Christmas Special on Letterman, July 9, 1982

[@PatrickEaston-yl1rq]

This is what made Letterman so unique. The quality was just above cable access. The CBS version was too polished.

[@Vejur9000]

I love that he read the word “pause”... following the introduction and his name

[@Vejur9000]

One of the great things about New York City in the 80s was late night television with David Letterman. Classic New York

[@ob1quixote]

I had no idea until this very instant here in late December of 2023 that I really missed the Late Night theme song.

[@noneofyourbusiness2766]

Anything with Larry 'Bud' Melman gets a 'like' from me.

[@Drac39]

35:40, what we all came here for

[@KrazeeClark]

Don, you truly are a national treasure. Happy Holidays!

[@douglaslowe5]

Christmas on July 9? How Lettermanesque!

[@jackdemus7890]

Thank you for this! I think this was the very first episode I saw.

[@reglagirl5802]

Oh The special friend

[@buyvital]

"Standing in the Shadows of Love" was the perfect song to end that last segment.

[@timdingus2129]

Don't mind me, I'm over here in the coffee shop dying with laughter. Had to attempt to explain why to the barista, I think she was a Leno fan....

[@danielpoitras1858]

You're the BEST!!!

[@anthonycobuccio6841]

Nothing says the 80's like The Guardian Angels.

[@timharrod]

YES!

[@allendracabal0819]

"... as I was saying before..."

[@barrettus]

I was re-watching the Tom Selleck video I asked about a couple months back and this showed up in my "recommended" list. This is a very high quality version of this episode! (edit I just realized some people might think I am being sarcastic. The 2 versions I've seen have been very "snowy") Off topic: I am not sure why it wasn't before, but I made sure I get all notifications going forward. Cheers!

[@dongiller]

Thanks; I wish I had a better quality of this, but of the two sources I have, this was the most presentable. Hopefully someday.

[@ronflatter1235]

12:28 Curtis Sliwa with the solo.

[@jameseldogger7410]

This video reminds me of why I had a crush on Jane at the time......

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

BEFORE Wayne's world, Bill and Ted and Dumb and dumber there was Bob and Doug.

[@glennmarshall4693]

Dave graduated high school when I was born

[@andy65guitar]

The Guardian Angels singing White Christmas.

[@brewer921]

This aired in July?

[@dongiller]

Yes.

[@mubd1234]

Would have been a good idea for them to rehearse Larry Bud's segment so that problem would have been spotted earlier...

[@dongiller]

They did; all explained in the description underneath the video.

[@timharrod]

I'm curious about what *exactly* was planned, since the complete poem is awfully long for a single comedy segment, and this was before the "Ask Mr. Melman" era of giving him calculatedly warped things to say.

[@jasonhurd4379]

Problem? What problem? It's hysterical! The sight of the awkward, cue-card dependent de Forest suddenly having to ad lib is one of the sublime moments in television history.

[@LivLaRaj]

Just noticed the model house (@10:04); Is that the same model used at SNL for the opening titles of "Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood"?

[@UpstateMediaNY]

I said the same exact thing....

[@glennmarshall4693]

Dace and Rick left SCTV around the same time.

[@davidhahnbirds]

👂 💚 🎄

[@exiles_dot_tv]

Did Jane Pauley and Dave hook up in college or something? Always seems like a weird energy between them.

[@dongiller]

No; they knew each other only through their careers in Indianapolis. No hook-ups.

[@davanmani556]

Though friends, they were rivals at TV and radio stations in Indianapolis. He use to play jokes like raising money for then single Jane’s wedding when it was another Jane Pauley. Then making a reference to singer Claudia Polley who worked at the radio station with Dave as being sisters’ with Jane. The catch was that Claudia is black.

[@SailorCallie]

Not bad for a birthday present.

[@CarmieSchulz]

Because of the Corona virus lockdown, we all look like these guys now but to think they paid a stylist to do that to them on purpose...I miss the 1980's.

[@brewer921]

Was there a reason why, other than Dave just being a non sequitar?

[@dongiller]

He had presented a Christmas show two years earlier on his morning show. In case that show was cancelled before the holidays. It was. So why not do it again?