In response to my friend Gloria Monti's posting regarding

The Late Show Starring David Letterman , and the humor (or

lack thereof) contained within, I'd like to make a few points

in defense of Mr. Letterman.

 

Letterman's humor is predominantly based on sarcasm, and is

often self-deprecating as well.  He loves knocking big stars

down to the size of the "common" person.  Witness his recent

comment to Jeff Goldblum, "You know, Jeff, we're just a couple

of stooges up here."  Or his joking about how badly his recent

interviews with Madonna and James Caan went.

 

He skewers just about every cultural icon imaginable, with a

distinct emphasis on pop culture icons.  The obvious extrapolation

here is that those with a strong background in pop culture would

have an advantage in "getting" the humor.  On the other hand, those

whose pop culture knowledge is, shall we say, limited, could very

well end up staring at the television screen with blank expressions

on their faces, thinking, "This is stupid".

 

Additionally, Letterman has consistantly altered the boundaries of

the talk show format, much as Steve Allen did during his term as

host of "The Tonight Show" years ago.  Whether through taking his

camera unannounced into retail businesses, maintaining ongoing

on-camera relationships with workers in nearby businesses,

addressing sidewalk crowds with a public address system, or

bringing passersby onto the stage from the street, Letterman

involves the public in a manner never before seen in talk shows.

His "Stupid Pet Tricks" and "Stupid Human Tricks" bits show us that

Warhol was indeed correct with his well-known observation

regarding fame.

 

Who else would brazenly interrupt the taping of a segment for "The

Today Show" by leaning out of a window and shouting through a bullhorn

to the crew and crowd below, "I'm not wearing any pants!", thereby

incurring the wrath of the obnoxiously egotistical Bryant Gumbel?

This alone qualifies Dave as a hero in my eyes.  Not to mention a

ground-breaking force in television humor.

 

Is Letterman's humor occasionally stupid?  Of course.  That's part of

his charm.  Is it always stupid?  Only if you don't "get" it, or don't

want to.  But then, that's what the channel changer is for, isn't it?

 

- Chris White