David Letterman started out doing the very thing that scared him to death - getting up in front of strangers and trying to make them laugh. Now after wrapping up a legendary and influential career as late night host, Dave talks with Marc about his early days at The Comedy Store, his enjoyment of the longform interviews he’s doing for Netflix, and his focus on the hard work of becoming a better person. Dave also reveals his favorite thing about his old show and the one comic he always thought was the funniest, despite everything else that happened between them. This episode is sponsored by Turo and Starbucks Tripleshot Energy.
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Hey folks. Welcome to the show. A lot of you may be new to this or something you might just not know about a lot of the episodes we've done throughout the years. So many, though,
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huh, all right. Let's do this! How are you what the fuckers, what the fuck buddies? What the fuck in here is what the fuck stirs what's happening: MARC, Maron,
This is my podcasts wtf, which I do
two out of my home
really do it out of the garage, but to let
do the work that needs to be done in the garage. It's now in my house, upstairs in my house right next to my bedroom, right down the hall from the Back
room. It's in my house
I don't know why I'm making a point of saying that, but I just wanted to make a point of saying that,
play on the show
best in my house. Now I'm going to
have that experience or how I felt leading up to that experience, but first I wanted for summer.
I need to talk about John Lennon for a minute last night. I guess this is mostly about reverence and people that have an effect on your life for people that you
Look up to I'm talking primarily about artists. Well, you know we're all the same. We are all people
but there are amazing people and their people that, for whatever reason in your life that you develop,
our relationship with you know in your heart in your mind because of their work, and I just had the weirdest experience last night because I was
there's a documentary. I watched this documentary on Netflix. It was called above us only sky,
I don't know what it was, and you get to a point in life where you think you've seen all you. You need to see in documents.
Footage or you think you know all you need to know about certain people or or maybe
it's sort of like men
who is John Lennon. I was like alright. You know I've got. I have time these days to reflect and think about my future and all the
positives and negatives that come along with some sort of
mental or emotional transition. I'm experiencing- and
settle into watch his documentary. I know nothing about, and it's about it's about. John Lennon
and Yoko Ono, it's about the make
of imagine, but it's also about the relationship, but the bottom line was: is there's a lot of footage of both
them and there's a lot of footage of John just being John
he's got to be in his early 30s up in a mansion in
in England, and they are just working on
album and did the relation
with the is sort of redefining him and changing his heart.
Changing his mind and making me see the world in a different way, but I just look:
I always who doesn't like the Fucking Beatles, and you know I always knew that John was my beetle, but watching this thing I was just overwhelmed with this. This low,
of of John Lennon that, like it, was always sort of there, but I've kind of let it go dormant. I mean you can't walk around just you know you actively
having John Lennon Everyday, but it just tapped into something that I'd sort of forgotten in myself that I had such a reference for this guy
I had such a deep love for John Lennon and to see all this footage that I'd never seen before of him just being himself among other people.
You know in dealing with other musicians in him sort of working with,
go and working with musicians. There's one scene in the dock where a drifter shows up and he sort of empathetically deals with him. But it was just John and the Spirit of John, and I was just
over overwhelmed, I'm so overwhelmed to experience it. It was fucking beautiful and I just I was able to just listen to John Lennon records for two days and just really get into the sort of the pain and heart and elevation of of this guy's art
maybe I'm just turning into an old man, but I guess I just
got how much I love John Lennon and just seeing him young
vital in changing and creating. This may
sing record in that amazing song with Yoko was just just too much for me just like it's just
rip me open in and I let it happen. I let the love in folks- and I was by myself and I was sitting there, but but I let it happened. I was tearing up in just so excited because I I guess I had not really I'd forgotten just how much of an impact yeah that guy have a me a
in this- the other thing too about about your heroes. Yeah. Obviously, I'm not going interview John Lennon, but I'm about to share with you my
versation with David Letterman, I pre show
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But look so wait a minute. Here's a couple things I need to tell you there's a couple things I need to sort of set this up. I think I've been on his show four times. Maybe five. I should have probably done that research. I told him. I think it's four five. I think I did maybe four. Maybe I did three stand ups and one panel four times in the twenty five years that he was on the
tv. So doing the Letterman show is really one of the biggest things in my life, but I think,
before I get into that. I think it's important to mention that I mean you might wonder. You know if you're
listening to this, why you didn't talk about the late show are hosting the Oscars, or you know these
career moments that obviously I'm talking about like I've heard them before, because most of us have have heard them before I mean he's done those interviews before
and the thing about Letterman in my life, the personal journey to be on his show.
The history of this show of WTF really is sort of
This is part of it. There's a there's a through line here, a row.
The comedy store around the comedy store's impact on
during comedy around the comedy store's impact on me. The players at the comedy store both from the past and present an in of my Generi
But Letterman was really one of the original comedy store guys in the 70s, and I never hear him talked about that and I've talked to a few of his peers, and there was I just wanted to talk to David Webb.
Women as a comic, and you know I wanted to talk to him as a person, but there was sort of a thrust to it. You know that he was integral not just as a host in terms of giving giving comedians opportunities, but as a comic himself
so there's definitely a bit of a lien on on on that area.
Talk about other things. We talk about mistakes, he's made regrets things that that have moved in the a but but but a lot of you. This is a. This is a comic the comic interview here, and that was completely by design because I didn't
Have that much time with them? And what do you want to catalogue everything he's already said before somewhere else, so you know we try
yeah. I tried to get into the get into the groove of that
and I gotta tell you man, I mean you know it took me: awhile
wrap my brain around the fact that he was coming to my house, because you gotta understand something. You know there's the comics of his generation. You know talk about getting on Carson and how that was a game changer in from the beginning of my car
pretty clear you want to get on Letterman I used to watch Letterman when I was in college. I was watching his late night show you from the very big
meaning when I was in college and I used to see Richard Lewis
their Jay Leno on their George Miller on there guys who he would let sit down. I mean watching Richard Lewis Dupe
channel on David Letterman's original show the late night show not the daytime show. I was just like that is the biggest
her that you could have in my mind as a comic is like you just hang out with Dave, and you do some panel Conan
let me do panel and it was all
did. The was I would just want to be. A panel gets to be the guy that just dropped by a few times a year to to do its thing and talk with the host in cold.
And gave me that opportunity, but there was always dissing it's like I a
How do I get on Letterman? You know I used to see comics,
there all the time and it was just so important. There was such a reference that I had for Dave. He was my guy. He was my late night guy, I loved him and I loved the way he interacted with people and it changed over the years. But when I was younger, young comic is like I just want to. I just want do Dave Man
and for that first time, man, that first time I did David Letterman that was like you know. I look back on it e n and I I watch it and I you know I I I I you make the best
clothing decisions, I went out and bought a suit like the day before, and it was much more shiny than I remembered it in the store and it it's a pretty shiny suit that I'm wearing on
first Letterman, but I remember being so specific, and you know wanting to be you know just I just wanted it to be perfect and I work that set, and I told him like it was one of the first times I'm like I don't need, don't give me a
thinking, I see guys on these shows holding Might MIKE. You don't have to you're in a theater and they got you know they got a boom MIKE there.
Usually have a lot of Anya. I just want to do it old school
I'll just stand out. There have my hands free, no MIKE and
it's cold in there and Biff is at the curtain and you go out and it was like it was. It was a cathartic
taken in monumental moment. It was one of the biggest
moments of my life
beyond Dave Letterman for the first time and then after you do it
it's like? When am I going to get on again and it was very sparse for me. You know
do panel with him. Finally, like it's not long before he went off the air. I got to sit down with him, and it was just like is one of the greatest experiences of my life and show business was the
be able to walk out and sit until Tell Letterman the MEL Brooks story now. The weird thing is: is that he's coming over
he came over the other day and I couldn't I couldn't even imagine it that that I've had him in such a place. In my brain
and in my career like I don't, I didn't think
He would know me or anything, but it's almost like I didn't feel worthy for him to come over- that
David Letterman like this, a guide that your whole life is this mysterious character, who has this amazing show? Who
who is it truly a funny man and great broadcaster and a great host? But you had in this in this place as a comic in your mind, like you know, you talk about him like he was almost mythological crew,
sure, like you know like no one really knew one or anything you just going to do is show, and that was what you work for. He was coming to my house. It was weird it was really a weird sort of like they. This
this is crazy. I mean President Obama come into my old house. That was crazy, but David Letter
coming over was like. This just doesn't seem right. I mean this is not how life goes, that David Letterman's coming to my house. What are you kidding me? He did he he he came over to my house. Hey folks, do you do you? Do you like driving a
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So, okay, you ready for me and Dave.
I want you to know about dave- is that Davis, a man who has had great success in his wife he's had. Ah some pain in his life he's made mistakes in his life. He has regrets and he is ah
he's he's definitely owning who he is and has a willingness to change and he's tried to open his mistakes. Any easy, easy, easy, easy, a slightly heavy hearted guy, but he's also a humble dude and- and I think you know you just that's the one thing that was amazing and once he did finally come over MIKE. This is Dave man he's you know he
he's a little softer than than he used to be, and he seems a little more humble, I think, maybe a little happier ah very willing to be open he's. He seems much more
normal certainly than he was on tv in real life, and he seems contrite about the mistakes he's made and and
so you're willing to change any, and I think he speaks to that you watch the show is new. Show a season two of my next guest needs no introduction with David Letterman that launches on Netflix this Friday may thirty first. But if you watch your first season he's definitely a guy trying to reach
out trying to make right his wrongs trying to own them, but also still interested in people probably more interested in people now than he ever has been and certainly willing to talk and show himself a little more. So I got him at a good time, but as
here you know once you got here, we did all right, you know he came upstairs and
is. I was talking to a comedian, David Letterman and, and I'm sharing it with you now
well. It's good to see you Dave Good, to see you and what I was going to say was I've known about you, yeah and the podcast actually before I knew about podcast yeah and I am under the impression and reinforce it many ways many times, yeah, that you are kind of the break through podcast.
Pioneer yes and I'm guilty. Well, you know gosh good for you. This is. I mean what a a great form, what a great format yeah now so the other night. I said I better listen to this, because I I had not listen to a podcast in my life. I don't know how to get them. These are the
my dad. Well, yes, that's about right under you're, not that much older than me, but he hasn't listened to one. Yet he hasn't listened to one of the one thousand episodes it might be more personal. But what were you saying? So you listen to one, but how old your father? Eighty, okay? Well all right
He and I are in the same dark space of ignorance
well so I listen to Angelica Houston.
You and Angelica Houston yeah now. I know Angelica Houston only because I think she was on the guest guest on the show a few times yeah I know of her.
I guess her father is John, not sure there's Walter, so that's
Oh, I know of her. I know that she was romantically involved with Jack Nicholson. Yes, and so I thought well, ok. This may not have been one that I would have picked it
come on in kids. Is right just like a Houston, so I started listening to it and I was dumbstruck a because it was so darn interesting yeah and I thought there is there. Is it's a fifty fifty?
yeah, there's only two choices for why this is interesting and I voted for you thanks man,
yeah. It was cool. You ok with this yeah yeah. Well, you know it
it was. I was a little nervous. You know I watched I watched some years show the long form show. I was nervous because you know I spent about one slash two of my life. You know just
trying to get on your show and the idea
you were coming to my house. I was like. I don't think this is right, something like he can't just come over and it doesn't. I can't do it
this this is a real kick for me, yeah, and how many
times. Were you on the show. I think I did to stand up three times and
didn't panel it towards the end there. It's all the story. You know we sat when I told you the the MEL Brooks Carl Reiner story, but yeah. I did stand at three times the first time I bought a shiny suit,
but I looked at looking back on it. I'm not not proud of it
I don't know why it was shiny, but it was in and then I think the second time I sat down briefly after the set
and you leaned in and said you can make that stuff work on the road
Well, what what was the point of that? Was it somehow to be encouraging and discouraging? Was it the sarcasm and I take it yeah? I thought that date. I thought that meant that you thought the joke for small
and that they would probably know. Ok, let's stop right there, because
I was wrong. No, I think you are right
uh a good, I'm glad you didn't, take it as an insult. No, I did not good and uh it's so it's so I watched like two minutes or your show
at the beginning. I watched the whole Connie episode, but then, at the very beginning I noticed something because I still work at the comedy store right. It was
last night and I had a an old man moments like I, I was supposed to bring up, want RON White and he stepped up because he was doing to drop by and I looked at him and I did not know his name for about three seconds yeah. I was terribly embarrassed, get used to it
now you did that happen when you know people it it. It happens to me all the time and what I do and and the people that I worked with for years on the show I would just
invent a name that I thought reminded me of what the actual name sounded like
then it would become charades yeah. Okay, let's see of far far Bender Mona far Bender. Is it
go to Kathy Gifford. Yes, it's Kathy Gifford,
you said Mona far well, I couldn't remember Kathy.
A reminder word, but I just
and I had a moment when I'm watching you- and you said you were scared- you know to interview him
The moment is really odd that I focused in on it's just it, which is how you grab the MIKE out of the stands yeah. It was like he did
Second nature, when your stand up to pull the mic out and then, when you put it back in time, I see that
I was at a do that it it when I was doing the show yeah I would it might it toward the end of the show my favorite part of it, and it makes perfect sense if you, if you think about how long I had done it up. My favorite part of it, was talking to the audience right
and end up. They would I had a one of those type microphones that everybody wears, and I said I don't. I don't want to do the warm up with that. I want to have a a hand MIKE yeah, the same thing right and it's the standard
you can adjust it and you could move it. You could pull it out right and
could lean on to it. You can lean into it. You can pick it up and slam it, and this goes back to nineteen. Seventy five yeah. Seventy five right, that's right, I mean 'cause. I was,
good about that like it just that moment of grabbing the stand and like I'm still there, you know, if I got a show is on hold on is MIKE weird yeah,
I seem to be alone now. I I don't. I don't know why I have this, but I can tell you how what how I got it? Okay, but but for some reason it means a lot to me. This is the driver's license, for only
gar well? A crime has been committed here. This is. This is Mitzi Shore's,
it is man mark. How did you
first of all,
Why were you rifling through her purse? That's right now! Here's the thing!
binder MIKE yep Pierce.
Like. I interviewed binder here right and he
He was like, I want to talk about the comedy store and then I started. How could you not want to? This is that's where you come from and then he said
talking about it and then it kind of got into his brain and then Peter short.
Real Damen, to make a documentary about the place right right, right, yeah he reached out to you.
Yes, well, he I, I think, I'm actually a visiting with him tomorrow, great so so so he wanted me to be there when he did. He did a bunch of footage enmities office and they were going to go through some stuff that he he
permission and he wanted me to be the guy to be in there with him and as I was
walking out, this driver's license is on the floor and I'm like, I think I have to have that.
Well, it feels a little weird and a little wrong, but no no, no with that explanation. It feels just right and I and a and the Sammy Shore, just I asked yeah
Did you know him, though I must
met him, but by the time I came to California, he was out of that business right yeah, but
not not out of comedy but out of the comedy store business right. Yeah lost lost stored at two minutes see like for me. This give you chills a little bit. Yes, absolutely first of all
she's, very young. Looking in that- and I only remember her as she was stricken after the this time- yeah
and I don't remember her looking that hardy. She reminds
yeah, but she was when I was younger yeah. So you came here in seven thousand five hundred and seventy five yeah may have seventy five and before they
that you hadn't done comedy, but you've done broadcasts,
a lot of broadcasting television and radio Andi I used to have to when you're doing local broadcasting. They would like you to go out and do things yeah,
notes issue, I know not so much remotes with just appearances yeah and it used to petrified me to have to go out and be in front of audiences. So I I said to myself: well, let's don't be stupid about this yeah, let's!
don't do that, so I stopped doing it and then, when I move,
to California. I realized I am now about to go back into the very thing that scared me to death, which was trying to make stranger
laugh, but it when you, when you started out, I mean: do you grew up in Indiana, yeah yeah and your your folks were not in show business. No heed what your dad do. He to flower shop, that's nice, yep that how could that be bad? It was. It was good
except that it he was not a good businessman. He his first choice in life would have been to be in entertainement, really yeah yeah. He, he
play the piano very well and he was funny- and I think
he ended up in the wrong lane and I think it it. You turned on him. You know ten years before he died.
So that was too bad. He got sad or angry about the flower shop drunk.
Yeah. It was an alcoholic and I always felt you know. I don't know your situation with your parents yeah, but my
my father could have easily done what I have done right and I wish he had
you think it would have made him happier. Yes, yes, I do well sort of sad, though, if you had a flower shop and he was miserable,
I just thought of, but you know what it was every opportunity he turned into church functions. He would be the MC
Yeah and later when he went into a he was in Heaven Becaus he had an audience yeah
bedroom, I'm in it yeah and he he loved that he loved being the center of attention and would tell jokes and I
He invited me to go to a meeting once after he entered the program and I did and he was running the
Joe and I had never seen so many people smoking so much and drinking so much coffee back when you could do that yeah yeah, but that I will be then I was twenty five, I suppose so yeah, so he he got sober. He lived sober
a while for awhile yeah continue to smoke.
Then died when he was fifty seven, my
yeah, how old are mid to late twenties out yeah, that's young
yeah. What it would tell me about your family. Well, my mom and my dad is a kind of a little bi, polar and
my what? What did he do, though, when he was around he's
really surgeon.
Uh to window Pedic? When did he stop doing that? We we kind of got pushed out, he retired, not it. It's probably it's probably been about fifteen
twenty years yeah, but that there are very yup focus self involved, medical maniacal people, but I was found and charismatic and well it is using I've. I've found my yeah charismatic and entertaining right me to write to the other side of it is bad. You know they they,
the charismatic entertainment part, but then there's the terrifying part. That's right at home. Sometime and
your mom. What was she up to she? She still around two. She she focuses on maintaining her weight and
she was a painter for a while and other things. You know now she's down in Florida and she's with another weird old.
An and siblings yeah. I got little brother, you two girls, two sisters, younger older, really,
in the middle yeah. They both still around that's nice. So what do they do?
one was in the newspaper business for most of her life worked at the Saint Petersburg Times and the other one raised three kids
are all grown and yep everybody's all grown and you're. Just like Uncle Dave. I am no.
I'm not uncle Dave. I'm just I don't know
one of the legally there's a relationship, yeah yeah, we I mean they're in Florida, yeah in Indiana and I'm in New York yeah. So so now
and your mom. Everybody knows because she was on the show so much right, but it's very interesting that he ate now was it was a volatile I'll at home with alcoholism,
The volatility was my mother's reaction to my father's behavior, but they wasn't vomit
No, he was not a mean drunk. He was not an angry drunk, nobody knew he was a drunk. These professional, drunk yep
We then discovered, I remember the the day, my mother, they came to see me and she said I I don't know. I think I may have to divorce your father and she was taciturn and soft spoken, and so this was a bomb shell and- and the next question is really: is there a problem yeah as she
well he's an alcoholic, and then we started looking at the evidence sure enough. She was right
and within a month two guys show up at the house yeah and they're from a uh and bang. He was in
that was it yeah. He was ready to go. He just wanted to be a part of something the House a house
that's right as a new friends tell some jokes yeah, so that was
but that was a and then uh. I don't. I don't think you live much longer.
But it was one of those deals he had a
of a heart attack in his life of man and in those days the they let him smoke in in the?
hospital that's right recovering from learning the doctor said it was good for you right, yep, yep and really
and what they said was to get him.
Cigarettes now. The shock might kill him, oh wow, so they continue to smoke the rest of his life
and finally it caught up with him and another heart
Apparently you got a little bit of the heart disease from him.
It's a coronary artery disease. Yeah! That's what he had. I I assume Sharia yeah and did you buy the alcoholism? Did you get that? Yes, you did yeah and did it and we owe it so well. When did you start drinking? What I was about? Twelve yeah yeah and you were pretty drunk
for state drunk right through high school college, easy and then after com.
Did you begin to notice how come everybody is still drunk and then I
stayed continued to drink the lives? Thirty four and I just I had a convo
What you hear was the deal yeah. I just love this because I think every alcoholic has gone through this. Its annual check up time and the the doctor is poking around yeah she's, your liver is swollen. Do you
do you drink quite lot. Oh I'll have a beer or two right, so nothing crazy, yeah yeah
and then it went back again same thing, and I thought you know what. If my liver is swollen and then I tried to quit and I couldn't quit and I couldn't quit and I couldn't quit couldn't quit so one day I just said to myself: you're going to kill yourself, and I stopped was that noise
Angelus New York. I was in New York yeah because I had a tv show at the time and I said, drunk people don't succeed, which show
the morning show the
the late show yeah you like a drink. It went so you drink all the way through the comedy and stuff yeah at the beginning. That's right! That's right, but I I I will
go home in the comedy, store and drink by myself. Oh glamorous,
well. Is there anything more glamorous and being a drunk
Well I mean it's a it's. Sometimes you can get away with it if you're, that you're, surrounded by other people are up yeah. So true so in in in terms of like that show business experience that you got in Indiana, I mean what compelled you to decide to pursue comedy I mean I know you probably talk about this model,
I mean you were married at the time right right. It was easy uh because you would watch the tonight show every night and two times a week or so yeah. There would be a new comedian on and after a while this began to hurt my feelings really.
I thought would wait a minute. They haven't called me all right, even though I'm in Indiana
thought that way right yeah. I think it's so funny. You say that, because I remember many years ago when I was middling for some guy, we were you know somewhere in like the south and he's
a guy yeah. I really want to get on Letterman, but they just don't reach out and I'm like that. They all think it works like that. Well, I I will say that we had the some weaknesses in the area of comic bookings on our rent it in our rock
in general? Well, I mean you're, always there yeah, but I know there were a lot of people that wanted on yeah. That should have been on, add and didn't get on, and I'm I'm not quite sure what broke down there, but
but then again it was hard to get on the tonight show with Johnny yeah. So it's it's. It's on what to show business is unfair, terrible yeah, it's a it's a hell of a life yep,
So you see these comics and you were like you know. I got you know better than them. Basically
No, it wasn't that I was better than them. I just thought well I'll bet. I could do that right and it,
so the idea was to go to California get on the tonight show and your life will be different yeah and that's what I did. But when you got to the store, because it seems to me that over the course of your entire career that the guys that would come on, I was a door
men at the store in eighty six. You know like in eighty seven now you got me all fucked up on drugs and with Kenison and left.
And it took me a few years- would show no new Adam, and I I'm sure you cover this when you say drugs, what category coke and booze yeah the other classics the ladies you member, but it was about mid mid bit much for me. It took me a few years gets over after that.
I I did work the door and I used to see the guy, and how did you do that? I to
eventually. You know after fits and starts just locked in with the program.
You know, and I got you. I went to a and you know still go and at Tom Public about. I think it helps people
and uh. You know I kind of figured it out and I heard a report years ago on the BBC that debunked the whole prospect of alcoholics anonymous. Well, you know that
but they do that every few years, but the truth of matter is the success rate is never been great. There's no uh,
So that's right. That's the number of people that join in June,
a year later is like three slash four gone right. It well, but it's still. What else is there? So, even if
numbers, don't seem great to a non alcoholic person. You know it might just throw the switch you might not stay in but
might not drink again, and maybe you do stay in and you you work that system and it works for you, the spiritual system, but but it's not like there's like don't do that. There's this! There isn't anything else
well, I understand,
I I understand of the comfort of being with other people who are like was impaired, yeah there's that there's also there's a process through which you can sort of a move. You move away from pathological self centeredness,
then the trick you know doing service and then there's also the immense process. A lot of alcohol is carry a lot of guilt, lot of baggage, made a lot of mistakes and they they succumb to the shame of that and it's one of the reasons that they drink again. So there is a process to which you can make appropriate amends with people.
Try to take responsibility for your actions and what we're in this horizon do. Do we find just self medication hiding a a bigger problem? Yeah? They add their name there. I think, within that the literature they say. Look, you know you, you know you can go to go
Who is shrink if you need, if you need other help, get help yeah. Why is that? Is that we feel with your trip? I feel yes, I feel like. I was because I just
felt better. As a person when I was drunk yeah, oh yeah, you feel more comfortable.
Your whole confident yeah yeah, like people like you,
they might even like Van yep you're, more fun. That is, and then the next day did not good to know that you weren't so fine. Well, congratulations! Well, thanks, yeah, I'm and coming up on like twenty years. I guess when I was gonna say was it. It just seems to me that a lot of the cat,
that you had on throughout the entire run of all your shows where people that you met when you got to LA that's correct
Yeah like they seem to be. Your oldest friends were those bonds. You made it that that that dark,
castle. On sunset, George Miller,
J for a while right these. These were all of the first people
but when I got there, drudgery Adres, Honduras yeah, they and you know,
having them on and sometimes
maybe they weren't
it was just fun having them on well yeah because, like you know, there's something about the brotherhood of comedians. Where you know you go through that part of your life, and you know you can really talk about anything and you go through some weird stuff together and it's like it's very impactful, and that's why I was always sort of fascinated with that time that you were at the store, because before my time, it's sort of a mythical time. I've had I've had Jimmy Walker on the show, and I have binder on the show from that era. I just saw AJ reason not long ago, but it just seemed like it was a completely new world. I mean when
you came into the comedy store I mean. Was it electric? Yes, it was completely exciting and completely different from anything
culturally or socially. I had been a part of in Indiana.
For the have been anything yeah. It's is pretty low bar,
No, I didn't mean that yeah but
in my group and you refer to it as a class, and I guess I was just right before you, because I think I left in the
70s to go to New York and then that got cancelled and came back.
So we might have overlapped a bit. I was there in eighty seven.
So no I I was going to get by the yeah. I mean, I think it was you guys, and then there was the like Seinfeld PRY, the next guy's after you right,
the guys uh, the first I it was Tom Dreessen and I became friends with them same with George Miller.
The full moon, the older Johnny take all Johnny Dark, yeah, Johnny, Derek yeah, exactly and and and Leno, and then right after that, Robin Williams came, and so he was kinda like the the kid that starts at school, the second semester and was the
into their binder was there. He was like sixteen when he was crazy. Yes, it is crazy.
When Robin came when he showed up everybody was, must have been like holy shit. Yes, what is this? That's right. It was
you know in the NFL there will be a quarterback who doesn't stand in the pocket and just throw passes and right hand off right. There there's a quarterback who will run
sideline to sideline, run to the opposite end zone and then throw an eighty yard. Touchdown pass and everybody says wow, that's the future of being an NFL quarterback yeah. We thought that about Robin Wright and George and I used to watch him work and we just both fought to gather and discuss it. We're screwed and we we, I just I'll, go back to Indiana. I can't I can
Do that why do we think we have to that's? That's the weird thing about comics. It's like well comedy this kids here. Well because he was so effective and so effortlessly affective, an the place, would ICS
upload and you couldn't follow him and that
download, that's what you want to do. That's what I want to do yeah. I never did that right. Could you get an audience to explode and blow the roof off the place I don't
no no. No, I never could I I and- and I I I guess I told myself well, that's
the kind of comedy I want to. I don't want to do the funny kind of comedy, but of course that's what you gotta tell yourself. You know you can find fault or find like.
Well, that's not really what I'm aiming for. I mean exactly that thoughtful. You know it's more about the structure of the gym. Then it was. I suppose everybody goes through this. We would stand in the back and watch various people and if it was a guy or a woman that we didn't think was too funny. We would think
oh yeah, you laugh at them, but you won't laugh at main. Well, then, there's something wrong with you. People yeah everybody yeah, there's nothing wrong with every audience, but I think really when,
comes down to? That is just on a practical level. It just be
like I don't go on after that, I just know you don't deserve. That's the worst thing that I know to have to start from scratch. You get out of that vacuum of disappointment,
that was me nightly and then and then the funniest
One is interesting because you show up.
And you see a weeks where the comics and you think, ok, I kinda know who's here right and then people start coming in off the road
so the lineup changes all together and you thought, oh god, no now I've got this other funny group of people
I didn't know about, and that keeps happening and after about six months likely
you've seen everybody who could work,
yeah. That's right and
Jay was always the funniest really well without question, but it seems
see that like watching him at that time, at least you could have like learn something about joke writing right well
It was the
this case it was not so much joke. Writing as it was. His attitude was hilarious,
and so whether he had a joke or not, it was funny right and,
people loved him and he was there
Jay would work. We would all gather in the back because it was and then he was he was fun to heckle yeah.
Is he in mind? No, he didn't like to be heckled because he you know he was. He was working on stuff.
And we were just getting in his way, it was so fun hanging out.
In fact it was the best you know I don't. I don't want to oversell it, but I felt so lucky because of these
the men and women that Elayne Boosler was part of that group and Jimmy Walker. And then, if you were lucky Freddie Prinze would show up. Oh man, I wish I had
him live well, he was he was great and he was a kid he was nineteen or twenty, and people do just would go crazy for Freddie.
And then he'd go he'd leave and then everything had to settle down and maybe there'd be an intermission and then every now and then Richard Pryor would come in, and that was oh, my god it's Jesus. Christ has come
to do a set yeah, and I had to follow him. One night, which I mean impossible yeah, but you know it's impossible.
So then it becomes funny. Though right you can take me alive. Yeah used to be an audience Richard
good night and so did the audience.
So, ladies gentlemen, the comedy of Mr Dave Letterman High, but it was
people were walking out worst yeah, but it was great. You know it was it was. It was a fun group of people to spend your
I'm with the night, I would say to myself periodically. I get to spend this time regularly. We have with the funniest people in America and they work yes and they work the idea and it's a if it's just so
like I I I I romanticize at Europe because, like I, when I was a dorm and there you go, you walk into that place and there's a structure and there's a system and there's a history and there's this queen. Who who know then that's right? Were you just walk around
terrified me all the time they like you know, didn't want to piss her off easy, wanted like meter on high right, yeah and- and you didn't want her to see you work, never know, never me when I
addition to that place? She goes you're, finding issue wear a scarf and I don't even know what that means, but I wore a scarf for a few weeks. God bless me
see there was such enmity toward the end of
time there and that I regret, but I I did have anything to do with nor did nor I don't know between you, two between the the group of people that will walk the picket line right and the group of people
did not and as you get older you you think was there a point to that. I I don't know, was it, what was it worth? The enmity? I don't know, I don't know the
still pretty like you know. If I work the main room a few times a month, there's still a percentage deal on there from from from then. So there are definitely people that
like you know I don't know what Argus would do if, if he wasn't getting paid still,
well. That's interesting that there are still some people there that were there when I was there. Argest came shortly after I came well. Argus is the only one really you know there. There was
binder showed up shortly after I got there too. We doesn't really world no he's a director right yeah, and you know that most of the guys like in the eighties there were still some around and then you have the booking changed, hands and stuff, but like the I
to see all man, I see see all those cats- and I e are now I I don't know what they do. You know very diamond sort of Jack Purdue, like they they're mad, that they can't get spot in there. But you know the whole scene changes right. It's sort of sad, it's a difficult
to be in. But theoretically you could
can go there and do stuff, but you have to move on. You can't make that your life.
Although, as you point out some half well, they I don't know if they have a choice. You know, after a certain point, you know it's a weird thing that, and I don't know if
I knew that you, you know you learn if you're smart, that that you know if you're funny and you can write jokes, there's a lot of things. You can apply that to inch
business, but if you want to put it all into one basket in the comic basket, I mean there's
ten guys at any given time that are gonna make a good living. You know it's a hell of a gamble, it you know, and- and I mean I took it and you know it it's somehow or another, but things worked out because I said to MIKE seven my garage when I was forty five but
but they're definitely guys that didn't were not known for planning ahead. I mean. Did you when you started that your career? Did you know how you wanted to handle your talent from the beginning? Well, talent, let's just strike that from the record
yeah, but I had the plan the plan. The plan was right in front of you, but the
is it to be a stand up on the road for the rest? No! No! I couldn't do that. I don't have that gene. Some people do Leno. Yes,
Jerry Seinfeld, yes, yeah.
Tom Dreessen yes and Tom Dreesen is the one to thank in the strike circumstance and he is quite he's. The historic
then I got to get him in here. I just ran into my said: I'd call him, I'm gonna call yeah
I'm having dinner with him tonight, tell him I feel bad, like don't, don't feel bad,
he was the guy, that he was sort of like like what was he originally a Chicago guy? Yes,
and he had some union background. Where was that mark alone now somebody had union background. I don't know the strike. Is
It's interesting to me that it hasn't evaporated with time, because, if you get
men and women involved in it of the day, there's still pretty toxic about it. It since
from your point of view. 'cause like I actually texted Peter and told him. I was going to talk to you and if you had anything interesting on his mind about
you know his remember memory of you he said
talking about when it's used to have him drive me
Polly to Little League in his red pickup truck yeah. That didn't happen.
I've also been told that I babysat for Mitzi's kids.
Have no memory of that either. Now
it may be my memory and May
It did happen, but I don't remember because a lot of stuff, yeah yeah you you get to be this age, but
that did happen. It was the least exciting
it of being. I'm telling you know I
to know that you got to go there. Every night was but sometimes
do the where jobs where I did. You know yes, yes, yes, yes, go pick up a chicken, salad and you're, like oh sure, made so you just you. You really try to stay
had her way. 'cause, you don't know what you'll be doing. You never know who you're going to be driving. I I didn't
but I don't. I think she had a house just up the hill,
there's something Crest Hill. I used to live in it
she had one over on Doheny, but but nonetheless, but he did bring up the fact- and I think that is something
alluding to that. There was a shift in the relationship.
Have with a lot of comments after the strike right and she,
She called me and she said I I heard that you're going to go out on strike here. The and I said yes, I am, and she was very upset because she had been very nice to me had had been into gave me.
Much experience that I could not have had any world, but when it came,
down to it. I thought the people that want to be paid for this and feel that certain folks doing it. No, not certain folks, anybody doing it needs to be paid. These were all my friends, yes soul in support of my friends. What kind of a friend am I if I, if I don't support them on this, because and I and I did- and it didn't seem like much of the time, but people haven't outlived yeah like who
well Tom yeah. It's it's still a good topic with Tom. He did. He did his first set there in like twenty years, the other day for the for the for the documentary yeah yeah yeah. He said it was difficult, but you know you can go back yeah you! You can't! You know you can't take everything with you as you move through life.
No, I guess that's clear and and the stuff that you do it's. If it's weighing on your
you gotta, you know somehow let it go
process it or make the apology, whatever that
You got to do right right. I think so. Yeah
and and the fact that you mentioned the
you're getting remuneration for a gig in the main sure yeah this
so then there you go, that's fantastic, that there was door deal yeah, that's a great legacy for Tom and everybody else who was uh on the yeah. No, it's great. It's a surprise check.
You know what I mean, because it's still adore deal on certain level. There still a cut Tommy
to say when we would be killing time waiting to go on
He said right now in this country there are only two hundred professional comedian yeah two hundred and- and I think, if you would ask him now that would probably
be in the thousands yeah. I don't know what professional means that mean you make my
doing it or you just say you are one.
I think it's the money, money yeah but like by the time this
white cap and you were already in guest hosting the tonight. Show right and Johnny had now. There's a guy that you watched when you were a kid, an obvious
we a mentor in real life after a certain point, but did you have those aspirations to be that guy? Yes, you did well
not to be that guy, but I knew that whatever I could do
who is limited to sitting behind the desk yeah and making fun of people. That was it when he did stand up. There was a crowd worker. Did you do joke
turned out. You've turned out to be quite a lot of crowd work because I
I would try and try and try- and I got
pretty tight twenty minutes in the comedy store right,
you take it anywhere else. No thank you. So it's crowd. Work
and it was cutting or wasn't like Jimmy broken style where you just pleasant
it was. You know I'm trying to save my life here. Late is that'll,
out the only allied in it? And I just couldn't I I I I mean the the worst part of it was in Denver hey. I was the bicentennial
So it's July, it's not in Denver Right and the club big club. That was like a supper club
it was me and it was a Lola Falana. So this one comics would be like twenty before singing at that's right, yeah, that's right
and what better way to celebrate the 200th anniversary,
an unknown comedian and Lola Falana,
paying there paying one hundred dollars to get it right.
And I'm at the holiday Inn down the interstate. They said now at seven hundred and thirty,
bob- will be here in the limo to pick you up- and I said great seventh,
there's bob. We get the limited twenty two shows on a Friday night. The first show goes: okay, okay,
the second show a dead silence and and and Bob takes me back to the hotel back to the holiday Inn next day and for every other day for the ten day were
no bob nobody! So I now I'm walking down the interstate everything to the king and I thought that's how that works.
And I felt so bad about its embarrass
You know it's just embarrassing because they said don't worry. All ahead was, like thirty minutes tops.
They said, oh, where we turned the house yeah. I saw thank God yeah. Well, they didn't so it's!
Folks want to hear the same stuff again or high, where you from
a lot of that and I called a friend, George Miller, said: George, I'm taking your act. I said my stuff is not working, I'm I'm sorry, I'm taking your act and he says-
that's fine, go ahead, take it anything you need, so I did Georges ACT for a while and it worked
not as well as it worked for George I'm telling it. This was a crucible. This was that was the deciding week
You're like them not cut out for this shit. Well,
yeah and uh. So many
these were wrong and you start saying where you from and we're from Denver:
hi nice to see what he do. I sell insurance all good good glad. How are you good where you from I'm from Denver?
so you go around the table and the
Ok, I said hi worry firm and he says I'm from Denver were all from Denver you're in Denver.
Okay, good goodnight, everybody, I'm walking back to the holiday Inn, and then
a guy a comic. You know calls
here's that I'm bombing, so he
call the owner of the club right and he says
I understand Letterman's bombing and he said
it is, are going great. They said I can be there tomorrow and I just thought. Oh, my god, I couldn't check.
Get any worse. Was that I'm not going to say? Oh god, damn it,
No! No! I don't know if I was able to hang on with the George and the other great thing. God bless the band yeah. They were the play
Lola Falana on it. She had dancers, and so they at forty minutes
Not everybody drive safely at at at at at at at at at at at at at at it. So the band,
comes down at about thirty five minutes, Tuesday.
God bless you got that out of that, that that other than that yeah that's right and they had nothing but great sympathy, and it was it with that was the sweet part. The man said. Let's help here,
yeah far on the same t, exactly it's going down and all this time you're drinking
any and you're married yeah. I go back to go back to the holiday Inn and get really really drunk yeah and talk to my wife and and then Jay Leno decides in J hears that I bombing and J loves this.
Yeah. So he he decides. He calls my wife and said
I you know I you know, I guess I gotta pick Dave up from the airport when he comes home, so I go to
airport and there's Jay Leno and he's gotta sandy its internal rabbits Letterman.
I thought I can't even get home without the
ignominy of having bombed in Denver now word is out.
It's everybody. Does it everybody lives through it at this guys like Jerry,
we're, no we're talking the other end of the spectrum yeah, and he said he was working. Some place New year's Eve, the one when the worst, the worst kind of white people do. It must be a lot of money and- and he said I just do the material he said I don't look left. I don't look right. I just relax and I Lee,
but all of the material- that's pretty smart. I know if you can do that, but I'm looking for something my needs are deeper.
Well, you and I came in on the same bus, but he's he's smart, he doesn't care, says here's the
ariel- and I you know,
I rely on it, I trusted and it works, and this is what you're going to get yeah. I mean I get that approach, but
because of that. I have no idea who that man is like with you. I mean, I know who you are
yeah I've ever watched you my whole life in it like an easy right when you say anything like that. I know who that guy is with Jerry, I'm like what's a good story, but I don't know who the I I look at Jerry and and a few other people like Steve, Martin, yeah and the there's just a handful of names and and and what women who are very successful in whatever show business comedy or acting or singing and a jury to me represents the career I should have had up, and you think oh yeah, like Steve Martin like own.
If you read the born standing up yeah, you realize that Steve actually put some thought into his career. I didn't put any thought, but did you put any thought into your head? I just want to be a comic yeah that would have
yeah. That's it I mean you know and then, like you know, you get a certain a few years down the road at that you like. Why isn't it happening.
Yeah and then you get angry and you go through that. Well, I didn't even want to be a comma
yeah so much as I just. I just wanted to be able to sit behind a desk and say: hey nice, earrings
That's all I could do that. You succeeded, amazingly well, so how does it all
change? You know which Johnny I mean what you know how it is that what happened to the marriage? What happens to you know? I mean: how does it? How do you take off? I mean a when you start guest hosting and what not well the that was huge because,
as you know, it was huge to be on the tonight show
the marriage was altogether independent from that and my irresponsible behavior, but
If you're on the tonight show, if you're hosting the tonight show suddenly people are really really nice to you right, very nice to- and I've noticed now also since I've stopped being on television, they've gotten even nicer and- and I think that's the old saying you know- give them
they want yeah to stop stop being on television.
It will be really nice to hear thanks for
relieving us you put it through for, but I don't. I don't know what the machine is now. I don't know
Like I remember, I went back to the comedy store in the SAM Kinison
days, one on a Monday night that was his night and I just I got frightened.
I thought you were here SAM and oh, I, like a guy, I used to love Mitchell. Walters,
hang it. This is Mitchell still around. With your area code, yeah, I've told people
that this was his act and they don't. But nobody believes me- and I said
Well, the guy would get up there, hey what's your hometown and then he would call out the area code, and I said no that didn't happen. It happened so little tricky. Now, with cell phones, cousin,
not that is he. Is he ok, I don't know. If he's ok, I didn't know him that well, he was sort of you know. I heard a good story.
About him, though he e me at some point cause I'd mention him on the show he says I'm in for
somewhere yeah yeah he's alive I've stolen
what a hip guy that was Mitchell's response to anything
as this tag yeah, did you hear about Governor Brown, what a hip guy- and I just I've- stolen that and and made it my own he's a memorable character, Mitchell well the place,
full of memorable characters, and it was just great so well so once you started rolling with the talk, show thing now was
when you did the morning show, was that hell or was that good for you as well so
You know what it is mark. It's you I thought
yeah? I was under the impression that America was just waiting for the kind of show. I was going to give them because you look at what's on and you think well. This can't be good enough way,
so I get up there. Yeah I'll show them what a program really is. Well, it didn't work that way, not
morning, not the morning didn't work that way.
So we were yanked and that was a very difficult year, yeah very difficult here and you think you were over yeah yeah. You think you go to the back of the line area likely to do Uhhuh and then had another shot at it, and it does slowly slowly got to be okay with, with the with the late show, with the first show that's correct,
and that was it was Johnny have a hand in that? Yes, he had a piece
the show, I think he got ten percent of it. I don't know what the yeah that was with late night
yeah, because we followed him and we
beholden to him in many ways, were you in,
check with him as he is. He saying like I like that they always do in we never talked about the show. I would I would go to dinner with him yeah and I I was always frightened that I would just get comfortable and then he decided he did the like.
So I never could you around guys like that, where you just can't relax, because you know oh Jesus Johnny Carson. What if I do something stupid and it's just going to be all over
yeah, a what if Iraq is car pulling into the driveway? That's it okay, Letterman's not coming back so horrible because we can't be comfortable. You know, you know what I mean. It's like you're, always afraid to go say. The one thing
yep and that's going to be it yeah. I may have said it already here today. I don't think so. I think those days are gone. What are they going to do to you now? Well,
it's. Not what are they going to do today? It's I will spend till labor Day
eating my own guts
thinking about it just like. Why did I what's the matter? Why? Well I mean how the hell did you do? How do you help the deal with that? Because I remember one time when the one time I did the show- and it was like your show- do I remember which time it was, but I was always it was always a day of just sort of like how got just trying to
act normal. You know putting a suit on,
and I remember one time I don't. I got to the building and somehow,
another? Like you know, I think I can't
was an elevator opening where you were on the stairs, but you were in the middle of something frantic like did you run the stairs yeah yeah and it was so, does the it was disconcerting to me I'm like? Did we just interrupt something that
no, I supposed to feed Dave like that. I don't think I was supposed to see it's very funny, Becaus at some point. For some reason, it became in cement that you couldn't
be in the hallway
Dave was in the hallway right and if you were holy God and look at
right. Well, it was never that, but, but I like to, for my
office. Once I get off the elevator, I like to run as fast as I could, through the lab
the in the Hall Ways yeah up the stairs and into my dressing room just for for exercise. Yeah, that's right and I kept saying a one of these
days, I'm going to run into
intern or a page or somebody and knock 'em unconscious. So maybe we should ask so this because
whatever you do, yeah they're, not all out in the hallway, if Letterman's in there and and by the way, don't look at it exactly yeah that must have been there yeah. I was like did in my game that that is a
am I still on. That's
as I remember one time, I was getting ready to do. The show- and I was coming downstairs- yeah and an audio guy who who like to cars, and he and I both would talk about cars. So I'm now four minutes away from doing the show. Yeah hi come down the stairs and the guy says Dave. I said young nieces up, I got a chance to buy,
sixty eight Buick can I borrow four thousand dollars, ladies and gentlemen, what's what's happening here
but you know those are the things that later are delightful, giving them money yeah the idea,
but you know where you pick. It may be a different call up a schedule, and I don't know right before you go.
It was it was, it was good, it was kind of things are funded,
I remember watching the show. The first show the late as you and I was in college and I it did and I used to lay on the futon with this color tv set. I had, and I just couldn't get over so it was,
one moment I don't even know if it's real or you would remember that- remember who the hell the guy was but he'd written a book. He was involved with the mob and the the intro. The intro was something
make this man was involved in the murders of eighteen people, look up Papa and then the guy comes right out and starts talking about Gee.
Is, is in your like? We don't want to hear about that. We want to hear about the people you killed yeah. I do remember I I remember two things it every now and then you get a guy like that who has written the book yeah right and
I read one where a guy there's a motorcycle gang in Southern California, the name of which escapes me, which is probably a good thing.
And he infiltrated the motorcycle
yeah, he was really working for the FBI and every
chapter was
you'll never know how close I was to get my bike blown up chapter two,
you'll, never know how close I came to have in my eyes, poked out with a hot iron chapter. Three.
You'll, never know how close I came to have in my house blown up, but I thought nothing happens.
And that is on every talk show in America. Yeah he's got a real racket comedy you never know what it was. They were yeah. That's the stick so now when, when you look back on stuff, because I can't keep your of the you're going to damage reason tonight go to dinner
Patrice and going to dinner, with John Witherspoon TIM Thomerson TIM and myself, yeah yeah
it's funny. I like I saw a montage of him doing the same horse bit. There was a guy, you couldn't follow. Yeah, I bet. Did you were you? Was he started when he was? He was sort of
long gone. The guy showed you started in California, or did you start New York? No. I came out here after college in Boston. I was here for about a year and I got screwed up on drugs and I went home to Albuquerque and I cleaned up and I went back to Boston and started over and I started working like in the late 80s and then I came back here in two thousand and one and finally got my name on the fucking wall took a long time
It is so important. I I just I I want to reiterate this yeah knowing a little bit about your story and knowing that it's completely different from other stories. It it the divergence at certain points, the coming out here, having trouble going home coming back, but the fact that you have invented-
The podcast is centrally by it and you know I use the medium. It was laying there and I use it was laying there, but nobody else had the where, with all of the brains or the whatever it is yeah the took to launch this yeah is quite commendable
Thank you. It was just a matter like why I needed help and like
I've been in bed show business long enough to where I knew enough people
and I was bitter and I was cynical and I just gone through a divorce that I was going broke and I couldn't draw people on the road. So I started this thing in my garage and I called the people. I knew to
over and I invited celebrity guests to talk about my problems and it developed.
Yeah but
The president of the United States is only coming here because of the success of your podcast and I'll. Tell
you in all honesty, even
been here with you. I still don't know what a podcast is. It's on your phone? No, it's not,
it's not on my phone, it's okay
yeah, you don't have me in your dad. Well, I mean
doing long form. Now I mean what what do you feel about it? I love it. You do. I do love
yeah because it's not every day yeah. I don't have to run
throw hallway and knocked down the ushers lively, scare, Dave, L yeah. I can imagine from anyone else's perspective. It must be, oh god it was some sort of explosive.
Vice has gone off and he's running for his life. It was more like you know. We just walked in there and even the bathroom I was like you know it. I don't think it was supposed to see that
the but the, but I always the adjustment for you into regular life. I mean the eight. You must have you here's a couple of things before I I ii, I I start rushing is that, like I don't have children, and I you know for years. I just didn't think I thought was too selfish to
anxious too nervous too angry to think the president of that club, yeah and and now you know you have one right and it's the
It is in the world gracing the world, but I that's exactly the conversation I used to have yeah. I can't I'm focused on this, I'm I can't it will be too big a distraction, and I put it off for like fifteen years with my wife and that turned out to be
the huge mistake, but I was exactly the way you were I'm worrying about the children. I don't have yes hard, not too yeah I mean
When I think about it, I get anxious. When would how do you yeah you're, going to what I had great anxiety during the pregnancy and then, as I've said a bill?
In times like I'm, the only one who's ever had a child yeah he's born switch is flipped.
And it is a switch. It's unconditional love, yeah and that
that's great, but here's the mistake that I made and I'm not suggesting this for anyone else.
I should have done this fifteen years ago. Well, because now I'm
one hundred and you know He'S- got a suit picked out for
reading of the will and there you go
I don't know if that's the way to look at it
she really loves you and you know and believe me, it's the way to look at it.
What what how how do you? How are you using your time yeah? I know that you know you said publicly. You know almost you know over and over again how you do not miss the job at all. Well, I did
I did in the beginning, but now I actually think not being consumed by show business has made me a better
person we all right. How could it? Well, I don't know, I don't want to blame. Show business myself. I think I've I've tried to be a better person is plain, show business, okay. When yet you try to be,
I mean it. I got everything in my life from show business, so why not turn on it right? Well, I mean
demanding any it's draining and it's like a cancer and it's misguided yeah. You know it's misguided, it's misguided! It's a tiny focus and every race, but joy
not sure about the right one. No, I don't I mean, would you joy? Is I'm working on it? You know I mean I I I I feel it, but I push it away, but the software to to me what you're you're doing here is a sir.
List of people, because it's entertaining and informational yeah that people like
yeah. They get to know people, it's good, Angelica, Houston,
I know I know more about angelic Houston. I was never interested in her
Personally I care yeah. It was a good people, it was good, but let me ask you before, like I, I go not to like you, so so the the child that having the kids,
good you're enjoying life and also it seems to me that you've evolved publicly very well like the way
to handle. The blackmail thing was amazing. The way you handle you know your past sort of treatment of.
It is amazing, like your your involving person, I think people, you know, there's very few people that speak about it. The way you do well, but you know you go through life, one step at a time and two things can happen. Yeah you either get smarter from these lessons or you don't yeah, and if you don't you're a fool and nobody wants to be a fool yeah and in the end you say that your depression is better yeah, yeah yeah. It is better it
yeah thanks to medication errors, fun. Do you meditate still? Yes, I do, but I meditated today, yeah yeah. We do you have a certain system, because people tell me I should do it now yeah. I
I feel like we have one common in the anxiety pushing things away. You know what. Why is happiness, important department, it's so so what made you do like transition to that? Was it the the hard thing? No, it was because I it was part of of my program to become a better person and I thought perhaps meditating what hello, how come a better person and I'll tell you what meditating does yeah and, to be honest, nobody was more skeptical about it than myself yeah, but it does work. I've. I've actually had blood pressure, just drop right down after meditating yeah, but it it
also refreshes. You, in a way that for awhile just gave me more energie to be angry, so I thought why the wait a minute here. This is something's, not quite right. Every time I exercise and furious
but your your dad's eighty two or something yeah. If he keeps plugin yeah, you know you, but the anger is better yeah yeah. I would love to be angry about, but I mean it on a network television shows you pretended to import
and and Leno was always is he had no idea this email, nobody watching it shows and then
so you never a J. Okay thanks thanks a so it's a lot of
artificially. No, I talked to oh, he was on the
yeah. I I was gay and he like he. You know he knew I was in the other camp for her is so it was. It was dicey a little bit for me, but you know because-
you know. I was always a Letterman toning guy. You know
and you know- and he knew I had sides in the thing, but he decided to come on and I tried to
get in there. Well, I don't. I always said that he's two things I think I think he's.
Funniest person I was ever around and- and I I think, maybe what we see is a manifestation of deep and security. Something, but I mean, is it doesn't stand up? Was there anybody have you? Did you see him at the
I know I used to see him at the improv. I know yeah. He was great there too yeah yeah yeah, the Queen Peach Advisory Board, looking Travis there
we've seen star wars.
But you should never been a lot of fun memories of the go yeah because you know, like everything else,
So what and nothing happened on which you could indict so you and he was he's good,
I d, do you ever of a if it's for see a future? Where you guys? No, not really.
I mean we were friendly yeah, but I'm you know I I liked him. I think
I think you know there was Robert Klein, who is still great and
and there was Jay who I think took was influenced
by Robert Klein. I think Jay would admit that and for for my group he was our Robert Klein,
it's so funny because Robert Kind and not unlike you or myself, but unlike Jade another like Robert Klein, is like eighty and he's still be
where he goes on. Fundamentally, insecure sure, like I mean when I was, I did a gig with him he's like Christ on I'm like really yeah yeah. How about that? How about that? Like you mean this, never goes away. It never goes away. I believe that's true. So now in all
like I guess I want to talk about real quick is the the way you handled the bill, Hicks Ing. I thought that was pretty noble as well. Well, no,
it was a mistake I made bill. Hicks had been on, our old show yeah. I have quite a lot. He was a regular on the show. Thank you. You saw in him like he was special, yes yeah, yes, and
so then we moved to one thousand one hundred and thirty and bill comes on and he doesn't set that we talked a lot about an. I think
included. I don't know I I remember what it was yeah. We don't need some christian Joker and we don't need to have as it is. So we it did a sloppy job of taking him out of the show we get. Bills have to big break, I love bill, and
it was, you know, played along, but it was a mistake. It was discourteous, it was impolite it was inconsiderate on
my part and then later it turns out? The man has, I think, liver cancer pancreatic pancreatic cancer, so that
haunting yet because he died and you never really made amends or are made heading back on back on it. I should not have. It should not have happened in the first place. I have no great defense, I have excuses, but I'm not even going to get his mom on.
Yes, we had his mother on and we played the set that had been deleted and
I looked at it and I thought I had really been a fool because at that time it just seemed like really really Dave. You did this to this kid yeah.
Then the water. You know one of the many mistakes I made. What do you have? Do you have any idea, or do you find yourself? You know in closing here. Do you find yourself?
you're, making a by the way I'll tell you what we're closing that's fine,
we can go back. I skipped a bunch of stuff. I just I just like saying that Robin told me,
did one of the last aurora fairly beautiful interview with him. I went to his house and was just the two of us.
You know at the time that he was ill.
Well, no, not like that. I mean like the E. You know he did. He did do some sad riffing at the end about the of that. He just relapsed with the blues, need God we'd gotten to the heart, surgery and stuff, but I had no idea of the. The two tiered have deteriorating the mentally deteriorating disease, but he was very candid. You know, but I think he told me that you know he did that he was talking about being on your show after he had the open hearts and if you had- and you said to me said that defines of crying on it, nothing for something like that. Yeah yeah- and he said you guys connected around that yeah that experience yeah yeah. That's that's it's a great hi! I love the experience, not not for Robin. Here myself, I loved it. I love the overture, really hello, I loved it. It was gray
because it as I've said it was all about me yeah and everybody would- and I just said about and I'd take him right through it. I couldn't stop talking about yeah. It was delightful. Well, I, but after it, but afterwards I remember watching the show your do your date was sort of like you know you couldn't hide, devote ability. Well, he was out yeah they'll put that back in the bottle, but from that experience I made a handful of really good friends that are still really good friends today, so it was in the hospital yeah yeah yeah, the hospital staff and yeah. It was good. Yeah save my life. It's been
eighteen years, yeah and regulations, the the thank you for it went on a good show. No, not yet not here. Just hearings here hold on from the MIKE, so he would
Money has to pretend you're having a heart attack to save to stay on the MIKE. This is gonna, be click bait Heaven, but okay, the last question: do you have the things you do you have a man's? Is that you want to make to you? Do you have regrets it? You still
the hammer out, you do yeah, I mean I mean you haven't lived the life. If you get to be my age and don't have regrets and I've I've tried yeah and some have worked. Some have not worked in here and the ones that have not worked. The frustrate me because
I've I well, you want things to go your way and you it it's. It's not a fun feeling when you have inadvertently, hurt someone's feelings and have reached out to try and correct the problem, and you just you just it. It only deepens your feeling of being inconsiderate
and even accidentally being a jerk. Nobody wants that, but isn't it more of like? I guess it's on the things you learn about that about that process. It's really more about you taking responsibility for what your actions was. You can't really control how they're going to receive it. Well it,
That's that's the mature way of looking at your exactly you're, exactly right and
and perhaps you get a credit for trying to make it right, as he doesn't hurt yes yeah, but what you want is it to be right or like in the case of Bill Hicks VIA didn't make it right did the best I could yeah and I've.
I still feel bad about it, but you're not beat the out yourself every day. You can't you know you can because it not. Nobody learns anything from that. I you know. If you make mistakes, you try to correct, amend you keep going well. You know. I certainly was nervous about this by
you know. By the time you got here. I wasn't good yeah. I was
excited about this, because it's my first, I think it's my first podcast yeah. How do you feel about it? Hi fi. I thought I'd like to do one a day yeah this
you know just hang out in LA for a week. Everybody's got one. It's not unlike comedy now everyone's got a podcast Argus Hamilton has a podcast. I did it, it's not a podcast he's
it's another podcast is something else. I'm doing a live streaming. Television show in the basement of the comedy store. Well, how do you do that yeah? Well, he set up a camera and you get a Youtube one of the stream.
Services and he goes live once a week. I think it's Tuesday night. This is new, it might be. I was last night you missed it. I wouldn't know how
how does one get that computer
Yes, I do yeah, I did it. I did Argus Argus is a character. I got an interview,
there's something going on in there yeah I've known him for well, I guess maybe I'll see him tomorrow. You know honestly dude. He still kills like he can see. You know he writes those jokes room, he writes the jokes and their current and he he does well. Does he travel? I don't know what he does. No one knows what he does. He comes to the comedy store, he does a set and he gets out any leaks, but that
very sober, happy. Oh he had some demons, yeah yeah yeah, no, he seems happy seems chipper. You know and he's he loves. The comedy store he's really the only one of that generation that has been grandfathered in you know by the by the institution to never stop working for as long as he wants to work, that's good yeah and what
what kind of boys and girls are on stage
for now you know, there's a lot of people that there's a good crew and the place is gotten very hot again. It's I think it's really the last authentic comedy club, you still sort
owned and operated by the original family. Kinda deal in the place looks same, but they they they fix the bad bathrooms in the back. Call they fix the floors. There is you know they they, the the places like they got security now.
He has not yet they don't have that's right. They never used to have secured his comics working the door. God forbid something happen, you guys go out. This is not part of what I do. You know, but no, it's like
The real operation, the he he allowed to have the the great new comics. Are there it's the best location for a club anywhere in the in the world, yeah and also the funny thing is I can I I believe that you probably feel to his liking, for
Whatever reason you know, when I got there in the late 80s, I felt immediately deeply and mystically attached to the point
I had the same thing I felt like geographically, I have accomplished what needed to be accomplished and what happened with Mitzi. Ultimately, you
that end up. I mean the a we. We show up yeah, we we, I I think afterwards, we we got to be friends again and I I ruth I
hey. I know your press tour, I'm not pressed for time. I thought you were really.
Well, no go ahead, so we were we're doing the show in LAS Vegas yeah and at her place,
I don't know we had the tv show at our your show, the mg
There is even younger and know the N b c. Okay, I don't know, may I was a cvs- has her. They were all such good.
They were, they were great, so we houses where we were walking through the casino and I see Mitzi come on the other way, and I said,
let's hear David,
how are you great Missy? How are you
fine, I said wow, that's some coat she's wearing a like a
thing that comes down to her waist. It's furry and I said that's a beautiful cut and she says
it's monkey shit. Ok,
I got a cheese. I got a cab to Mitzi and good luck. Monkey yeah and I just thought: well,
breaking a law is that somehow, my god,
but God bless are, I mean come on in and you can be on tv yeah. If you try get five minutes you're going on tv.
But what about that whole Improv Warren, like you, can't work there. You can only work on all that stuff. You know, there's the
it was great. I always had trouble at the improv,
you know there was Andy Kaufman, so it was worth going down there. I can't imagine what it was like to see him. I spent Astic yeah, I just
Then he would come on the show, and that was a dream also went to,
oh yeah yeah. He never knew it was.
I have no. No, he was so cool he would. He would tell you exactly what was going to happen. Yes, he was a gentleman in that respect. So you know so you
you got to play along yeah. He would say: here's what's going to happen.
Then Jerry Lawler will come out and we're going to get into a
argument and then he's going to hit me and then I'll go down, and that will be the segment. I said, ok,
and then it happens an even though I knew roughly what was going to happen. It was still oh, my god he wasn't kidding
and the audience of course is like cheese? We get your purse, we gotta get outta here.
And the thing that I loved about him from the beginning when they would come on our show and he would always say at the end of the segment,
send me the hate mail. Who else did you
like look forward to having,
Well, all my buddies, because you knew they were going to deliver. I used to love J on. We had a lame were on all the time. She was a good friend of ours in those days, George
Jim Miller, yeah God bless him. My love
Kevin George on I just still love him
all gone, you know Jeff and then Tom and Richard Richard Lewis,
it was great for us to you know. All of the all of these guys did really well for us. That was my dream. You know is that when I
Jim Coane- and I'm like- I want to be a panel gag yeah like richard- was on yeah. I've show any let me like three or four times a year, good yeah. That was great the great thing about panels like in half the jokes and have to be whole. It's like you know you could kind of wing it and and see what happens. Yep yep, it was
two different skills really and the guys that I didn't care for the guys who would just do their stand at Penn.
Yeah. I just thought one only to but we're not having a conversation. Yeah yeah. I have a little story, you you're funny and that's great, but if you could do that over there
come on over here talk to me and that's your Rodney Dangerfield yeah, I'm tired of talking work. Okay, now taken a turn in the norm. Show has
so you're. The one who saw that
what have you I love norm. God jeez and I don't know whatever the show I just I remember saying to TED surrenders yeah after all of the norm shows had been produced. I said what I think you guys really got something here, apparently not but I'll. I love the
yeah character thanks for talking to David April. Congratulations on everything, nice talking with you
That was a thrilling hour, so for me, thank you for hanging out Dave. Thank you for
listening to that is a little overwhelmed, but, like you got loose, it got loose. You know, man, Dave Letterman was at my house and we hung out and talked for awhile. Hey support for today show comes from the new Starbucks, triple shot and
the Starbucks Triple shot energy Energias, two hundred and twenty five milligrams of caffeine from Starbucks Coffee, a hint of flavor and it's enhanced with Rana, be Vita
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what matters to you available in three Delicious flavors, french, vanilla, cafe, mocha caramel, you can get it at your supermarkets, you know get it, that's a Starbucks trouble shot and
your supermarket David David Letterman was just here, I feel all right about it. I feel all right. I uh, you know I feel like I talk. Thio fell comic, so human guy trying to be a better guy, thoughtful guy. I don't know man what a fucking day right. I play a little guitar,
find.
Boomer lives.
Transcript generated on 2019-09-23.