David Letterman to retire in 2015. Stephen Colbert to take over.

Yeah, you're right. I stand corrected about that. In the context of the announcement though, it appears he is talking specifically about retiring from The Late Show, not necessarily about leaving show business completely.

 

Conan is Leo Sayer.
Kimmel is Starcastle.
Fallon is Napoleon XIV.

 

Johnny Carson was Sinatra.
David Letterman was The Beatles.
Jay Leno was The Monkees.

jerol

 

Carson was Sinatra.
Letterman was The Clash.
Leno was Garth Brooks.

 

I hope Colbert's show isn't an overproduced mess like James Corden's.

 

No, it was from an outrageous & legendary (in those days) "membership" discount department store chain called Fedco. They had a great A/V department. I remember they were sold out of the unit I wanted and had to travel to a store 50 miles away to get it. It was somewhere in the range of $500, I think. Wanted Beta as at that time, VHS did not play in stereo.

 

Ahh, yes, Fedco, you had to belong to a secret society to shop there. I remember going to the one by the Cerritos mall with a friend a few times.

 

Reminds me of Service Merchandise.

I really had to rack my brain to remember this company. Interestly enough I found this video and the first thing the guy turns to are video recorders. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpxyMSXvr3Q

btw, what band is he playing in the background?

 

Anyone watching Dave during the months leading up to his retirement announcement would have noticed that the guy had nothing left to give by that point. Having watched him for many years this was very tough to watch; he would throw jokes, ignored planned bits and interviews also began to suffer. He just looked like he didn't want to be there anymore. In an ironic turn, the announcement of his retirement gave Dave the jolt he needed to get his head back in the game. He clearly now has qualms about leaving now but in the end I think he knows this is the best thing for him. I still think his comments when he made the announcement rings true: at one point he was more excited about every day life with Harry than he was with anything going on at the show.

These last few shows are certainly special. He's clearly taking his time and enjoying every moment he can have with the few friendly faces who are stopping by to say goodbye. Letting Jerry take control of the show and taking the guest chair all came across like little "bucket list" moments for both Jerry and Dave.

Here's hoping Leno makes it out there for a final chat.

 

I've been a Letterman for years, heck decades, now and as much as it pains me to say this: he was getting to seem bitter and bored from time to time but I still always found him a notch above anything that NBC ever put against him. I thought Dave's reactions to jokes or skits that bombed were just as funny as anything. But yes, Dave has been his best in 15 years or more since last April. Not in his 80's and 90's prime, but still great.

 

I just watched the Seinfeld show, and Letterman's monologue was atrocious-flat jokes, flat delivery, just basically mailing it in. He did a Biff tribute that was touching (almost no Late Night bits though). And his interview with Seinfeld was great-he really looked like he was having fun. We all know DL does not suffer fools gladly, so I'm sure the guests from here on out will only be his friends, or Late Night/Show veterans.

 

He wore out his welcome by a decade. His self-pity and negativity about himself and the show used to seem misplaced----now it's fitting.

 

It's not just Letterman...the idea of a talk show monologue is way past its sell by date. Leno's was atrocious and predictable. Many nights, you can do the trifecta...Dave and the Jimmys will do the exact same joke.

In Letterman's case, it's poor writing by Bill Scheft...an unfunny hack if there is one.

Dave should just come out like his preshow warmup and just be himself...no scripted monologue.

I hope Colbert ditches it.

 

yes please

 

As far as I'm concerned, the monologue shouldn't go anywhere. I'm all for updating the late night format but the monologue is the last chunk of the show where true writing can still be seen/heard Getting rid of it to make way for a free-form rant at the top of the show really would really not follow in Letterman's traditions which are firmly planted in Carson's traditions. Out of all the hosts, Conan is delivering the best monologue---witty, silly and generally very funny. Fallon does an interesting thing by riffing with Riggins in between jokes, sometimes acting out the premise of the joke with voices and sound effects. Jimmy's improv skills come through wonderfully--it's a great way to complement the traditional monologue set. Meyers' set is still pretty stiff but it's smart. The late night landscape is turning a little too improvy for my liking, getting rid of the monologue would be the final nail in the coffin. Colbert is one witty guy. I am hoping he can raise the bar with his monologue by bringing some great writing to that portion of the show. It takes skill to write a good joke and I think Colbert and his team are well equipped.

 

I disagree!

I do hope Colbert keeps the monologue and adapts it to what is happening over at The Tonight Show.

thinks: juggling.

 

Dave sounds like he has a continual cold now. Is it just age or is he sick a lot?

 

The Knack

 

Double thumbs down.

 

The whole "sit behind the desk with a sofa full of guests" format is old hat. If anyone can overcome/update that style, it will be Colbert.

 

I'm not sure what of his actions you considered to be self-pity and negativity. I believe that his self-deprecating jokes are among the funniest in the business. When he leaves, I will miss his wit and these self-deprecating jokes.

 

Great interview at the NYT:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/03/a...n-33-years-in-late-night-television.html?_r=1

 

I was a loyal fan for a good 20 years.
The first time I saw a stupid human trick replayed in slow motion, I nearly had a heart-attack from laughing.
I know the words to "It's A Late Night World" and the tune to "Up With Hal Gurnee" still gets stuck in my head.
I do acknowledge Letterman's influence and accomplishments.
He has seemed very unhappy since Leno decisively won the ratings war----why did he care? Leno was a hack. Letterman was an innovator. But he's been painful to watch for many years-----it's laudable that he cares more about his son, but he should have stopped long ago. (Hal Gurnee must have been vital to the show!)
Leno was only worth watching based on the guests (Carson too by the end). With Letterman, and later Conan, it used to not matter who the guests were----at the peak of those shows---the guests were beside the point.

 

That really was a VERY good interview.

Admittedly I have not been a regular viewer in a few years, and the last few times I have actually been awake to watch, the show has been painful. I guess I'll be setting the DVR to witness the end, though, because even though he has indeed been phoning it in, the guy was still a genius at what he did, and when he's gone, its gonna seem very odd.