Dave Letterman broke the news to us all last night. After 34 years of late night tom-foolery, he will notify the folks at the home office in Wahoo, Nebraska that he’s retiring, and wave good-night to us all in 2015. But first – let’s look at the very best of Letterman’s Top Ten lists.
Admittedly this is a compilation from over the years. Most of the important political candidates are on film here, desperate to get face time with the American public. Stroll down memory lane, and see everything from Obama’s campaign promises to the ‘A-ha’ moment when Mitt Romney reveals why his face is so gosh darned familiar to us. I thought he’d modeled sports shirts or underwear in the Penney’s catalog, but the ‘real’ reason is just as generic.
George Bush Jr made a rather startling campaign promise that he didn’t keep. I think I speak for most, when I say we’re much happier that mission wasn’t accomplished!
In more recent – and better days for him, even Chris Christie turned up, happy to parody himself with Dave.In a hostile time when late night hosts are accused of favoritism – deservedly or not, no party was safe from the slings and arrows of Letterman’s wit.
It seems like only yesterday that the goofy, gap-toothed comedian often donned a Velcro suit and hurtle toward a Velcro wall, hoping to stick. And it’s been some time since a parade of stupid pet and stupid human tricks paraded through the studio…more’s the pity. Of course Dave’s forte has always been his dry humor which can take any interview on delightedly unexpected side-roads. Speaking of side-roads, few will forget the night Drew Barrymore climbed atop Dave’s desk to flash him. She’s impetuous like that.
Letterman who has spent so much of his life on stage, admitted in a recent interview, that he regretted having thought that he couldn’t have it all, a family and a career. It’s likely that his retirement is prompted by a desire to spend time with his young son and his wife. The announcement seemed to be a surprise to guests, with Johnny Depp telling Letterman: ‘You have a lot of weepers back there.’ The actor, who was on the show to promote his new film Transcendence, added: ‘I myself was on the verge [of tears] … only ’cause I’d planned to announce my retirement on the show.’