Sandra Bernhard Collection on Letterman, Part 1 of 3: 1983-85

[@davidserlin8097]

I remember watching these at the time and thinking how Sandra brought a level of danger and menace that was absolutely thrilling. Now I watch these clips and it feels less like network television and more like a small downtown performance space.

[@iggypopisgod9]

cable access vibe

[@lazybelphegore6748]

He (Letterman) was from our hometown, so we watched him ever since he had his daytime show. Yes, it was a very low-budget vibe.

[@duckhive]

for sure@@iggypopisgod9

[@RickyPatterson-h6x]

I watch David Letterman, a lot back in 83 I was 24 and don't remember Sandra Bernhard I'm on a date went off back in 2015 , I miss David and Johnny.

[@lazybelphegore6748]

She sparkled on that show. I never saw most of these. She looked so young and happy, and confident. I wish I had 10% of her confidence and ease.

[@Jimmy-Legs]

Little cocaine doesn’t hurt.

[@mannydel1]

These two really had great chemistry.

[@mulemule]

Like "The Joker" and "Scarecrow ..."

[@johnboys4697]

Both had gaps between their front teeth 🦷

[@singlesideman]

Sandra was electric. I loved her then, and I love her even more now. These were the happiest days I've ever had, and I'm having one of those days now. Don - thank you. So much.

[@commenter1245]

Agreed, Todd. She’s so goddamned full of spirit in these early day videos, I just love it. I am reminded, too, of what nice chemistry she and David had.

[@pam0626]

I agree. She embodied the attitude of NYC in the early 80’s, just as David Letterman did. Both of their stars were on the rise at the same exact moment in time and it’s great to have all of these clips to reminisce. They were both so intelligent and you knew it was going to be a fun night when Sandy was on. I still love her on Sirius XM.

[@Hs3u39]

She’s one of the sharp crayons.

[@itsalongstory1024]

She was muuuuuuuch better back then!

[@singlesideman]

@@itsalongstory1024 agreed. Strongly. So much so that I've asked myself, "I wonder what ever happened to her?".

[@ralphrmillerjr]

these were my "formative years" and, back then, Ms. Bernhard talked and acted unlike any woman or girl around me. I could never take my eyes off her. magical even today. thanks for not only posting these, but organizing them so perfectly Don.

[@SC-lb6cn]

Yes, she is uniquely unique

[@johnhorn3344]

Sandra was quite possibly Dave’s best recurring guest. They had great chemistry and she was crazy hilarious.

[@energyasylum997]

Along with Terri Garr and Bonnie Hunt.

[@trhansen3244]

David dated her?

[@robertposton7777]

I have to thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU, Don Giller!!!! I taped Sandy Bernhard's appearances on Dave since '88. So all these intv.'s are a blessing from Heaven!!!! I'm watching all 4 and a half hours!!!!

[@JRLOC]

Same!

[@AdamSmithMusic]

How did David not fall out of his chair of laughter? These two could spar. This might be my 6th or 7th time watching. So so good!

[@johnfritsky3859]

She is hilarious! Her material is of the time but not dated at all, Sandra Bernhardt is timeless!

[@craigsmith157]

Time sure does pass you by. I was 13 and now I'll be 50 in 3 months.

[@tnt01]

I know right.

[@tonyhelton2788]

I was only 7 when this first aired and now I am 60 years young. Do the math. Keep in mind, I went to public school.

[@johnl5350]

So you were born in the 50s? Man, you're almost old enough to be around for the first episode of LNwDL.

[@francismackin4681]

Thank you SO much for posting these!!! I had an old VHS Tape Marked "SANDRA" but these 1983 appearances predated what I had; funnily, Part 2 the first clip I know I had so not sure if that was just a coincidence but I look forward to watching Parts 2 and 3!! When I last moved, I threw out all my VHS tapes since I had no where to play them anyway and didn't want to be carrying around boxes of them into my 70s figuring everything was on youtube. Particularly LOVED her version of "To Sir With Love" and then "I Will Always Love You"; I had no idea she covered THAT!!! Interesting too to hear Dave and Sandra's "history," meeting in LA in the comedy circuit; I had no idea they had known each other prior to her appearances on this show; I saw also a recent clip on Andy Cohen's show where she said she had a crush on him and she seemed positive/update still about DL; I had thought they had some kind of falling out? She kind of blamed CBS change in format for not continuing to have her; of course, the Madonna appearance was most famous; my all time favorite Sandra line was "I wouldn't want 50 thousand tons of concrete falling on ME in the middle of the night, why should YOU?" "mumzers .... for the Yiddish kids in the house" .... too many to recount; again, Don, thank you SO much for this gift; the dream would be to have in DVD with closed captioning since so many lines are so quick I missed them ....

[@jpetes9046]

I’ve known about Sandra for 40 years, and I’ve seen these clips once before... but as I watch them tonight I have totally, completely fallen in love with her.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

She and Terri Garr were my two all time favourites on Letterman over the years. I missed a few of these episodes, so thank you so much for compiling these and uploading them. I knew Sandra was great, but I forgot just _how_ great. She is so hilarious and full of wacky energy. You don't see guests like this on the TEE VEE any more.

[@Marcus_C51]

Yes yes yes, when she and Terri were on it was always hilarious!

[@michaelepp6212]

I watched all the Teris first and now I'm watching these!

[@EasterVictory]

totally!!

[@jeffkoons001]

OMG this is SUCH A GIFT, thank you

[@MarceloRomero360]

Don, thank you for compiling these!! She was on every 6 weeks or so in '83, love the chemistry between the two of them. And what a great singing voice!

[@tennyc]

How I laughed and remembered to set the VCR anytime Sandra was on thanks for this upload

[@DavidBerlinguette]

Oh man, she was hilarious! “Some of you might feel all alone tonight, and well, you are.”

[@tnt01]

I know right. Lol

[@surfacenoise76]

Thank you SO much for uploading these. I remember a lot of these, but some are new.

[@voicetube]

I had forgotten how much I enjoyed her appearances on the show (I think I was just enamored with her looks incl. her beautiful thinness, but hadn't remembered how incredibly brilliant and wacky-funny she was). Thank you so much for posting!

[@wendiwest2849]

Thanks so much for sharing!!! legendary.

[@gates69]

She has that great quirky personality that always played off of Dave well. Thanks again for the upload.

[@Bernie3000]

Got dang she is AMAZING! What a force! I am in awe of the way she can deliver without missing a beat or flubbing a word. I’m a fan!

[@nicoleraheem1195]

Same !!! I wish I had learned of her sooner!! I love her personality!!

[@diamonddave16]

Totally ⚡️😂

[@ritter1808]

She was amazing and kept Letterman honest and on his toes. Frankly more than that- he had to up his game.

[@jre617]

So damn funny. No one like SB. Thanks for the quality compilation.

[@johndalton3180]

WOW Don! I've seen the first clip before on KZbin, but all washed out kinda VHS-ish. This looks like it looked when it first aired in 1983. Thanks for the upload.

[@MichelleUS66]

Did anyone ever get Dave to laugh more than Sandra used to? I think he’s in awe at how quick she is.

Norm.

[@K3vinK]

#cocaine

[@mikestevenson576]

Frankly, Jay Leno.

[@tnt01]

100%

[@flagtheoffense]

Joan Rivers had that quaity too.

[@MichelleUS66]

My sides start to hurt from laughing when Sandra gets on a roll. The back-and-forth between her and Dave is absolutely amazing. Sandra is definitely one of the best guests Dave ever had on the show. (It’s just too bad she was phased out after Dave went to CBS/11:30.)

[@dongiller]

She appeared twice more on Late Show in 1994 and 1998. They’re included in Part 3. It was evident by then that the chemistry just wasn’t there anymore.

[@MichelleUS66]

@@dongiller So true. And that was very unfortunate. (While I still enjoyed Dave’s show on CBS, I missed the edgy, experimental nature of Late Night. The smaller band, the cozier confines of 6A, and the the more-eclectic guests are what I tend to recall now.) And, Don, thanks for all of your efforts - before on your own channel, and now on Dave’s official channel. I can’t tell you how much I look forward to every new upload!

[@diamonddave16]

🥇

[@diamonddave16]

@@MichelleUS66🎯

[@diamonddave16]

Guy under the stairs.

[@MrDLOC11]

Looking back how fiercely funny she's always been, both tender & hysterical the comic originality of Lady Ms.Sandra Bernhard. 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

[@ceciliawilson6328]

One of my faves from the talk show circuit. True original and ahead of her time.

[@tosderg]

don giller, you are a hero and a champion, a towering inferno, a raging man about town. thank you.

[@annabrewer8054]

This is amazing. Thanks Don!

[@scottiescottie1]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[@scottyunitedboy2925]

Somebody commented on this with the video when she appeared with Madonna, but damn Sandra makes the 80s look fun as hell!

[@johnjohnson3709]

I absolutely love her. I get her comedy totally!

[@craigyoung9321]

So funny. No hacky cheap tricks like what is so prevalent in comedy these days. Just pure talent

[@tnt01]

100%

[@bobdecarlo7778]

Sandra's appearances stand the test of time- talented, funny, poignant...and I thought she was going to sing it, "I've got you Dave!"!

[@sloburnjo]

Don, I binged Sandra on Late Nite this past week. 🙌🏾💯⚡😀 This era was when I watched regularly. She is legend! Great musical bits and guests when she appeared👍. Just saw her bit part in 'Nice Dreams' . Wow time flies.

[@testmcgee9230]

My uncle’s second wife (mid-80s) patterned herself after Sandra Bernhard. I could see it even then as a kid. Ms. Bernhard is a cool ghost in a wild looking machine. If you are wondering, the marriage was disastrous.

[@paulj0557tonehead]

Could her wit keep up with her neuroticism through the years?

[@jaimhaas5170]

Don well done...thanks for doing this!

[@purpleninja6024]

I go back to her interviews when I have a feeling of missing her hehe. I love how she teases Dave haha

[@michaelz9892]

Some new stuff! Thanks for this!

[@jrpipik]

I still remember her singing "To Sir with Love." I had no idea who she was and didn't even know the song, but I thought that was fantastic. Chris Elliot recreated that moment 20 years later.

[@johnl5350]

I was going to mention this when it clicked when I heard the letters in the sky line. Something clicked and it was this.

[@effinyu9554]

That pink thing was a mood. I love when he asked if she would have gone to her reunion and she was just like, "No."

[@stanforleesaerom1417]

She is and always was a SUPERSTAR

[@johnsegreti8367]

She definitely has something all her own

[@Amethyst_Friend]

'No movie's complete without a scene with Bernhard says Coppola.' She's so funny

[@Hoodie_100]

I've been looking for those 2 from 1985!! So so funny! Eddie Van Halen was there playing music with the band in the June show so it added well with her entrance.

[@rue__s]

omg she started singing she reminded me so much of Aldous Harding, a musician, from the way she looks, and how eclectic and genius they both are.

[@paulj0557tonehead]

My favorite female guest from first time I saw her age 16 in 83'.

[@SC-lb6cn]

She was one of the only people who could fluster David.

[@rezkat6]

I’d put money on the idea that she could fluster anyone

[@deniseporto9397]

still laugh out loud with Sandra's interviews!!

[@johnsegreti8367]

Me too

[@davejoseph8578]

Sandra...you are THE perfect human female! Witty beyond wit....absolutely striking beauty...unpredictable....a sultry sensuality that usually would have to be continued on the next person! Life with you would be an adventure everyday...I so envy those close to you! Stay yourself...don't ever change! One of the last truly original entertainers!

[@1trschaefer78]

Love her unpredictability! She was always very funny back in the day.

[@johnsegreti8367]

Can't wait to see her at Joe's pub

[@mkptrsn]

I was always intrigued by her as a kid. She’s so funny

[@djphillyb]

Always loved it when Sandra would show up on the show. She would just wreck havoc and made Dave uncomfortable.

[@dongiller]

Uncomfortable, too. :)

[@djphillyb]

@@dongiller LOL! Sometimes, voice to text sucks.

[@SuperC888]

Phil's Notebook Don’t you mean uncomfortable

[@djphillyb]

@@SuperC888 Yes. Voice to text is not aways the best. Thank you for pointing the mistake out.

[@tradewins]

I saw her do a standup routine at a place in Hollywood called Natural Fudge Co. which was actually a healthy food restaurant with a small stage for aspiring performers where they'd have open mic night and sometimes a couple of more known performers. My girlfriend of the time was a waitress there so I got to hang out there a lot. This was around 1977-78 and Sandra was quite young, impossibly thin, unknown, and nowhere near as confident or accomplished as she later became. She did her set and in all honesty it wasn't very good or, you might say alternatively, that nobody in the audience "got" her sense of humor. She didn't sing at all and when she finished she went off to only a smattering of unenthusiastic applause. She did have an unusual look and her energy was such that she was interesting to look at, but her material wasn't there yet. So it was great to see her really develop her talent and abilities and have the success she's had. Whenever I see these videos I think "I saw her before she was famous...or very good."

[@johnsegreti8367]

She's even different from people who are different I've always liked her

[@johndalton3180]

This is SO amazing, Don. The second segment I've never seen at all. What a treat.

[@ollietaro]

Bless you, sir.

[@wowmachineradio]

47:20 OH WOW!!! We so rarely get to hear Andie MacDowell jokes!!! THAT WAS HILARIOUS!!! Look up the old Calvin Klein commercials she did, rambling about the "Happy Valley Trailer Park" for the reference.

[@johndalton3180]

It's an excellent Andie impression too. Around this time, she appeared as Jane in Tarzan, Legend of Graystoke. She was unable to lose her Southern accent, so they overdubbed her with a then-unknown Glenn Close. Audiences at the time didn't know, but it's strange seeing Close's voice coming out of Andie McDowell's mouth.

[@theresaewald2405]

She's fabulous.

[@johndalton3180]

Way ahead of her time. Singing an ironic chorus of To Sir With Love is such a 1996 thing.

[@HoorayTV21]

When you see Don Giller upload clips of a specific person and the first thing you think is "are they dead"

[@hobbygamer6220]

HoorayTV21 yeah. Ive been meaning to say youre where i get my bad news from XD

[@MrSean03839]

Sandra doing great at 64, still with us!

[@johnl5350]

Chris Elliott clearly loved deep cuts. His rendition of this song in 2015, his use of Bill Murray's joke in The Guy Under the Seats, and a lot more. I can appreciate the thought he put into silly bits, thought that may go mostly unnoticed. Sandra is a lot better than I remember, but to be fair my first exposure to her was Roseanne.

[@melizmatea]

She sang "I Will Always Love You" almost a decade before Whitney.

[@michellelekas211]

Dolly Parton sang it first. Wrote it

[@CR-vj6vv]

Sandra was one of his most entertaining guests ever!

[@shawnhapney8784]

Always Liked Sandra Bernhard.

[@austinwoods466]

KZbin Red, if you're watching, channels like this are 1/2 the reason I'm here so leave them alone and pay them for their effort in carrying on a legacy and for giving me something to watch... which is all I'm paying for.

[@matiastoro1667]

1:12:39 That pregnant bit was so funny. "This is what happens when you don't have me on the show for 8 months... And you remember the last time we saw each other..."

[@fattsfatts7891]

Love this. Amazing!

[@christopherramon-reid2000]

These two had great chemistry together. They made a nice couple. I wish they had done a movie, sitcom, or tv special together.

[@elanasmith648]

Good call! They would have been amazing!!!

[@sloburnjo]

Her quick wit and 'name game' / cultural references back when you had to read multiple periodicals & alt newspapers to get it.

[@rockturtleneck]

Right up there with Teri Garr as one of Dave's best Late Night NBC guests.

[@seanchamberlain8914]

gorgeous Sandra

[@gerriepieters9033]

I got the Madonna documentery with Sandra Bernhard and Kevin Costner...

[@firouz4296]

Casually Seeking Sandra! 🤣 The first Madonna reference in 1985

[@danwat1234]

Crazy how often she was on! Madonna first mentioned by her in October 1985 episode, guess they met by then, maybe. Casually Seeking Sandra

[@perfectdaypartners7377]

Friggin ahead of the game!

[@Apollo_Blaze]

I loved his shows...this was Way Better than if he had gotten the tonight show.

[@mr29]

She should have gotten an Oscar nomination for The King of Comedy.

[@diamonddave16]

Just watched king of comedy for 1st time yesterday. I had heard of the movie but I thought it was a fictional take on behind the scenes- talk show stuff. Didn’t know it was Rupert Pupkin prime time pov & they kidnapped Jerry.

[@stevemorse108]

Absollutey her performance was BRILLIANT!

[@joeybaseball7352]

Don, you scared the heck out me. I thought we had lost Sandra.

[@reptarDISCO]

54:25 lol I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Conan O'Brien was president of the Harvard Lampoon at that time

[@reptarDISCO]

Curiosity got the best of me and I confirmed that he was, in fact, exactly who Sandra was referring to. I found a transcript of an article from the Boston Globe written about the event on feelbritish.ru/conan-articles?route=custom_page A STAR RISING THE LAMPOON HONORS SANDRA BERNHARD. I WANT TO MARRY HER,” EXUDED RODMAN FLENDER OF NEW YORK, VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE HARVARD LAMPOON. By Kay Longcope - Boston Globe - October 24, 1983 - Section: LIVING “We all want to marry her,” said president Conan O’Brien of Brookline, who stands a full reddish head higher than Flender. They were well disposed toward her, but she was indisposed. “She’s got the flu,” said Irene Pinn of New York, giving the star of the evening a little pat. Sandra Bernhard grimaced. Sandra Bernhard was not up to par. Not one ribald joke ripped through unsmiling lips affixed in a permanent sneer. Modesty is not her strong suit. When asked why she thought she had been selected to receive the Lampoon’s “Remember Us Later Award” last week,she forthrightly replied: “Because I’m the most exciting thing happening in the country right now - to say nothing of this room.” Sneer. O’Brien said Bernhard was the recipient of an award irregularly bestowed since 1948 because “she’s a rising star. We all hope she’ll one day give all of us jobs. We think she’s going to go places.” For her part, Bernhard downplayed the heady excitement of the Lampooners’ attention. As soon as O’Brien had shown her and Brian Blugernan, her musical director, through the small, four-story castle on Mt. Auburn street and assured her that “Entertainment Tonight” would be around to film the event, Sandra plumped herself down in a chair, before the TV set, well above the frenzied din below. She nursed herbal tea in one hand and watched herself in Martin Scorsese’s “King of Comedy,” in which she played the gawky, sexually aggressive psychotic who harassed and abducted Jerry Lewis. Below, tuxedoed and effete young men and their dressed-up dates prepared for an event that offered half-chickens, asparagus, and red and green peppers. ”It’s been 10 years since we last gave a Remember Us Later Award’ (to singer Helen Reddy),” said Flender (Class of ‘84), an economics major. ”It’s not something like an Academy Award that’s given annually. It can only go to someone really deserving of it. I think she’s terrific talent. She’s funny, really funny.” After all the preceding hoopla, the awards ceremony was amazingly brief. From the oversize President’s chair on which he sat, O’Brien placed a hand on a flickering, cloth-covered award. He told his stilled audience that Bernhard has been a regular on Johnny Carson’s “Tonight” Show, is seen monthly on the David Letterman show and, last week, her act could be caught at Cambridge’s Inn Square Men’s Bar. Then, he scooped the cloth off a garish and clearly one-of-a-kind award. “I’m highly honored,” said Bernhard, who wore fishnet black stockings, a black miniskirt, a yellow sweater, and a white jacket. “I knew that by age 25 I wouldn’t be a child prodigy. This is the closest I’ve ever gottento going to college and seeing cute college boys.” Pause. To her left, Lampooner vice-president Flender aimed a camera that was not the squirt kind. “Your name is so appropriate,” she told the young man. “The next time I’m in Hollywood, I’ll talk about all of you. Don’t ever be good. I hope I’ll see you some other time. In some other world.”

[@JSYBen]

Bonus points if you put in her appearance on 'The Late Shift' :D

[@dongiller]

Damn; forgot about that. Ah well; that ship has sailed.

[@poupdujour]

She takes the absolute piss out of him every time. Hilarious!

[@christinacascadilla4473]

Gosh was she sexy in the 1980s. Also, in these appearances you can see tiny little snippets of her 1988 show, “Without You I’m Nothing.”

[@zacmccomb4781]

that hanna schygulla shout out was beautiful

[@dominicportelli7468]

She's so real and SO much fun!

[@SorendeSelbyBowen]

I love Bernhard. Great actress, should have gotten more roles. So good in King of Comedy.

[@blazecal]

Check out her movie "Without You I'm Nothing" when you get a chance. I can't believe I never saw it until two years ago.

[@codeblue2532]

Beautiful voice

[@andrewcharles1734]

Like her or not she is one of a kind. 👍

[@13elad49]

The original SNL, and David Letterman, my favorites.

[@tuz0wils0n]

Wonder if anyone's ever requested all of Jake Johannsen's appearances? If Don's looking for another large multi-part project. ;)

[@dongiller]

In the works.

[@GH-zo3jr]

I would have loved to have seen her and Joan Cusack in a movie together.

[@KtotheL]

both awesome love sandra

[@ylatupa]

She’s terrific

[@DJ_ames]

She is so great!

[@johndalton3180]

I Will Always Love You a full 10 years before Whitney covered it.

[@MrDLOC11]

Whitney copied Linda ronstadt's version.

[@michiganjfrog366]

As well as To Sir With Love..

[@firouz4296]

@@MrDLOC11 Facts!

[@ChristopherHemsworthCreative]

Nerd alert moment: at 38:20 Sandra mentions Estelle Parsons. Estelle would end up playing Roseanne's Mom on the Roseanne show starring Roseanne, on which Sandra also appeared alongside Roseanne.

[@francismackin4681]

AND the Morgan Fairchild bit was interesting because she and Sandra would up married on Roseanne

[@Rbl7132]

What a genius and talent she is

[@jettaca88]

She’s hilarious!

[@williamscheuer5933]

Is the song she sang to David at the beginning a real song? “Suspicious Man” at 44:40.

[@karenbeads]

It is Suspicious Minds. Best known version is by Elvis Presley.