Drake Sather Collection on Letterman, 1986-87

By request. Drake's three appearances on Late Night:
November 19, 1986 (network television debut)
March 16, 1987
August 25, 1987

[@markd6037]

Worked with Drake on David Spade's animated series "Sammy." He was the show runner, exec producer, and, in the editing room, basically the director. I could barely work when we were together because he made me laugh harder than anybody I've ever known. When he and the head writer, Keith, got on a roll, the riffing was often a work of improvisational genius. He was dark, but man, was he funny!

[@iansg75]

That's pretty damn awesome, do you have any tapes of "Sammy"? I've read about it and would LOVE to see any footage of it (i'm in UK and don't think it was broadcast here at all) - thank you in advance!

[@therealmogreen]

cool , Drake was awesome . So sad he passed . Everyone that is a great comic says he was awesome

[@clockworkNate]

Its so fascinating and disturbing thats some of the funniest people are the most depressed and in need of help. I feel like Jim Carrey is on that road but found some relief through painting. I wish there was some way to see through the veil...

[@joshm2690]

Cool. I only know of Drake from youtube . He was great . Very dark and I love that. The "I cut my adam's apple and frozen concentrated apple juice came out ." Joke is funny as fuk.

[@albundy9584]

As a stand up writer/performer..... basically stand-up..... this story is awesome. Please make a documentary on him and Norm.

[@88skisupreme]

I've heard Norm Macdonald mention him a few times, thanks for the upload

[@MartinEiken]

''Listen Marge, that story about that dead son of yours is a bit of a yawner''

[@KaninTuzi]

His style is very similar to early Norm

[@unclenoob3062]

@@KaninTuzi they were roommates

[@krankyjsmith9780]

@@MartinEiken But hey, let me tell you about a bus I caught the other day.

[@snowfairy63]

Awe My cousin..I’ve looked for clips and there was only one. I’m so glad these were uploaded ❤️

[@ragheadand420roll]

Stop doinggg heroinnnnnn

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

Finally some Drake Sather ( RIP ) on youtube! Great comedian and writer, roomate of Norm Macdonald and creator of 'Zoolander'.

[@SpawNimba]

if there was only a norm and drake clip somewhere, when they we're writers for dennis miller

[@jairkerker2821]

@Gav DeLeon Dennis Miller is so lucky.

[@clouseaux]

Drake and Norm must have confused each other with their own reflection in the mirror and thought they heard themselves talking when the other spoke.

[@zitarainer8790]

Damn, that reference to suicide by gunshot... Chilling.

[@hammurds]

He must’ve been looking for that nicotine rush from the bullet

[@Studeb]

His dad must have regret that choice of words.

[@newmanifest]

Shew. At 11:34. Eerie

[@taylorwest6986]

Mind blowing.

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

I remember watching this when I was 14 and memorizing his entire set word for word and then repeating it's entirety for about two years to anyone willing to listen. If youtube had been sround I woukd have sent them a link but that was out. So I had to perfect it to really sell this guy. People always laughed so I kept doing it. Over time I would wonder when this comedic genius would take off like a rocket and everyone would know his name. Here I am thirty years later and every word in this video sounds as if it were the voice of God speaking the ten commandments of comedy and Im caught in a personal echo three decades long. Here in this small corner of youtube, I find recognition with Don Giller and 8,000 people. The same recognition I had for Sather and never forgot. Hey I know thats a little intense but you get the picture right? I feel like it's some part of my forgotten self. It almost seems like a dream yet here it is and I realize time has also proven my response to his comedy was right. The man was damn funny.

[@unfortunatebeam]

Say whaa?

[@jairkerker2821]

Really good comedy can be a religious experience. Sather falls in that category.

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

@@unfortunatebeam Yeah. I re-read that comment and edited it because I went on some crazy tangent. I think I clarified the idea a little.

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

@@jairkerker2821 I also feel that Norm and Drake are like two sides of the same person.

[@jairkerker2821]

@@finnibertlunchiken7792 Oh yeah, I always wondered what could have become of a script if they had followed up on their joint script writing class. I actually thought up some really dark, facetious ideas. Since they were both devilishly handsome, a black and white short film about them kind of fighting over a very goodlooking dead girl with dialogue between them and great monologues for them talking to the girl who's decay progresses as the tension builds. Them both lovingly talking about her to her mother as if she were still alive, pretty disturbing stuff. Norm is my #1 comedian, and I always felt Drake might be second or a close third after Dave Foley if it weren't for his tragic story. I really love Don Giller for putting this together since there's so little material that features him in person. Funny how I can miss a guy I hardly knew. I'm still eagerly awaiting more of Norm's anecdotes, for his impersonation really brings Drake back to life.

[@3rdcoastnyucka]

He's so cool and confident. He must have influenced Anthony Jeselnik.

[@mattmarzula]

His jokes are all "out of the frying pan and into the fire". Contrived, trite, and shallow. Not really a style. Literally everyone with a friend they banter with can write these jokes. It's simple one-upmanship. So yeah. He's definitely influenced Anthony Jeselnik.

[@3rdcoastnyucka]

@@mattmarzula Based on your sad, angry post, I would bet you couldn't write an original joke at all.

[@randonceccoli8428]

That's impossible, this guy doesn't suck

[@mr.brenman2132]

​@@mattmarzula I doubt you could even make the cackler cumala laugh. I trust Norm McDonald's opinion over your's. You couldn't make any of these jokes funny. It's about delivery.

[@jairkerker2821]

I can't thank you enough Mr Giller. He so deserves to be remembered. Cudo's again!

[@lenovovo]

I tell you what, that Drake was one good looking guy!!!!

[@zachbernheisel2239]

he was one of the first good looking stand-ups. oddly enough, back in the day, letterman was too

[@lenovovo]

@@zachbernheisel2239 I agree with you totally that Letterman was good-looking too, a very delicious guy, and I might add that it is rumored that Letterman is well endowed. And who knows, maybe Drake was also. :-)

[@Sosa-hf1un]

Ayo

[@Edgun99a]

Man, this was great. This guy would be so big today. :(

[@loyeruckman120]

Now I recall laughing at his stand-up, but I'd forgotten about him in the decades since. Thanks for uploading, Don.

[@fozzworth]

When Drake died his soul transferred into and double-downed onto Norm MacDonald.

[@TR-yi8up]

Thanks so much for putting this up. Way too little of Drake's stuff around for us fans

[@Kat.Evangeline]

RIP Drake - Who killed him? Was there a red scarf?

[@andrewherman5010]

Drake: Love ya...your comedy lives forever, pal.

[@spiritclass3463]

Norms evil brother.. drake

[@thezec]

Let’s face it ‘Drake and Norm’ would have been a way better show than ‘Drake and Josh’

[@oldstockwhitecanadian2492]

Can you imagine? I mean, wouldn’t you have liked to have a secret cam in the office Drakester shared with Norm Macdonald for SNL? Good Lord!

[@ultimatenightmares]

So this is what dennis miller and norm macdonalds kid looks like

[@seldomseensavage3459]

Thx for this!!! I still have the HBO young comedians (13th) on vhs lol!! Refused to get rid of that tape just in case! Have quoted Drake ever since😂😂😂😂 I put him in group of comic geniuses. Hate what happened. ☮️

[@viviandarkbloom100]

Where is Lotion nowadays?

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

She was spreading herself a little thin there and became a little too self absorbed. After that she kind of faded.

[@kennytesta9312]

@@finnibertlunchiken7792 bravo!

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

Is there another appearance of his because I remember some great material I didn't see here, like: "My girlfriend says I'm too nosey....At least...that's what she keeps scribbling in her diary". " But there's problems in every relationship I guess. This one girl I'd been dating for a while was costing me a fortune so one day I finally confronted her. I said "why is it when I go out with you it always costs me over two hundred dollars?" She said "Maybe because I'm a prostitute?". "So relationships aren' t going too well but y'know I am at least trying to get healthier. I was trying to give up smoking recently and they say oral habits are the toughest to break. So I'm a little concerned that if I actually do quit smoking it's right back to cocksucking. Y'know how it is. You kick one bad habit and another marches right in there to take it's place".

[@dongiller]

No further appearances on Letterman beyond this collection.

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

@@dongiller Okay thanks Don. I could have sworn Id seen it on Letterman. Except for the third joke. Probably not that one.

[@io3204]

@@finnibertlunchiken7792 these jokes are in this set though: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3KolHiFer2iY9U

[@iansg75]

Great to see these, still funny thirty years on! Thank you for locating/uploading.

[@actionjackson7434]

Norm Macdonald and Tom Hanks hybrid.

[@samsungtelevision695]

Cannot unsee 😀

[@monkeyb1820]

yes, kind of their love child.

[@randonceccoli8428]

Plus Tom cruise

[@holysmokes4259]

This guy has a Norm MacDonald kind of vibe to him.

[@thezec]

When he does an impression of his dad, he sounds like early Homer Simpson. I wonder if Dan got any inspiration from Drake?

[@rybow1046]

Its great value Norm Macdonald

[@Chesterton7]

Bless you, Drake.

[@gregbrown1956]

Drake Sather on The People's Court. Actual appearance v. Ex-girlfriend. Deadpan, no excuses, no remorse. Beautiful. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gn3WnHp8ibeclZosi=XiB4XnEQQxaZQFeo

[@peterthompsoncomedy]

Everyone’s saying Norm Macdonald but I’m thinking more Mark Normand. Especially with that opening joke about the pride parade. I doubt Normand did it intentionally, but I bet he saw this set a long time ago and wrote that joke subconsciously. He sort of has a Sam Morill-esque energy to him as well

[@wh1654]

I remember seeing him on young comedians on HBO. Never know what you come across while browsing.

[@Estonius]

Thank you for uploading this; Drake Sather had a great, dark sense of humour.

[@grizzlywhisker]

My favorite Drake Sather joke was: "How you guys feeling tonight? I'm not feeling so great, I just scarfed down one of them Dove bars... Not the ice cream, but the soap. Don't know what the hell I was thinkin' there..."

[@davidbcalhoun]

11:40 :(

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

David Calhoun I know right? A little close to home. BTW Someone should have told him, suicide: not funny. Unless of course, he shot himself in the head with a bullet hollowed out and filled with tobacco. Then... maybe a little funny.

[@Kancerru]

Oof

[@jairkerker2821]

@@finnibertlunchiken7792 I'm pretty sure Drake would have loved that joke. I know I do.

[@samsungtelevision695]

This set is so damn good. The crowd was really slow warming up compared to how good the material is

[@jnadle1]

Drake, along with some other writers from this show, did Newsradio a bit later on.

[@dongiller]

Paul Simms, who hadn't yet entered Late Night's world, and Joe Furey, first an intern in early '87, then the show's receptionist, and finally up to writer.

[@TR-yi8up]

Perhaps the most overlooked sitcom in history. Drake showed up as Jimmy James lawyer a few times

[@jairkerker2821]

Drake also worked on The Larry Sanders Show, where Paul Simms worked too. NewsRadio is my favorite par none. That cast was the best, and the writing impeccable (also because of Dave Foley).

[@zachbernheisel2239]

@@dongiller Mark O'Keefe too

[@dongiller]

@@zachbernheisel2239 He wasn’t a Late Night writer, which was the topic here.

[@rellgreen6558]

That Hustler line always gets me.

[@isaactaylor5531]

He looks&sounds like norms cousin/lil brother?...

[@ragheadand420roll]

11:40. The prophetic joke. Rip bro

[@yummyjackalmeat]

Reminds me of emo philips if he was a little more subdued.

[@heads_together_crypto2422]

Gay lesbian jokes in the 80's already!

[@FillingtheVoidRevues]

I'm not norm brought me here

[@dnlbellfield]

I like this guys hair

[@MJ-dq8ik]

A talented comic and writer - very tragic end

[@JohnSmith-tk7nt]

lol so right about the shoplifting signs, ill be in a store like "am i the only idiot whos gonna pay for this?"

[@ElGordo2497]

Love his voice

[@davidbcalhoun]

Why did Paul play "Time of the Season" when he came out? Inside joke, or was it Drake's request I wonder?

[@dongiller]

I imagine his request.

[@andypitz1]

comics on this show (especially their first appearances) get to choose their own music to walk out to

[@mjrydsfast]

Interesting remark about his father suggesting he "blow his head off". I wonder if he hears that in his head daily. Along with a Bundy family "Thanks dad!!".

[@dannyrutz3792]

He's too funny

[@WhoBeSilly]

Norm's "half-a-man"! You can definitely see how Norm was influenced by him, or he him, or both both, eckkk...I'm tired.

[@merlinoddog2197]

The cigarettes gun to the head joke is unfortunate.

[@alexestevez-bm8ml]

He's great oh my god

[@Tamsim3358]

Letterman seemed really cold with him. i wonder why.

[@luismota3470]

dennis reynolds

[@adamdean1128]

"hes one of those guys everyone likes, which is kind of scary because generally these are the guys who later turn out to be the antichrist l.. ive found..hes kinda sneaky that way.." gets no laughs what a legend

[@paulinemuthena6545]

He looks and sounds like Norm Macdonald

[@forgetfulstranger]

Drake is like the cool guy, and Norm is the fool, both with dark humour though

[@fagan4119]

11:38 :(

[@kennywest831]

Ominous joke at 11:42 mark.

[@martinez-shaffer]

11:42 Eerie... almost prophetic. 😬

[@srdjanbogunovic2277]

On the last appearance they turned off the audience or what??

[@Juanirva]

Non-smiling Norm

[@chalklounge]

@11:40 incredible irony here. Confessional.

[@phildirt3]

He was really good

[@Studeb]

Seems like he lost the audience when he made fun of people going to church. :D

[@zachbernheisel2239]

He's right though

[@JaredLewisMusic]

Any idea why only three appearances ?

[@dongiller]

Well, we know that he started writing for Dennis Miller in 1992 (The DS Show), then Gary Shandling (Larry Sanders), then SNL after that. Maybe he began focusing on writing for others instead of continuing his stand-up career. Obviously, I've no idea.

[@iansg75]

"Within the next year, he returned two more times, which sounds great, right? Not exactly..." articles.latimes.com/1988-12-15/entertainment/ca-223_1_drake-sather

[@dongiller]

Thanks for that.

[@iansg75]

No problem, I chanced upon it recently, thank you again for the upload, still watch them often! The recent morning shows are gold & great viewing also.

[@dongiller]

Thanks! I truly love how information can be found and shared so easily.

[@edp3202]

did norm macdonald copy him?

[@parsaazari8278]

This seems like the original version of anthony jeselnik

[@randonceccoli8428]

His standup is incredible how'd he kill himself and whyyyyyyyyyy Jesus I have nothing going for me and I'll never punch out like wtf was he sick (physically)

[@KaninTuzi]

Drake Sather is copying Letterman a lot in the delivery

[@clownnookie]

Legendary writer!

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

Had never heard of him, or least I don't remember him, as I used to watch the show religiously. First 2 sets were good, 3rd was pretty weak.

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

I blame the idiot crowd he got that night. Although he was running out of material by that appearance, the audience should have laughed a bit more than they did. It actually happens. An entire group of people being wrong at once.

[@mjrydsfast]

I like his material.