David Letterman has been a fixture on late night television for thirty years. Between his first show on NBC and his current show on CBS, the comedian has been dishing punchlines and observations for three decades. Last night, on "Late Show With David Letterman" he welcomed one of his most popular guests, radio icon Howard Stern, and the two took a trip down memory lane and even discussed their mutual feud with Jay Leno.
Over thirty years, there have been plenty of memorable moments from both Letterman's NBC show and "Late Show." Here now are some of them.
Jerry Lawler Hits Andy Kaufman and He "Loses It" - Comedian Andy Kaufman was a regular guest on "Late Night With David Letterman." This particular night, Andy and wrestler Jerry Lawler were continuing their secret stunt that involved Kaufman wrestling women in the south. Part of the bit was for Lawler to get so angry with Kaufman that he slaps him in the face. Andy got so "angry" that he stormed off the set, unleashing a torrent of swear words. Though it's not clear if Letterman was in on the joke, he handled it in stride as he always does.
Drew Barrymore Flashes Dave - In 1995, Drew Barrymore was in the process of putting her career back on track. She came on Letterman's new show on CBS and the two had a good chemistry together. At one point in the interview Barrymore intimated that she'd flash Dave. With the band in full swing, Drew jumped up on Dave's desk did a little dance and then quickly lifted her shirt, after which she dropped down onto the desk and planted a big kiss on Dave's cheek. It's Dave's reaction that makes this moment almost heart-warming, as he was clearly blindsided and not sure how to react.
Dave Thanks His Doctors - Late in 1999 Dave had to undergo emergency bypass surgery on his heart. He was out for several weeks, with many big name stars filling in as guest host. Then in February of 2000 Letterman returned. Historically a very private man, fans of his show had their hearts melt as he called out the entire team of doctors that worked on him out onto the stage, where they all stood and received Dave's personal thanks. It's not hard to detect the real gratitude and emotion that Letterman was feeling at the moment.
Dave Speaks Elegantly Post 9/11 - In the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the entire country was in a state of shock and mourning. All of the major late night talk shows were hesitant to come back on the air, uncertain of when the appropriate time to start making jokes would be. Just six days after the attacks, David Letterman delivered a speech from his desk that was both eloquent and tinged on the sides with his trademark wit. Many view Letterman's speech that night as a watershed moment on television, as he was not just giving himself permission to do a funny show again, but he was giving the country encouragement and permission to laugh again too.
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