul Dixon was a daytime Television Celebrity and Talk show host in Cincinnati Ohio. Conan Christopher O'Brien (born April 18, 1963) is an Emmy Award -winning American Television host and Comedian, best known James Christian "Jimmy" Kimmel (born November 13, 1967) is an American Television host and Comedian. James Christopher Gaffigan (born July 7 1966 is an American stand-up comic and Actor. Jon Stewart (born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz; November 28 1962 is an American Comedian, Satirist, Actor, Writer, and Rove McManus (born John McManus II Late Night with David Letterman was a nightly hour-long comedy Talk show on NBC hosted by David Letterman. The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's The Late Show with David Letterman is an Emmy Award -winning American late-night Talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. The David Letterman Show was a live morning NBC Talk show hosted by David Letterman every weekday from Late Night with David Letterman was a nightly hour-long comedy Talk show on NBC hosted by David Letterman. The Late Show with David Letterman is an Emmy Award -winning American late-night Talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS The American Comedy Awards were a group of awards presented annually in the United States from 1987 to 2001 recognizing performances and performers in the field of Comedy, with Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A presenter, or host (sometimes hostess, in feminine form is a Person or Organization responsible for running an event A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience primarily by making them laugh His first major success occurred on the long-running NBC television program, Late Night with David Letterman, before moving to CBS in 1993 to his current place on the Late Show. The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Late Night with David Letterman was a nightly hour-long comedy Talk show on NBC hosted by David Letterman. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. The Late Show with David Letterman is an Emmy Award -winning American late-night Talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS Letterman's ironic, often absurd comedy is heavily influenced by former Tonight Show hosts Steve Allen, Johnny Carson and Jack Paar. Irony is a literary or Rhetorical device, in which there is an incongruity or Discordance between what one says or does and what one means or Surreal humour is a form of humour, laughingly in a style related to the artistic ambitions of the surrealists, based on bizarre Juxtapositions absurd situations The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as appropriate --> The Tonight Show is a long-running Steve Allen, born Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen ( December 26 1921 – October 30 2000) was an American John William “Johnny” Carson ( October 23, 1925 &ndash January 23, 2005) was an American Television host and Jack Harold Paar ( May 1, 1918 &ndash January 27, 2004) was an American Radio and Television talk show host ^[1]

Letterman has been hosting late night television for over 26 years, the longest of anyone outside of Johnny Carson who retired after 30 years.

Contents 1 Early career 1.1 Weather 1.2 Move to Los Angeles 2 NBC 2.1 Morning show 2.2 Late Night with David Letterman 3 Late Show with David Letterman 3.1 Popularity 3.2 Heart surgery hiatus 3.3 Contract renewed 3.4 2007/2008 Writer's Strike 4 Personal life 4.1 Political Views 4.2 Academy Awards hosting 4.3 Letterman and Carson 4.4 Letterman and Conan O'Brien 4.5 Letterman and Oprah 4.6 Stalker 5 Appearances in other media 6 Other projects 6.1 Worldwide Pants 6.2 Rahal Letterman Racing 6.3 David Letterman Communication and Media Building 7 References 8 External links

Early career

David Letterman was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union His father, Harry Joe Letterman, was a florist who died in 1973; his mother Dorothy Letterman (née Hofert, now Dorothy Mengering) (born August 12, 1921), a Presbyterian church secretary of German descent, is an occasional figure on the show, usually at holidays and birthdays. A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also Dorothy Mengering (born July 18 1921) better known to Late Show viewers as Dave's Mom, is the mother of late-night talk show host Events 1099 - First Crusade: Battle of Ascalon - Crusaders under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon defeat Fatimid Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as He has an older sister Janice and a younger sister Gretchen. One of his early comic influences was the Cincinnati talk show host Paul Dixon,^[2] but the person who influenced his career most was Tonight Show host Johnny Carson. Paul Dixon was a daytime Television Celebrity and Talk show host in Cincinnati Ohio. John William “Johnny” Carson ( October 23, 1925 &ndash January 23, 2005) was an American Television host and ^[1]

Letterman seems to have had a typical middle class childhood. He lived near the Speedway where the Indianapolis 500 is held, and while he didn't race, he did enjoy collecting model cars, including racers. The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, and historically known simply as "The 500" is an American (Gary Graves. "Letterman Gets Moment in Hot Seat. " USA Today, 23 May 2005, p. USA TODAY is a national American daily Newspaper published by the Gannett Company. 1C. ) He would also tell an interviewer for Esquire magazine, that while he was growing up, he admired his father's ability to tell jokes and be the life of the party. Esquire is a Men's magazine by the Hearst Corporation with a strong literary tradition Unfortunately, Dave was also deeply affected by his father's health problems. Joe Letterman had two heart attacks-- the one that killed him at the young age of 57, and a much earlier attack, when he was only 36 and Dave was just a young boy. The fear of losing his dad was constantly with him as he grew up. [2]

Letterman attended Broad Ripple High School in Indianapolis. Broad Ripple High School, established in 1886 is one of five traditional High schools within the Indianapolis Public Schools. According to the Ball State Daily News, he originally had wanted to attend Indiana University, but his grades weren't good enough, so he decided to attend Ball State University in Muncie IN. Ball State University is a state-run research University located in Muncie, Indiana, U (Gail Koch. "After Two Decades, Letterman Wit Shows No Signs of Stopping. " Ball State Daily News, 23 February 2002. ) He graduated from what was then called the Department of Radio and Television in 1969. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He is also a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Sigma Chi ( ΣΧ) is one of the largest and oldest all-male college Greek-letter social fraternities and a Secret society. The Ball State University website says that Letterman began his broadcasting career at the college's student-run radio station, WBST, a 10-watt campus station that is today part of Indiana Public Radio. Radio is the transmission of signals by Modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible Light. WBST (921 FM is a National Public Radio -affiliated station in Muncie Indiana. The station played classical music. Letterman was briefly an announcer and also did some news. He was fired, according to the campus website, for treating classical music with irreverence. [[3]] and [4]

Letterman then went on to become involved with the founding of another campus station, WAGO-AM 570 (now known as WCRD, 91. 3). A rare 1969 aircheck of Letterman on WAGO can be heard here (paid registration required). Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In the Radio industry an aircheck is generally a demonstration recording often intended to show off the talent of an Announcer or radio programmer to a prospective (The voice of Letterman's first wife Michelle Cook can be heard on the clip, playing a character in a sketch).

Weather

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. WTHR channel 13 is a Television station serving the Indianapolis Indiana metropolitan area 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". Hail is a form of precipitation which consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice (hailstones (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. A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding He also hosted a talk show which aired early on Saturday mornings called "Clover Power" in which he interviewed 4-H members about their projects. 4-H in the United States is a Youth organization administered by the Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service (CSREES of the United States

Move to Los Angeles

In 1975, encouraged by his then-wife Michelle and several of his fraternity brothers, Letterman moved to Los Angeles, California with hopes of becoming a comedy writer. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. (Gail Koch. "Letterman Evolved from Struggling Radio Host to Star. " Ball State Daily News, 1 February 2002. ) He started off by writing material for the sitcom Good Times. Good Times is a American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the He also began performing stand-up comedy at The Comedy Store, a famed Los Angeles comedy club and proving ground for young comics. Stand-up comedy is a style of comedy where the performer speaks directly to the audience with the absence of the theatrical " Fourth wall " The Comedy Store is a Comedy club located in West Hollywood California, at 8433 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West A comedy club is a venue typically a Nightclub, where people watch or listen to performances including Stand-up comedians improvisational Comedians,

Letterman appeared in the summer of 1977 on the short-lived Starland Vocal Band Show. Starland Vocal Band were an American pop band, known primarily for " Afternoon Delight " one of the biggest-selling singles He has since joked about how fortunate he was that nobody would ever see his performance on the program (because of its low ratings).

Letterman had a stint as a cast member on Mary Tyler Moore's variety show Mary, a guest appearance on Mork & Mindy (as a parody of est leader Werner Erhard), and appearances on game shows such as The $20,000 Pyramid, The Gong Show, and The Liar's Club. Mary Tyler Moore (born December 29, 1936) is an Academy Award -nominated and seven-time Emmy Award -winning American actress Mary was a variety-type program briefly broadcast by CBS as part of its 1978-79 fall lineup. Mork & Mindy is an American Sci-fi -based Sitcom broadcast from 1978 until 1982 on ABC. Erhard Seminars Training, an organization founded by Werner H Werner Hans Erhard The general public associates his name primarily with the programs he created the " est Training " (1971 – 1983 Pyramid is the collective name of a series of American television Game shows where contestants tried to guess a series of words or phrases based on descriptions This article is about the show which aired in the 1970s and 1980s This article is about the Liar's Club TV game show You may be looking for the band of the same name He also hosted a 1977 pilot for a game show entitled The Riddlers that was never picked up. His dry, sarcastic humor caught the attention of scouts for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and Letterman was soon a regular guest on the show. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was a late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the ''Tonight Show'' franchise from 1962 Letterman became a favorite of Carson's and was a regular guest host for the show beginning in 1978. The year 1978 in television involved some significant eventsBelow is a list of Television -related events in 1978.

NBC

Morning show

In late June 1980, Letterman was given his own morning comedy show on NBC, The David Letterman Show. The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's The David Letterman Show was a live morning NBC Talk show hosted by David Letterman every weekday from It was originally 90 minutes long, but was shortened to 60 minutes in August. (Peter Kerr. "David Letterman's Off-Center Humor Finds a Home. " New York Times, 19 February 1984, p. H27) The show was a critical success, winning two Emmy Awards, but was a ratings disappointment and was canceled in October 1980.

Late Night with David Letterman

NBC kept Letterman under contract to try him in a different time slot, after which Late Night with David Letterman debuted in 1982. Late Night with David Letterman was a nightly hour-long comedy Talk show on NBC hosted by David Letterman. The year 1982 in television involved some significant eventsBelow is a list of Television -related events in 1982. Letterman's show, which ran weeknights at 12:30 a. m. eastern time, immediately following The Tonight Show, quickly established a reputation as being edgy and unpredictable, and soon developed a cult following (particularly among college students). The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as appropriate --> The Tonight Show is a long-running Letterman's reputation as an acerbic interviewer was borne out of moments such as his verbal sparring matches with Cher and Shirley MacLaine. Cher ( IPA: /ʃɛr/ born Cherilyn Sarkisian, May 20 1946 Shirley MacLaine (born April 24, 1934) is an American Academy Award -winning Film and Theater Actress, well-known The show also featured inventive comedy segments and running characters, in a style heavily influenced by the 1950s and 60s programs of Steve Allen. Steve Allen, born Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen ( December 26 1921 – October 30 2000) was an American

The show often included quirky, genre-mocking regular features, including "Stupid Pet Tricks," dropping various objects off the roof of a five story building, a recurring Top 10 list, and a facetious letter-answering segment. "Stupid Pet Tricks", and subsequently "Stupid Human Tricks", are well-known segments on Late Night with David Letterman, and later The Late Show Top Ten List is a regular segment of the Television program The Late Show with David Letterman.

Other memorable moments included Letterman once using a bullhorn to interrupt a live interview on The Today Show, announcing that he was the NBC president and not wearing any pants; interrupting Al Roker on the Live at Five local news by walking into their studio which occupied the same building as Letterman's studio; and staging elevator races with commentary by NBC Sports' Bob Costas. Today, also referred to as The Today Show, is an American morning news and talk show airing weekday mornings on NBC. Albert Lincoln "Al" Roker Jr (born August 20 1954 is an American television broadcaster best known as the weather anchor for NBC 's Today Live at Five (or Live at 5) is a name used by several television stations in some countries to refer to their 500pm newscasts or talk shows Robert Quinlan "Bob" Costas (born March 22, 1952) is a Sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s In one highly publicized appearance, Andy Kaufman appeared to be slapped and knocked to the ground by professional wrestler Jerry Lawler. Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman (January 17 1949 &ndash May 16 1984 was an American Entertainer, Actor and Performance artist While often referred Jerry Lawler (born November 29 1949 is an American Musician, Film Actor, Politician, professional wrestler and wrestling (Lawler and Kaufman's friend Bob Zmuda later revealed that the event was staged. Bob Zmuda (born December 12, 1949) is an American Writer, Comedian, producer and director best known as the )

Late Show with David Letterman

Main article: Late Show with David Letterman

Letterman remained with NBC for eleven years. The Late Show with David Letterman is an Emmy Award -winning American late-night Talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Letterman had ironically become a victim of his own success — NBC’s confirming Letterman's high ratings in the 12:30 (EST) time-slot signaled that the network preferred to hold on to Letterman in the 'Late Night' gig. The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's The Eastern Time Zone ( ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America

In 1993 Letterman departed NBC to host his own show opposite Tonight on CBS at eleven-thirty, The Late Show with David Letterman. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. The Late Show with David Letterman is an Emmy Award -winning American late-night Talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS Three years later, HBO produced a made-for-television movie called The Late Shift, based on a book by New York Times reporter Bill Carter, chronicling the battle between Letterman and Jay Leno for the coveted Tonight Show hosting spot. The Late Shift is a 1996 American TV movie produced by HBO based on the book by Bill Carter James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno (born April 28 1950 is an Emmy Award -winning American Stand-up comedian and Television host Letterman would mock the film for months afterwards, specifically on how the actor playing him, John Michael Higgins, did not resemble him in the least. For the Australian metallurgist and businessman see John Michael Higgins (metallurgist; for other people named John Higgins see John Higgins (disambiguation ("They took a guy who looked nothing like me and with make-up and special camera angles, turned him into a guy who looked nothing like me, with red hair. ") Carson later made a few cameo appearances as a guest on Dave's show. Carson's final television appearance came on a Late Show episode taped in Los Angeles, when he made a surprise appearance during a 'Top 10 list' segment. The Late Show Top Ten List is a regular segment of the Television program The Late Show with David Letterman. The audience went wild as Letterman stood up and proudly invited Carson to sit at his desk. The overwhelming applause was so protracted that Carson was unable to say anything, and he finally returned backstage as the applause continued. (It was later explained that Carson had laryngitis). Laryngitis is an Inflammation of the Larynx. It causes hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the Vocal folds

Popularity

The Late Show competes in the same time slot as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an Emmy Award -winning American late-night Talk show currently hosted by Jay Leno, on For its first 18 months, The Late Show consistently gained higher ratings than Tonight. But in 1995, ratings dipped and Leno's show has consistently beat Letterman's in the ratings ever since. At one point Leno's lead was as large as two million viewers, but narrowed, as of February 2005, to fewer than a million viewers (5. February 2005: ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August 8 vs. 4. 9 million). ^[3]

Letterman has nonetheless ranked consistently higher than Leno in the annual Harris Poll of Nation's Favorite TV Personality; as of 2004 Letterman ranked second in that poll, behind Oprah Winfrey. Harris Interactive ( is an American Market research company that specializes in Public opinion research using both telephone and online "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Oprah Gail Winfrey (born January 29 1954 often referred to simply as Oprah, is an American ^[4] Letterman's shows have garnered both critical and industry praise, receiving 67 Emmy Award nominations, winning twelve times in his first twenty years in late night television.

Heart surgery hiatus

On January 14, 2000, a routine check-up revealed that an artery in Letterman's heart was severely constricted. Events 1129 - Formal approval of the Order of the Templar at the Council of Troyes. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. He was rushed to emergency surgery for a quintuple bypass. Coronary artery bypass surgery, also coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and colloquially heart bypass or bypass surgery is a surgical procedure

During the initial weeks of his recovery, friends of Letterman introduced reruns of the Late Show, including Drew Barrymore, Ray Romano, Robin Williams, Megan Mullally, Bill Murray, Regis Philbin, Charles Grodin, Nathan Lane, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Jerry Seinfeld, Martin Short, Danny DeVito, Steve Martin and Sarah Jessica Parker. Drew Blyth Barrymore (born February 22 1975 is an American actress and Film producer. Raymond "Ray" Romano (born December 21 1957) is an American Actor, Writer and Stand-up comedian, best known Robin McLaurim Williams (born July 21 1951 or 1952 is an American television stage and film actor and Comedian who has won an Academy Award for his performance Megan Mullally (born November 12, 1958) is a four- time Golden Globe nominee a four-time SAG - and two-time Emmy Award -winning For the British actor see Billy Murray (actor. William James "Bill" Murray (born September 21, 1950) is an Regis Francis Xavier Philbin (born August 25, 1931) is an Emmy Award -winning American Television personality and occasional Actor Charles Grodin (born April 21, 1935) is an American actor comedian author and former cable Talk show host Joseph “Nathan” Lane (born February 3, 1956) is a two-time Tony and Emmy Award-winning American actor of the stage and screen Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28 1967 is an American - Academy Award winning Film actress and former Fashion model. Walter Bruce Willis (March 19 1955 is an American actor and Singer-songwriter. Jerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld (born on April 29 1954 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American comedian actor and writer Martin Hayter Short, CM (born March 26, 1950) is a Canadian Comedian, Actor, writer, Singer and Daniel Michael DeVito Jr (born November 17 1944 is an American Actor, director and producer, who first gained prominence for his portrayal Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an Emmy Award -winning American Actor, Comedian, Writer, Sarah Jessica Parker (born March 25, 1965) is an American Actress and producer with a portfolio of Television, Film

Subsequently, while still recovering from surgery, Letterman revived the late night tradition that had virtually disappeared on network television during the 1990s of 'guest hosts' by allowing Bill Cosby, Kathie Lee Gifford (recommended by Regis, who was asked first but had no time in his schedule), Dana Carvey, Janeane Garofalo, and others to host new episodes of The Late Show. William Henry Cosby Jr (born July 12 1937 is an American Comedian, Actor, Author, Television producer and Activist. Kathie Lee Gifford (born Kathryn Lee Epstein; August 16 1953 is an American Television hostess Singer, actress, noted for her Dana Thomas Carvey (born June 2, 1955) is an Emmy -award winning American Comedian and Actor known for his work on Jane Anne (Janeane Garofalo (born September 28, 1964) is an American stand-up Comedian, actress, political activist, writer Cosby, the show's first guest host, refused to sit at Letterman's desk out of respect, using the couch instead; Garofalo followed suit, utilizing a set of grade-school desks instead.

Upon his return to the show on February 21, 2000, a visibly thinner and weakened Letterman brought all of the doctors and nurses on stage who had participated in his surgery and recovery (with extra teasing of a nurse who had given him bed baths—"This woman has seen me naked!"), including Dr. Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. O. Wayne Isom and physician Louis J. Aronne, who frequently appears on the show. In an unusual show of emotion, Letterman was nearly in tears as he thanked the health care team with the words "These are the people who saved my life!" The episode earned an Emmy nomination. For a number of episodes, Letterman continued to crack jokes about his bypass, including saying " 'Bypass surgery - it's when doctors create new blood flow to your heart. A bypass is what happened to me when I didn't get The Tonight Show! It's a whole different thing. '. " In a later running gag he lobbied his home state of Indiana to rename the freeway circling Indianapolis (I-465) "The David Letterman Bypass. "

Additionally, Letterman invited the band Foo Fighters to play "Everlong," introducing them as "my favorite band, playing my favorite song. Foo Fighters is an American Alternative rock and Post-grunge band formed by singer/guitarist Dave Grohl in 1995 " Everlong " is the second single released from the Foo Fighters ' second album The Colour and the Shape, released in 1997 " During a later Foo Fighters appearance, Letterman said that the Foo Fighters had been in the middle of a South American tour which they cancelled to come play on his comeback episode.

Letterman again handed over the reins of the show to several guest hosts (including Bill Cosby, Brad Garrett, Elvis Costello, John McEnroe, Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell, Bonnie Hunt, Luke Wilson and bandleader Paul Shaffer) in February 2003, when he was diagnosed with a severe case of shingles. William Henry Cosby Jr (born July 12 1937 is an American Comedian, Actor, Author, Television producer and Activist. Brad Garrett (born April 14, 1960) is an Emmy Award winning American television/ voice Actor and Stand-up comedian. Elvis Costello (born Declan Patrick MacManus 25 August 1954 is an English Musician and Singer-songwriter, with Irish ancestry John Patrick McEnroe Jr (born February 16 1959 is an American former World No Vincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn (born March 28, 1970) is an American Film actor. John William "Will" Ferrell (ˈfærəl born July 16, 1967) is an American Comedian, Actor, Voice actor, Bonnie Lynn Hunt (born September 22 1964 is a two- time Golden Globe and a Emmy Award nominated American actress, Comedian, Luke Cunningham Wilson (born September 21, 1971) is an American film actor Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM (born November 28, 1949 in Fort William, now Thunder Bay, Ontario) is a Canadian Herpes zoster (or simply zoster) commonly known as shingles, is a Viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with Blisters in a limited Later that year, Letterman made regular use of guest hosts, including Tom Arnold and Kelsey Grammer, for new shows broadcast on Fridays. Tom Arnold is the name of Tom Arnold (actor, an American actor Tom Arnold (politician, a British politician Tom Allen Kelsey Grammer (born February 21 1955) is an American Actor best known for his two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr In March 2007, Adam Sandler, who had been scheduled to be the lead guest, served as a guest host while Letterman was ill with a stomach virus. Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9 1966 is an American Comedian, ^[5]

Contract renewed

In March 2002, as Letterman's contract with CBS neared expiration, ABC expressed the intention to offer Letterman the time slot for long-running news program Nightline with Ted Koppel, citing more desirable viewer demographics. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC) is an American Television network. Edward James "Ted" Koppel (born February 8, 1940) is an American journalist, best known as the former anchor for the This caused a minor flap that ended when Letterman re-signed with CBS. Letterman addressed his decision to re-sign on the air, stating that he was content at CBS and that he had great respect for Koppel. Edward James "Ted" Koppel (born February 8, 1940) is an American journalist, best known as the former anchor for the

On December 4, 2006, CBS revealed that David Letterman signed a new contract to host The Late Show with David Letterman through the fall of 2010. "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network.

"I'm thrilled to be continuing on at CBS," said Letterman. "At my age you really don't want to have to learn a new commute. " Letterman further joked about the subject by pulling up his right pants leg, revealing a tattoo, presumably temporary, of the ABC logo. A tattoo is a permanent marking made by inserting ink into the layers of Skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons A logo ( Greek el λογότυπος = el-Latn logotypos is a graphical element ( Ideogram, Symbol, Emblem, Icon, Sign)

Letterman, who marked his fourteenth anniversary as host of the Late Show on August 30, 2007, celebrated 25 years in late-night television on February 1, 2007. Events 1363 - Beginning date of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders— Chen Youliang and Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

"Thirteen years ago, David Letterman put CBS late night on the map and in the process became one of the defining icons of our network," said Leslie Moonves, president and CEO of CBS Corporation. Leslie Moonves (born December 23, 1948) is President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS Corporation. "His presence on our air is an ongoing source of pride, and the creativity and imagination that the Late Show puts forth every night is an ongoing display of the highest quality entertainment. We are truly honored that one of the most revered and talented entertainers of our time will continue to call CBS 'home. ' "

According to Forbes magazine, Letterman earns $40 million a year. Forbes is an American Publishing and media company Its flagship publication Forbes magazine is published bi-weekly ^[6] Only sixteen entertainers earn more. Leno, with higher ratings, is #23 with $32 million,^[7] but Letterman owns a piece of his show. Letterman's "WorldWide Pants" also produced hits such as Everybody Loves Raymond. Everybody Loves Raymond is an Emmy Award -winning American Television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13

2007/2008 Writer's Strike

The Late Show went off air for 8 weeks during the months of November and December due to the Writer's Guild of America strike. The 2007&ndash2008 Writers Guild of America strike, or more commonly known as the Writers' Strike was a strike by the Writers Guild of America East David Letterman's production company World Wide Pants was the first company to make an individual agreement with WGA^[8], thus allowing his show to come back on air on January 2, 2008. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common On his first episode since being off air, he surprised the viewing audience with his newly grown beard. His beard was shaved off during the show on January 7, 2008. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common

Personal life

In 1969, Letterman married Michelle Cook; the marriage ended by divorce in 1977. ^[9] He also had a long-term relationship with former head writer and producer on Late Night, Merrill Markoe. Merrill Markoe (born 1951 is an author a television writer and a sometime standup comedienne. Letterman has a son, Harry Joseph, (born November 3, 2003) with longtime girlfriend Regina Lasko. Girlfriend is a term that can refer to either a Female partner in a non- marital romantic relationship or a female non-intimate Friend Harry is named for Letterman's father, Harry Joe Letterman, who died at age 57 ^[10]. The family resides in North Salem, New York^[11]. North Salem is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous

Political Views

Although Letterman rarely makes an explicitly partisan statement on-air, his disfavor of the Bush administration can be sensed through his occasional frustration with the Iraq war. He also mentioned several times on-air during the 2000 Presidential campaign, with little prompting, that he was thinking of voting for Green Party candidate Ralph Nader.

On October 27, 2006, Letterman had Bill O'Reilly as a guest in what became a widely-commented-on and contentious interview. William James O'Reilly Jr (born September 10 1949 is an American television / radio host, Author, Syndicated columnist, and Letterman was asked by O'Reilly, "Do you want the United States to win in Iraq? It's an easy question", to which Letterman sardonically replied, "It's not easy for me because I'm thoughtful".

In a high-profile interview with Presidential candidate Barack Obama on April 11, 2007, Letterman said, referring to the Iraq war, "It's horrible, it's just horrible, the whole thing is just a horrible mess. . . but what happens when we leave and we still have a horrible mess? And then we find that there is trouble from other countries, do we then just go back into other countries?" In the same segment, Letterman said, "Whether you believed we should have gone or in there [Iraq] or not, it's still our mess, our war, and we need to do something. . "

On April 2, 2008, presidential candidate John McCain was on the Late Show. Letterman asked, "Now, we know that maybe that [Iraq war] wasn't the proper course. What the hell are we left with? You say we're going to have troops there for a long, long time. . . "

Academy Awards hosting

In early 1995, it was announced Letterman would host that year's 67th Academy Awards ceremony on March 27. The 67th Academy Awards, honoring the best movies of 1994, were held on March 27, 1995 at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles California Critics blasted Letterman for what they deemed a poor hosting of the Oscars, noting that his irreverent style undermined the importance and glamor of the event. In a joke about their unusual names, he started off by introducing Uma Thurman to Oprah Winfrey, and then the both of them to Keanu Reeves: "Uma. Uma Karuna Thurman ( IPA: /ˈumə ˈθɝmən/ born April 29 1970 is an Academy Award -nominated American actress. Oprah Gail Winfrey (born January 29 1954 often referred to simply as Oprah, is an American Keanu Charles Reeves (kiːˈɑːnuː born September 2, 1964) is a Canadian Actor. . . Oprah! Oprah. . . Uma! Oprah, Uma. . . Keanu!" This and many of his other jokes fell flat. Although Letterman attracted the highest ratings to the annual telecast since 1983, many felt that the bad publicity garnered by Letterman's hosting caused a decline in the Late Show's ratings. ^[12]

Letterman recycled the apparent debacle into a long-running gag. On his first show after the Oscars, he joked, "Looking back, I had no idea that thing was being televised. " For years afterwards, Letterman recounted his horrible hosting at the Oscars, although the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences still holds Letterman in high regard and has repeatedly asked Letterman to host the Oscars again. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS) is a professional honorary organization ostensibly dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of Motion ^[13]

Letterman and Carson

In early 2005, it was revealed that retired King of Late Night Johnny Carson still kept up with current events and late-night TV right up to his death that year, and that he occasionally sent jokes to Letterman, who used these jokes in his monologue; according to CBS senior vice president Peter Lassally (a onetime producer for both men), Carson got "a big kick out of it. John William “Johnny” Carson ( October 23, 1925 &ndash January 23, 2005) was an American Television host and Peter Lassally is a former Carson Productions executive who served as the executive producer of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Late " Letterman would do a characteristic Johnny Carson golf swing after delivering one of Carson's jokes. In a tribute to Carson, all of the opening monologue jokes during the first show following Carson's death were written by Carson.

Lassally also claimed that Carson had always believed Letterman, not Leno, to be his "rightful successor. "^[14] Letterman also frequently employs some of Carson's trademark bits on his show, including "Carnac the Magnificent" (with Paul Shaffer as Carnac), "Stump the Band" and the "Week in Review. Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM (born November 28, 1949 in Fort William, now Thunder Bay, Ontario) is a Canadian "

Letterman and Conan O'Brien

After Letterman left Late Night on NBC, his hosting duties were passed to Conan O'Brien. Conan Christopher O'Brien (born April 18, 1963) is an Emmy Award -winning American Television host and Comedian, best known During O'Brien's first rocky year as host of Late Night, Letterman was very supportive, making an amicable appearance as one of O'Brien's first guests and later filling O'Brien's audience with the stand-by audience from his own show. Letterman also invited O'Brien as a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman. In 1996, when O'Brien celebrated his third year on the air, Letterman showed up again in a bit involving a "stray" hairpiece that once belonged to him. Years later, when NBC announced that O'Brien would take over The Tonight Show, Letterman congratulated O'Brien. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as appropriate --> The Tonight Show is a long-running

Letterman and Oprah

On September 10, 2007, Letterman made his first appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Oprah Winfrey Show is a United States syndicated Talk show, hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey, and is the highest-rated Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG, and known colloquially as The Garden, has been the name of four Arenas in New York City. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous He shared pictures of his son and live-in girlfriend. The so called "feud" between Letterman and Winfrey ended in 2005 when Winfrey appeared on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman on December 2. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. "^[15] Oprah had previously appeared on Letterman's show when he was hosting NBC's Late Night on May 2, 1989. Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar)

Stalker

Beginning in May 1988, Letterman was stalked by Margaret Mary Ray, a woman suffering from schizophrenia. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Margaret Mary Ray (1952 - October 5, 1998) was best known for Stalking U Schizophrenia ( from the Greek roots schizein (σχίζειν "to split" and phrēn Letterman occasionally referenced her in his show, although not by name. [5]

Appearances in other media

• David Letterman officially appeared in issue 239 of the Marvel comic book The Avengers, in which the title characters are guests on Late Night. Marvel Comics is an American comic book company owned by Marvel Publishing Inc The Avengers is a team of fictional Superhero characters in Comic books published by Marvel Comics. ^[16] This issue is often quoted as an example of how a Floating timeline works in fiction. A floating timeline (also known as a sliding timescale) is a device used in Fiction, particularly in Comics and Animation, to explain why
• A parody of David Letterman, called "David Endocrine", is gassed to death along with his audience and bandleader named "Paul" by the Joker in Frank Miller's seminal re-invention of the Batman, The Dark Knight Returns. The Joker is a fictional character appearing in Comic books published by DC Comics. Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American Writer, Artist and Film director best known for his dark Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a fictional Comic book Superhero co-created Batman The Dark Knight Returns, originally published under the title Batman The Dark Knight, is a Batman comic book mini-series ^[17]
• Provided vocals for the Warren Zevon song "Hit Somebody" ^[18]

Other projects

Worldwide Pants

Letterman started his own production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated, which produces his show and several others, including Everybody Loves Raymond, The Late Late Show, and several critically acclaimed, but short-lived television series for Bonnie Hunt. Worldwide Pants Incorporated is a Peabody Award -winning American television production and Film production company owned by Comedian Everybody Loves Raymond is an Emmy Award -winning American Television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13 The Late Late Show is an American late-night television talk and variety show currently hosted by Craig Ferguson on CBS. Bonnie Lynn Hunt (born September 22 1964 is a two- time Golden Globe and a Emmy Award nominated American actress, Comedian, Worldwide Pants also produced the dramedy program Ed, starring Tom Cavanagh, which aired on NBC from 2000–2004. Comedy-drama, also called dramedy and dramatic-comedy, is a style of Television and movies in which there is an equal or nearly equal balance Ed is an NBC Television program produced by David Letterman 's Worldwide Pants Incorporated from 2000 – 2004. Thomas Cavanagh (born October 26, 1968) is a Canadian Actor. Personal life Cavanagh was born in Ottawa Ontario The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's It was Letterman's first association with NBC since he left the network in 1993. During Ed's run, Cavanagh appeared as a guest on The Late Show several times.

In 2005, Worldwide Pants produced its first feature film, Strangers with Candy, which was a prequel to the Comedy Central TV series, Strangers with Candy. Strangers with Candy is a film released in 2006 by ThinkFilm, first screened at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. Comedy Central is an American Cable television and Satellite television channel that carries predominantly Comedy programming Strangers with Candy is a television series produced by Comedy Central. In 2007, Worldwide Pants produced the ABC comedy series, The Knights Of Prosperity. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC) is an American Television network. The Knights of Prosperity was a short-lived comedy series that premiered on ABC in the United States on Wednesday January 3, 2007.

Worldwide Pants made significant news in December 2007 when it was announced that Letterman's company had independently negotiated its own contract with the Writers Guild of America, thus allowing Letterman, Late Late Show host Craig Ferguson, and their writers to return to work, while the union continued its strike against production companies, networks and studios who had not reached an agreement. The Writers Guild of America is a generic term referring to the joint efforts of two different US labor unions The Writers Guild of America East (WGAE representing Craig Ferguson (born May 17, 1962) is a Scottish - American Television host, Stand-up comedian, Writer, and

Letterman also played as a Motley Crue roadie a. k. a Butt-head's father in the 1996 film, Beavis and Butt-head Do America.

He also had a cameo in the feature film Cabin Boy, with Chris Elliot, who has been a guest on Late Night several times. A Cabin boy or ship's boy is a Boy (in the sense of low-ranking male employee not always a minor who waits on the officers and passengers of a Ship, especially Christopher Elliott (born May 31, 1960) is an American Comedian. In this and other appearances, Letterman is listed in the credits as Earl Hofert, the name of Letterman's maternal grandfather.

Rahal Letterman Racing

Main article: Rahal Letterman Racing

Rahal Letterman Racing (RLR) is an auto racing team that currently races in the Indy Racing League. Rahal Letterman Racing (RLR is an Auto racing team that currently races in the IndyCar Series. The Indy Racing League, better known as IRL, is the sanctioning body of a predominantly American based Open-wheel racing series. It is co-owned by 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal and Letterman himself, and is based in Hilliard, Ohio. The 70th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Saturday May 31, 1986. Robert "Bobby" Woodward Rahal (born January 10 1953 in Medina Ohio) is an American Auto racing team owner and former driver spending most of Hilliard is a city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The population was 24230 at the 2000 census. The team won the 2004 Indianapolis 500 with driver Buddy Rice. The 2004 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday May 30, 2004. Buddy Rice (born January 31, 1976 in Phoenix, Arizona) is an Auto racing driver in the Indy Racing League IndyCar

David Letterman Communication and Media Building

On September 7, 2007, Letterman visited his alma mater, Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, for the dedication of a communications facility named in his honor. Ball State University is a state-run research University located in Muncie, Indiana, U Muncie (ˈmʌnsi is a city in Center Township, Delaware County in east central Indiana, best known as the home of Ball State University and The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union [6] The $21 million, 75,000-square-foot David Letterman Communication and Media Building opened for the 2007 Fall semester. It features state-of-the-art recording equipment and facilities. Thousands of Ball State students, faculty, and local residents welcomed Letterman back to Indiana. [7] Letterman's emotional speech touched on his struggles as a college student and his late father, and also included the "top ten good things about having your name on a building. "[8]

Letterman got the largest applause when he remarked on Ball State University President JoAnn Gora's "tremendous legs. " Letterman received the honor for his dedication to the university throughout his career as a comedian. Letterman finished with, "If reasonable people can put my name on a $21 million building, anything is possible. "

Letterman also received a Sagamore of the Wabash from Governor Mitch Daniels. The Sagamore of the Wabash award was created during the term of Governor of Indiana Ralph F Mitchell Elias "Mitch" Daniels Jr (born April 7, 1949 in Monongahela PA) is the current Governor of the U Letterman joked that it would mean so much more had the governor actually been there to present it.

Letterman appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show the following Monday (September 10, 2007) and spoke highly of his visit, saying: “It was one of the great days of my life. The Oprah Winfrey Show is a United States syndicated Talk show, hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey, and is the highest-rated It started out being a tour with Ball State President Jo Ann Gora. When I saw the building with my name on it, my knees buckled. Well, I was sitting down, but my knees buckled and it was altogether different. ” Letterman praised the university and its communications program and spoke highly of Gora. [9]

References

External links

See also: Late Show with David Letterman#External links

• David Letterman at the Internet Movie Database
• David Letterman at TV.com
• /info David Letterman at Yahoo! Movies
• "Late Show with David Letterman" at Yahoo! TV
• Late Show UK - fansite
• Official Late Show biography
• 1999 article on Letterman from salon.com
• DDY's Late Show Fan Page

Preceded by (none)	Host of Late Night 1982–1993	Succeeded by Conan O'Brien
Preceded by (none)	Host of The Late Show 1993–present	Incumbent

Persondata
NAME	Letterman, David
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Letterman, Dave
SHORT DESCRIPTION	TV personality
DATE OF BIRTH	April 12, 1947 (1947-04-12) (age 61)
PLACE OF BIRTH	Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH

The Late Show with David Letterman is an Emmy Award -winning American late-night Talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS TVcom is a website owned by CNET Networks. The service was launched on June 1 2005 and replaced the popular TV Tome website Yahoo! Movies, provided by the Yahoo! network is home to a large collection of information on movies past and new releases trailers and clips Box office Saloncom, part of Salon Media Group ( often just called Salon, is an online Conan Christopher O'Brien (born April 18, 1963) is an Emmy Award -winning American Television host and Comedian, best known The Late Show with David Letterman is an Emmy Award -winning American late-night Talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

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