From the archives: David Letterman 1978

Letterman performs a comedy routine and is interviewed on the CBC variety show 90 Minutes Live on April 14, 1978.
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[@romeydall4067]

The greatest role Michael Shannon will never play...

[@coryredding84]

Cat Dallas DUDE.. thought the same damn thing.

[@whyilee]

EXACTLY!

[@mandolindleyroadshow706]

Also the smaller brother of Richard Kiel ("Jaws" from The Spy Who Loved Me)

[@jonathonharbeck7287]

He is the most underrated actor by the public! I love Michael Shannon!

[@thebendu33]

OMG, now I want to see that

[@MrDoomBom]

Looks like they just invented colour television.

[@Discrimination_is_not_a_right]

Color broadcasting wasn't universal until a couple of decades after color TV wasn't invented. Transmitting in monochrome took less power.

[@RyanSchweitzer77]

@@Discrimination_is_not_a_right It wasn't a matter of using more power to transmit color, it was in the extra equipment for color video and it's extra complexity and (initially) cost compared to B&W television facilities that delayed the widespread adoption of color television (a few smaller countries didn't convert to color TV until the 1980s). It usually takes the same amount of RF power to transmit a color analog TV signal the same distance as a B&W signal for the most part.

[@ishaanthewonderboy]

This guy seems talented, they should give him a show of his own.

[@mohammadghasemi6115]

they gave him a show of his own. this video is old

[@ezpk-]

That's... the joke.

[@moost9239]

@Jake Taylory I think @Mohammad Ghasemi was joking as well. A double joke, unless you're joking as well than it would be a triple joke.

[@justinsaw3d]

R/whoosh

[@ApartmentKing66]

@@moost9239 Didn't look to me like he was joking, but correcting, like he totally didn't get it.

[@allover4309]

*Letterman interviewed the interviewer*

[@Mark-sj3xb]

It's so easy to see as he sits down after the standup just how natural he is with so much star quality. He takes over the show.

[@jonhohensee3258]

Seriously? I thought he blew.

[@adrasamer]

"Say something funny about rain in California"... What an excellent transition!

[@Mr_Gray_Sky]

It's no surprise that he became a talk show host. He basically interviews himself, here.

[@theallencollins]

These hosts seem incredibly awkward and mildly condescending toward Dave. Is there a backstory here?

[@erichaynes7502]

Dave was singlehandedly doing their job by taking over the show.

[@grizzlywhisker]

Dave looks a lot like Michael Shannon in his early years.

[@ModeratelyAmused]

Here David looks like a pint size version of the guy that played Jaws in Bond movies.

[@samdustinchris]

Richard Kiehl. He was on Dave’s show. Claimed to be his biggest fan. Funny guy.

[@grizzlywhisker]

I thought he looked a lot like Michael Shannon, but yeah he does look like a miniature version of the Jaws guy lol.

[@JonasPolsky]

Young Ricky Jay, wow

[@WKRPinCINN]

He basically phones in the stand up, then totally dominates the interview.

[@unnamedshadow1866]

what makes it even crazier is that the host instead of upset, gets entranced and joins with the audience to have a good laugh. The other guest also does it. They know someone that doesn't pop often is in there. It would be a disrespect to interrupt, and it would be a shame to not seeing a craftsman does his craft. Its basically sheer admiration, they wanted to see a performace and he gave them one. Even at the end when the hosts ask if he wants to take that flower, its like, you earn my respect, you are the real deal

[@JohnSmith-op1tc]

His opening jokes were the same on a Tonight Show appearance, but he slurs yard maintenance in LA and kitchen work there up Nawth.

[@jonhohensee3258]

Are you kidding? He was bad throughout his whole visit. It was uncomfortable.

[@WKRPinCINN]

@@jonhohensee3258 I stand by my original statement.

[@jonhohensee3258]

@@WKRPinCINN Well whoopee whoop!

[@BrianHAviation]

As a kid Dave abd Steve Martin were my two favorite comedians. I still quote Steve's albums. I watched Dave anytime he was on TV and when he became the guest host on The Tonight Show I always watched him. I still remember his HBO comedy special.

[@EyeTunz]

Proof you can overcome anything and still be successful.

[@raginbakin1430]

This is the most textbook example of a stand-up comedy routine.

[@jaunnada3648]

Letterman was the worst stand up comedian ever. He made the jokes on news type things from his failed weatherman career.There isn't even a guffaw in those horrible jokes. I like how the second banana guy on this Canadian talk show zinged Dave right before the end. Johnny made Dave famous by giving him a show with writers and a band. Dave treating guest like crap got him a college audience and his start.

[@allendracabal0819]

Johnny didn't give him any show. It was NBC executives who did that.

[@leonardlumbers]

Now we know something else about Dave Letterman: he was at the 1978 Toronto Blue Jays home opener at Exhibition Stadium (a 10-8 win v. Detroit, per the internets).

[@mikestevenson576]

Never know. But probably just read in the paper that it was going on and wrote some jokes.

[@AJScraps]

😂🎉

[@dekelanson5280]

Pretty cool. Dave Letterman with Paul Soles, the original voice of Peter Parker/Spiderman.

[@wecontrolthevideo]

Never seen Ricky Jay so quiet before.

[@jimshipp7776]

I thought that was him!

[@Hawes380]

Is that Michael Shannon?? Talk about look alike.

[@scottjohnson8316]

I was thinking more about the guy from James Bond film who bites into the cable

[@RatPfink66]

He was not yet David professionally...still Just Dave.

[@Rob_Kates]

Nice Johnny Carson curtain behind Dave.

[@Ffeoli1039]

Bill hader future role

[@williamgoldschmidt8840]

100% !!

[@trueknowledgeispower]

......insulting the country you are appearing in.......typical Dave.

[@Yimyimyimyim277]

The other two guys really creep me out

[@wolfchrt]

the suits in the 1970s literally look like clown suits.

[@jeffdawson2786]

This kid from Indiana is going places.

[@KiddBloo86]

What was this show called? Please forgive my American ignorance to Canadian television.

[@williamgoldschmidt8840]

5:13. Try reciting this at ease after first time viewing. Perfect timing/word choice

[@ellenthompson5796]

Thanks CBC for posting this.

[@seanlee1271]

Humm, Letterman looks a bit like Richard Kiel.

[@AVenged13m]

dude that first joke is gold .asking the crowd confusing stuff

[@occasionalfeelgood23]

Michael Shannon kinda looks like this era of Dave.

[@ArtificialBanana]

Being told to do a joke on a particular topic on the spot must be annoying, but Dave handled it like a pro!

[@Cpapa18]

A lot of awkwardness and a lot of, I guess the best way to describe it would be, what seemed like light-handed insults coming both from Letterman and the other two people. Entertainers and talk show hosts REALLY sucked at entertaining others on TV back in the 70s. This was terrible. It's actually painfully obvious they had nothing to do or talk about and Letterman (and a little bit from the other two as well) were just trying to fill the air with whatever random crap came to their mind. A throw back joke, a slightly funny story, a whole bunch of random conversation that led to nothing but awkward silences and barely any laughs. Ugh, so bad.

[@erichaynes7502]

This is why the Tonight Show ruled the 70's,. nobody else could do what Johnny did..Dave did a great job starting in 1982 but it was very different from Johnny.

[@moaningpheromones]

i puked yesterday. oh, sorry, throw back joke . . .

[@billplaney2585]

I believe he did the same routine (that he opened with) in his first Carson appearance.

[@cameronpickard7456]

his stanup is sooo bad

[@AJScraps]

Holy crow he was right about canadian sports venues in 1978, its still true in 2024🤣 7:55

[@meiyeelee800]

玉樹？風~ so good looking & charismatism

[@allendracabal0819]

The host here is Paul Soles, who appears in one of my all-time favorite movies: Ticket to Heaven. I highly recommend this film.

[@cd3949]

Yawn.

[@WizardGlik]

Dave is a fave rave!

[@boronir]

He kinda resembles Bill Hader

[@eddiecongdon8017]

You mean Bill Hader resembles him

[@gluecement]

Ricky Jay was a damn hippy!

[@funkyjones]

King of Snark

[@milfordcivic6755]

Thank god Dave realized the correct inseam size on his pants. You can almost see his knees here!

[@rustinonthevine]

I've always loved David Letterman, and I love him even more now.

[@jordanmorris5827]

Me too. I'm only 30 so I didn't get to watch him when he started out. I began watching him regularly around 2003 and now that he's retired from the Late Show I rewatch all his old episodes that are uploaded to KZbin. I'm from Thunder Bay, the Paul Shaffer's hometown.

[@2_thumbs_up_baby]

When do the jokes start.. stick to interviewing Dave.

[@CP-nl2zb]

Never understood how this guy got famous

[@jonhohensee3258]

I was really hoping I'd laugh.

[@mjp96]

so strange. Is that a big round ashtray on that table?

[@LNNostalgia]

Thanks so much for posting this

[@McCaler]

He almost looks rather similar to Quentin Tarantino.

[@moaningpheromones]

and quentin looks a bit like doogie howzer. oh brother.

[@Orf]

10:00 It's all automatic. They've got to do something to entertain themselves

[@humorpotamus]

Ricky Jay looks like Dr.Teeth.

[@superorangeish]

...and the rest is history

[@stringtheoryguitars4952]

Dave was clearly born to host a talk show.

[@dimitartemelakiev6927]

Dave looks like Kuklinski from the movie

[@gabrielabarros2036]

So cute

[@JD-ul2bt]

Damn hes so confident. He just sat down and started hosting the show. Amazing talent

[@jameslh8029]

Sent here by Greg Gutfeld...

[@BbqAlexSavage]

Wait...we're people not allowed to drink beer at baseball parks in Canada in the 70's?

[@mikestevenson576]

Toronto was very puritanical. No Sunday shopping for the longest time, and I think it was pretty hard to get a liquor license anywhere until the 60s.

[@JayDeeIsMyName]

He sat down and became the king of Late Night.

[@FreezerKing]

That remark about Brandon gets me every time. I live there! I grew up there! Nobody cares about it! Not even the people who live there! Or grew up there! What's it doing in the mouth of David Letterman!?

[@sinasedighi6258]

This is a great show

[@schris413]

Um a well you know a um a so you know.

[@ruthecker399]

love dave

[@CP-nl2zb]

He worldsost famous douchbsg

[@mygaffer]

What a great routine.

[@charborr423]

Explain the funny part of this?

[@xelzaar]

Hairstyle.

[@jordanrioscreations]

He’s so at ease and such a natural

[@pronemanoldbutyoung5548]

That was Lettermans early routine, with his dad and power tools ha ha. Nevertheless, when a Letterman joke bombs, he sometimes get real hysterical laughter, because the way Letterman handles the bombs. Pretty much like Carson got hysterical laughter when his monolouge bombed. Letterman is not a true comedian like e.g. C.K Louis or Seinfeld or Rickles. But Letterman is top 3 ever lived talk show hosts. That was his true calling and he pulled it of so perfect during all those years, like his master Carson did.

[@kevinnelson66]

Carson and Letterman started out as broadcasters. The comedy was secondary.

[@MiesAnthrophy]

He is true comedian - just not perfect in standup.

[@Woofwoof1929]

@@kevinnelson66 the comedy is always first. You know how boring conversation without humor is.

[@MarvinMonroe]

This show got canceled within a month of this broadcast

[@CP-nl2zb]

Thank god

[@charborr423]

That's gold. My. That's priceless.

[@KiddBloo86]

What was it with Dave and 90 minute programs? 🤣🤷‍♂️

[@Lovethemusic385]

This shows you how much help Paul Schaefer was!

[@allendracabal0819]

Dave got better.

[@Lovethemusic385]

@@allendracabal0819 Oh, man, I love Letterman.

[@robertabrams8562]

I don’t know…his humor seemed a little dry to me! He was much funnier as a talk show host! There were nights he had me cracking up….but not in this video

[@allendracabal0819]

He got much better with experience. His appearances on other people's shows were much more watchable six or seven years after this.

[@ranatlas]

Take off, eh?

[@SpagmanAus]

Laugh! I almost did.

[@cliffdweller]

So Is the bearded dude at the end saying "Yes, that was an insult" ?? -- I'm not quite sure I follow.

[@gmb7200]

Painfully awkward ending

[@buzzkill808raven2]

For me it was painful from the opening 'joke', which went horribly flat.

[@kilgoretrout321]

Man those guys were a bit square. Letterman had a lot of fun on that show. It's rare when the guest puts on a better show than the host

[@bryb3180]

NO NAME TALK SHOW WITH TINY TIM AS HIS SIDE KICK...….talking about a stick in the mud talk show , is that the best Canada can do ??

[@RickGeeMPS]

That's the great Ricky Jay.

[@tranquilnice775]

I don't get the letterman to colbert switch.

[@glennmarshall4693]

never even seen this show, that's Paul Soles as the host

[@JCO2002]

Thanks! I was trying to remember who that guy was. I lived in Canada back then and CBC was one of the few channels I got (rural Ontario). Soles was guest hosting for Peter Gzowski, was he? Awkward as hell - great that Letterman rescued it.

[@mandolindleyroadshow706]

Letterman always seemed fidgety and uncomfortable on stage. It took him years into his CBS career to finally get the hang of it and look relaxed.

[@kevinbear4873]

Want my carnation? No. Boss.

[@eltonjohn3236]

Wow, it's Paul R. Soles hosting.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

Yep, he recently died, less than a year ago at the ripe old age of 90. Ricky Jay's gone too. That just leaves Letterman. Tick, Tick, Tick........

[@yohei72]

The bit about white kids' ignorance about black people strikes me as surprisingly edgy for the time, though maybe I'm underestimating the people of 1978. You can hear the audience's uncertainty about how to react.

[@WillConley]

It bombed because the audience could tell Dave was lying.

[@allendracabal0819]

It's edgy for our time, now, but was less edgy back then.

[@piper888]

Open mic night is painful ❗ Just kidding Dave 😲😳😀

[@goriaxe9177]

No wonder he's famous....

[@GaryPhelpsII]

Is that Ricky Jay?!

[@eunoiavision7567]

What is the name of show and who are the 2 other guys?

[@msannarchy]

HOLY SHNIKIES IS THAT RICKY JAY???

[@charborr423]

Sorry inform me when I should laugh.

[@user-ed4fv9nd3b]

His standup routines were dreadful.

[@RatPfink66]

But it's a good kind of dreadful.

[@MrGSfan]

His routine is largely similar to the one he did at the Tonight Show, 7 months later.

[@moaningpheromones]

I watched a lot of Rodney Dangerfield videos in a binge - some of the same jokes came up every time over decades of appearances. He's no Seinfeld that's for sure as a stand-up. Quick wit and banter in conversation is different.

[@buzzkill808raven2]

Daves opening joke sums up how I feel about his whole career. How did he ever get so high in the ranks!?

[@johnnymittle]

Because he took complete command once he sat in the chair.

[@jordanrioscreations]

Because he’s completely poised unlike most comedians

[@moaningpheromones]

yeah and i'll bet there are people that don't like robin williams or jim carrey. they both made some stinkers but they're wildly popular. this was very early dave and he got better with time on tv. especially asking the questions / interviewing. and he's got a whole team and crew so it's a group effort anyway. he didn't sell the first joke very well. it's meant to have disguise as a genuine crowd ice breaker but he's spoon feeding the premise all the way.

[@scrivener68]

@@moaningpheromones He's "spoon feeding" it because he's making fun of the joke format of making fun of the joke format. Remember, this is a guy who became a TV legend by always being at least one layer of irony separate from everyone else.

[@Mark-sj3xb]

This Letterman dude has a great future ahead of him.

[@todwest]

And a young Ricky Jay! Where's the rest of this?

[@juliocesar2853]

where's Norm?

[@friedrichwordsworth7456]

Look at those big ol' bellows pockets.