Just because it's awesome: Harmon Killebrew Night, David Letterman, 1986

[BigTrane]

With Letterman announcing his retirement this week, lots of 'best of' articles have appeared, but nothing can top this, imho. Pure genius, and maybe this will help you get into the spirit of Opening Day~ enjoy!

 

http://www.kare11.com/video/947735922001/0/David-Lettermans-Harmon-Killebrew-Night

 

While just 25 minutes, it's pure gold. Anybody have a link to the full show?

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Don't think I ever heard of this -wow. Like a Lost Honeymooner episode.

 

Well worth the 25 minutes if you have the time.

 

Thanks!

[Otto von Ballpark]

Wonderful deadpan surreal humor.

 

Anyone know the story behind it?

[Kyle Gibson]

That was pretty awesome. Thanks for sharing the link.

[BigTrane]

The story, as far as I know it, is just as Dave says... film fest schedule/timing went wrong. But, Dave in the early days was under the radar, and so off the leash. He just did whatever he wanted, and got away with it.

 

There's a Carson influence, too- middle-America types and dry humor. Think of Larry 'Bud' Melman getting his Warhol 15 minutes, or 'Small Town News', etc. I think Letterman is a true baseball fan, and combined with that small-town sensibility, it just came together in a perfect storm. Payette!

 

Anyway, where else do you see something like this? And Bob Allison and Jim Kaat, too? Golden. Glad everybody liked it, this was a treat for me, too. Might help me through dark moments in the next off-season...

[steve]

This is incredibly cool.

[Jerr]

Thanks for that!

And along with the great Colobella thread makes this such a great site to come to every day;)

[JB_Iowa]

Loved seeing that.

 

But it makes me a little sad, too. Brings back lots of memories of how edgy Letterman was in his NBC days. I'd only allow myself to watch the 1st half hour (took it til midnight Central) because of work the next morning. But I loved that half hour (or a little more).

 

Was just never the same after he moved to CBS at 10:30.

[BigTrane]

Loved seeing that.

 

But it makes me a little sad, too. Brings back lots of memories of how edgy Letterman was in his NBC days. I'd only allow myself to watch the 1st half hour (took it til midnight Central) because of work the next morning. But I loved that half hour (or a little more).

 

Was just never the same after he moved to CBS at 10:30.

 

Yeah, I totally agree... he was really out of control there in his NBC heyday.

 

Do you remember he started out in the *daytime*?

First time I became aware of REM was seeing them play 'Radio Free Europe' while home sick from school- blew me away. Then he moved to late night, and things like 'Dropping Things From A Five-Story Building' and 'The Guy Under The Seats' blew me away... good stuff.

 

Anyway, glad you enjoyed it~ must-see for any Twins fan!

[freshinthehouse]

Haha this is incredible. Hats off to the person that posted it.

 

But it makes me a little sad, too. Brings back lots of memories of how edgy Letterman was in his NBC days. I'd only allow myself to watch the 1st half hour (took it til midnight Central) because of work the next morning. But I loved that half hour (or a little more).

Was just never the same after he moved to CBS at 10:30.

 

Agreed. This show, along with Kids in the Hall, influenced the way I looked at comedy. I only got to catch the last couple years of the NBC show, but what a show. It was off the rails almost every episode.

 

The CBS show was alright at first, but he has certainly been mailing it in for the last several years. The only time he seems to get after it now is when someone attempts to rile him up. Dude is still one of the cleverest interviewers out there. Hopefully he will bring his A game more often now that he only has a limited time left on air.

[BigTrane]

Haha this is incredible. Hats off to the person that posted it.

 

 

 

Agreed. This show, along with Kids in the Hall, influenced the way I looked at comedy. I only got to catch the last couple years of the NBC show, but what a show. It was off the rails almost every episode.

 

The CBS show was alright at first, but he has certainly been mailing it in for the last several years. The only time he seems to get after it now is when someone attempts to rile him up. Dude is still one of the cleverest interviewers out there. Hopefully he will bring his A game more often now that he only has a limited time left on air.

 

True, true- but notice: this was '86. Dave was ahead of the curve, and not on a Twins WS bandwagon. He later had Hrbek on and did "Top 10 Ways to Mispronounce Kirb Puckett"- but that was after the fact.