Alan Alda on Letterman, May 19, 1986

[@reecemartinez337]

You’re coming here after the Bill Hader impression

[@jonathanedison]

He did such an amazing Alda.

[@K1NG_D0ME]

U got me

[@rhainjackson622]

Damn

[@sh7eug]

Shit

[@kriticalitylives]

Nah, just looking back on a legend.

[@wtfrage27]

Fun Fact: Alan Alda does a really good Bill Hader impersonation

[@otisdriftwood1697]

Is that right ?

[@tukiluka]

Proof that Bill Hader is a time traveller

[@johncopeland3826]

Poor old Dave met his match with Alan Alda . Sharp as a tack ,relaxed ,game for a laugh and on top of his field . The man is so gifted ,it's frightening !

[@gsue33]

Love Alan Alda. Hope he makes 106 yrs old.

[@spudbencer7179]

Why specifically 106?

[@AdAstraCan]

​@@spudbencer7179Alan has said he expects to live to that age (jokingly).

[@TruthHasSpoken]

Alan made me laugh for over a decade. I will be always grateful. Terrific memories. Enjoy today, hiking to the MASH site.

[@stagnantlasagna]

You make it sound like he's dead lmao Alan Alda is alive

[@TruthHasSpoken]

@@stagnantlasagna What did I say to imply that ?? :)

[@InSaNoDaCloWn]

To this day Letterman hasn't seen this film, and his set still belongs to Alan Alda.

[@geometricart7851]

he probably had someone else see it and ask for the cliff notes.

[@kevinnelson66]

According to Alan, Paul is going to hell for not seeing the film.

[@rl1800]

Yeah you can tell Alda was pissed that Letterman didn't show up to the screening he arranged for him. Two comic geniuses exchanging clever anger.

[@darrelltuenge9659]

rl1800 has always

[@CapnBlood]

Except Dave is sweating alcohol and acts like an ass. owned 3:43

[@CusterFlux]

Alan's an old improviser ( Compass Players, precursor to Second City, with Ed Asner, Nichols & May, etc ), and Dave's a former stand up - so yeah, Alan's a bit P.O'd, but mostly he's doing a little improv comedy in keeping with the theme of the show, that is, "Show Business is B.S." … which Dave loves, so the two of them are needling each other, and Dave happens to love a good sparring partner.

[@kevinnelson66]

Alan telling Paul he can go to hell for not seeing the film is actually comedy gold

[@koalalove7535]

So like i had to come check him out and see if bill really was super accurate and wow just wow that's amazing lol bill is so talented

[@scottvelardo700]

Class act. Smart dude. Great sense of humor.

[@awesomenano99]

Bill Hader is this old?

[@rawrvintageisclassic]

I think when it comes to time traveling, the rules tend to bend a bit.

[@ohdear1780]

Thanos Hello.. Last time I saw you, you were defeating half the population. Where are you at these days?

[@g.shapero732]

That is just Terrific.

[@EmilWestrum]

I just realized, he didnt act in mash, he really is Hawkeye. Amazing. Love this man!

[@kevincloud574]

That's the crazy part, he really has that ability of being a quick witted smart ass

[@gsue33]

More of a real gentleman than Hawkeye.

[@TravisWilliams3333]

You nailed it! Same as Peter Falk as Columbo

[@pcbacklash_3261]

The big difference is reportedly that, while Hawkeye is a big-time serial womanizer afraid of commitment, Alan is a devoted husband and big-time feminist.

[@absentsnz]

Alan Alda is so awesome 👏🏻

[@dianewinters8628]

I still have a crush on him.

[@OhSankYouDoktor]

Alda is a great guest and natural wit. "Sweet Liberty" was not a hit but I thought it was a terrific film. Alda is a very underrated director.

[@JakeMabe1]

This is one of my favorite moments from "Late Night." And the picture "Sweet Liberty" is an underrated modern classic. Course, I'm partial because I love "M*A*S*H" and was a history major once upon a time.

[@DanielFlohrFragments]

The eyes of a rascal with a heart of gold.

[@00Bunner]

I ❤ ALAN

[@a1sausie453]

Bill Hader topped it

[@dogbusonline]

Alan Alda, Michael Jordan and Lou Reed on one show. What a time

[@karinschluter8401]

Der Mann ist super ich schaue jeden Tag seine Sendung Mash

[@marisalombardi385]

Magnificent Alan ❤️

[@discoveringcatia]

I came here to see how accurate bill's impression was and I dropped my phone WHAT THE FUCJ

[@lynnturman8157]

Sweet Liberty is one of my favorite movies ever. Very underrated.

[@jameskennedy4377]

I'll hand it to Alda. He gave as good as he got.

[@loofoot]

Alan Alda has the nicest and most charming smile I've ever seen. Have always loved it! Just look 7:04 :)

[@tracymetherell8744]

Terese it stops my heart!

[@kesienaukey8849]

Ngolo Kante

[@guyjohnson259]

He's awesome.

[@jedicomedy]

That is a GREAT LINE!

[@jimgregory6185]

Top 5 actor for me. Great actor and person.

[@MeatGawds]

Few ppl as great as Alan.

[@Milkman4279]

When I was in college one time, a professor asked the class to pick a fictional male character that we would trust to watch 2 kids, a boy 8 and a girl 5, for an entire weekend, from Friday night to Sunday night. Everyone else in the class picked Cliff Huxtable, I chose Hawkeye Pierce. The professor chose Charles Ingalls.

[@billslocum9819]

But what about when Hawkeye lost that kid in the minefield? Trapper had to helicopter over and rescue him. I'd pick Frank Burns over that.

[@dan4894]

I just viewed that episode and Frank Burns & Hotlips were the ones that lost that kid.

[@JakeMabe1]

@@billslocum9819 Not quite. Frank and Margaret lost the kid.

[@curlyq690]

@@billslocum9819 Hawkeye didn’t lose the kid, it was Burns and Holihand that was supposed to be watching him. The boy went with them on their picnic.

[@pronemanoldbutyoung5548]

Love the segments whit the film clips and seeing Dave not interacting with people like Alda, when they go to commercials

[@intertr0ns]

I've got to check out that film now.

[@silviageorge7600]

What is not to love about this person ?

[@beaudwayful]

Imagine picking Reagan or the Pope over Alda.

[@MichelleUS66]

I had only seen the first segment of this appearance before, and Alan Alda seemed pissed off at Dave. Glad to finally see the entire thing.

[@JSL79]

Pretty funny appearance. Sweet Liberty is one of my favorite comedies from the 80s.

[@AndyGillis6273]

alan is a Natural actor and funny

[@AndyGillis6273]

duh

[@VolvagiasBlaze]

wow, Alda does a good Howard Stern impression

[@howardthechuck7794]

I love swagger souls.

[@jennifergrove2368]

He's such a cutie :)

[@araluen4484]

I had to look Alan Alda up because of the Bill Hader impression, and I had no idea he was Hawkeye in MASH.

[@scottknode898]

You didn’t know Alan Alda was Hawkeye from 1972 to 1983.

[@JakeMabe1]

Are you 12?

[@martinarcher7977]

Forget David Letterman and Alan Alda - I want to know about Bridget- Meow! What a beauty.

[@dongiller]

Full Bridget Jackson collection here -- kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJyZm5Wcr8aGn5o

[@mikebastoni4490]

Look how young Alan is

[@triplefresh3339]

Holy crap Bill Hader is so on point

[@kalevquigley5686]

He shakes his hand then wipes it off lol

[@user-nf9ur7pl7l]

Алда отличный актер

[@GREENDAYalltheWAY077]

He never left the surgeon's table.

[@mstrinitylala]

I'm late here but I found this video recently and this dude sounds like SwaggerSouls

[@holy.water.]

lmao I’m here cuz my dad said swagger sounded like this guy and holy fuck yeah he does

[@mstrinitylala]

@@holy.water. yea it’s oddly accurate!!

[@onafehts]

He totally reminds me of Richard Feynman speaking

[@krisscanlon4051]

Watched it live...11 th grade...I was tired 😫

[@kd5you1]

Bridget Jackson reminds me of Erin Moran.

[@seanwilkie9358]

Came here for the Hader comments, wasn't disappointed!!!

[@brookbergsma5089]

Alan Alda wasnt cast as Hawkeye, Hawkeye is constantly acting as Alan Alda

[@RaiderX948]

Filmed at Adventureland on route 110 Farmingdale.

[@djtforever1414]

Sweet Liberty has an episodic plot - may be influenced by Alan writing for TV.

[@somegoodfella]

Everyone thinks that Bill Hader's impression is the best. But au contraire! I think Peter Serafinowicz impersonated him better.

[@TheJayson8899]

I agree

[@pcbacklash_3261]

Jeeeez, I never realized how amateurish Letterman's show was in the earlier days. Boom mics dropping into the scene, not seeing the guest's project beforehand, deciding on the spur of the moment when to show a clip. Just, wow...

[@jackinner]

swaggersouls

[@shutupanya]

Dang Bill Hader is great!

[@PlantBasedPirate]

Bill hader

[@jamesdutchman8862]

Did you notice that Bridget scooted away from Alan at the end?

[@britain9735]

Yo this alan guy looks like hawkeye from mash

[@kevincloud574]

Uh no, Hawkeye looks like Alda

[@reekyfartin]

Damn, it’s weird how eerily similar this is to a Jimmy Fallon interview today. Almost too similar.

[@derekf5495]

You'd never see anything like this on a modern talk show. Everything is so planned and sterilized now.

[@hop-skip-ouch8798]

Watch Norm McDonald or Bill Burr interviews

[@hop-skip-ouch8798]

Everything is "terrific"

[@charleswinokoor6023]

“I don’t know how the Pope got in there.” Very funny. That staffer Bridgette was a cold fish. She knew ahead of time Alda was going to do his fast-kissing routine. He was a gentleman for just kissing her hand.

[@dongiller]

Bridget was great.

[@charleswinokoor6023]

@@dongiller Not much of a sense of fun or humor. It was as though they pushed her into it because no one else would volunteer. But Alda was funny as hell picking on Dave.

[@dongiller]

@@charleswinokoor6023 Here are all,of her appearances on Late Night. Maybe you’ll understand her better. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJyZm5Wcr8aGn5osi=WTTUAL8vu4XjmWn-

[@WillyTheComposerOfficial]

wow he Does have a similar voice to Howard Stern

[@PiobGuy]

Does anyone have the complete episode from 19 May 1986?

[@dongiller]

I have every Letterman. But I’m no longer able to upload additional Dave-owned or -licensed videos.

[@nancyduncan6594]

I saw your AARP recently, you know I still love MASH. What did BJ name was.

[@JakeMabe1]

BJ. His mother's name was Bea, and his father's name was Jay. ("Anything you want.")

[@nancyduncan6594]

@@JakeMabe1 Thank you for answering my question

[@InSaNoDaCloWn]

15 minutes of no promotion and the guest giving friendly shit to the host about it, featuring Alan Alda.

[@carolelizabethjohnson1130]

Say, just out of curiosity, can anyone tell "What" my T-shirt says? Perhaps "Where" I am? Well, my T-shirt is my "M*A*S*H 4077th" T-shirt. "Where" I am? Look at the coloring all around me, in "The Swamp Tent" of course, where In lived for the last 7yrs of the show (On Location) "The Best" years of my life! Wish it could of lasted forever. "Best" of "The Best" in my book. Pictures by the book-full, hundreds of them, and memories, they never end. Everybody there called me "Miss M*A*S*H" (In Country) Sound Stage 9 at the Fox lot. I Hope I haven't bored anyone. C'ya

[@sophiepalmer-doran344]

this is a mer 2 or 3 week since Alen Aldas father died "Alda died on May 3, 1986, aged 72, after a long illness following a stroke.

[@OnBleeckerStreet]

Maybe it explains why Alan seems a bit on edge here :(

[@fmca96]

What's the song played in the outro?

[@dongiller]

The Who - “We Won’t Get Fooled Again.”

[@fmca96]

@@dongiller god bless you. It was driving me insane

[@cubswin3838]

WHAT! Alan and MJ on the same show?! WTF?!

[@davidtaylor9219]

I really enjoyed this clip & I HATE letterman.

[@SquareNoggin]

Oh my god, I'm not alone! I'm really into comedy, various types of comedy, and Letterman is one of those guys that all the best comics and comedians respect and praise endlessly, and I just don't get it. At the best of times, he's snide and condescending in a way that's somewhat humorous (if he's interviewing somebody that's funny, but mostly it just makes me think he's a guy that thinks being a dick is in and of itself funny), but most of the time he's barely a passable straight man. It's kind of how I feel about SNL (yeah yeah yeah live and skit format is "hit or miss" but it seems like SNL even in it's hayday was mostly miss, nowadays it's straight trash), and yet all these really genius funny people treat SNL like it's the Holy Grail of comedy. But compare SNL to something like Key and Peele, and it's just no contest. Literally every single K&P skit is a hit, and their middle of the road skits rival the SNL classics. Yeah, it's not live, but still. I've seen countless live improv shows that blow SNL out of the water. I'm really starting to think it's not that I "just don't get it", but really when everybody starts praising something over and over it perpetuates itself and people convince itself it's more exceptional than it is. I guess this comment didn't merit such a ranty reply, but it's just so rare that I see other comedy fans who agree that Letterman is meh (SNL understandably has it's fair share of haters though). He was decent as a young man, but towards the end he just wasn't funny and was barely trying in my estimation, yet he was still treated like a God of comedy. That said, all of today's late night hosts (Conan being the exception IMO) are pretty godawful though, so I guess with that to compare it to Letterman is a genius.

[@damienleigh9943]

Yeah his name is letterman. Yet I've never seen him with a letter. What the hell

[@RobLives4Love]

Do you have Alan alda: the man and his Chinese food?

[@dongiller]

I have every show.

[@Dutchgraves]

WHEN WAS THIS ?

[@dongiller]

Seriously? The date's in the video title.

[@Dutchgraves]

oh.....................yeah

[@scottknode898]

dutch graves 1986

[@kevincloud574]

@@scottknode898 My God, seven years before I was born

[@scottknode898]

@@kevincloud574 I was born in December of 86

[@Spind0k]

mc chris

[@tones8675]

be honest you searched "Alan Alda" to hear if Bill hader was accurate

[@bradgrauer9148]

Alan alda is a comedic actor not a comedian

[@AndyGillis6273]

speed kissing bit was awkward...

[@TheWitchOvAgnesi]

Would be considered sexual harassment today...

[@mcgurkryans]

Is this before or after their feud?

[@dongiller]

What feud was that?

[@mcgurkryans]

+Don Giller the whole Chinese food restaurant bit

[@dongiller]

Ah. That was earlier. But I never thought there was a feud involved.

[@mcgurkryans]

Alan Alda sure seemed testy for most of the interview.

[@fifthbusiness1678]

Right in the middle of it, by the looks of it!

[@mossem5029]

Bill Hader does a better Alan Alda than Alan Alda.

[@teamworkformyfrainds]

Sounds like stern looks like hader

[@ToolFoolz]

Alan Alda gives zero 🎉ucks

[@aldairvazques4290]

.