The Headroom Collection on Letterman, 1986-1990

1. July 17, 1986. Matt Frewer's "Max Headroom" makes his U.S. network television debut on Late Night.
2. September 15, 1986. Ask Larry "Bud" Headroom, 1.
3. October 8, 1986. Ask Larry "Bud" Headroom, 2.
4. January 13, 1988. Matt Frewer guests as himself.
5. September 4, 1990. Dave introduces Peter "Headroom" Basil.
Fun fact: In 1987, "Max" brought his talk show from England to the U.S. Late Night Segment Producer Robert Morton left the show in late March to become Max's Producer. He returned to Late Night by June, and in early August he became the show's Producer, replacing Barry Sand.

[@zyourzgrandzmaz]

jim carreys entire life is based off of max headroom's personality

[@DocLaMond]

I absolutely noticed it as well!

[@virtualrenegade440]

No joke dude it even sounds like him

[@manthighs69]

Max is better...

[@enigmaticheat5623]

Cmiw. Jim's first appearance is 1983 and Max's is 1985 so at least, Max's had 50% personalities based on Carrey.

[@markschroeder5559]

Rubberface not Headroom

[@rs.matr1x]

Matt Frewer was really very good at getting the affectations just right. Sometimes his responses were random just like a modern chatbot or automated phone response would be.

[@SNESdrunk]

I love this, and I love the idea of trying to explain what this is to someone in 2019

[@voicetube]

I tell people he was sort of like a computer-generated Robin Williams… And then tell them to just Yoogle it.

[@titfacemcgruff4166]

I was thinking a computer generated Jim Carey, but I totally see Robin Williams too!

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

@@titfacemcgruff4166 But... long before anyone ever heard of Jim Carrey

[@BIOSHOCKFOXX]

How is that explaining in 2019 if the video is 30+ years old? This is literally being explained in 80-90's :D

[@ZooScott]

FOOLTOOK

[@canteventhough]

I know a dude who acts exactly like this Max Headroom. Like he fell asleep to it every single night and it took over his personality.

[@svenjansen2134]

Me too. Name's Jim Carrey.

[@ARIZJOE]

Watching Max Headroom on Cinemax, I had no idea he was not really computer-generated. When you think about it, his creators were really forward thinking.

[@jcdenton9764]

The 80s were a magical time.

[@tonyafowler5122]

I thought he was actually computer-generated too, until just recently. I was FLOORED when I found out it was an actor. That still blows my mind.

[@randylevy]

First appearance is one of my favorite segments on Late Night. So awkward and Dave is just giddy. "I got a full set of china"

[@andyrose5616]

It's a great segment, but also clear why Max didn't do many more live interviews. It was very hard to try to replicate all his quirks without the aid of editing.

[@carlodave9]

Agreed. Saw this when it originally aired in '86 and I couldn't believe what a masterpiece segment it was. Psychedelic, satirical, improvisational, technically fascinating and funny as hell. Rarely have I seen Dave so impressed and amused by a guest.

[@singlesideman]

This cuts really close. In 1986 I was 19. In college. I slicked my blond hair back and wore intensely new wave clothes and everyone at Post College called me Max Headroom. Then 'Paranoimia' by the Art of Noise came out and of course I had to buy the album on CD. Somehow this still looks like the future... Thanks a million, Don!

[@_PrimetimePranks]

Todd Merrell paranoimia!! I still love that song.

[@ryankelly369]

Max Headroom predicted the Deep Fake over 30 years before it was a thing!

[@IndyHulkSlamBam]

Matt Frewer underrated, he was in a bunch of stuff back in the 80s and I believe he did voiceovers. I think he was in Honey I shrunk the Kids as the neighbor.

[@macmcleod1188]

Frewer has recently been on altered carbon. He was also on supernatural as pestilence.

[@dm0065]

He did a really good episode of Star Trek TNG, and he did a pretty good comedy series where he played a doctor. Only lasted a season I think, but I liked it.

[@Chilliam13]

He's Beavis' s real father.

[@KLondike5]

Trashcan Man in The Stand. The man loved fire. "MY LIFE FOR YOU!"

[@RandySasquatch]

He was great in Orphan Black

[@fragwagon]

I'd love to see the Max Headroom series again.

[@sinceninetyeightysixgustof8122]

That and king of the hill

[@benbrislawn4029]

I was 2 or 3 when I first saw Max Headroom and he scared the hell out of me. He even made an appearance on Sesame Street saying the alphabet.

[@svenjansen2134]

Can understand. I was 16 at the time and found him incredible.

[@exiles_dot_tv]

Huge Max Headroom fan (in addition to Letterman, obviously.) This was amazing, thanks.

[@bobbywilson8759]

YES DAVE LETTERMAN IS A GOOD LATE NIGHT HOST AND WE'LL MISS MAX BUT WE ALL THINK ABOUT HIM THE GUY DOES MAX VOICE MR MATT LAFUVER BRILLIANT GUY TO START MAX HEAD ROOM.

[@user-xi4jn8xh4l]

Jim Carey fully ripped this guy off

[@ObsidianTheGod]

Inspiration is never a bad thing fella. the humour is different, the delivery is the same.

[@Nbreeniverse]

@@ObsidianTheGod Inspiration? It's a copy and paste. Have you seen Ace Ventura?

[@MAGGOT_VOMIT]

@@Nbreeniverse _The first Ace Ventura is where I and millions of others, first realized that Jim ripped Matt Frewer off. I refused to pay for another Jim Carrey after that._

[@stfwho]

@@Nbreeniverse pretty sure Jim Carrey used his whole body for that movie tho not just his head

[@IndyHulkSlamBam]

I don't see it. My guess you guys are just rightys and mad that Jim Carey votes lefty.

[@andrew3979]

Just to think that was so futuristic at the time.

[@scharlesworth93]

'You don't happen to have a plate in your head do ya?' 'I have a full set of China!'

[@edisoncarteresq9111]

Thank you! Notice my avatar. I’ve had that name for at least five years. Edison Carter is the name of the reporter that created Max Headroom when he ran into the clearance bar!

[@Burnningsoul]

I remember watching Letterman when his show came out in the afternoon.

[@imunchienandalusia]

i'd forgotten how funny MH was. I was in high school at the time

[@tammiewade8331]

we're you in high school. or were you high and in school?!

[@AudioFileZ]

I'm imagining Dumb, Dumber, Dumbest with Matt joining our feckless duo as they compete for their rightful place in the title with the Farrellley Brothers at the controls. Matt has great comedic delivery that is definitely left of center. I think it would easily trump The Three Stages remake.

[@MikeHarrisHazchem77]

One of the best YT vids I've seen in a while. You have totally hit the nail on the head, in particular about the nature of celebrity and Talk Shows in the US.

[@v8vrooooom]

Fantastic work!

[@macmcleod1188]

"i gotta full set of china" soooo quick!

[@kimberlygabaldon3260]

I miss Larry Bud Melman. 💔

[@rwdplz1]

12:10 That was a *huge* TV back in the day

[@RadicalEdward2]

Its weird thinking that Letterman had both Max Headroom and Hatsune Miku as guests

[@maryellenarmour]

Oh my goodness, I forgot how completely '80s this is. Jeez.

[@broken1394]

Cyber punk.

[@JFmK-sh5nh]

As if that's a bad thing. The '80s were a blast. The current period sucks.

[@maryellenarmour]

Agreed!

[@ParadigmShifted]

Love Matt frewer. Loved watching Max Headroom on Cinemax as a kid. Out of all his roles over the years - I have 2 favorites…Max and ‘The Binder’ from the last season of The Magicians.

[@cathalapatricia7030]

Magnifique ❤

[@MILKMARSTON]

Dude that 88 interview was great 😂 shit went off the fuckin rails lol

[@JoshHumble]

Totally love this...

[@DouggieDinosaur]

I thought he was computer generated but it was great makeup. I'm impressed at it's accurate vision of year 2000 state of the art CGI.

[@SSBM-Sandwich]

It was partly produced by people who had worked with CGI at the time so they understood where it was going and what it would look like.

[@Chalwa]

“It kinda stuck...”

[@nessie986]

Well if we had blipverts I wouldn't be so bored having to keep switching off the normal adverts from a certain company who I'll not mention 🤔

[@melissawickersham9912]

Luckily, blipverts wouldn’t actually make you explode.

[@Dreamskater100]

Sublime.

[@tomsnowden6201]

Been noticing that Jim Carrey thing for years. Surprised I've never seen it go mainstream

[@cherirael1409]

Stopping at just one 😂

[@oaw972]

I was the one who did the broadcast intrusion in Chicago.

[@northof-62]

Bring back the series!

[@JimzAuto]

THANK YOU! I was a huge Headroom fan back in the day. Suggestion- would it be appropriate to add the Chicago signal intrusions from 1987?

[@dongiller]

Sure, if I had it. But I don’t, sorry.

[@JimzAuto]

Don Giller here you go: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Headroom_broadcast_signal_intrusion

[@darthbigred22]

Ah 1990 when saying testicle was even too much for New York. How times changed for the worse

[@tedpikul1]

In fact not computer-generated. Everyone fell for it.

[@sergiosatelite467]

I’m in love with the nurse.

[@GuitarGare]

I always wondered why the "pre-interview" became a thing. After watching multiple inappropriate train wrecks and unfortunate things said, in the most unfiltered segment featuring Frewer himself, making both DL and the audience cringe, now I know. This may have also messed up Frewer's career. Too quick, no filter. Agreed on all the previous Carrey references.

[@hydeph]

yeah man the colour doesnt mix thing, letterman looks over and nods, asks one more questions, allows him to answer, and closes it. looked like he blew it.

[@elwoodjacobs4353]

I think it's the time he spent in England. The Brits can be classy, but they can also be incredibly foul when they want to be, & their TV has basically no filter.

[@davidsolyom5604]

There was some strong stuff in that mug!

[@rogerb5615]

Look for Frewer's short-lived sticom "Doctor Doctor" for some great one-liners.

[@brewer921]

I just watched a couple of the original Max Headroom talk shows and noticed that Robert Morton was the producer and Larry David was one of the writers.

[@dongiller]

Nobody reads my descriptions.

[@brewer921]

@@dongiller I usually do.

[@samsungtelevision695]

@@dongiller nobody reads .. descriptions.

[@dongiller]

@@samsungtelevision695 I read them.

[@samsungtelevision695]

@@dongiller heh yeah I do too. My comment was clumsily hinting toward the fact that viewers who don’t read descriptions probably fail to do so due to some constitutional incuriosity rather than neglecting yours in particular. Don’t take it personally in other words. Those of us in the know wouldn’t neglect metadata from one of the internet’s most meticulous and prolific archivists.

[@epauletteshark1291]

7:53 I'm beginning to feel like a rap god

[@Bintzak]

He was windows 95 before 95, games in that period had the same stutters.

[@pizazzpizazzpizazz1]

Do a Harmony Korine compilation! Love ya Don, you are a hero!

[@dongiller]

Someone’s already done it.

[@nebo7944]

Some SERIOUS Jim Carrey vibes from him - they could be brothers!

[@MAGGOT_VOMIT]

_Matt's a nice guy for not murdering Jim. Yes, it's been known and talked about for decades how Jim was a NOTHING before he ripped off Matt Frewer's MaxH persona._

[@samsungtelevision695]

@@MAGGOT_VOMIT how do you make your formatting look badass like that?

[@EddyGameVlogBoy]

@@samsungtelevision695 put an underscore before and after a sentence or word. Then it appears like _this_

[@samsungtelevision695]

@@EddyGameVlogBoy _frickin awesome thank you_

[@fartjoker]

Wow, I wonder what Jim Carrey would be like if Max headroom never existed. Kind of a shame he just obscenely ripped off this poor fella

[@thegrimyeaper]

"Can I say old?"

[@regplasma7906]

Purple and red do mix.

[@graemehill5998]

Letterman met his match here.

[@sassoleo]

Please bring back Max Headroom Please

[@maxshea1829]

How many fluorescent bulbs burst in taxi cabs that afternoon?

[@Chillbot17]

I wonder if anyone would revive the idea of Max with a modern media take

[@FEARisCOLD]

He’s in the movie Pixels

[@eightiesman]

Watching as a kid I remember the technical glitch at 8:36 and thinking, "he's a fake!".

[@samsungtelevision695]

Gottem

[@ironmike-putsallkindavideo7840]

He was JIM CARREY before JIM CARREY , lol

[@05Rudey]

Why are all the funny lines on the show behind me?

[@RobertMcMurrer]

He was so advance. How come they did not make more A.I.s like him? I want his program or similar on my computer.

[@phunnymannfromphunnyland]

Max headroom isn't AI

[@lukecarroll4052]

Its an actor with some make up and supporting effects

[@voicetube]

I just realized that this dude is a bit like a sorta computer-generated Robin Williams! :-)

[@tekgeekster]

Jim Carry

[@666THEMARK666]

tekgeekster Jim Carrey is a computer Generated Max Headroom ;) lol

[@666THEMARK666]

Jim Carrey basically Ripped off Max Headroom

[@tennyc]

Grace Jones is ALWAYS late haha but worth the wait ..

[@zyourzgrandzmaz]

hes not animated btw

[@quantumofhate]

funny.......................yeah Jim Carey! still Matt wouldn't mind a hell of a lot! but yeah,yeah yeah that does occur to me now!= Gurning..

[@wesleyhempoli5548]

Imagine if jim carrey played max

[@brainimp]

He already does play him, he literally stole the whole act

[@harmono8766]

Him and Robin Williams would get a long fine.

[@robotubetwob]

The audience is totally mystified.

[@destrozar]

Grace Jones on a bus 😅

[@torso99]

i thought jim was original

[@Dreamskater100]

Max from England? Huh?!

[@rayperry2599]

Ruple Thaker He was made there .is from there

[@caydenlaffey2019]

His name is inspired by the signage that was used to describe the maximum height of a tunnel for a car.

[@themysteriousunknownrevealed]

yikes... it sure was a different time back then... wonder if he needed to hide from Grace Jones for the rest of his life.... "upon closer inspection...these are loafers"

[@leonavu]

Seriously! Dave didn't seem too enthused with that little tale!

[@thatscottishguy4081]

if max headroom turned into an animated movie, jim carrey should do the voice. Max reminds me a lot of Jim

[@brainimp]

Jim stole everything else that was Max Headroom, might as well let him have the movie too

[@jonasthemovie]

Why not Frewer?

[@SuperLivinglove]

im pretty sure Max headroom and Jim Cary are the same person

[@melissawickersham9912]

You are definitely wrong. Max Headroom was played by Matt Frewer. Matt Frewer and Jim Carrey are two completely different people.

[@Coraxyn]

Can you do Max Headroom version of Mitch Mcconnell?

[@dongiller]

I don’t do that.

[@Coraxyn]

@@dongiller Drats

[@BIOSHOCKFOXX]

Max from UK? He totally sounds and feels like American stereotypical thing...

[@caydenlaffey2019]

BIOSHOCKFOXX that’s what they were going for. The name is inspired by the signs that said “Max Headroom” to show the maximum height of cars that can go into an area. The local councils had to actually spend £3 million to replace those signs because of Max’s popularity.

[@bullyinspace]

LSD !

[@carlodave9]

Exactly.

[@KBTime]

I like Frewer but I never understood the appeal of Max Headroom. At this point, the best thing I can say about the character is that it provides an amusing cameo in Back to the Future 2, and led to the far funnier Larry Bud Headroom.

[@Karemaker]

I agree. This is the definition of a fad character. Most people just find it confusing or irritating today.

[@timharrod]

The original British TV-movie that introduced Max, "20 Minutes Into The Future," was actually a supremely entertaining piece of cyberpunk science fiction that properly explained who and what Max is: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4u8XqyHjruZaZo Frewer-as-Max's ad-libs are actually good, but still can't compete with witty scripting & tight plotting.

[@ComeAlongKay]

Karemaker I do not agree.

[@ryankelly369]

@@Karemaker Confusing? I can sum up the appeal of Max Headroom in two words: Deep Fake. His creators predicted the deep fake over 30 years before it became a thing. To really appreciate Max, I think you almost have to watch "20 Minutes into the Future" (the British original, not the US pilot remake).

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

The appeal is mostly in his attitude... supremely confident wiseass. Sort of like Bill Murray, but a bit more animated.

[@ericportillo8277]

Jesus, everyone went to the same hairdresser in the 80s?

[@clownnookie]

Always fun to listen for the ping-pong game: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJbTq6CIj9Bpi7c

[@Angelique24118]

his voice reminds me of Kermit the frog

[@loripawsome23]

Vice president in his younger years...

[@markschroeder5559]

That last interview was pretty bad. None of his jokes landed and his story was disjointed, off topic and hard to follow. His nervousness got the best of him.

[@gluesandwhich3371]

Co m ed y

[@POPDELUSION]

I get that its funny but damn dont come for grace like that 😭