Staff Favorite Moments: Writer Steve O'Donnell, Part 2 | Letterman

[@ScottSelva]

He said he could do these forever and I hope he does! These staff favorites videos are fantastic.

[@kevinlogozzo3952]

I put on cassette from the original airing and I’ve listened to it hundred of times for the last 35ish years.

[@Andrew-Antioch-Kim]

The "Staff Favorite Moments" are always well-worth it!

[@thelettermanpodcast]

This highlight of an otherwise highlightless week.

[@dottiegillespie8067]

I need one of these every day

[@chefjeff1366]

came here to say this! always such great selections of bits - and a little behind-the-scenes info on them too

[@derekmyers3258]

I've been going through a very long term illness (with alas a light at the end of the tunnel, don't write any requiems for me, Henry Mancini) and these Letterman clips have been a savior. Long live Dave!

[@DouglasRichardson-er4ky]

Best wishes 😎👍🏻

[@TimothyATaylor]

Who needs late-night TV when you’ve got the Letterman channel on KZbin?

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Hell, we like it even better than our show.

[@BrianWolters2112]

This and Don's channel make me feel I am back in high school watching Late Night as it aired...I always liked Late Night more than Late Show...that's just me...

[@moccalou]

I wasn't old enough to watch Letterman in the 80s and early 90s, so it's nice that I get to still partake here on KZbin after the show has ended.

[@mandcbruce]

It has been a gift during the writer's strike. I'm seeing how much influence Dave had on everybody in late night.

[@annhitchcock3093]

I can’t even stay up on New Year’s, haha- so Im grateful as well!❤

[@lorip.1110]

It truly is a Late Night world of love.

[@thelettermanpodcast]

And still is even after all these years.

[@Sebastian_Dinwiddie]

I had the dumbest smile on my face. Remembered most of the words too!

[@TheMattsterling]

Excellent picks Steve O'Donnell. You are a legend and we love you.

[@HeyMySock]

Thanks Steve! Now I'm gonna be singing that Late Night Anthem for the rest of the day.

[@ChristopherDrum]

The lyrics to the Late Night anthem crawled up out of some dusty crevice of my mind and I sang along. Even had I been at gunpoint yesterday, I would never have remembered that song's existence. But once I heard Paul open it, I knew every lyric flawlessly. The brain is a truly terrible organ!

[@jimmy8x541]

these 'staff favorite' videos give me life. they are so good.

[@rha101]

A great reminder of how clever and inventive the show was. Kudos.

[@namj8145]

'It's a Late Night World' was an incredibly hypnotic tune the first time I saw it. Silly as hell, but oddly captured the show perfectly at the time. I've always remembered and loved it. The only difference is that now, when I see the clip, in a totally un-Letterman way, I almost get a nostalgic tear in my eye for how great those Late Night shows were.

[@gregj63]

The Bill Wendell robbery bit is one of my all-time favorites!

[@rrh1980]

The dialog is straight 30s gangster

[@costcoshill7941]

That must have been wild to see at the time, had anything like that ever been done before? The setup was pretty long and it was at the end of the show, didn't they fade to black afterwards? Really an incredible one-of-a-kind bit, I can't imagine someone pitching to Carson that they wanted to film a sequence where he and Ed are robbed in a dim stairwell by Fred de Cordova.

[@rlevitta]

There hasn’t been anything as funny as this on TV for a very long time

[@paulocuaresma9480]

Yes!!! Part 3 please 🙏!!!

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Hell, part 17 please!

[@dottiegillespie8067]

I need one of these every day.

[@tzkelley]

I was in the audience when Pee Wee driving the car was filmed!

[@kevinlogozzo3952]

It’s A Late Night World is still one of my favorite songs of all time! I happened to record it on VCR the night it was originally aired and put it on a cassette for listening in the car.

[@RjBenjamin353]

The Ike Turner Joke is hilarious!!!!

[@jasonluckey2214]

One of my favorite writers on the show

[@FloraWest]

This is probably my favorite era of Letterman-really formative to my sense of humor.

[@gilmour6754]

the scottish caber pencil is such a perfect letterman joke. so stupid it's brilliant.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

I've been using the the line "Womans be thinking too much" since this episode originally aired. Thanks to Steve, if he wrote it.

[@ConradSpoke]

I can't even glance at a picture of Jane Fonda in tights without recalling "Peter Fonda's Burnout Book."

[@dumbguydepot304]

That bit with Wendell with the car ride and the shovel, I did a version of that in Grade 12 in my Media-Photography course. I loved that one so much as the ending is beyond cold! Haha.

[@ArtHoward]

My favorite Bookmobiel books: "The Muppets All Die and Go to Hell" and Shirley MacLaine's "There Are Tiny People in My Salt Shaker."

[@rrh1980]

I cant even believe im typing this but the Joe Theismann Pee Wee Herman bit killed me. Also the announcer robbing Dave and Paul at gun point LOL

[@hbg143]

R.I.P. Paul Reubens. You always made me laugh!

[@WTFG78]

“I could really do these forever.” If he’s up to it, I wouldn’t mind that at all. :)

[@thelettermanpodcast]

He’ll need some energy. Get the man some prancing fluids!

[@tomlichnofsky.7048]

Absolutely Fantastic!!! 😊👌👍🍁♈

[@davewestner]

I really dig this series, and I also dig that model of the Handley Page 0/400 on the desk back there.....that's cool!

[@catherinegigliotti1368]

Wowee...them chairs though!! and look at that hair Dave!! Lol Barbara!!!

[@MrNategriffin]

there is none better than early letterman.

[@rayjohnson1686]

The Staff Fav. Moments are my new cigarettes... I just can't get enough of them.. Pure nicotine!!!

[@HowTo4Uvideos]

Man, these were awesome.

[@annhitchcock3093]

I used to love the Bookmobile when I was a kid!

[@dianewinters8628]

Great show picks

[@brianbullivant1009]

You looked good in that kilt in a manly kind of way. Pee Wee Herman's Playhouse was Incredible!

[@hobodivine5776]

Man, I look at these clips and I wish I worked on the show!

[@allendracabal0819]

Especially in the early years. They were so inventive. Non-stop ideas.

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Totally. The very reason we exist is to get some of the vicarious creativity.

[@Hester721]

For 35+ years, I've remembered those only as "Paul Schaefer's prancing fluids". I hope one day to rediscover how Paul's name got in there.

[@ChickensIsPracticallyPenguins]

I was unreasonably happy to see this in my feed, but when are we going to get one from Chris Elliott?

[@thelettermanpodcast]

We hear he’s buying a monkey.

[@marcthompson3665]

@@thelettermanpodcast I heard he's one of those fancy boys.

[@thelettermanpodcast]

@@marcthompson3665 goes without saying. A fancy boy with a helluva monkey.

[@cactaceous]

Big girls have big appetites, don’t they?

[@5454randy]

That stingray bit was so corny and hilarious!

[@raymondm.9954]

Either a precursor or follow-up to the World's Largest Vase, which also had a farewell message for the world.

[@vhm14u2c]

In September 1987, I was there for the taping of the show, jay leno, Annie Potts, Hiram bullock were guests. Prancing fluids was there at time. Missed the lighting effects for it that night though, as fountain was filled with black ink.

[@NoellaScott]

The Dancing Waters people really had a firm grasp on marketing, didn't they?

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Prancing Fluids, you mean. Cmon man. We don’t want anybody to get attorneys involved.

[@untexan]

Must have been run by some former pinheads at GE

[@FloraWest]

That thing Pee Wee does with the mixed nuts and Dave's name? I do that (almost always in my head) with 5 syllable names that come into my life. Oh, and that bit where Dave looks through the flowers? I do that once in awhile, too.

[@funkymonk7]

The Henry Mancini bit itself alone shows why this program was the best in late night history.

[@Armakk]

Dog Poetry should have won the Nobel Prize For Literature I'm not joking it might be the best segment in the history of American television.

[@BearbearbearbearbearbearRarrrr]

Yes! More Steve, more staff….more stories that would make Dave uncomfortable.

[@Rob_Kates]

The NBC Bookmobile was comedy gold. Gus was indeed Gruff, but loveable.

[@kerryrobinson9947]

A tribute to ike turner, comedy gold. 🥊💰😱👀

[@ThymeKeeper]

My favorite part of the Late Night anthem is Al Frisch standing in the background, clearly uncomfortable with the whole thing :D

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Yes. Also, as always, Elliott.

[@kevinlogozzo3952]

I love the staff’s emotion that they put into it. The part where they all join in was cut out of this segment but it’s genius!!

[@HarleyTate-z3b]

Not sure who's funnier, Letterman or his talented staff.😁

[@bodyslamhimjeff]

The Late Night Anthem is in my favorites on KZbin and I rewatch regularly. All three versions! The Tom Jones versions is absolutely incredible.

[@rockturtleneck]

The Prancing Fluids

[@isthatwhatemptymeans8222]

The Ike Turner book! lmao

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Genius.

[@allendracabal0819]

I've mentioned that joke to many people over the years. One of the best ever.

[@donpeters9849]

Throughout my years in prison, you guys kept me sane.

[@tomypreach]

Beautiful!

[@MattTee1975]

Bill Wendell played a surprisingly good thug.

[@thelettermanpodcast]

He certainly knows the steps to success.

[@davebushmediadesign]

I thought the very same thing.

[@campsjams]

Steve, tell the folks at home what index cards are.

[@RighteousReverendDynamite]

The dancing waters were like the Sparklettes Water Show at Sea World San Diego in the 1970s.

[@mhill3350]

My all time favorite was Richard Simmons....A GO GO CART!🤣

[@thelettermanpodcast]

And a fire extinguisher….

[@mhill3350]

@@thelettermanpodcast 🤣😂🤣

[@thelettermanpodcast]

@@mhill3350 ;)

[@bobbyk9815]

Don Giller has compilations of Pee Wee, the Viewer Mail theme, and the Late Night Anthem, for anyone that cares. I'd share links but...meh.

[@cynthiamason4069]

Was this, Staff Favorite Moments on KZbin, yet another brilliant idea of the great Steve O'Donnell? Finding out about Henry Mancini is a lovely bit of knowledge. :-)

[@Archerjr1]

I never knew (until now) that irascible Edna P. Hessler was in fact...Eric Clapton in a dress.

[@last808]

I really wanna see the entire Mancini bit now.

[@raymondm.9954]

Paul soon added lyrics to the melody: "Viewer Mail! Viewer Mail!/ Every Friday night we do Viewer Mail!/ First we read 'em/ Then we answer 'em/ Every Friday night we do Viewer Mail/ La la la la la la la la la la-la la la! La la la la la la la la la la-la la la! Viewer Mail! Viewer Mail!/ Every Friday night we do Viewer Mail!" If I've remembered correctly.

[@NoellaScott]

Where can I purchase these cards? I need some to hold while I'm writing my comments. I know the best are made in North America.

[@thelettermanpodcast]

The salmon ones are made in Bulgaria.

[@PrimeTimeOaTmEaL]

I vividly remember the "Dancing Waters" vs. "Prancing Fluids" controversy. I was eleven years old. Probably hard to believe that I had trouble getting prom dates, isn't it?

[@TheBrettWilson]

How bout a tribute to Johnny Dark? Please?

[@annem7806]

I still have my World Wide Pants tee-shirt 💙

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Excellent. Wear it with pride at the rallies.

[@TimothyATaylor]

@@thelettermanpodcast Rallies?

[@kevinlogozzo3952]

I still have a Late Night shirt from NBC days.

[@thelettermanpodcast]

@@TimothyATaylor sure. Or festivals.

[@thelettermanpodcast]

@@kevinlogozzo3952 does it still fit?

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Also, all our host ever wanted in his life was to have a man-sized-pencil.

[@Sebastian_Dinwiddie]

Sounds like a party at Wendell's place. Ahh, good times

[@tomripsin730]

3:07 Is the "nutty conquistador' on the left Tom Davis?

[@billrosmus6734]

The conquistadors looked like Harold Ramis and Rob Schneider (maybe not Schneider, but Ramis). Of course they almost certainly aren't but that is the first thing that popped in my mind.

[@raymondm.9954]

Two of the writers, I'm pretty sure.

[@thelettermanpodcast]

We will henceforth be using salmon coloured index cards for our show. Once we find them. To the search mobile!

[@lorip.1110]

Hey, this guy used the British English version of 'coloured' instead of the American English variant. Get him!

[@thelettermanpodcast]

@@lorip.1110 Canadian, actually. And YOU ma’am/sir/other win the observer of the day award. We even had to override the autocorrect to get that baby in there. (Our host is Canadian)

[@lorip.1110]

@@thelettermanpodcast You Canadians are always so smug with your clean air, low crime rates, and hunky prime ministers. And it's ma'am, although I also frequently answer to Other! 🙂

[@thelettermanpodcast]

@@lorip.1110excellent! One can never be too careful these days. Our host goes by thee/thy/thou, though rarely is given the option on government forms…yet. Even Canada has a ways to go.

[@lorip.1110]

@@thelettermanpodcast Keep fighting the good fight on those government forms. I salute you! 🫡

[@mjgoodson]

"Prancing fluids"

[@jrpipik]

After about two outings Dave hated the Viewer Mail theme.

[@marcthompson3665]

Little know fact. Gus, straight up playa.

[@prmaninla]

salmon absolutely doesn't work.

[@Mo_Taser]

I turned it off before they shared blood. You might have wanted to put that at the end of the video.

[@hensonlaura]

😀😃😄😁😆😅🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🤪

[@janetglover999]

Getting me through the writers strike for sure

[@robertphillips8648]

Jimmy Kimmel just rags on PoliticIans and it’s sooooo old. I illegally download everything so I have, nor care about anyone else. We miss you Dave and thank you sir for “waaayyy outside the box” writing.