Larry "Bud" Melman Guest-Hosts LNwDL, July 26, 1982 (full)

Dave is still "home on vacation," so filling in is Larry "Bud" Melman, who presents New Gift Items and then oversees segments with fitness experts Jack and Elaine LaLanne.
After a brief interruption, Dave returns to present New International Symbols, then chats with $20 Lotto winner Tony Creany and "Gizmo" creator and Village Voice writer Howard Smith. (Clips from "Gizmo" omitted here due to copyright caution.)

[@bigd-1-channel514]

Larry "Bud" Melman, better than any "LATE NIGHT" show hosts on the air now.

[@plaws0]

Lol!

[@stewartcaldwell5299]

I loved him in Dave's desk drawer.

[@DaDitka]

TRUTH!!!

[@ryansullivan5575]

He still is!

[@skivvy3565]

Really went downhill after Snyder Carson and letterman

[@co11in89]

Calvert Deforest=Instant like! Thanks for posting.

[@CreamedCheesed]

He made incompetence look effortless. Every line in this episode is memorable. To first item.

[@paystarbuzzy]

He has a one of a kind style of delivery and takes reading from cue cards to a new level, but he still made a fine guest host.

[@donmajestic5258]

Can't stop laughing at the "bare feet" and him introducing the band twice. It's like he's not even there.

[@Novaheart1998]

Holy crap I had never seen this episdoe. This made my month.

[@ricovali9245]

When `Late Night`was worth watching. Gone are those days forever

[@clqudy4750]

Respectfully disagree. Seth Meyers, Kimmel, Daily Show, and of course LSSC are pretty phenomenal. I, too, miss Letterman and Carson, but we're here, now. Different kind of good worth watching.

[@MayorMcCheeseStalker]

@@clqudy4750 Respectfully disagree. Current talk shows (especially Kimmel's, Meyers', and Colbert's) are hour-long political attack ads, with the emphasis on left-wing indoctrination, not comedy. These shows may claim to be smarter (than Dave's old elevator races, pet tricks, and dropping objects off tall buildings), but they're not. What they are is a LOT LESS FUNNY.

[@clqudy4750]

@@MayorMcCheeseStalker Modern late night is a salve to ease our collective conscience about the utter clown show in recent american politics. They're well written, researched, and delivered. Also funny because they're true! Let's also remember the multiple award winning Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. The best! So if you're not laughing, it must be that you feel your party is being attacked, as they should be.

[@scottsantana2248]

This early Letterman was before my time (like 4 years later). It's crazy how much they used Larry Bud in the early days. Love these videos so much.

[@milesdevinny5759]

Always happy to see more from the Melnore Productions archives. Thanks!

[@docmeat]

Thanks for this, Larry was great.

[@VIRGONOMICS]

The best ! I was in the zone, watching these old skits .

[@Barnaclebeard]

Nice to see that opening sequence again

[@plaws0]

Isn't it awesome?

[@ricovali9245]

When you give a show zero budget, you create a great show. Todays late shows are big budget and terrible. Letterman in its infancy was low budget but was greatness. I remember his show aired an hour later after Carson. In between aired 'Love Connection`

[@Barnaclebeard]

The Break looked like it had zero budget, and it was unwatchable.

[@westie5555]

Larry Bud Melman...he is so life like

[@namelessjedi2242]

Yes, and remember this was before CGI!

[@rampartrod]

gosh I miss mr melman

[@alphaomega8373]

Always felt sorry and liked him all at the same time as a kid :D I miss the dryness of the early 80s.

[@randyj420]

Pretty sure I NEVER knew about this guest host episode. Amazing. LBM watching Elaine do pelvic thrusts is priceless. Brilliant "planning" on Jack's part - made for more comedy. Paul with the classic funky bumper music - including "Knee Deep".

[@Ripplin]

Not only is this great because of Larry, but it's also great because Gizmo! is a GREAT movie! :D What a nice surprise for me.

[@namelessjedi2242]

Oh, are you one of those he mentioned who saw your relative in the movie? 😁

[@crs290]

As bizarre as this was, Melman has hosted one more talk show than I have.

[@plaws0]

Jack saying he'd been on TeeVee for 30 years ... 1952 ... OMG! That was impossibly old when this aired ... 36 years ago! :-/

[@jjamiejackson]

These are gold Don

[@Vejur9000]

Back when TV actually meant something. If Larry had only run for President.

[@thelil]

This is the kind of post that should win Don Giller a Pulitzer!

[@johnl5350]

I think its funny when Melman says "My God" at Lalanne being 67. I'm sure the reason is Melman was 61 at that time and couldnt do a single thing LaLanne was describing, like me now.

[@superaa6779]

Mr Melman should have had his own show!

[@mhildack]

A $20 lottery winner?! Too funny

[@timfeleppa3156]

Thanks

[@brianarbenz1329]

Loved the first half hour, but who was that new guy in the Michigan T-shirt?

[@royalsfan]

You can see the Late Night floor in the cold open intro. So much for the illusion. ;)

[@KrazeeClark]

Another gem Donz.

[@AlexAquarius963]

I used to work out in his gym on 9W in Englewood Cliffs in the 90's.

[@dhpbear2]

That clips from "Gizmo" were a tad short :)

[@dongiller]

Explained in the description.

[@littleone1353]

"No one reads descriptions"...lol...joking of course!

[@jsb1980]

Curious....how early in the show’s history were they referring to the band as “The World’s Most Dangerous Band”?

[@dongiller]

As early as the 6th show on February 9, 1982. But it didn’t become “official” until September 23, 1987 (show #918).

[@andyrose5616]

Interesting to see Bailey Stortz in the credits on such an early episode. I think it was several more years before he became a regular on Late Night, wasn't it?

[@dongiller]

Sounds right; he worked sporadically on Late Night in 1982-'87. It was during the '88 strike when he became a more regular fixture on the show.

[@coolcrabcakes1287]

Do uou have the episode where dave does his show on his office becuase hes too tired?

[@dongiller]

I have every show.

[@coolcrabcakes1287]

@@dongiller would you upload that episode? from november 20 1985

[@dongiller]

@@coolcrabcakes1287 I’m no longer able to upload additional Dave-owned or -licensed content, effective since March 2022.

[@KrazeeClark]

When you want a snack and you want it quick, just warm up some toast on a stick.

[@dongiller]

Toast on a Stick collection here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYiqm2lvhLKXp8k

[@KrazeeClark]

@@dongiller Thanks Donz. You're the greatest. : )

[@robbie9144]

Greatest idea ever Dave!

[@ylette]

There's no off position on the genius switch.

[@wannabe4668]

Following the script to a T. No Ad lib. This is what made him so famous. His uncanny ability to screw things up and keep going

[@geoffreysnyder5144]

Back when late night comedy was actually comedy.

[@Ripplin]

Nelcome to Late Night! ;)

[@JackBlack-os6sy]

poor Larry RIP 😇

[@djf750]

Funny thing is...He is better than Leno ever was!

[@alevine1951]

OMG this is terribl...y good. BTW, GIZMO! is posted here in YT.

[@dongiller]

Ah -- found it, and thanks. I'll put up all of Howard Smith's appearances and leave the "Gizmo" clips intact. I get gun-shy with film clips, but it looks like this one'll pass through. Thanks again.

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

When Larry Bud is doing the 'New Items' comedy, its almost like he's reading from a transcript, reproducing a bit that had already aired, right down to Dave's remarks on the written comedy material. What was the reason this guest hosting happened? Like the time Charles Grodin and Jerry Seinfeld were guests while Dave 'waited for the cable guy' and interviewed 'via satellite'. Was it just a comedy idea that they were trying or were they actually working around a problem where Dave couldn't be there and then shot the Dave segments in post?

[@dongiller]

Both were prepared bits; Dave was in the RCA building in both.

[@dongiller]

All of the New Gift Items had been presented by Dave on previous Late Nights.

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

@@dongiller Thanks Don. That answers a question ive had for ages. It appears that Dave never called in sick or missed a show aside from surgery and shingles.

[@dongiller]

I’ll get the details tomorrow when I’m at the computer, but Dave missed one show due to a stomach virus, another due to a commitment elsewhere, and several for guest hosts that had nothing to do with his health. All during the Late Show era. His non-stop hosting streak lasted 18 years, from 1982 to 2000.

[@dongiller]

Ok, at the computer: There were guest-hosts on the Fridays of June 2003. No health issues for Dave. An experiment that wasn't continued. 11/3/03: Paul guest-hosts as Dave is in hospital awaiting birth of Harry. 1/19/05: Paul guest-hosts as Dave is in Deerborn to accept BorgWarner Team Owner’s Trophy. 3/20/07: Adam Sandler guest-hosts as Dave has stomach virus.

[@breakercassidy6946]

This aired the day I was Born.

[@Rattlehead930]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@GreatOvation]

😂 omg that was hilarious 😅

[@johnybaltimore3687]

"do you resent all the recent health experts like richard simmons"

[@billcrotts5456]

Elaine Lalanne is an incredible name

[@timfeleppa3156]

Killer show

[@drewzuhosky6826]

When did Calvert retire from the show?

[@dongiller]

Pretty much when he passed away.

[@NoahDetweiler]

In 2002.

[@dongiller]

Actually, that's right; his last appearance on Late Show was July 23, 2002, when Dave celebrated Calvert's 81st birthday. He passed away five years later on March 19, 2007.

[@pronemanoldbutyoung5548]

SgtTravisBickle I got the same type of impression. Here in Sweden we did get the CBS show with David about 4-5 days delayed, but the NBC show I have only seen here on KZbin in more recent years. Hence I dont recall Melman much at all from the CBS period.

[@allendracabal0819]

​@@TheKitchenerLeslieHe appeared on the very first CBS show. But you are right that the LBM name was not used on CBS.

[@jimbutler1189]

Elaine Lalaine

[@7beers]

was walking down the lane.

[@allendracabal0819]

through some hilly terrain in the rain

[@eaminyashed7799]

I guess Dave really didn’t want to do the fitness guests

[@sandymoonstone855]

🍎 😊👌

[@MrThumbs63]

to first item...

[@robberbobbert888]

What's the rejoin song at 8:52?

[@dongiller]

Jay and the Americans - “Only in America.” kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIjVdIWGocmJkM0

[@roostersideburns3440]

i dont get it

[@roostersideburns3440]

3 year old me, what dont you get?

[@allendracabal0819]

It would be cool to argue back and forth with yourself, with each new message coming 3 years after the last.

[@roostersideburns3440]

lol@@allendracabal0819