Jay Thomas Tells The Greatest Talk Show Story Ever | Letterman

[@KyleDavisMusic]

One of the greatest Christmas traditions. Period. RIP Jay.

[@dank3151]

Same thing happened to me once.

[@KyleDavisMusic]

@@kstepko Ummm...

[@johnhorn3344]

The Christmas show with Jay and Darlene Love were appointment viewing every year.

[@DuhBeet]

I think of Jay often. Miss him much.

[@PIXPromosMore]

Heard the story many times over many years, NEVER saw the re-enactment version before...Bless you, Jay.

[@ChristopherDazey]

I can watch 25 different versions of this story and laugh every single time.

[@johnpoffenbarger5103]

Oh this is my favorite. I used to wait for Jay to come on Dave's show and tell this story every year. It is so awesome.

[@fredcrook8228]

I miss this guy and this tradition. After watching "Santa Clause 3" I looked up the story and showed the 2004 version to my aunt, who hadn't seen it. Awesome stuff.

[@kccountrykid]

One of the Christmas traditions that I miss the most is from hearing Jay tell this story, and Darlene Love sing. 😢

[@marcuswatt9727]

And Cher, of course.

[@Writebrain82]

Throwing the meatball/pizza on the tree, the Lone Ranger Story, Darlene Love singing "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)...Dave sure did have the greatest and weirdest holiday traditions. Nobody has ever come close to replacing any of them since he retired! :)

[@rma6070]

Unfortunately Jay's not with us anymore but I wish Colbert would have at least continued Darlene loves singing tradition I think the last time I saw it was on The View. I'm surprised that Kimmel hasn't invited Darlene because he's a letterman Super Fan

[@Fremen1971]

God bless you, @Writebrain82, for making that old actor/entertainer's week.

[@kearneydillon4803]

Cheers to the Letterman band for the background music being the icing on the cake.

[@irenehoffman2190]

I LOVE THIS STORY. I LOVE JAY THOMAS. I LOVE DAVE'S LOVING HIM AND THE STORY. I talked to him outside the theater a day or so before LS's end, where he was doing his radio job on the street, and he kept asking the young crowd if anyone knew who he was. No one did. I inched forward and said, "I do." "Who am I?" "Jay Thomas. Mork and Mindy. Lone Ranger. Meatball target." He was delighted. (Perhaps we were on air, who knows?) Not long after, he was gone. Way too soon. I loved him, especially because Dave loved his Christmas tradition.

[@martina5296]

Citizen, that story and re-enactment never gets old. Now Christmas can begin.🎄🎄🎄🎄

[@tbx59]

This was one of my favorite Christmas traditions: being at my grandparents house and waiting for Jay to tell the Lone Ranger story

[@scott2894]

Absolute classic! I miss this Christmas tradition every year. I recall when Jay had to cancel due to surgery in 2013, John McEnroe filled in, playing the part of Jay Thomas telling his Lone Ranger story. Even that was funny! Thank you for this!

[@andygonsalves2000]

Dave should have won an Emmy for that performance!

[@MsEpilady]

Now it officially feels like Christmas!!! Thanks for posting this! 🤗

[@kstepko]

I’d love to see a super cut of all of the different times that Jay told this story, all edited into one. It is indeed a great talk show story - and Jay was a great storyteller.

[@tested123]

boy do i miss that show. i watched from day one and really pound for pound he was the greatest. for me anyways.

[@ruditrevino7361]

The Greatest story ever. It's not Christmas until Jay tells this story and Darlene Love sings.

[@charlenemack7040]

Darlene Love was on The View last month. I immediately thought of David Letterman because she was on there every year. Darlene has not aged one week in all these years… She looks and sounds just like she did 30 years ago… I have no idea how she does it but she was just absolutely incredibly beautiful. ❤❤❤

[@rockinyouallnight]

The Lone Ranger for the win...ALWAYS!

[@jfh9209]

That was the best talk show story, ever!

[@charlenemack7040]

Rest In Paradise Jay ❤🙏❤

[@david.mcmahan]

I loved the tradition of Jay telling this story. Living in Charlotte makes it even more fun.

[@lauraw289]

Letterman's Christmas show was always a favorite tradition for me.

[@joeslider6663]

"Went to the dumpster and got herbed up..." sad we won't hear that again fro Jay Thomas.

[@THECLARENCES]

Long live the memory of The Lone Ranger/Clayton Moore. xoxo The Clarences

[@tygerstripes3752]

This was and is my favorite modern Christmas story. Thank you for making it a part of your show's Christmas traditions, Dave!

[@virginiabranum9687]

Dave was in a class to himself. And Jay Thomas was great, too!!! Those were the great tv days!!!❤❤❤

[@brianhassett1994]

I was on the subway one time with Jay Thomas. Just another New Yorker on the 7 Train.

[@joehuss8296]

I am pretty sure that’s a true story, I’ve heard Jay Thomas say it many times. I live in Charlotte North Carolina. I remember meeting Jay back in those days.

[@robinblackmoor8732]

I have seen this bit many times over the years, but I never saw this version of it. I can't remember at all why I missed the show that night. This story, Darleen Love and the best Christmas movie ever, Die Hard, are Christmas to me.

[@ilhuicatlamatini]

BEST modern-day Christmas story-telling evah!!! 👏🏽 👏🏽 👏🏽 RIP Jay Thomas and Lone Ranger ♥️ and Merry Christmas everyone, mwah!💋

[@fredbassett444]

Dave this always made my Christmas with you and Jay telling this story and throwing the football at the tree and then top it off with Darlene then the Boss...you....suming it up to Darlene.....yeahhhhhh that's how you do it!!!! We miss you Dave.....please know. Rip Jay Thomas. Good man and that story was the best.....hahahaha....I do not know how I missed the re-enactment.

[@RonMotta1972]

How Dave never got an Emmy for his performance as the Lone Ranger is beyond me. It’s like Judi Dench in “Shakespeare in Love.”

[@dtnetlurker]

This story always made me smile. Clayton Moore was a Legend. The Real one and only, Lone Ranger.

[@dannyburleigh1]

I remember this like it was 15 years ago.

[@pixsnapper1]

Been waiting for this. Absolutely classic!!

[@t23001]

Awesome, absolutely awesome!

[@vrvaughn]

Always a great story and I’m happy to hear it again…

[@danettegallaher8493]

😂😂😂😂Just another day in Charlotte😁❤my NC home🌸

[@JDQBMIC]

That story brought tears to my eyes. God bless Clayton Moore.

[@MarcelLWalker]

I'm watching this every single year. It was perfect!

[@iamkarlwithak]

Darlene Love, Lone Ranger story, Jay knocking meatball off Empire State Building tree top. There is no off position on the genius switch. 🙏💪🌍🌏🌎❤️🇺🇸🖖

[@metop33]

What an awesome piece! The script was amazing! Even got the car’s right!

[@andrewthomason3857]

My favorite part of this story was always that he would pronounce “Volvo” as “Valvo.”

[@TheEkatz]

Will still go down as one if not my fave story on the show. Hashtag LoneRanger

[@CthulhuInc]

this IS The Greatest Story Ever Told

[@dianewinters8628]

Best story

[@jorgepancho]

Met him at Whole Foods checkout in New Orleans. How nice was Jay? He thought he knew me, recognized me, and asked me how I was doing. I was stunned by how unchanged he seemed decades after I watched him on Cheers. So grateful for this lone encounter. We were just neighbors exchanging pleasantries. And he was especially pleasant.

[@isai76]

I love and miss the great Jay Thomas. Great, hilarous radio show. Gone way too soon. RIP Jay. I hope you're making them drink shitwater from heaven.

[@DippyHippie]

Awww,I loved him! Seems like everyone is damn dying! And I’m a hospice nurse,but it’s never easy!

[@TheJuniorMints]

I looked forward to this every year, thank you! Keep them coming! I miss you Jay…💔

[@2packs4sure]

Man that sure looked like Larry Storch as the lone ranger

[@SKYSCRAPERTELEVISION]

NOW , it's Christmas ! Haha Happy Holidays All ! (Clayton came to Corning , NY in 1980 I think. I was about 13. Was very cool.) Thanks Dave

[@harrodsongs]

I have an uncle from there.

[@johndavis3921]

Two significant holiday traditions are 1) Arlo singing about the "Massacre" on Thanksgiving, and 2) Mr. Thomas talking about the Lone Ranger. But there is a third, Mr. Schaffer impersonating Cher's rendition of "Oh Holy Night."

[@jamesmarshall1905]

You got it! :)

[@weaksignal8009]

Don't forget to throw the football at the tree

[@mookiestylz3638]

Mr. Thomas will always be Eddie Lebec to me lol

[@Michelle-RIPAMERICA1-20-25]

I HAD TO FIND THIS.....I MISS DAVE ( i LOVE STEPHEN ) BUT THIS A ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MEMORIES FROM TV. MISS YOU JAY !❤

[@PhilipMcCaig]

"Herbing up!" 🤣 Couldn't even say "we smoked a joint" back then. Great story. Yeah, I miss the show, too.

[@stevenwymor1398]

He was a great raconteur. Missed.

[@rjwh67220]

“Herbed up,” I’ll make a note to use that next time I’m off behind a dumpster somewhere.

[@teddyray8597]

I wish there was a supercut of Jay telling this story or at least a video of him telling the story without the recreation. Don't get me wrong, the recreation is great, but when I think about Jay telling the Lone Ranger story, it's just him telling the story, nothing more.

[@sjaywjayw70]

The greatest story ever told.

[@DonnaGriffin-h1y]

The t-shirt Jay is wearing in the reenactment shows the call letters of the radio station he worked for in Charlotte. WAYS - 61 on the AM dial. I was in my early teens and listened to him on Big WAYS. This story is especially funny to me because I'm familiar with all the places he mentions in other versions of the story.

[@TheJeffro451]

I met the Lone Ranger when I was a kid. He was opening up a target store. He wore sunglasses instead of a mask, and handed out silver dollars instead of bullets, but it was him.

[@JCO2002]

"Get herbed up and hear Jay's Lone Ranger story, now with re-enactments." Okey-doke. Done. Thank you.

[@samanthab1923]

He was on one of the best Celeb Ghost stories. Owned a haunted house up in Santa Barbara

[@TheRealLaughingGravy]

The word that makes this story: _Citizen._ The Lone Ranger called the guy, "Citizen."

[@MichelleUS66]

Great to see Limahl and Fat Freddy are still working.

[@SOLOHeyman]

Our apologies to Vinnie Testaverde.

[@pegcarpino]

hysterical, you can't make this stuff up!

[@jb888888888]

Why didn't you include the Quarterback Challenge portion? I guess you couldn't get clearance from the tree.

[@hamsandwichson]

I feel like Dave wasn't the biggest fan of dressing up and "acting". Seems like a big deal that he did.

[@Emophiliac2]

How did they get Clayton Moore to do a cameo?

[@BGNOLA]

Jay was a New Orleans Italian guy; he had the New Orleans "yat" accent

[@joshvisscher4120]

Jay told the rated R ending to this story on a podcast before he passed. It involved: a hotel, the Lone Ranger, and one of Jay's friends.

[@IceAndCola]

RIP Jay

[@richardhook7893]

Great Storie- Letterman was 2nd best (after Carson) lite nite !

[@edscott4729]

Great John Wayne impersonation.

[@Sidetrackification]

Was wondering when the theme song was going to be heard. ..!!!

[@TheVoxbox13]

"Mister Lone Ranger"

[@rickboatwright1844]

Big Ways 61a.m . I have a Jay Thomas story .

[@tomschoenke5052]

Clayton Moore to the RESCUE, calling the perpetrator, "citizen", is about as good as it can get.

[@jameshudson169]

80's dave would have had clayton moore telling that story. that's the difference between cbs dave and nbc dave. rip clayton.

[@garryshea4945]

"Eddie" LeBec, always thought it was LaVec. So my ears have been off for 40 years.

[@garryshea4945]

Zamboni took him out while dressed as a Penguin.

[@Rnyargd]

😂❤😢

[@mulemule]

"Jay Thomas Tells The Greatest *Clayton Moore* Story Ever" (ftfy)

[@nancyscogin7549]

😂

[@vinceaikens195]

Those days were great. Haven't watched latel night tv since it went political propaganda. Sad

[@williamdavis9943]

Sounds like a drunken barroom story to me.

[@jamesjones5691]

I loved this story and his re-telling but this version of it was by far the weakest. Dave just won't let him get the story out without interrupting him, and the video segment detracts from it. Such a shame you didn't post one of Jay's earlier retellings.

[@sarcophage]

You’re aware that the other versions are ALSO available on KZbin

[@jamesjones5691]

@@sarcophage Plenty of bootlegs, sure, but that has nothing to do with my comment.

[@jjano2320]

I think he got throat cancer. If the government really cared about us they would warn us about smoking pot.

[@thomaschacko6320]

Rather snotty remark from Letterman, that Clayton Moore actually believed himself to be The Lone Ranger. Moore loved playing the role, and his fans enjoyed seeing him. And that includes the children he visited in hospitals, many of them terminally ill. It was his living into his early seventies, but asked for no money for making those children happy. Where is Letterman now? Making the occasional guest appearance sporting a ridiculous-looking beard, looking as though he has been in a cave for twenty years!

[@sojournersunrise2290]

haaaa

[@lemmykilmister185]

Jay Thomas > Howard Stern

[@jamescelentano2573]

That wasn't even the greatest talk show story I heard today.

[@hellobeautiful5225]

That was the LAMEST telling of this story. They ruined it with the reenactment. Oh well. Guess they didn’t have the rights to the earlier versions of the story.

[@nadagabri5783]

So weird he doesn’t even LOOK at Dave. That dude is weird. How did he ever get on Letterman ? If this is the best tale ever told on tv talk shows … 🙄. This is so practiced staged & not funny … it’s the opposite of a good story 🙄

[@Lobosank]

I remember sitting with a small group of friends watchin the Lone Ranger smokin a doobie and one fella asked very seriously who was behind that mask. One guy over in the corner, who was pretty far gone mumbled Art Linkletter. If we run into each now the laughter will not die down for a good half hour.