Dave Letterman announced today that he will be retiring in 2015. You can click HERE for the full story and click HERE for a Rolling Stone article from a few years ago which talked about the early days of his show and how he changed TV. I've been watching Dave since his ill-fated, but very funny, morning show, which I woke up early every day in the summer of 1980 to watch. Too weird for mornings, he would soon end up on Late Night and his humor worked perfectly there, tweaking talk show conventions and allowing his bizarre brand of humor to live comfortably and live music from bands MTV wasn't showing. I watched when I could in high school. It was one of the few shows I watched on a regular basis in college, getting together with friends after studying for bong hits, beer and Dave before bedtime. I got to see the show live twice. I saw Late Night when the whole crazy "who will take over the Tonight Show" thing was going on with guests Connie Chung and QB Jim Kelly. I then saw the fifth episode of the Late Show with Midnight Oil on the show. Yes, it's as cold in the theater as they joke about. I don't watch Dave as often as I used to now, primarily because there a many other options (as evidenced by this blog) and his humor isn't as cutting edge as it once was. And everyone of those other late night hosts wouldn't be around and doing their brand of humor if it wasn't for Dave. But watching him is still a pleasure. I grew up with Dave. He's the weird uncle I wish I had. I'm looking forward to his victory lap. And unlike when Carson, Leno or Chevy Chase (just kidding) ended their shows, I think I'll shed a tear or two when Dave goes and remember summer mornings before going into 7th grade, doing bong hits with Dave in college and countless classic moments when I laughed until I cried. A year of Late Shows left.
Anyway, tonight's Late Night Pick is the Late Show with David Letterman (11:35 PM, CBS) so we can watch how he announced his retirement and also music from alternative singer-songwriter Joseph Arthur. Here's Joseph Arthur at the Glastonbury Music Fest in 2000:
Nickel Creek was on the Tonight Show last night and here they are backstage talking about their song "Helena" and doing an acoustic version of that tune:
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