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Harvey Pekar was right about Letterman in a way; since “Dave” left NBC for CBS, he stopped calling the executives “pinheads” and toned down his remarks about the crud programming at CBS, instead focusing on the foilibles of Clinton and Bush. I never got to see Letterman on NBC, but on CBS he comes across less as the demon step-child of the boob tube and more like the drunk uncle at the family reunion who has one joke and beats it to death…even the freak show element of the program has died, and now “Dave” is forced to send men in gorilla suits to optical stores for laughs…nowadays, the only way for Letterman to truly mock the way TV works would be to run a QVC ripoff where barfbags and George W. Bush merchandise were for sale, or do a fake cable news channel, but Jon Stewart has already beaten him there. Like SNL, Letterman has nowhere to go.
Posted by Strelnikov on Oct 1, 2003 at 2:42 PM
Strelnikov,
You’re right. At one time, Letterman was growing into a comfortable, Johnny Carson-type role at CBS. He was popular, comfortable and on top of the ratings. It looked like he would grow into everyone’s evening routine like the Tonight Show did for so many.
But Leno wasn’t satisfied with his ratings so he ripped off the way Dave did things and people bought it. Now that Leno’s lame as hell the one victor in all of this is Conan. And because he’s there, people watch Jay first.
It’s sad for Letterman, but regardless of how you feel about his show now, you have to thank him for taking late night TV the direction it’s taken.
Carson closed the chapter on the Steve Allen-style and Letterman wrote the new one with Late Night. Thanks Dave.
Posted by neil on Oct 1, 2003 at 8:57 PM
Just f… excellent Mr. Hynes ! What a superb piece of intelligent and insightful writing - you just got the pith of each juxapositioned little facet of this and so well presented.
Posted by wendy stein on Oct 2, 2003 at 12:41 PM
I found great interest in this story fifteen years later, now that Letterman has become Carson at his worst—the celebrity worship, the toothless whimsy, the safeness. The licensed jester barely jests anymore. Pekar, on the other hand, remains Pekar—and has gotten a movie out of it. Perhaps we can take a lesson from this and not worry too much about a position in the official culture, the idea being that truth to oneself, besides being its own reward, can lead to a station close enough to the fortress of respectablility for the occasional shout to sail over its walls. I can find not only interest but also comfort in that idea.
Posted by ARDINGER on Oct 2, 2003 at 2:07 PM
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Posted by bensongaga on Dec 29, 2010 at 1:12 AM
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Reader Comments
Harvey Pekar was right about Letterman in a way; since “Dave” left NBC for CBS, he stopped calling the executives “pinheads” and toned down his remarks about the crud programming at CBS, instead focusing on the foilibles of Clinton and Bush. I never got to see Letterman on NBC, but on CBS he comes across less as the demon step-child of the boob tube and more like the drunk uncle at the family reunion who has one joke and beats it to death…even the freak show element of the program has died, and now “Dave” is forced to send men in gorilla suits to optical stores for laughs…nowadays, the only way for Letterman to truly mock the way TV works would be to run a QVC ripoff where barfbags and George W. Bush merchandise were for sale, or do a fake cable news channel, but Jon Stewart has already beaten him there. Like SNL, Letterman has nowhere to go.
Strelnikov,
You’re right. At one time, Letterman was growing into a comfortable, Johnny Carson-type role at CBS. He was popular, comfortable and on top of the ratings. It looked like he would grow into everyone’s evening routine like the Tonight Show did for so many.
But Leno wasn’t satisfied with his ratings so he ripped off the way Dave did things and people bought it. Now that Leno’s lame as hell the one victor in all of this is Conan. And because he’s there, people watch Jay first.
It’s sad for Letterman, but regardless of how you feel about his show now, you have to thank him for taking late night TV the direction it’s taken.
Carson closed the chapter on the Steve Allen-style and Letterman wrote the new one with Late Night. Thanks Dave.
Just f… excellent Mr. Hynes ! What a superb piece of intelligent and insightful writing - you just got the pith of each juxapositioned little facet of this and so well presented.
I found great interest in this story fifteen years later, now that Letterman has become Carson at his worst—the celebrity worship, the toothless whimsy, the safeness. The licensed jester barely jests anymore. Pekar, on the other hand, remains Pekar—and has gotten a movie out of it. Perhaps we can take a lesson from this and not worry too much about a position in the official culture, the idea being that truth to oneself, besides being its own reward, can lead to a station close enough to the fortress of respectablility for the occasional shout to sail over its walls. I can find not only interest but also comfort in that idea.
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