Staff Favorite Moments: Writer Steve Young | Letterman

Longtime Letterman writer Steve Young remembers The Strong Guy, The Fat Guy & The Genius, Dave's runaway camera and more.
#steveyoung #stafffavoritemoments #letterman
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Welcome to the Letterman KZbin Channel, home to all your favorite clips from Late Night and Late Show - as well as conversations with the writers, producers and performers who helped make it all happen. These highlights have been artisanly-produced, carefully-curated, and chosen completely at random by an old computer that used to pick numbers for the New York Lotto back in the 90’s.

[@HeyMySock]

This whole video is great. I’ll be singing the tune to The Strong Guy, The Fat Guy, The Genius all day. That said… Who is the fella singing the Super Bowl song? That was amazing! He killed it! I’ve watched that part alone like X times! Who ever you are Super Bowl singer guy, you are amazing! Thank you!

[@VictorKixx90254]

Music is so catchy

[@petewhite85]

Love these Staff Favorites.

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Without doubt. Our entire show exists because we love moments like these so much.

[@plaws0]

The Super Bowl history song guy *nailed* it. He'd be better than 2/3 of the half-time shows. Thanks, Mr Young!

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

It was pretty good. I hadn't seen it before.

[@mcleanse1382]

Haha I'm going to have that song stuck in my head all day now 😂

[@bernlin2000]

That performer was fantastic, he sold that song perfectly!

[@musicjeffyoung]

Funny idea and well done👍

[@raywood8187]

Yup! Way better than II/III of them.

[@Stjtcb]

Little Richard just chillin watching him in the bird seed suit

[@thelettermanpodcast]

So good. He actually looked kinda queasy.

[@cs5845]

When they cut to him I just cracked up

[@nood1e236]

He's been there before

[@lnzeloh]

@@thelettermanpodcast looks like he’s saying “damn” inside his head 😂

[@adamsloan5471]

And I think Paul is playing the song, poisoning pigeons in the park by Tom Lehrer

[@markdavies9117]

This guy's jokes were in MY wheelhouse. Laughed out loud several times.

[@sdefonta]

Loved Letterman and his writers. They were brilliant and never stooped to dumb down jokes to the lowest common denominator

[@thelettermanpodcast]

The made ‘dumb’ things so clever.

[@keefriff99]

@@thelettermanpodcast Exactly…Letterman bits were somehow “stupidly clever”.

[@tommybarquinero7242]

This is absolutely delightful. The Super Bowl theme song is hilarious. Thank you Steve!

[@Some-guy-you-dont-know]

The Super Bowl song performance was kind of unbelievable. The rhythm and lyrics (the rhythm and WHAT now?) keep changing. I'd like to think an insane amount of practice went into remembering how to phrase all that, but I bet the real truth is that they found someone with a ton of talent who knocked it out of the park if you will please pardon my mixed metaphor.

[@DrVVVinK]

there was also Paul singing the number of pi once

[@MichaelMurphy-kj3xf]

I wholeheartedly agree but he did miss a couple of Xs when singing the 30s!!!

[@Some-guy-you-dont-know]

@@MichaelMurphy-kj3xf No, not a single a one.

[@FernandoGonzalez-gt8tm]

Staff wriers & their work doesn't get enough credit for how great an awesome show (like Late Night w/Dave Latterman) can truly be,day after day to be able to come up with ideas that sometimes become a part of everyday life. Thanks Dave and your truly gifted and magnificent cast of writers.

[@bernlin2000]

What a gem of a writer!

[@NetCerpher]

So as not to appear as a flake I posted this with a loving attached. If this is is representative of this writer, and or other writers, collectively, it blows dead bears. Alone, I could’ve written material five times better.

[@videogameobsession]

Thank You Steve! As a watcher of this show since the 80's, I have a lot of fond memories of it. I wish it could have gone on forever!

[@ThymeKeeper]

Now I'm going to have that damn Super Bowl song going through my head all day lol

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Lucky!

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

For me it's the Strong Guy, the Fat Guy and the Genius song. I remember watching that when it originally aired and I haven't heard it in decades. Why they did a western sounding theme is beyond me, but lots of things in life don't make sense.

[@thelettermanpodcast]

@@OMGWTFLOLSMH Steve talked about that in his episode on our show. Paul and the crew suggested giving it the ‘Rawhide’ treatment

[@johnnavarra4970]

@@OMGWTFLOLSMH That's easy. The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. Arguably the most famous Western of all time.

[@randall-king]

I don’t know why, but the Clint Wentworth goof-up made me laugh so hard. It became even funnier when Dave wouldn’t let it go.

[@SNESdrunk]

Completely forgot about the Strong Guy Fat Guy Genius theme song! Great stuff

[@kstepko]

You’re ‘The Genius’ for coming up with that bit! It was one of my favourites!

[@thelettermanpodcast]

He talked about it on our show. Our host was delighted to hear the news, and recognized the theme immediately.

[@kstepko]

The theme song is what makes it!

[@dongiller]

I hear there’s a compilation of both the Late Night and Late Show remotes.

[@thelettermanpodcast]

@@dongiller that has been brought to ‘The Letterman Podcast’s” attention as well.

[@dongiller]

@@thelettermanpodcast The what?

[@bodyslamhimjeff]

The PR guy for the Mayans is brilliant 😂😂😂

[@READYTEDDYBEAR]

Very interesting! Living in the UK we didn't get to see much of Letterman except for that short time on ITV4. Thanks for putting these up. 👍

[@slapshot01j]

That super bowl counting bit is hilarious! 😂

[@kstepko]

“You hate to see that happen, especially at the holiday time …”

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Hahahaha

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

Regular occurrence over at BBC.

[@raggededge82]

his phrasing and cadence are almost identical to Dave. they must have fed off of each other.

[@danettegallaher8493]

Great job “Non Quarterback Steve”👏👏😂😂🌸

[@bugvswindshield]

I'm loving these co-worker stories. I remember back in 1982. We lived in a "daylight" basement house. Family room downstairs. Bed time was 11 pm sharp at 15 yo. My brother and I had it down. We overheated the woodstove, open the windows a crack, then sneak out our bedroom window and watch Dave. Hearing every word as my Dad has a bad ear lol. I literally grew up, became a man, while watching David Letterman. Alas, I do remember "Larry 'Bud' Melman". What a joy of human to watch at the end of a long day. Thanks Dave, My shoulders thank you for lowering them for decades. A dept I can never repay.

[@Rob_Kates]

I love the shot of Little Richard during the bird seed bit.

[@freeadrian1144]

My fave part of Super Bowl song: 11:03

[@NoellaScott]

"No, that's Clint" 🤣😅

[@prmaninla]

The look of "what the hell am I watching" followed by the smile by Brees @11:03 is frickin' on fleek!

[@EyeTunz]

How can I get a full version of that turkey acoustic song? It sounded killer.

[@kevinstafford3583]

That Super Bowl guy KILLED it lmao

[@theplayers3507]

Dude! Real nice guitar in your office there over your right shoulder...well done sir

[@GrantTarredus]

Steve, until now I didn’t have a clue of who you were. But I remember these pieces and laughing at them, and I’m grateful for those good times. Thanks!

[@TheJuniorMints]

That’s awesome, thanks Steve! Keep these coming!!!

[@jimwaters1562]

So great. These segments are fantastic.

[@mosslyon]

Now I'll have the Super Bowl song in my head for weeks.

[@t23001]

Great comedy and great storytelling!

[@toupac3195]

Oh my, master writers humming a song and the masters of music making it true. That is actually really awesome.

[@musicjeffyoung]

"The Mayans are committed to making this right" lol😄

[@RonMotta1972]

This is the late night I miss. When it was about being being funny and silly and inventive, not about who is the angriest at the former guy or present bits like, "hey, remember 'Saved by the Bell: The New Class?' Here's the cast!" Conan O'Brien was probably the last of the classic late night hosts. Sigh. Now I have to yell at kids to get off my lawn. (Also, now I'm going to have that Super Bowl song running through my head ALL. FREAKING. DAY. Thanks, Steve!)

[@TiagoSeiler]

"The Strong Guy, The Fat Guy, The Genius" was one of the skits I remember when I started watching Letterman in my teens back in Brazil. Pretty much learned to speak English by watching the show and singing the tune.

[@jonseals]

Some of my favorites! Thanks, Steve.

[@mauryrosenbergsmusicchanne743]

Thank you Steve! Very insightful.

[@assmane999]

This series is awesome. I started watching Letterman with my dad in about 1995, so I haven’t seen a lot of the earlier stuff.

[@JackSilbert]

Steve's industrial musicals documentary, Bathtubs Over Broadway, is well worth checking out!

[@ELMS]

This was just excellent. Thanks.

[@viviansmith1443]

🎉Love some Steve Young and his humor. Thanks! 🎃

[@joanneweiss3864]

These bits are why I subbed, the real BTS stuff, creative & hilarious writers, hard workers OMG

[@johncornell3665]

Funny stuff. Thanks Dave!

[@Candide1776]

Really cool. Thanks for sharing.

[@vjstv0101]

The SuperBowl song could be a good song for a Sesame Street episode. 😁

[@tvviewer4500]

I like how the last cliff wentworth stared down steve when they sat down.

[@Alantwoyou]

I've watched a bunch of these and still haven't seen mention of one of my favorite segments - Will It Float!?

[@JonBlondell]

Great work! I heard about your book, but never could find it! I'm a musician, and used to play on industrials, as we called them!

[@salgoud12]

That's not the Mayan calendar! But omg was that HILARIOUS

[@tvviewer4500]

That superbowl count singer was impressive

[@thomassalyers1391]

Brilliant comedy,,, awesome funk groove on that Super Bowl song btw,,

[@reademitchell8828]

Hey Steve! Who loves you baby! From one Late Night Telly Watcher to another.

[@Sara87521]

40-something Dave was so handsome. I mean we all know how that went but. Dang dude.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

What, you don't like his new ZZ Top look?

[@Sara87521]

@@OMGWTFLOLSMH it’s only out of respect for his wife that I’d ever say “no”.

[@raymondwilson293]

awesome ♥️

[@thejwproject7593]

Thanks Clint!!! 😎

[@rocketreindeer]

Wasn't Steve the one who took celebrity photos of the guests on the sidewalk below, framed by an old piece of gum on the ledge outside the office window? I remember after a big storm, he said his first concern was if the gum was okay.

[@ronniechilds2002]

Man, I had forgotten all about "the Strong Guy. the Fat Guy, the Genius" Those bits were hysterically funny and clever.

[@checkmatekingtwothisiswhit7685]

APPLAUSE!

[@johnambrose8039]

The Super Bowl song was so stupid.I couldn't stop laughing

[@ronch182]

"No! That's CLINT!"

[@boxlock2009]

All these "Staff Moments" are great, but for my money this segment is the most off the wall!

[@matttilley8620]

These Staff Favourite Moments are amazing. Does anyone know if there's a segment featuring Chris Elliott? I can't find one.

[@hinthegroove9740]

Back before the internet all we had was Dave and Paul, now it’s even better on demand 😊

[@auditamplifier8493]

I swear it sounds like the third guy says, "I'm CLINT Westworth," too... 14:38🤷 ...making it so that there really was only ONE "Cliff" Wentworth in the audience... 🤣

[@Paulafan5]

The funny part about the Mayan thing is that their calendar ended in 2012; there was no doomsday prophecy associated with the Mayans. It was just speculation by conspiracy theorists. When my calendar ends, I just buy a new one.

[@imbombero]

The third guy said Clint as well…I guess the middle guy is Cliff.

[@allendracabal0819]

Yeah, that's sure what it sounded like.

[@LoLo-hs7bp]

Wow the Smart Guy has some serious Jordan Schlansky Vibe

[@cortneyperfume_madness480]

The roman numeral song is epic!

[@kennytesta9312]

Watch the documentary on Steve his album collection is insane!!

[@user-bs1qk2ku7b]

Who can I thank for Port Authority Bus Station?

[@sarcasmo57]

I want to hear the whole turkey processing song.

[@jimmy8x541]

god the super bowl song is so genius

[@kstepko]

If he had a hard time saying “Cliff”, why would they make him go first? Why not let him go third, so the other two people could help cue him as to what to say? Yet - we would not remember it decades later if it had gone perfectly!

[@thelettermanpodcast]

Because he was ‘The Professional.’ He even gave Dave the fuel for his quips after the bit. Genius.

[@plaws0]

Nope. Perfect the way it was. It became part of the bit, even if I'm sure Mr Young **died** ...

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

It was way funnier with the mistake.

[@thelettermanpodcast]

@@plaws0 agreed!

[@thelettermanpodcast]

@@OMGWTFLOLSMH yip. That’s what the show was all about.

[@andymassingham]

Factoid; The Turkey song is by Leonard Cohen.

[@tomrichards7069]

The superbowl song!!!

[@zjdarrah]

18:25 I think there was an editing error. Don are you in charge of this? lol

[@Bixfan78]

Who is the fellow who sang the Super Bowl song? Would be nice to identify him.

[@lennonturney7343]

"Hostile Silence"? If it is silent how would you know? Could be happy silence.

[@tvbarn]

Which came first, this runaway camera or the one in the Naked Gun

[@gsteixner]

How appropriate that the unarmed camera is shot by NYPD.

[@jameshudson169]

is this for Late Night or The Late Show?

[@ninestories2]

Dang! "Everything's Coming Up Profits' is WAY out of print 😢

[@Mr.Bassman]

8:25

[@RobertWeir]

Then the next step after the slaughter.......😆😂

[@amandabryant7144]

Is that Peyton manning they cut to during the superbowl song

[@allendracabal0819]

No. Drew Brees.

[@CasperLCat]

Now I’ve watched that stupid Super Bowl song all the way thru, twice. And you’ve read me saying so.

[@realwinnertoughguy]

Good writer, poor quarterback.

[@user-dy2qq5wh4b]

@ 3:00 the woke culture would never have this skit nowadays.

[@jollypearltank8935]

Why didn't you welcome the migrants Dave??

[@djackson5159]

‘Unfunny’ a word? Ask the writer I guess

[@jasonmurdoc9533]

Which male writers did letterman sleep with? Or was it just the woman?

[@EckelMusic]

8:43 "[...] several high-ranking Mayans have been fired and/or reassigned. But we know that's not good enough for you folks...." The unacknowledged tension here -- is he really about to offer...?? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_sacrifice_in_Maya_culture I love that he doesn't even mention that. Sure, I'll take a Mayan joke-a-day calendar instead.