Allen Ginsberg on Letterman, June 10, 1982

By request. Allen Ginsberg makes his only appearance on Late Night, first chatting with Dave and then performing "Capitol Air" with the band. Subbing for Hiram Bullock and Will Lee are Steve Khan and Neil Jason.

[@denominator208]

“A fire broke out backstage in a theatre. The clown came out to warn the public; they thought it was a joke and applauded. He repeated it; the acclaim was even greater. I think that's just how the world will come to an end: to general applause from wits who believe it's a joke.” ― Soren Kierkegaard, Either/Or, Part I

[@matthewm.cariello6126]

Letterman had no idea what to say when someone is sincere, and the audience giggling is appalling, but Ginsberg still manages to rock the house!

[@georgevesuvius8865]

It was the 80s yuppies days , anti-hippie

[@93Jubilee]

@@georgevesuvius8865 Allen was far more than a "hippie," of course, but a few members of this benighted audience don't seem to recognize it.

[@ayr1225]

Matthew M. Cariello Ginsberg is so damn rad. He’s legit awesome.

[@bubbatheking9225]

I suspect Letterman's audience, expecting a night of quirky and over the top silliness, were impatiently making the childish most of their frustrations at the behest of Mr Letterman. Ginsberg, rightly, couldn't have cared less.

[@psiclops521]

This reminds me of the Dick Cavett show when he had Dali on. Dali had a very thick Catalonian accent and was difficult to understand, but what made him more difficult was that his remarks were absolutely brilliant and Cavet openly mocked Dali. Cavett had no idea what Dali was saying. But Dali said things that could only be understood in the context of art and neither Cavett nor his artist got it.

[@Ivearted]

That band had his back alright. That was refreshing!!! 😎

[@allenanderson4911]

I met him and he seemed very humble, despite his fame. He smiled wide and, despite the fact that he was missing many teeth, without guile or embarrassment.

[@ShaithMaster]

He supported NAMBLA

[@kevinsousa3581]

This is what David Cross is gonna look like in 30 years.

[@PatrickBateman1987]

He already looks like that.

[@davidkornblatt991]

He played him already in IM NOT THERE

[@poppybell7706]

NAILED IT! hehe

[@bobbyfeather1]

Happy to have met Allen at many readings. What a force.

[@Plantlady70]

I envy you. I admire him greatly.

[@parker1251]

Nice name drop. But I know you're lying. You never met him!

[@djrychlak4443]

He was a diseased pedo. And you call that a force? His poetry was horseshit...just like Kerouac's. Truman Capote was right...that's not writing, that's typing.

[@zorkwork3841]

Mr Ginsburg was a very genuine,intelligent and compassionate man..The audience laughs because they just don't get it...like nervous children Oy!

[@iBMcFly]

He was pro-pedo…..Get outta here with your trash comment.

[@ShaithMaster]

And NAMBLA suporter

[@liamwhitney509]

@@ShaithMaster Like nervous children

[@soraya2218]

oh then he probably enjoyed it quite a bit given he was an open and proud "boy lover"

[@ayr1225]

Ginsberg is the most punk rock dude ever. He’s kinda wild.

[@soraya2218]

It's so Punk Rock to be a boy lover 💖

[@user-ru3ie6cx5m]

@@soraya2218 sure just ignore his message and focus on his flaws with ad hominem attacks bravo

[@soraya2218]

@@user-ru3ie6cx5m he was literally a PEDOPHILE and his message was jewish relativist nonsense lmao

[@AllahÜberAlles]

Is ad hominem the new word to detract peoples concerns with pedophiles? ​@@user-ru3ie6cx5m

[@jazzmanchgo]

That ignorant giggling audience is REALLY annoying -- Bless Ginsberg for keeping his composure. If it'd been Kerouac up there, I'm guessing he'd have given them something they wouldn't have been prepared for.

[@MrThermostatic]

You have to understand, the general public was a lot more conservative back then and this stuff still seemed weird and strange to most people.

[@aldojamari4445]

You all probably dont care but does anyone know a trick to log back into an instagram account? I somehow lost my account password. I love any tips you can offer me

[@morganparker3478]

@Aldo Jamari Instablaster =)

[@DivineRedwood]

The audience's natural instinct to laugh at Allen and his ideas is 100% accurate and right to do. Deep down they know he's a fool and treat him accordingly.

[@soraya2218]

@@MrThermostatic you mean like NAMBLA, boy love and pedophilia? Yeah those damn prudes...

[@itsaterp]

what a amazing man, truly ahead of his time

[@djrychlak4443]

He was a talent-less piece of shit. You need to reassess your values.

[@Howie660]

Absolutely!

[@soraya2218]

So true. People still aren't ready to embrace boy lovers, that's why we still desperately need organisations like NAMBLA which Ginsberg was a fierce supporter of.

[@svendbosanvovski4241]

The thing I learned from reading Alan's poetry, is that you have to be extraordinarily courageous and let the heart offend. His astonishing Kaddish for Naomi Ginsberg is a heartbreaking confessional.

[@djrychlak4443]

It's shit poetry and ginsberg was a monster.

[@MG-dj7jv]

Of the most heartbreaking words I have ever read...

[@93Jubilee]

Oh I loved Allen Ginsberg! What an old soul he was. And, no doubt, still is. . .

[@williamdonnelly224]

Wow Ginsberg really rocks, I'm impressed.

[@polymathematics_]

Audience reminds me of the Joaquin Phoenix line from his famous appearance, "what do you gas these guys with?"

[@georgerichards4808]

In fairness, the Phoenix appearance was a prepared joke, designed to elicit a certain response. In a subsequent appearance, he apologized for looking and sounding like a complete idiot.

[@jasonkh3943]

This was a good performance, what a legend.

[@sp00kycutie]

The respect this man is owed 🤌🏼

[@DivineRedwood]

None.

[@backpackmack3013]

Dawg he was a literal pedophile no respect at all

[@chrisaltieri565]

it's so frustrating to hear the audience laugh

[@georgerichards4808]

If you want, I can download this video for you and edit out all the laughter so you can get a "clean" read. But the irony of the audience (some) being clueless is actually part of what Ginsberg would have accepted as the norm.

[@grandmotherproductions9380]

it realy is

[@peopleskarmasquad1042]

Chris Altieri It is hard not to.

[@peopleskarmasquad1042]

George Richards That was not a laugh track. Those were real people

[@peopleskarmasquad1042]

Chris Altieri it was hard not to join them

[@gypzs9]

A wise, elegant, beautifully spoken treasure was Allen Ginsberg. So far above this audience, who finally began to listen. How we miss his presence in the world.

[@adalbertbruce]

Thanks for the post. I saw this on its original broadcast in 1982, and didn't view it again until yesterday! The interview, and performance stayed with me. Dave's response to the question about On the Road was weak. I (and a friend) met Allen Ginsberg at the Boulder Bookstore in April 1985, where he had much the same direct presence (I also saw him at several other readings, and signings, in the 80s and 90s).

[@orangelazarus6056]

Aw, poor Ginsberg! This just goes to show man, the Beats really were intellectual dudes. This guy is one of the most important literary figures of the modern era, he’s totally serious about his craft and his spirituality, and these morons are treating him like he’s an idiot. ...but it’s just a testament to what a badass he was - by the end of his performance, they love him.

[@schdyoo7259]

0:54 Wow! So happy to see him do the "Namaste" gesture.

[@redadamearth]

Back when we actually had poets as guests. I was lucky enough to see Ginsberg at a reading/performance at Adelphi University in the 90's.

[@spb7883]

To those who decry the audience, I sympathize. Still, as someone who grew up in that time, I suggest you consider how by the 80s it had become exceedingly rare to have someone like Ginsberg on basic tv, especially someone espousing his politics. On linear tv, at least, the situation has only gotten worse since.

[@GolfAfter50]

Capitol Air appeared on the album "First Blues", which had contributions from a number of other artists including Bob Dylan, Arthur Russell and David Amram. I played at a show in NYC in 2013 with a number of people who worked with Ginsberg to celebrate a re-issue of the record. David Amram was on the bill as well (writer of the music for The Manchurian Candidate, among other great accomplishments) - Lou Reed was supposed to play but health issues, that were announced shortly after the show, prevented him from performing. I got to meet and hang out a bit David Amram. Thanks for posting this footage!

[@berniekellman405]

Allen Ginsberg was walking, talking, living, breathing love, intellect, imagination and everything else good about humanity. Talk about unique !

[@DivineRedwood]

Uh, no.

[@soraya2218]

You support NAMBLA too ?

[@BreakfastEveryday]

We can all agree this dude was 1000 years ahead of his time.

[@soraya2218]

Yup! Seems like people still aren't ready to embrace boy lovers

[@Nicholas-tv4do]

what the fuck that's one of the best songs I've ever heard.

[@jakegggggggggggg]

He wasn’t ahead of the time, he was the time!

[@mrjamesgrimes]

He also thought it was cool to fuck kids. Hope he wasn’t ahead of it that time

[@pjtron41]

Shame he wasn’t very In time 🕰️

[@shawarmaboy4844]

Great display of his work. In The Clash's track "Ghetto Defendant" you can hear him similarly utilizing the "measure of the breath" he is showing here. Very cool stuff.

[@healix8526]

Ginsberg sings. I absolutely love this.

[@haroldofcardboard]

ghetto defendant one of my all time fave tracks. what a treat to see this fellow!

[@peopleskarmasquad1042]

harold of cardboard 😂😂😂

[@TheInsidiousTaco]

How could they watch Ginsberg and and laugh like that man

[@bandmonte]

Pure gold, thanks for uploading this!

[@93Jubilee]

Ginsberg was such a dear, kind soul. He gave me romantic advice back in 1980 or so, unsolicited, but I took it! It was good advice.

[@salvo5108]

Allen, your howl is a calling that the future will continuously hear, and your message will forever vibrate throughout the echo chambers of humanity's conscious. Thank you.

[@roadrunner381]

Letterman didnt joke around much with Mr Ginsberg, i think he took him serious, and gave him the respect he deserved!

[@havefunbesafe]

Rebel his whole life: a life with meaning.

[@piscesmusic3116]

Why are the audience laughing when Ginsberg is discussing mantras. Ginsberg is a Buddhist. Mantras are important in Buddhism like Hymns are important in Christianity.

[@ironflazambat5815]

It’s kind of relieving to know that audiences aren’t getting worse nowadays, cause this one was pretty bad. I’m really interested in all of this, and hearing random laughing and stuff while I’m listening makes my already lingering headache worse.

[@quickthunder86]

Musical performance strongly reminds me Pere Ubu with David Thomas. I wonder if Allen ever listened them.

[@mallory5872]

quickthunder86 I looked up pere ubu because of your comment. Liked very much. Thanks

[@jnnx]

quickthunder86 This comment is sponsored by Wendy’s. Wendy’s, a celebration of food!

[@jokerman8619]

It's crazy that he was a pretty chill, normal guy who made jokes about ideas in the bathroom.

[@arilynnkittysmoothie9579]

Allen Ginsberg is king

[@DivineRedwood]

Well he did take it in the royal hindass.

[@soraya2218]

king of NAMBLA

[@debbiereynoldsfan7155]

Allen was such a wonderful spirit.

[@RollingOrmond]

Nice him promoting Jack's seminal work and creative ideas among the bourgeoisi Reagan-era nudniks.

[@slevemcdichael5274]

Ginsberg talking about a line from a profound book written by his now deceased friend *Guy in the back: **4:31*

[@violinsinthevoid4579]

My favorite thing Ginsberg ever did was put the songs of innocence and experience into music. So beautiful! You can look up a recording of those pieces here on KZbin. Quite a document. Robert Bly said that Blake himself would sing his poems, and was even said to sing one on his deathbed.

[@govchal]

indeed. thank you.

[@lickymywicky6289]

This fuckin rocks

[@petercipriani3307]

The Ginz from the Donz! Than you man. It's great to see him so vital.

[@loveyourselfbeyourself890]

As of this year, we most certainly need another Allen Ginsberg! Great guy overall and he thought with an open mind. :)

[@Danuta628]

I was there - 1982 no nukes concert. Was amazing event actually

[@Cleveland_Chris]

The audience laughing is so telling of the world. If the herd will laugh at Ginsberg, none of us have a chance.

[@peopleskarmasquad1042]

Chris Zano Better laughed at than scorned

[@DivineRedwood]

The audience's natural instinct to laugh at Allen and his ideas is 100% accurate and right to do. Deep down they know he's a fool and treat him accordingly.

[@pushingthroughthepaperthin9616]

They laughed when he did his mantra sounds, which most of the audience probably knew nothing about, so it just sounded like he was making random noises.

[@djdarq6311]

@@DivineRedwoodget a life

[@aztiff]

Allen was amazing.

[@cjcollom]

Great interview. And gutsy for Letterman to have a poet on his show, who isn't going to 'dumb down' his speech so as to appease a studio audience of New Yorkers. Great to see the poster for the ON THE ROAD Conference at Naropa in late July of 1982. Many folks have asked me "Why wasn't Jack Collom's name on that billboard? Why didn't he read there?" For starters, he was living in New York City at the time! Not Boulder. In fact, his apartment on Ludlow Street -- 2 blocks from Katz's Deli (on the 'Lower East side') -- was a short cab ride from where this very episode was being aired on June 10th. Less than a week later, I arrived in The Big Apple to visit my father Jack. Little did I know this show had been broadcast on TV just before I climbed aboard a 747 at Stapleton Airport in Denver, CO to fly out east. I might've mentioned it, otherwise. But I was ignorant, and in that blissful state we visited all the great spots (Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Bronx Zoo, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Grand Central Station, even Central Park bird watching. Most nostalgic ... we took the elevator up to the 111th Floor observation deck of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. As it may be, we wrote some better-than-average poems together on that trip, one of which we composed just 11 days after this Letterman show; you can see us reading it together in this video made at Chataquah Park in Boulder about 4 years before Jack passed away in 2017: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6bReIiwbribe7s

[@darriusmackey7981]

Wow how brave & eccentric thanx

[@93Jubilee]

What a gloriously talented, wonderful man!

[@CarlosMendez-yd7ut]

This was when Dave was cutting edge! The show seemed like it was going to go off the rails any second.

[@williamdelong1936]

Best ever. Rip. Al. David Cross playing Ginsberg a natural. Lol.

[@nonamenoname4175]

I think Ginsberg was putting the audience on. Good one!

[@calvinnotkalvin84]

Brilliant!

[@michaelserebreny454]

The problem in the beginning is he was attempting to explain the Dharma. This should never be attempted, especially on American Television. A shame to lose so many eyebrows at once.

[@radsk8rbigollies594]

What a cool guy!

[@grandmotherproductions9380]

This song is actually pretty fucking cool

[@crashvandrifter3198]

Great guest. Ignorant audience.

[@deputay]

I noticed that, too...don't know if it's that they don't understand him or aren't giving him a chance. Dave is completely respectful, though.

[@crashvandrifter3198]

True. They might not have realized Ginsberg wasn't there to get ranked on like some of Dave's more eccentric guests in those days. Or maybe there were just some giggly teenagers in the audience that night.

[@georgevesuvius8865]

Tom Cotton was in the audience you know

[@ericwolfe2455]

Amazing artist poet singer the evolution of the beats that lived past 50 like Burroughs allen heros

[@ericwolfe2455]

Amazing artist for decades Allen and Burroughs rock

[@Pensive_Scarlet]

That audience sounds high as a fleet of kites. Hidden genre of music discovered: Rebellious Jewish Hippie Punk I love it. I have to try to write music like this, but for today's issues! Whoa, mankind, indeed.

[@xxxxyz854]

Keep free speech alive. Thank you Mr. Ginsberg. "GET THAT WASP OFF MY SANDWICH"!

[@katevielle4263]

He's so sweet and gentle.

[@drprfssrprft4511]

Has anyone taken the time to decipher the lyrics or found them published? I'd love to read them. I'll have a squizz around the web and see if i can come up with any.

[@lillynietz17]

Ginsberg's Collected Poems 1947-1980 contains the Poem/Lyrics on page 743 in hardcover....A excellent example of Allen's thoughts and political fervor in the early 80's...Obviously still relevant today....

[@AllendeEtAl]

The poem is called Capital Air.

[@excelsior999]

Hr could have played a character described as,BEATNIK POET in "Gilligan's Island." His entire life was an act.

[@robertomendez187]

I love this writer more now. 🙌🏽🤣

[@ArtificialBanana]

Live audiences are "warmed up" before the show, so they are ready to giggle at the slightest thing. Good for Letterman but not always good for his guests.

[@user-rv8oe9wz3r]

the best DISS EVER

[@hd-xc2lz]

Back when talk shows invited people on other than celebs and zookeepers.

[@maxsimgue9764]

...unlike the hosts today who are the zookeepers.

[@garrettramirez428]

Better than Green Day

[@peopleskarmasquad1042]

Garrett Ramirez 😂😂😂

[@GebbzSteelo]

he could do this song today and it's just as if not more relevant !

[@kerosene4751]

I wonder if Letterman ended up reading On The Road. If not, he should. There's still time.

[@nicholasbogosian5420]

Who else is imagining him practicing this song in his bathroom?

[@thesharppitchfork8080]

No one can doubt Ginsberg's genius.

[@peopleskarmasquad1042]

😂😂

[@MilesBellas]

6:43 wow.... Allen sings!

[@r.w.6556]

Surprised this was allowed on the air in 1982.

[@sidDkid87]

*"do the worm on the acropolis* / *slam dance cosmopolis* / *enlighten the populace"* 🎶

[@davidayer2168]

Old Ginzy giving the sound guys orders on-camera LOL

[@jbsamakis]

Ginsberg was a lovable maniac.

[@quickthunder86]

6:43 - Introducing new rock music subgenre: "professor rock".

[@adamwest3637]

A great moment lost in time.

[@dongiller]

How is it lost in time when it’s right here?

[@adamwest3637]

I couldn’t think of exact what I wanted to say. It’s not completely lost but it’s still very relevant today. It would be good if more people knew Ginsberg sang a punk rock song in 82’ on the Letterman show.

[@adamwest3637]

There’s a million other terrible songs in front of it

[@mangasky7]

great stuff, thanks

[@Jacob-df5hr]

Remarkable individual, we are worse off without him.

[@shimone5198]

Is the audience okay??

[@DivineRedwood]

The audience's natural instinct to laugh at Allen and his ideas is 100% accurate and right to do. Deep down they know he's a fool and treat him accordingly.

[@thesharppitchfork8080]

Celebrating Allen's good friend Jack Kerouac's 100th birthday today....Kerouac said Ginsberg was the dark force in many of his books because Kerouac believed there was a core of light, beauty and magic somewhere in America with all the Post World War 2 despondency and morose disappointment that the Beat's wrote about. At their heart, they did explore their spontaneous experiences and their meaning. Yet in the gluttony of booze, sex and drugs, they fell apart, but despite their weaknesses, Kerouac and to some smaller degree Ginsberg, had an illuminating fire that lit up a generation.

[@westtexasdave2140]

Might be the best punk song I’ve ever heard

[@NS-uh3dq]

Gimme the lyrics

[@2livesleft]

the audience was so uncomfortable they didn't know what to do with Ginsberg's sincerity other than laugh at something different

[@kellyanquoe]

Wow! that happened humans

[@alexnewman5338]

Parts of the audience remind me about something Crumb talked about about when 80's yuppies would be patronizing and say things like "you 60's guys are so wacky!".

[@adfdyjruim]

He meant R. Crumb.

[@ms-vv2gg]

David Cross doing a bit?

[@MichaelHattem]

I met Allen after a few readings in NYC in the very early 1990s and the main word I can think of to describe him was “gentle.” Eminently kind.

[@djrychlak4443]

He was a pedophile advocate. What the fuck is wrong with you?

[@dafaveri]

If it is not a genius mark, I don't know what genius is.

[@laurenceschwartz8606]

Talented poet. But when performs, it reminds me of an uncle of the bar mitzvah boy performing at the reception after having one too many.

[@jakegggggggggggg]

Why the hell is the audience laughing

[@Misserbi]

All writers and poets have a past both used by themselves and by outside observers. The trick, I think, is to gain knowledge and virtue so the past does not need to be at the center. That is not easy. In a sense you give yourself and expect nothing back. In societies like the US that has a service based approach that offers no friendship it is disasterous to start on a path where no one else stands.

[@jeffreycabanellas8113]

Hard to believe 40 years back there were people who cared about peace and love.This seems have e need.Maybe Ginsberg was the last peace effort.

[@whateveritsnoyes]

I know everyone else has commented on it, but why the hell are people laughing? Was Letterman considered the equivalent of a night at The Comedy Strip? I remember the same thing happened with Don Van Vliet.. I guess they assumed it was a comedy show, which it is in some respects, late night that is, but come on.. He's not trying to be funny. Extremely cringeworthy.

[@johnnymeyer4253]

It was 1982. Just a strange, unique year all around.