6th Anniversary Special on Letterman, February 4, 1988

Taped January 24 at Radio City Music Hall.
Part 1:
Satellite Interviews that aired the night of the anniversary:
1. Bobbi Wyant, Dallas, TX
2. Monica Schneider, Rockford, IL
Part 2: The anniversary show.
With a stand-up by Richard Lewis and a performance medley by Ben E. King and Cyndi Lauper, with backup vocalists Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson, and Roberta Flack.
Sitting in with the World's Most Dangerous Band:
Freddie Hubbard and Jon Faddis, trumpet
Clarence Clemons, Tom Scott, and David Sanborn, saxophones
Robert Cray, Joe Walsh, and Dwayne Eddy, guitars
Carole King, Billy Joel, and Warren Zevon, keyboards
Part 3: An earlier edit of the show that aired on E! July 4, 1995.
There were two shows taped on January 24 -- one during the afternoon, the other in the evening. What evidently happened is that NBC sent E! an earlier edit of the show; various segments come from the afternoon rather than evening taping. Some of the differences between the two:
1. Opening Bill Wendell announce:
E!: absent
Air: present
2. Open: Dave describes a tie:
E!: as aluminum
Air: as tarnac
3. Video montage (last clip)
E!: Anton bites bird
Air: Dave draws blood as surgeon
4. New Gift Items
E!: items don't work
Air: items work
5. Music medley
E!: evening taping
Air: afternoon taping
6. Stupid Pet Tricks
E! and Air differ
7. Remote montage
E! and Air differ
7. Richard Lewis
E!: afternoon taping
Air: evening taping
6. Chris Elliott
E!: edited out
Air: included
8. Close: LN World of Love
E! and Air with different video montages
9. Cold Close: Giant velcro jump
E!: edited out
Air: included
A late-January 1998 email from Michael Galante:
I was in the evening show audience sitting in the second row center. My brother and I stood in front of Radio City for 8 1/2 hours waiting to get in. Paul and the band came out a half hour early and played until show time! The NBC show was very edited between the afternoon and evening tapings. Here are a few edits that I am sure of -
1. At the show, we did not hear Bill Wendell's v/o. This could have been added later.
2. The new gift items didn't work in the evening performance. That's why Dave says, "my thanks to GE" after the commercial break!
3. Stupid Pet Tricks was a combination of both shows. Maybe you noticed the water tank appears and disappears throughout the segment. NBC theme dog (evening), Dog diving for rocks (afternoon - didn't perform on the evening show!), Caeser the dog (evening), Hammer the pitbull (afternoon when he bowls because you can see the tank - evening when he rolls the ball into the audience because I can see myself. I'm wearing the yellow sweater!)
4. Sweet Soul Music was the afternoon show. After the commercial break it's back to the evening show because I can see myself lift by LNwDL cap quickly in the air!
5. The giant velcro jump was the evening show. After the curtain came down, Dave came out and thanked everyone for coming. He then tossed the white velcro balls into the audience and I got one of them!
[/end]
And a late-July 2015 note from Adam Nedeff:
Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, the wrestling manager who is introduced sitting in the audience, tells an interesting story about the taping in his autobiography, and wrestlers being wrestlers, I'd love to know if it's true.
Afternoon taping: Bobby doesn't want to just take a bow, so he comes up with a bit to do but doesn't bother telling anybody. When Dave introduces him, Bobby walks up onstage, hands Dave a Bobby Heenan action figure, and does a bad guy wrestler interview insulting Dave and the audience. Dave FREEZES completely. Bobby walks off the stage, and a staffer looks at him and mumbles "Jesus Christ, just so you know, Dave does NOT like surprises."...
Night taping: Bobby is sat in the same seat to do the bit again, and just out of view of the camera is a security guard with a gun. Bobby takes his bow and sits down silently, and that's what aired.

[@shannonhall1465]

I was in the audience and this show was incredible. Cyndi Lauper was awesome as always.🎵.❤🎶

[@mikewhite4560]

I was there for the first taping. The Best piece of Entertainment I've ever seen & I was at LIVE AID PHILLY. Awesome Band!!

[@mikewhite4560]

I described the SHOW as 1 Big ORGASM..

[@andyinoregon]

Cyndi Lauper is a force of nature from the moment she takes the stage at 42:35. Thanks for all you do in posting these, Don. Letterman in the '80s was my late-night drug of choice.

[@Thermite7777]

This is so good. I am constantly reminded why I miss Dave. Thanks for doing this Donz. Another home run.

[@scottspy]

Man, what an all-star band they put together!

[@mackdaddyg321]

The attention to detail is amazing. Thanks as always, Don!!!!

[@ajdc88]

as a kid, i watched this over and over and over. thank you for posting. amazing.

[@chazzcorona5637]

I had this recorded on VHS and saw it over and over...

[@tnawcwvictoria]

R.I.P. to Freddie Hubbard, Clarence Clemons, Warren Zevon, Nick Ashford, Ben E. King & Bill Wendell God Bless You All and now, you're all performing in the Great BIG SKY

[@DoktorStrangelove]

Watched this the night it aired at my then-girlfriend’s parents’ house at Offutt AFB.

[@hippiecolleen1352]

Don I have watched David all of my adult life and feel kinda lost without him.... THANK YOU SO BERY MUCH FOR ALL THIS!

[@dongiller]

Thanks!

[@mattwuxx3888]

Richard Lewis's repurposed stand-up for the second show, is nothing short of amazing.

[@cameramanzoomit]

I was at the afternoon taping. My girlfriend and I both sent in for tickets. She got them. I remember Bobby Heenan sitting about 5 rows in front of me, I was a huge fan. But I don't remember him going onstage. But everything is fuzzy from back then. And what a gas to see Richard Lewis, one of my favorite guests, who I came to know through Late Night. I got a Late Night sponge, some of the staff were dropping swag down on us in line before the show from floors above. We flew up in the morning and flew back home after the show. Really fun experience. When life was still fun.

[@joes9954]

I was there too for the second taping, which was what ended up airing except for the big musical number due to technical glitches. It was a blast, though it was cold waiting outside Radio City. I was smart to wear a blue sweater so I could even see where I was in the audience. I don't remember them passing out any swag sadly, but a fun show. IIRC I went to a weekday taping not long after that. It's odd NBC released the other edit. I never heard of that happening before.

[@MusicOverMyHead]

Watching the 10th anniversary was the one I thought I had taped back in the day but as soon as I saw Joe Walsh I remembered it was this one. LOL. I must have watched it 100 times.

[@arrowguy173]

What a musical lineup! Great to see this one uploaded - enjoying it on this late Friday night.

[@RobLives4Love]

I hope Dave Letterman knows who you are and appreciates the history you're doing

[@dongiller]

I’ve stopped thinking that he’s aware. And thanks!

[@finster1968]

I remember watching this one when it aired. Loved the Wall Street cuckoo clock.

[@untexan]

That first interview is with Bobbie Wygant. She started at the station (then WBAP-TV, now KXAS) in 1948, when it first went on the air. Unbelievably she’s still there today doing entertainment reports every now and then.

[@dongiller]

As ID’d in the description.

[@CaptainSpalding72]

What's to report now? They all bleed together and are boring perverts.

[@markjones952]

Bruce Prichard discussed the Bobby Heenan story from this on his podcast. Heenan didn't know why he was asked to appear, and the execs at WWF told him to run up on stage and interact with Dave if given the chance. He was not allowed to go up on the second taping.

[@user2144]

Mark Jones Yep. An armed security guard was nearby for the second taping, making sure he didn’t (see the video description for Don’s retelling of the anecdote of the incident).

[@johnvanzandt198]

At 1:31:47 Letterman makes reference to Heenan at the first show and asks people not to come up on the stage. Ha ha.

[@shannonhall1465]

I remember being there like it was yesterday

[@HAL_9000__]

… WERE you there?

[@HAL_9000__]

23:19 Absolutely one of my all time favorite gags! I remember cracking up like crazy when I first saw this so long ago. 😂 The great Chris Elliott and his serious deadpan reaction ❤

[@Bill_Woo]

Carole King's expressions are as though she's having the best day of her life 1:18:24 38:06 She likely was not displeased with the artillery that surrounded her either, both mechanical and artists.

[@davidsandall]

Don, congratulations on getting one of the white velcro balls. Thank you for posting all the material that you do.

[@markjones952]

NBC got Dave to do local TV interviews. I can't think he did very many of those.

[@user2144]

Thanks, Don. Never seen this before.

[@tnawcwvictoria]

Whether you're a fan of Late Night TV or not, David Letterman took Late Night TV to a whole 'nother level and made it funny and that's why he was the Best Late Night Talk Show Host of the 80's and NBC back in the 80's was AWESOME!

[@WritersNotWriting]

That version of Freddie Hubbard's Mr. Clean starting at 1:03:05 is mighty tasty, especially w/ Jon Faddis taking things up an octave when they come out of commercial. Wow.

[@popcornsamurai]

When I first saw this in high school I did not know who half the people in the band were, over time I would become a huge fan of most of them. Freddie inspired me to take up the trumpet.

[@jacoscofield5150]

Thanks Don again ! Always great work you do

[@philliphayden2727]

Great comp, much appreciated! Hope you are doing well.

[@thejwproject7593]

Thank You Don!! I haven’t seen this one yet! Only the 5th and 7th 😁

[@GooseOD]

Wow, the best one. thanks!

[@greendalek303]

39:46 I don't know as there could be said to be such a thing as a Holy Moment in the history of entertainment, but this band lineup comes pretty darned close.

[@HAL_9000__]

🤯 Truly mind blowing!!

[@linzilooloo7669]

This is great!

[@jnadle1]

Commercial music set list (all I know): James Brown - I Go Crazy Duane Eddy - Rebel Rouser Carole King - Jazzman Joe Walsh - Rocky Mountain Way

[@jasonschneider71]

The Band - Chest Fever

[@jeffwolfe4058]

Damn Feb 1988 was likely the peak of westetn civilazation.

[@JayDeeIsMyName]

0:00 Raw Satellite interview with Bobby Wyant 6:11 News segment with Monica Schneider 10:15 Anniversary show (as originally aired) 1:23:00 Anniversary show (early edit, aired on E!).

[@neilshirrell3838]

Dave went on for 27 years after this!

[@HAL_9000__]

Which makes this moment 1:34 pretty ironic!

[@sfdungeon]

wow..that's a blast from the past

[@hutprancer]

I don't know anything about how TV networks store old TV show tapes, but how is it that NBC could send an EARLIER edit of the show to the E network in 7 years later? They keep early edits filed away with the final edits? Were the tapes mislabeled? Misfiled? Boggles my mind. :)

[@dongiller]

There’s a lot about the state of NBC’s LNwDL archives that would boggle your mind.

[@joes9954]

@@dongiller I'm sure there are STILL harsh feelings on NBC's side that Dave left. IIRC correctly they sold the show to A&E for a little while in the early 90's and Dave was pissed which did not help relations when the whole Carson fiasco happened a few years later leading to Dave bailing for CBS. TBH, though I am not sure if leaving 12:30 was good for the show. Good for Dave, sure, but it was just different and over time I just stopped watching it. (However that Carson cameo...and he never said a word!) I wonder how things would have gone had NBC given him Tonight.

[@jacquelynnshea3186]

There won't be another David.

[@andyrose5616]

Interesting that the E! edit also was lacking the visual guest montage in the intro, with some placeholder graphics instead. Clearly not intended to be aired that way.

[@Dontboovote]

🙌🏼

[@andrewgillis8572]

@Don Giller BSM, everybody - Black Sounds, Matter. And no blue-eyed soul brother, let alone from here in Canada, did more for soul & funk history & legacy that did Mr Paul Shaffer - in this TV role, but not only this one. Evidence, here in this hilarious show. Truly I forgot how Letterman's style is as though Mark Twain was channeled by Robert Klein Letterman's humour is genius & somehow classic. Wonder which among writing captured this, & supplied more of it - maybe they all did.

[@hobbygamer6220]

HEY I DONT RECALL WILL IN THAT COAT ! so theres more tearing up the studio clips that either weren't uploaded or I'm not aware of. how many more are there besides the two on the wmdb shenanigans video you uploaded awhile back ??

[@dongiller]

I think just the two I included in the January 2017 upload - kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZoGkp3l9eLJ5ZsU

[@sonnyandreotte5721]

how do i get back to 1988?

[@CaptainSpalding72]

Other than Conan, he can take cornball, schmaltz and irony and make it into some damn fine comedy.

[@plaws0]

Someone already made the comment about civilization peaking and ... yeah. After the big musical number with Ms Lauper et al (and there was a lot of al) that was my thought - this may have also been the peak of Dave ...Not saying that our hero was crap after this but just that this may have been the highest point.

[@user2144]

30:30 is that the late, great, Warren Zevon in the background?

[@dongiller]

Nobody reads my descriptions.

[@user2144]

Don Giller Sorry, Don. I normally do, but I couldn’t see it this time. Ever since YT moved the comments section to the top, descriptions have been minimised, well on my phone at least. So that makes it look like there is no description.

[@dongiller]

Warren is included during Paul’s introduction of the band, even noting that it’s his birthday. Which would have been apparent had the show been watched in full.

[@user2144]

Don Giller Yes, it would have been. But to sit through an over 2 hour video until you can ask questions and give comments/feedback is a little unreasonable. We, as humans, are curious creatures. Also, as humans, are not patient/diligent.

[@nav662007]

Don, you are a preeminent scholar, sir!

[@Zappasays]

DUANE EDDY AND JOE WALSH JUST HANGING OUT

[@mknight96]

Does anyone know the name of the tune the band plays after Stupid Pet Tricks?

[@WritersNotWriting]

Mr. Clean by Freddie Hubbard.

[@rontownsend8235]

which one was it 86 or 87, do you know?

[@dongiller]

Which one was what?

[@jacksandler35]

Pathetic General Electric - today- at $6 per share couldn't afford 1 month's rent in Letterman's attic

[@Heres_Johnny.]

I think Dave was smitten with Monica.

[@clydepiper4046]

I spent 4 hrs teaching myself how to spin a coat hanger with a penny balanced on the hook because of a Stupid Human Trick : )

[@martasatgo]

58:31 truly a stupid pet trick!

[@lucianofigueiredo4877]

Muito ilario e engraçado 😆😆😆

[@CaptainSpalding72]

Dave was untouchable on NBC. His CBS years have no distinct flavor, just like when Conan went to cable.

[@dicknarcowitz]

You Are the best Don. Thanks so much. Would you know if there is an appearance by They Might Be Giants that is not on youtube? I may be completely mixing memories, but I swear sometime in the mid to late 1990s they were on Letterman and did a song about the singer singing into a box and sounding like a robot and annoying the audience, It was all self referential and then segued into a different song about beating up people you don't understand. Sounds crazy when I try to explain, and frankly at this point I'm not sure I didn't just dream it. I love your work Don. Thanks again.

[@dongiller]

They appeared three times on Late Night: February 1, 1989: “They’ll Need a Crane” (network television debut) May 15, 1990: “Your Racist Friend” May 19, 1992: “I Palidrome” They never appeared on Late Show, which debuted in 1993. You’ll have to check yourself what others may have uploaded. And thanks!