LNwDL 2nd Anniversary Special, February 4, 1984

By request. With highlights of the first two years of Late Night. And a party atop the Essex House in NYC and the Merchant Marines Choir no-show.
With the great Steve Gadd subbing for Steve Jordan.

[@allendracabal0819]

"We're looking for I. J. Couplings." "How long has he been missing?" This is brilliant. I wonder why this clip wasn't used more often in compilations over the years. I don't recall ever seeing it before. My young self would have loved it.

[@feggyduss6463]

"Late Night with David Letterman" was ground-breaking in its day. The shows and various networks that spun off from the ideas that were presented on this great show lives on in Pop Culture History.

[@wftjet]

This was the first Letterman show I ever saw because it pre-empted SNL which I normally VHS taped. Needless to say I became a Letterman fan immediately. 😊 I still say "New York New York...the town so nice they named it twice."

[@allendracabal0819]

That moniker is also sometimes applied to Walla Walla, Washington.

[@jimmyguitar2933]

I love how, no matter how fashions change, Paul & the band always look cool. 😎

[@riproarin1042]

Stupendous, I have never laughed so hard and for so long as when watching Letterman's old shows at NBC.

[@Architectureguy]

They were the best...his CBS shows just weren't the same.

[@markdaly1648]

Cbs emptied the bank vault for letterman ​@@Architectureguy

[@lrg3834]

Late Nite was SO MUCH better than Late Show.

[@mellotronage7073]

What does the world lack today ? Larry "Bud" Melman. Fact. 😎

[@sillygoose635]

....No. We're better off. Larry isn't made for today.

[@singlesideman]

Steve GOD, you mean. What an extraordinary show. The nostalgia is pouring in waves. Thank you so much for sharing this with us all...

[@jswets5007]

He's no Ringo.

[@markp6586]

Simply...one of the best shows ever!

[@tionedi]

Dang! I was part of that Merchant Marine Academy choir. We weren't a no-show. We rehearsed for weeks, showed up, sang, and had our segment cut. I think because a parrot doing some tricks ran long... Got to have dinner with Dan Haggerty and Dr. Ruth Westheimer though.

[@dongiller]

Wow, thanks for posting this. Do you recall if your choir might have performed during the earlier, rehearsal show? And then have dinner between the rehearsal and broadcast version? Because it’s odd that in the last act of the broadcast, the walk-out was discussed. I doubt they’d mention it then; otherwise, how would they have known of any cuts until post-production? Again, many thanks for your perspective on this!

[@brianallen2358]

Perhaps not showing the choir was considered the funny choice? Letterman has made light of bumping guests before.

[@stevebingman2416]

@@brianallen2358 We were there. They seemed to be recording in real time, that is the commercials were worked in. We had a solist performing and they interviewed Fred the cockatoo instead, with us in the background. Captain Force had us exit the stage abruptly just before the finale was sung. Dan Haggerty sang the song instead. Hang on Sloopy. It was cool hanging out with Grizzly Adams and meeting Dr Ruth, who was quite famous for her radio show at the time. I remember all the good snacks and Heinekens. I have some pictures from it, but lost one of my rolls of film which had Dan Haggerty on it.

[@stevebingman2416]

@@dongiller We did not sing at rehearsal. Just during the show taping.

[@stevebingman2416]

Not Steve Bingman, that is my son. Bob Bingman is my name. Vic was a senior then.

[@hellomikebarton]

The Good Ol' Days!!!

[@stevebingman2416]

The Merchant Marine Academy Glee Club was there. The band director took us all off stage at the last minute because earlier we had a special soloist appear and they interviewed Fred the cockatoo instead and did not show us at all. Letterman later tried to sue us, but it went nowhere since we didn't have a contract. Dan Haggerty sang Hang On Sloopy instead of us. Needless to say, the club was pissed we didn't get to perform on camera, but you can see us in the background in several shots of the room.

[@LeeKav]

Tried to sue you for what? What on earth are you talking about?

[@randall-king]

@@LeeKav did you not watch the whole show?

[@LeeKav]

@@randall-king I watched the whole show - Late Night suing some little choir for not performing seems far-fetched, and I'm at a loss to imagine what the grounds for such a suit would have been.

[@allendracabal0819]

The Merchant Marine Academy Choir doesn't understand television production, apparently. Or professionalism.

[@maynardsmoreland]

Thanks for posting!

[@Rattlehead930]

Amazing! Thank you!

[@user-yn4ww1yy2v]

👍🙂‼️STEVE GADD on DRUMS!!!!!!!!!

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

47:00 'They Took My Show Away' is genius. I showed it to my 14 yr old who thought it was hilarious. He even saw the analogy to a pet dying. BTW I loved the song the band played at 51:40. The crowd and Dave seemed to have the same reaction.

[@nikaa4237]

Omg I remember watching some of these episodes when I was back in Junior High. Letterman was a trailblazer really changed the late night format. New York seemed to be such a different city.

[@thelatebrianjones]

Wow- have not seen this since night it was on- recall wondering why drums looked different in background of Stupid Pet Tricks clip I'd seen- until I realized Steve Gadd was still filling in for Steve Jordan

[@prmaninla]

19:56 with Dr Ruth is one of my all-time Letterman reactions...

[@johnnynbk]

Steven Gadd on drums

[@larrymelman]

For some reason E! never aired this in their various Anniversary Show Marathons back in the mid 90's. This one, and the 4th Anniversary show on the 747, really are Dave and the show at their creative peak.

[@letsgotothevideotape]

Love the shaving cream dispenser at 10:06

[@dongiller]

All credit to Stephen Winer, one of the original writers on the show.

[@peterkuchenbrod5696]

Thank you!!! :¬)

[@moncorp1]

That poodle Randy was the best stupid pet trick ever!

[@TANTRUMGASM]

hearing all those NY accents on the streets back in 1984.., seems like they are less prevalent in NY in 2018

[@randall-king]

The USA melting pot is homogenizing more and more all the time. A contributing factor is everybody watching the same TV shows all the time. We all start to talk alike. The Internet came along and accelerated it. Localized language and dialects are less common. I think it’s unfortunate.

[@white_heat.truth76]

OMG! The Legendary John Campbell at last! Thanks Don!

[@mikezazworsky]

How many anniversary shows did Dave do at Radio City? I think I remember the 6th or 7th, and I know they did for the 10th as well...were there others? I'd love to see any of them, if you've got 'em...

[@forbiddendonut]

I am surprised to see how this episode is so much similar to the first anniversary special.

[@allendracabal0819]

ALL the anniversary shows are similar.

[@wannabe4668]

That dress

[@thefungarian]

Who was that redhead with the weird stand-up hair? I can't put a name to the face but she looks familiar. 19:47

[@dongiller]

Nastassja Kinski.

[@HoustonHistoricRetail]

When they return from the commercial after Stupid Pet Tricks, what song is the band playing?

[@dongiller]

Going into and out of the break was James Brown's "I'll Go Crazy." Original version here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqjEZIqHoJeZnc0

[@jasonjohnston94]

Mariel Hemingway?! Cleaning fish?

[@dongiller]

Full show here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJzGYZKjbdmgeas

[@jrpipik]

I looked up the IMDB for John Vopal, who played Jimmy in "They Took My Show Away." The listing had only one credit: "Andy" on a 1984 episode of Cosby. I wonder if it was the same kid and, if so, why he has no credit for this appearance.

[@HoustonHistoricRetail]

Probably was a stage name for the writer who wrote this letter. It's just a little too perfect. It's possible that whoever it was also appeared on Cosby and had to use a stage name because they were a writer.

[@allendracabal0819]

IMDB doesn't always have every credit.

[@jimmyguitar2933]

I remember when David Sanborn was big. Wonder what happened to him?

[@LogoMan7777]

Do you have the NBC Special bumper for this show?

[@dongiller]

Not sure what you mean.

[@LogoMan7777]

@@dongiller What I mean is, is this how the show was originally broadcast, or was there some sort of NBC Special bumper before this (like the 1st anniversary special)?

[@dongiller]

You mean like a promo? If so, this is all I have. It comes from a pre-broadcast source.

[@LogoMan7777]

@@dongiller Oh..... well, I mean like this, if it helps: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmS7hmikr95ljbc

[@dongiller]

Ahh... now I see what you mean. Sorry, I don’t.

[@2ndprezbeats]

The viewer mail in this one is killer lmaooooo

[@wannabe4668]

Yes he’s getting paid for it

[@ianmusic911]

Anyone know who the guest is @ 18:18?

[@dongiller]

Nastassia Kinski. From the December 29, 1982 broadcast (taped December 15).

[@MillyPalomino]

@@dongiller -- Even better was when John Candy came on as the next guest... with his hair in a similar up-do.

[@kdubya-6910]

Hmmm, what was the name of the Steam Roller company.....pray tell :)

[@AUTOPSY666]

25:25 too funny

[@adamnedeff3102]

What’s the band playing at 51:30?

[@dontrockwobble]

At 51:30 I'm pretty sure they're playing into commercial with "Please Don't Go" by KC & The Sunshine Band kzbin.info/www/bejne/rV7PZnmvdpijndE . But you only hear about 10 seconds of it. Upon return from commercial, it's a much different one. Sorry, can't help ya on that one.

[@dontrockwobble]

Actually, after listening to it again, I don't think it's a different song. The end of "Please Don't Go" just sounds a lot different with a saxophone instead of vocals.

[@clancykobane9102]

jimmy grew up to be marilyn manson

[@allendracabal0819]

But first, he was Paul in The Wonder Years.

[@TheJereld]

Jimmy was played by a young Conan O'Brien.

[@toddleopold2009]

That walking dog child is creepy.