Tom Waits - Interview on The Late Show With David Letterman (2009)

[@TheDrewjameson]

Tom Waits is one of the most innovative and unique voices in rock music, and he's also, apparently, a decent prop comic.

[@KarklinPumpkin]

This and the horse stalls. He's is truly a good prop comic but also some sort of rabid historian

[@gooberdog666]

im sorry "rock music" ??

[@jaketaft7533]

"Hey Tom how are you." "I have a Rat Trap from the 1800s."

[@TheDreamingJune]

Tom is just illegal levels of cool.

[@vallee7966]

Gotcha snowed don’t he?

[@ssll3393]

You are just beginning to understand. Without Tom, there is no AC. Think it is hot now? Just the blues, incoming. Tom has shifty eyes. What is he seeing in there?

[@doobiewoman6956]

Tom isso far beyond cool.

[@maryvallettakeith6146]

@@vallee7966 What is wrong with you?

[@MustangBoss1973]

Even makes a rat trap cool.

[@Rxbsen]

How about a show: "Tom Waits explains things". Just give him any item imaginable and let him explain what it's for.

[@playasadonejoe]

EEehhh yeah, this makes bedbugs stick to it, it tastes like sugar but it's actually arsenic.

[@waveegravee]

I would watch that show religiously. Let's give Tom a call.

[@kmacdiddy1]

Yes. Incredible.

[@user-bf3tv9sq9g]

I'd subscribe.

[@RamblinAround]

Tom, your Letterman appearances were legendary.

[@AHTOtv]

He says thank you.

[@vallee7966]

Legendary for a waste of time. He’s laughable

[@hh4826]

@@vallee7966 Lol, salty? I see you left plenty of distasteful comments... Jealous maybe? Or just can't recognize spirit and talent when you see it!

[@windyhead7960]

@@vallee7966 It's just 'Pataphysics, not everyone gets it, you obviously don't.

[@davidnissim589]

"And when the cheese is gone..." *(door closes)* This made me laugh way harder than it should've

[@antennawilde]

"I'm not longer allowed on eBay. The last thing I bought was the last dying breath of Henry Ford." LOL!

[@williamcole960]

Lmfao not enough of these comments are talking about the fact that this man went on a late night show and instead of talking about some bullshit he literally brought an 18th century rat trap like it was show and tell. ONLY TOM. God I adore this man

[@kidkique]

You'd be surprised but every single comment is actually about that

[@Draeka]

Who else but Tom Waits would turn the Late Show into Antique Roadshow.

[@mollyanderson8445]

If Tom Waits began hosting Antiques Roadshow, I would never watch anything else.

[@Nantosuelta]

a show where Tom Waits rambles about random obscure objects would be genius

[@trevoReevo]

*”I believe whatever doesn’t kill you simply makes you… Stranger.”*

[@DippyHippie]

Absolutely!😂

[@croatiancroissant28776]

I loved Tom as the gold prospector. From that raspy 20-something kid to now, an amazing journey.

[@outfoxed2006]

His prospector bit was great. I was so pleased the first time I saw it. Totally unexpected. Loved him in the book of eli as well.

[@xavierpaquin]

He was great as Renfield in Dracula

[@SeaWasp]

Down By Law is a great performance

[@randyelliott9152]

@@outfoxed2006 Check out Short Cuts,A Robert Altman film from 1993,he plays a Limo driver and his girlfriend is Lily Tomlin,also in that movie,Lyle Lovett

[@izaisruiz9212]

I can't get over Pauls rendition of Rain Dogs as Tom was being introduced.. 0:14. That Wah Trumpet sounds amazing.

[@acb9896]

Close, but not Rain Dogs. Bad liver and a broken heart.

[@swaglikeohiobingbong4298]

Yasssss

[@swaglikeohiobingbong4298]

Beautiful sound

[@sroevukasroevuka]

Tom liked it too.

[@amcsibozgor6791]

I could listen to this guy all day.

[@bevwest7428]

I have.

[@vallee7966]

What a waste

[@Idk-dc7hv]

@@vallee7966 Do you spend all your free time insulting Tom Waits? Sure seems like it

[@antennawilde]

Heath Ledger did a great Waits impression in his Joker role

[@marmotsack]

He spent enough time with him on the set of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, I should hope so.

[@AndreaStote]

Totally!

[@jamesholeman7594]

Now 70s-80s Waits? Hell no, way too deep and gravelly. I’m glad he got the homage to a more pure voice from Heath

[@maxolydian9115]

Damn. Never realized that - very true

[@3EBstudio]

Agreed lol

[@dreamwell2020]

"There's always free cheddar in the mousetrap, baby - it's a deal, it's a deal!"

[@mickcraig7134]

Love this guy so much. My intro to Tom was in the 80s Sword Fish Trombone - wow!!!

[@rogerwilco4736]

Me also. Couldn't stop playing it!!

[@bhornannawindeedeigh5007]

Tom - initially shy, but comes out of his shell to tell the coolest story. He's an interesting man with all kinds of interesting stories to tell. Love his music. This was a cool interview - Dave is good at it. I'll have to find the full one.

[@JudithBlackie]

I am ENTRANCED by the way this man’s mind works and his appetite , his perpetual hunger and curiosity for all things unique, the miscellany and oddities that stoke his desire to know and learn . That rat trap is BRILLIANT, and who but Tom would display it on Letterman?! He is THE most interesting person I’ve ever been exposed to !!!

[@liamguitars]

Tom . A poet with a worlds ear on his side. I feel like he is talking to me directly sometimes. ya damn good bastard!

[@nigelthornberry5375]

he walked onto the 2015 letterman interview wearing the same exact getup, 'cept the hat. Legend.

[@charlesdavis7461]

Tom Waits, such talent and intellect. His jokes just get funnier and he is just 2 cool.

[@marciocouto3543]

this is actually one of my favourite interviews of all time.

[@johnlittle3430]

Wow, he was on Dave's show promoting Bad As Me TWO YEARS BEFORE IT CAME OUT! This is incredible.

[@alexlanning712]

And who can forget that great line, from one of his songs "Having a scene with a magazine"

[@haveaseatsir]

Fun fact: Heath Ledger was such a fan of Tom that he based the Joker’s voice off of it in The Dark Knight. Once you hear it you can’t unhear it.

[@MarkTheMagnificent]

And then they worked together in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Very cool.

[@WorkFromYourLaptop]

It’s a fan theory for obvious reasons, but Heath never said that himself in any interview. He actually mentioned the character from A Clockwork Orange and Sid Vicious, but never Tom Waits.

[@tom120ali]

Where is the evidence for this?

[@pena.3302]

​@@tom120aliword o.g factually.

[@MauriceTaylor-o3o]

Stfu... stop trying to make this about you!

[@maryannr8464]

I miss the Late Night/Letterman. Dave truly loved artists. He always had coolest acts, Tom, Warren Zevon, John Prine…..

[@tammycampbell112]

Al Pacino, too.

[@WilmerCook]

Boy you hit it! The three best ever!

[@colinwilliams553]

"YOU HIT THE NAIL RIGHT ON THE HEAD WITH THAT!!!

[@nicholaslynndrake]

Some of my best memories are just of how much my dad loved letterman. I had sleeping problems and watched from the hallway, and he has an ineffable quality.

[@mascadadelpantion8018]

Two perfect people having a wonderful sit down and talk

[@jerrysolomon]

I don't know how I went so long without giving Mr. Waits the listening he deserves. I'm rectifying that mistake now. 😂

[@keithp1417]

Letterman always had the coolest guests. The man had great taste

[@garyrasberryjr.552]

Between Tom Waits and Warren Zevon, Dave had great musical taste

[@rockets4kids]

I enjoyed watching Dave in the 1980s when I was a teenager. Much of it I enjoy re-watching even more as an adult.

[@acb9896]

Nothing more surreal than buying food from the Phillipino grocery store in Chula Vista and looking over at the next checkout to see The Rain Dog buying pancit from the deli.

[@evgrafrozenberg4648]

Nobody: Absolutely nobody: Tom Waits: comes to the late show with a huge audience just to show off his new cool antique mouse trap.

[@NefariousDreary]

Tom Waits is one of those people you never want to stop being strange. His strange is the positive, endearing kind.

[@johnnykaszubski2199]

This is the most Tom Waits thing I've ever seen

[@stevenweck3543]

I love him,,and his style and music

[@davidcane8011]

Could have been the greatest stand-up comedian of all time. Threw it all away.

[@user-vr8fs8gg6h]

Wym

[@gregorysullivan7175]

Such a tragedy.

[@Elijah-qx3qn]

And all he has to show for it is the greatest discography of all time. Such a shame

[@WestCoastExpress11]

Well, when you've no use for something, you either give it away or throw it away. Either way, you are now without the thing you never needed to begin with.

[@johnkemp9835]

Like so many of his lines that I've stolen, I shall henceforth only point like Tom did upon his entrance.

[@Exerus]

Been on a waits kick and it hitting the 90s grunge trip hop vibe that massive attack has.

[@alexlanning712]

Tom came out here, to Australia, in about the mid 70's and to him it must have been like driving into "Nutbush City", I'm pretty sure he had no idea on how to procure his "chemicals" and I saw him on an Athol Guy TV show, and the poor guy seemed like he was at the end of his tether.I think his visit inspired him to write that great song, sung to the "Waltzing Matilda" tune

[@mikepower75]

Tom thought David would labelled him as brutal for having that thing when he explained what the hole is for,instead David says it's a genius..hilarious.

[@mochno1]

great, natural, smart fun. Thanks!

[@lucyloose2841]

Tom is a fresh light of hope

[@HUSHMONEYBAND]

I watch this about twice a year

[@JosephJMerten]

Tom Waits is a comic genius - “…Henry Fords last breath…”

[@kirkhensley8598]

He didn't even speak before he sat down and I was already smiling.

[@YY-ei1gm]

Ya gotta know the absolute genious of Tom Waits. Can’t believe he even agreed to this interview. The man is a legend and an absolute genius

[@GRequinBlanc]

There to promote his album he entertains us instead. Love him

[@lexiconmorrison7902]

Tom Waits is totally something else 😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩!

[@tonymagana8115]

“It’s simple we kill the Batman.”

[@kareemmendoza5004]

You're crazy

[@vitojohn8168]

​@@kareemmendoza5004why so seriussoo

[@olly8]

I love watching Tom & Keef singing together. 😂 Great guys ❤

[@samsquanch1996]

Tom is the only person who can actually pull off the fedora look and not look like a douchebag.

[@frankvazquez5974]

facts

[@slammajamma5435]

Fedora’s are great 👍

[@ScoobyDoobyDew]

Tom Landry

[@goovinguy8596]

Indiana Jones

[@christianbuckett2724]

Let me correct you… “And still look like a douchebag”

[@Blue-eyedZombi3]

So fucking cool, Tom always surprises me and him in "Licorice Pizza"was great

[@TheMsdmeanor]

I adore this man

[@Rawhide68]

About the thing no spoiler here... he brought, it's from the Mohenjo-daro is an archaeological site in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. Built around 2500 BCE

[@maryvaughn7886]

Such a redheaded guy! Character & crazy brilliant. Loved Dave's show too but Colbert is no slouch either.

[@djStrimmer]

That’s a refreshing change as interviews go. I hope Tom got to do a documentary all about rat traps.

[@6lu5ky86]

He taught me a lot about consumerism.

[@donniecatalano]

Somebody like Mr. Waits has charisma, power, intelligence, culture, knowledge, passion and experience. That is why he can afford to look scruffy and weird. He's the man.

[@tomblah]

I like that I learned something interesting today from this clip

[@remoskins1437]

So Tom, why was it in a music store?

[@danlaman1000]

Great album

[@lisaberglund312]

But he did not record the album until February-July, 2011?

[@peepingtom5547]

Bad as me came out in 2011. Is this really 2009?

[@wade7652]

I knew Waits was a gifted songwriter and musician. I had no idea he was so funny.

[@MiddleLane658]

It’s like Tom is speaking about how to catch Jerry

[@GhastMan03]

It about killed me when he said you can submerge it in water 😂

[@Riskmangler]

Leave it to Tom Waits to own the "better mouse trap."

[@deathbloom27]

I knew right away when he said the holes weren't for air 😂 i wish i could have seen the audience squirm.

[@MeissnerEffect]

Oh man the good old days.

[@joegrimes9232]

Had an idea for a movie Idea for Tom and also Ron Pearlman. The two are estranged Brothers. They are sons of a Jazz legend who dies at 106. They have to reunite for the funeral and carry out thier Dad's last wishes - he wanted to drive route 66. Get buried in California. Jeff Goldblum plays a young protegee turned musician and producer who presides the funeral and he's a egotistical guy who plugs at the funeral. It's a roadtrip movie about 2 old men who act like they are 13 dragging thier father's remains cross country and see modern America. Chloe Grace Moretz joins them at a point hitching a ride home, but really is looking to escape her shitty home and make it big in LA blackmailing the brothers after they thought she was hitching home. When her face appears on a TV screen the Brothers try to ditch her. Oh so you are going to leave me here?" Ron: "looks that way donnit?" Moretz "Ok. Great where am I supposed to go now?" Tom: "not our problem." Moretz " you're right. It's not. It's the polices problem. I'll tell them two old creeps kidnapped me from a 7/11 and they had a corpse in the car... They did horrible things and since we crossed the state line I think the FBI..." Ron slaps the car roof. "alright! Alright. Get in smart ass." Moretz grins and climbs in. Tom tosses his cigar aside looking incredulous. "You lost your damned mind?" Ron shakes his head. "What'd you have me do. She's right. We take her, we can drop her off on the west coast. Leave her out here?" Alan Alda is a family member they have to visit in an Old Folks home on the way. A pal of thier Dad's. He wanted to give him a present of the 30 bucks he's loaned him when he was a bum. Ron insists they skip, but Tom insists. They meet him and he's a jolly guy who flirts with the nurses. "goodness are you two? My word his Sons heh heh..." The Nurse walks away. Alda leans in. Whispers "you got to get me out of here." "yeah, no. That wasn't exactly part of the deal. See we came here to give you the thirty bucks and.." "wow how magnanimous of you. Look. You see that one over there?" Alda points serrupticiously to a brick house of a lady. The trio nod. "She's the night nurse." Tom grimaces. "the spongebath..." he utters. Alda nods and leans back in the chair. "right"

[@joegrimes9232]

Ron "We only got room in the Car for Me, my Brother, Dad and... Whoever she is." He nods towards Moretz. Alda furrows a brow. "She's not your Grandkid?" There's a pause. "Ok. Where do you want to go?" He gives up. "oh Firenze. Florance. It is such a wonderful city but it has a lot of Tourists" "No. I mean in the immediate area. I can't drive you to fucking Italy" "Oh, right. I got a nephew. He visits every few months. Software guru he lives a few miles away. Keeps telling me he wishes I could stay with him. Ha." "Done" "haha. You'll need to sign the release with the night nurse." They all look over at the beefy nurse. She glances at them. They cheerily wave nervously then return to the Powow. "Tall order" Waits frowns. "yup. Agreed. Sorry but you are on your own." Ron chimes in. "No I got it" Moretz perks up. " oh great grandad! That's WONDERFUL. I HOPE YOU'LL SAY YES, IT'D MEAN THE WORLD TO US IF YOU CAME STAY!" Waits grins and Ron facepalms.

[@joegrimes9232]

The end point is thier dad had already made the trip in 1962 but he just wanted his sons to reconnect, but along the way Moretz realised fame isn't as important as the people you meet along the way and the trio share a beer looking out over the ocean. The Brothers realised the families of thier own they missed. "hey can you drink?" "i'm 23 asshole and I crossed 700 miles" "want chips" Waits pulls out his beat up guitar and sings as they all begin to chime in. A weird dysfunctional family as thier dad floats in the sea. Off beat comedic ending.

[@joegrimes9232]

Want to squeeze Hugh Laurie in there as the husband to Waites' ex wife. He is smug and an ass. Pearlman stops Waits from hitting him. Then Laurie sits at a piano. "I think."he plucks a few keys. "yes that song your dad played. Cab Calloway did a rendition." Waits tenses. Laurie flourishes on the piano. Then sings. He finishes. "It's a wonderful piece." The room looks relaxed. Then Laurie chirps up again. "but Louis Armstrong did a great version and I struggle to forget. How did your father's piece go again?" Hard cut outside. Pearlman is putting his brother in the car like a police car. Waits is waving off his hand after a punch. "how did it go again?" Wait's jibes. "just get in the car asshole. This was a mistake." Pearlman retorts. "Louisiana crowd. Dickhead" Waits continues in the car. " You went there looking for a fight." Pearlman shakes his head at the wheel. "No." Tom sulks. "yeah. Right. So what, Dad did covers. Jazz has thousands of covers. You pretend like Dad invented the Song. The Limey is a prick so what else is new? You were trying to impress Sarah." Waits stares out the window pretending to have not heard. "Sarah. Yeah. Good girl. Smart, bright. I thought you two were an item , but I guess you fucked it up." Waits lazililly breaks his gaze from the window. "Like you fucked up those nightclubs? Playing businessman? I thought you'd be a Donald Trump by now. I guess you fucked that up." The pair sit in silence for few dozen miles.

[@VCT3333]

@@joegrimes9232 about how high were you when you scribbled this down? I ain't saying it's bad ... anything with Waits and Perlman and Goldblum can't be.

[@WesleyClark-j4f]

Tom waits is a very smart man

[@Grandcaravanman]

😂😂😂 I remember as a kid seeing Edison’s last breath at the Henry Ford museum. Weird stuff

[@claireimmonen8008]

Where can I get like a million of these? I know, I’ll be busy

[@northsa7498]

From Hilltop High!

[@Lu-pt2bf]

.muy desconocido e infravalorado. Las personas diferentes o raras son las.mas interesantes....,

[@kkwok9]

Love Tom Waits

[@paulsmodels]

I did the same thing with rats when I caught them in a trap. Dropped them into a large bucket of water. That is a cool device he brought to show Dave.

[@johnnynephrite6147]

Fuck me. I didn't know that the actor Tom Waits was the same guy as the singer Tom Waits.

[@kevinhallisey5201]

I've got every album on vinyl

[@bhornannawindeedeigh5007]

You and my brother both. Y'all make me jealous. 🥰

[@christopherhutton1097]

total genious crack on

[@marvinthemaniac7698]

He lives in Sonoma County, like me.

[@BlakeBlackstone]

This dude went on and talked about a mouse trap for 5 minutes. rofl

[@jamespriest9658]

Tom lives just down the road here in Sonoma county. He rarely just rolls around town. He's just a regular guy SO NOT. Amazing talent, amazing person, not to mention interesting as fuck. I wish he would write a ballet Tom if you c this. Think it over. If you remember, we got delirious with Bukuski at the Last Call ally bar Hollywood. U puked on my back at RLJ show 1979 in LA.. My 33 year old daughter and her husband are huge fans so thank you for everything. May sound mundane but Downtown Train is my favorite.. it's fkn perfect.

[@MystereStaggerLee]

Not 2009

[@user-bf3tv9sq9g]

What a wild man.

[@thekatflea]

this really made me laugh :)

[@The_Not_So_Great_Cornholio]

Ignoring the genius of Tom Waits (and the fact that most people I've mentioned Tom Waits to aren't aware of Tom Waits, much less the genius of Tom Waits), the Letterman vibe was so different than Leno; so much better. Letterman had an unimitatable oddness and unique sense of humor. I can go back and watch Top Ten Lists from way back and just die laughing (yes, I know he didn't write them, but it took a special mind to deliver them). My brother and dad liked Leno. I've never seen eye-to-eye with either of them. Their conclusions are all wrong; narcissistic, opinion- instead of fact-based. The Leno-Letterman rivalry was really a personality rivalry. Letterman was for the thinking man, Leno the eternal popular high school student who always asked the Letterman crowd for homework answers 5 mins before it was due. Anyways...

[@themzbonez14]

I wish Tom showed more random stuff he bought off eBay

[@StevenMacias-z7r]

“Rat Trap Aficionado” Tom’s next hit🎉

[@Success4u247]

A diverse Like that would be very helpful in stopping crooked politicians

[@DippyHippie]

👏🏼👏🏻👏🏾👏🏽❤️

[@marcusmorris1670]

"its so that you can submerge it in water"

[@15taliesin15]

Weird. This album wasn't released until 2011.

[@diplenski]

so why was it in a music store?

[@fabrisoto]

👏🏽🌹👏🏽🌹👏🏽🌹👏🏽🌹

[@obsoleteworlds]

I just realised he's wearing the same outfit here as he did in his 2015 interview.

[@ITFDAVE]

There is atleast one school out there that teaching their students about Tom Waits. Atleast one

[@christophermaynard1902]

That indeed is the voice of heath ledgers joker....fantastic job heath...

[@shawntyler863]

Same exact jacket and pants shoes he wore on the show in 2015. Fun fact

[@Ma_rkw589]

YOU GOT A NEW FAN IN ME TOM

[@paulwheeler6609]

Fred Flintstone's lunchbox.