David Letterman's First Appearance | Carson Tonight Show

David Letterman makes his first appearance on the The Tonight Show.
Original Airdate: 11/24/1978
#johnnycarson #thetonightshow #davidletterman
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[@privatepenguin3137]

"I have a feeling, from your shot on this show tonight, you're going to be working a lot outside The Comedy Store"......yep, you got that one right, Johnny.

[@kasumiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin]

Letterman is a reminder that all things lead back to Johnny Carson...

[@zyxwut321]

You can tell Johnny knew Dave was a keeper and was going places.

[@greydawn]

I love hearing Johnny crack up in the background.

[@twistoffate4791]

I know, right?? Johnny is really enjoying Dave's humor. I love it, lol. And Dave is killing it, here!!

[@james1795]

@@twistoffate4791 "I know right". How in the hell am I supposed to know if you are right or if you know? You idiots need to stop saying "right" after every other word. Right? Right? Immature, right, right? Grow up, right, right?

[@mcapps1]

I was wondering who he was laughing at. I like Letterman but this whole set sucks.

[@dockennedy8091]

Especially on the jokes the audience missed.

[@james1795]

@@mcapps1. You don't get it because the whole situation is way beyond your mind set. So sad for your lack of comprehension.

[@scottc1589]

Amazing! One can watch their long friendship start right before your eyes in this video. Johnny's expressions say it all.

[@georgiesimmons5924]

Johnny instantly liked him you say see it unfold

[@jderrickson4597]

You two haven't done your research

[@arupmehra4192]

Johnny was running his own 'Got Talent' back in the 70s and boy, did he have an eye for spotting some of the best comedy talent around!

[@rhyancoleman6462]

The two all-time greatest. Over 60 years of comedy combined.

[@240p_is_enough]

David was literally born to be a talk show host and Johnny knew it straight away

[@rickmalone270]

What a moment that must have been for David. Sitting down with the man he had watched on tv as a kid and had long idolized. The man whose shoes he imagined himself one day filling as host of the tonight show. But of course, no one could or ever will fill Johnny’s shoes. He was one of a kind.

[@josephgreen2824]

Wow, that endorsement at the end was powerful!

[@twistoffate4791]

This is 1978, and the first of 22 appearances David Letterman would make on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

[@scottykay1116]

Wow. Pretty neat. I'm impressed but how did you know how many different time he appeared on the Tonight Show?

[@RockyRMR]

And he was making jokes about illegals and vaccines 😮😅

[@scottykay1116]

@@RockyRMR I caught that. I was amazed.

[@jonathanalexander5102]

I thought Carson said Letterman told a joke about making Mints from toothpaste

[@LMR72]

@@jonathanalexander5102 I remember that too

[@teejay3272]

Love the ending. Johnny pretty much said, "Book this man." Letterman has said he gave him his career. That might be why.

[@georgemckeon6710]

Dave was a natural. Charming, funny, and confident.

[@Espacemtl]

Johnny loved Dave. Invited to talk after routine. Laughed out loud at every joke.

[@argimara1]

I watched them everynight. It was perfection the way they worked together. And David was sooo ahead of his time!. This could perfectly be a today's comedy show but one that really makes you cry laughing 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Carson was pure elegance 🥰

[@treyj9303]

You can tell those Midwest jokes were really hitting home with Johnny…Letterman should’ve gotten the late night gig, but he ended up making his own so things work out in the end

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Yes! He had Johnny at ‘yard work.’

[@williamcarr1255]

Johnny liked him from the start. Got the coveted invitation to sit down on his first visit. The rest is TV history.

[@hugogutierrez9250]

Back when everyone watched one show & one appearance could be your big break. If Johnny liked you, that was it. You’re were in.

[@jbanks979]

So much of his style, delivery, content was there from the begining (but you can tell he’s super duper nervous here)

[@Bringos76]

The laugh of one guy in the audience sounds like Paul Shaeffer

[@MarvinMonroe]

Truly a huge moment American popular culture. Definitely one of the biggest momwnts in the past 50 years

[@karenleemallonee684]

He sure could make Johnny laugh, he nailed his first night!!! 👍👍 🌼

[@jackreacher.]

I competed in state championship football during the taping of this episode. Rain, mud, suffering and victory. Happy thanksgiving.

[@infowarriorone]

Dave is a true comedic genius.

[@fmradio42]

@@kellig9805 ?

[@oldmanballs]

​@@fmradio42 ?

[@fmradio42]

@@oldmanballs I don't remember bc what happened to @kellig9805 comment.

[@kmac1766]

Dave knew enough to save his best material for last. His “Local News” finale made this 1st appearance a winning one. 👍

[@russwatson8713]

Did anyone else think Dave's routine sounded like it was written by Steve Martin? Even his pacing and delivery sounded very like a Martin stand-up piece. I mean that as a compliment, of course.

[@josephgreen2824]

Steve Martin was the man in the late seventies so Letterman was definitely influenced by him.

[@user-kl7qe1zu5v]

Actually most of Dave's material was written by his girlfriend Merril Markoe. She would later become the head writer on Dave's daytime show and on Late Night.

[@gamalsaad7770]

Simply the best.

[@distantcomets]

This channel is one of the greatest things on KZbin ever.

[@big-joe-momma]

is that Paul laughing in the background, it sounds just like his laugh

[@IrOnCuRtAiN61]

That's definitely Johnny's! 😉

[@marvinroos3520]

First comedic appearances on Carson are must viewing. Stream that, somebody!

[@syx3s]

that was a pretty accurate prediction there at the end by Carson.

[@tbofficial5230]

As I sit and watch his stand up, kinda for the first time really, I see that his jokes to me aren't necessarily funny. But the order he moves around in, IS ACTUALLY what makes him funny as hell.

[@kathleenmckeithen118]

Love David Letterman!!!!!

[@adamsyed5535]

I'm guessing most people here have seen the video* where Letterman appears for the first time after NBC picked Leno over him to take over the show. On that episode, Carson said: "I can remember the very first joke you did on this show, and it had to do with when you're brushing your teeth, and the toothpaste congeals in the sink, and it makes those hard things, and you said you'd chip them out and serve them for dessert mints." He must have been mixing it up with another occasion, because that joke is definitely not in here, anywhere. *"David Letterman reveals his true feelings about Jay Leno hosting the Tonight Show"

[@RockyRMR]

That was a Gary Shandling joke. Maybe you’re misremembering.

[@adamsyed5535]

@@RockyRMR If you go to the video I quoted from, you'll see that it's Johnny who thinks Dave made that joke. And Dave even goes "oh, yeah... That's right."

[@CaveManOogaBooga]

@@adamsyed5535 yep carson tells Dave one of his early jokes was about the toothpaste chips

[@B-and-O-Operator-Fairmont]

That was the episode where Johnny asked, point blank, "Just how...just how PO'd are you?" He didn't abbreviate it, either!

[@texascop]

Those were the good old days, nothing like the crap we have nowadays.

[@scottykay1116]

You're right. I agree. The stuff today is neither edgy or very funny.

[@dauntae24]

I hate when old people say predictable stuff like this. Thank god I’m intelligent and comedically pliable.

[@texascop]

@@dauntae24 I'm not that old. however, I can see your intelligent watching Steven Colbert, Right LOL

[@dauntae24]

@@texascop when questioning someone’s intelligence it’s advisable to avoid basic grammar mistakes. It’s “you’re” not “your”, genius.

[@dauntae24]

@@texascop I don’t watch late night shows. It’s drivel for the uneducated masses.

[@MapleSyrupPoet]

A lot of originals from America 🇺🇸 God bless all ❤

[@dauntae24]

Better host than a comedian.

[@thelettermanpodcast]

100%. A broadcaster through and through.

[@Frankestein01nl]

Didn't know letterman spoke dutch.... that hairball story certainly had the hard G in there ;) Great to see him with lush hair! hahaha

[@privatepenguin3137]

He still has his lush hair....on his chin.

[@ButterpOsse12954]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@Canyon2023]

And from here they turned into very close friends!!

[@FutureAbe]

He looks younger than he does today

[@juliansandoval8022]

I can only picture Evil Dave being involved in all this

[@SkyGlitchGalaxy]

$99 bargin flight😂😂

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Thank you for asking this. We would love to see as much Letterman stuff as humanly possible. Listening to Carson laughing at the ‘yard work’ line is nothing short of historic; the relationship begins.

[@krisscanlon4051]

It's his monolog before his show lol

[@KungEMuller]

That was when David Letterman's career really took off. After that, several things happened to him. First, he became one of Johnny's permanent guest hosts. Then, he got a talk show after The Today Show, but that failed. Next, he got a holding deal with NBC. After that, he replaced Tom Snyder, and Late Night premiered after The Tonight Show. Finally, after NBC decided to go with Jay Leno and not Dave as Johnny Carson's successor, Dave moved to CBS to become just as influential as Johnny Carson will always be. Now, the current late night hosts have never tried to help struggling comedians out. It's easy to understand why. Nobody will ever be as influential as Carson and Letterman are. Conan O'Brien is the closest, but he retired two years before his 30th anniversary. Will there ever be a late night talk show host who will be willing to help a struggling comedian out? I don't know for sure. What do you think?

[@glenngrinter6818]

😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁

[@SteveRyan1965]

5:25 the origin of Hawk tuah!

[@petesmitt]

Funny how two strange looking comedians making their mark in the 70's; Letterman with his buck toothed face and Leno with his massive jaw, both found success and massive wealth after exposure on the Tonight show.

[@holyishe7903]

people who look natural and not plastic are still appreciated believe it or not

[@ethannguyen8109]

Can you upload Hubert Humphrey on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson please?

[@kinky_Z]

Letterman was 31 here. I was 28.

[@TonyTube407]

Dave wasn't a particularly bad stand-up, but he made a much better late-night host!!!!

[@lorimast]

Little did they know that Dave would become host after Johnny retired.

[@blagovestaivanova3829]

No, he never hosted the Tonight Show

[@lorimast]

@@blagovestaivanova3829 I was thinking he took over for Johnny. That's right, it was on another network.

[@jerrho1]

I heard Paul Schafer laugh at 3:52..fr

[@felixthelmocevallosmorales41]

Aries (21 de marzo al 19 de abril) Aries (21 de marzo al 19 de abril)

[@billyllewis]

Letterman’s voice has always been the same. Leno’s changed, just like he changed. Before being a backstabber, compared to after being a backstabber.

[@IrOnCuRtAiN61]

But Dave aged faster than Leno, especially after the successful quintuple heart bypass surgery in 2000.

[@markbirchette8740]

Johnny and Dave were the two best late night hosts... Before TV became hate and propaganda.

[@PabloDamon]

david made fun of the unvaxxed in this performance

[@twistoffate4791]

@@PabloDamon I caught that, too. Loved it.

[@Mr1930s]

@@PabloDamon Vaccination was not as controversial back then. Times have changed, I guess

[@thelettermanpodcast]

You can say that again!

[@tomlichnofsky.7048]

Just thinking out loud but I Really Think that Dave Should have Taken over the Tonight show instead of Jay. But Dave Went to CBS And The Rest is history. 😊👍👌 And Now He has a new Show And its Really Good. 😎✊👊🍁♈

[@IrOnCuRtAiN61]

Honestly, I think it'll be better that Dave didn't get the hosting of The Tonight Show and move to CBS. Why? First of, NBC was poised to regain control of The Tonight Show after Johnny Carson retired. Carson's iteration of the show owned by his company (Carson Entertainment Group) after he won a legal battle against the network in 1980. Second, Dave gets the ire of NBC executives especially after GE took over RCA which owns NBC in 1986 by making jokes all over them on his show, including Warren Littlefield who leads the entertainment division of the network at that time. Now don't get me wrong, Johnny also made jokes on NBC particularly during the tenure of Fred Silverman and his "Nine Bombs Cancelled" joke! And lastly, with the help of Jay Leno's manager Hellen Kushnick's brutal tactics, Jay is considered a safe bet to host The Tonight Show over Dave despite Johnny's opposition to the network's decision. Have Dave succeeded Johnny as host, NBC will gonna owned the rights of his iteration of The Tonight Show including the archives instead of his company Worldwide Pants Inc.

[@PwnytailJoe]

Them diaper doobies, yo!

[@NinjaDildoShow]

Imagine a time when 3 murders were considered "a lot."

[@anujshah6597]

Oooo that airplane seat joke is very close to an early Dave Attell joke. Seems like everybody ripped off Attell, even his predecessors 😇

[@felixthelmocevallosmorales41]

DAVID (DAVE) MICHAEL LETTERMAN 12 DE ABRIL DE 1947 75 AÑOS (76)

[@james1795]

What's your point?

[@felixthelmocevallosmorales41]

@@james1795 HE'S OLD NOW. HE WAS YOUNG IN THIS VIDEO.

[@james1795]

@@felixthelmocevallosmorales41. So? What does that have to do with the price of eggs?

[@felixthelmocevallosmorales41]

@@james1795 YOU TELL ME. I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR JOKE IF IS A JOKE I THINK.

[@twistoffate4791]

@@james1795 I would like an order of scrambled eggs, please.

[@LanternArson]

I wonder what happened to that ol' Dave fella.

[@colinorton2766]

If you got on Carson's show and he waved you over to talk to him you were successful overnight! Same with letterman if you got on his show you made it !

[@Espacemtl]

Did Dave fill in for Carson later on?

[@markjackson6431]

i believe he made two more stand up appearances in early 79 and then was guest hosting after that. the Late Shift book mentioned how he (Letterman) was one of the fastest people to become a guest host

[@bassfunkmaster85]

Anyone else think letterman sort of looks like bill hader?

[@adriandelgado7497]

Why was pampers so funny?

[@jennifersmall4027]

He's complaining about "indigents and people who haven't been vaccinated." My, how times have changed.

[@georgiesimmons5924]

Daves stand up wasnt that great but he was much funnier chatting with Johnny

[@mitchvr]

Johnny Carson’s response here feels forced compared to Jay Leno.

[@kenhenderson1762]

A lot of Dave's material was written by his then-girlfriend Merril Markoe.

[@sherylreed3558]

If J.C. like David why Didn't HE GET THE TONIGHT SHOW?

[@UnitedStatesGovt]

Damn he's 30 here. He looks like he's in his 40s.

[@clifforddriver9434]

I lost one hundred and fifty pounds through cocaine addiction. That one is certain.

[@privatepenguin3137]

LOL - "immigrants and people who haven't been vaccinated"....Dave was so ahead of his time!

[@SpeccyHorace]

Not really though.

[@jamesmiller5331]

Yeah they just now invented immigration and vaccinations🤦‍♂️ It's like he could see into the future🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@jeffreyl.wiseman2597]

@@SpeccyHorace Sounds like you are offended.

[@TenaciousSLG]

It was interesting to me how David seemed really awkward and quite nervous during his stand-up and frankly he wasn't all that funny, but once he sat down in that chair and started engaging with Johnny, his whole demeanor changed, he immediately seemed more comfortable and became the "real" David Letterman we've come to know and love. His conversation with Johnny was more funny than his stand-up--he needs someone to play off for his real humor to come out. Great clip!

[@ricarleite]

You can see in Carson's eyes. He was thinking "It's him. He's the one who will take over."

[@lexkanyima2195]

How can he see it before Jay ?

[@ricarleite]

@@lexkanyima2195 Because it was never supposed to be Jay.

[@lexkanyima2195]

@@ricarleite why not ? So why did Johnny broke the wordd

[@clifforddriver9434]

That's how you can tell an individual has been institutionalized. Comfortable washing his laundry in the toilet.

[@patriciamooney928]

An actual comedian not trying to be a politician.

[@williamkerr2121]

He eventually grew out of that....unfortunately.

[@michaelm6948]

Now he's booked to accompany Michelle Obama on her book tour. Sad he completely sold out and became everything he mocked.

[@RockyRMR]

Is that a joke? His first joke was commentary on illegal immigrants!

[@blagovestaivanova3829]

​@@RockyRMRto them something being "political" only means stuff they disagree with

[@Warp75]

Cavett was the best by far

[@jaynerosajohansen4864]

Used to be a fan of David, no more

[@jaynerosajohansen4864]

@Chooch Chipperson as a person

[@LMR72]

@@jaynerosajohansen4864 Trumpeteer?

[@jaynerosajohansen4864]

@@LMR72 what does that have to do with anything

[@keithsw2566]

I'm sure Dave will be destroyed to learn a Trumper is'nt a fan 😂

[@webman1956]

Letterman is not an ahole like Cher says!

[@tehjamerz]

First

[@james1795]

Yep.... ladies first.

[@tehjamerz]

@@james1795 correct, ladies ALWAYS come first ;)

[@james1795]

@@tehjamerz. Yes Miss, you are correct.

[@tehjamerz]

@@james1795 I identify as an apache attack helicopter, please don't misgenderize me you hyrdophobe

[@axemastersinc3269]

Had to make him a host his comedy is lacking.

[@jeffdawson2786]

I don’t think this guy has much of a career.

[@webman1956]

Yeah, just like those Beatles fellows.

[@chewycenter7690]

That was strange. That was way before the likable Dave. Lots of not funny (Studio Audience) on top of really funny (Disease). Either way, I have to laugh that he typified lower class people as 'unvaccinated'.

[@mns8732]

Horrible .

[@williamspencer1213]

WOW,,,,,He sucked

[@Trev0r98]

weird. not really funny.

[@advancedtv1110]

David is mediocre comedian

[@jlouis4407]

Great talk show host, though

[@themishmish101]

David is not funny.

[@mikeg6666]

I remember watching this episode , this is a few years before Letterman had his own show. When he used to be funny and not just another liberal hack! Funny how he mentioned illegals , according to the left he should be cancelled!

[@nic190]

Dave over rated.

[@SweetChicagoGator]

LAME as his show was, most of the time ! Stupid airplane & murder jokes. Unbelievable?! How could he ever get a talk show if not for Johnny ! 🙄

[@lescoe]

Nope, still not a fan.

[@atombomb31458]

not funny at all

[@thebackyardbear]

Not a fan. Timing was terrible... material was weak. Never understood his fame.

[@robertw862]

That was the worst how did that a****** make millions doing that

[@IrOnCuRtAiN61]

Envy much? 😎

[@keithsw2566]

Found the Trumper!