Posted on 04/02/2004 10:12:01 PM PST by beaversmom
Posted on Fri, Apr. 02, 2004
Florida's `Yawning boy' joins Letterman as `Late Show' guest
FRAZIER MOORE
Associated Press
NEW YORK - Tyler Crotty, whose efforts to stave off sleep upstaged President Bush on network TV earlier this week, woke up a star Friday: He was a guest on "Late Show with David Letterman."
The 13-year-old Florida boy took his seat beside Letterman in Manhattan wearing the same khaki pants, navy polo shirt and orange baseball cap he had worn last month at an Orlando speech by Bush.
A comedy montage Dave aired on his CBS show Monday night included video of the seventh-grader desperately fidgeting, stretching and yawning behind Bush. Poking fun at the president, the bit was labeled "George W. Bush Invigorates America's Youth."
The footage became more than a joke when CNN ran it and reported that the White House was complaining the yawning boy had somehow been digitally inserted into the frame. Later the network said Bush administration officials hadn't complained, but Letterman hadn't gotten CNN's message until after ranting about the issue on the air.
On Friday's show, Tyler offered a reason for his sleepiness.
"You'd been up late the night before, because you were excited," Dave noted.
"Yeah, like 2 o'clock," said Tyler.
"Yeah," Dave said, "you were excited about meeting the president."
Then, after screening the video, he asked, "Do you find it entertaining when you watch it?"
"I find it hysterical," Tyler replied.
Tyler also confirmed that he was indeed at the Orange County Convention Center thanks to his father, Orange County Chairman and Bush supporter Rich Crotty.
"So, when you're there," said Letterman, "you didn't know the camera was on you, obviously."
"No," said Tyler, "I didn't."
"Do you know what the speech was about?" Letterman asked.
"Ummm, I can remember some parts of it."
But even if he missed other parts, there apparently were no hard feelings from Bush. Tyler read aloud a letter he had gotten from the president, who wrote, "The hall was hot and my speech was long, so I understand why a fellow your age might nod off."
Then Dave offered a solution. At the end of the interview, taped Friday afternoon, he presented his guest with a case of Red Bull energy drink.
"I'm going to stay up a little later," Tyler said.
| Rank | Location | Receipts | Donors/Avg | Freepers/Avg | Monthlies | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | South Dakota | 105.00 |
2 |
52.50 |
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35.00 |
3 |
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President Bush is such a classy guy!
Isn't he though?!? Kerry would have probably called him an SOB or asked him his party affiliation.
I don't think anyone's complaining about the original bit - the montage of yawns, watch winding, etc.
But Letterman's screech at the President was due to a 100% phony report on an alleged NEWS station! (CNN).
THAT is the kind of bashing that people are tired of (with any luck at all).
Yeah, and just to remind those people outraged about Letterman's dissing Bush. In contrast to the sterotypes Dave has created for Clinton (Horndog) or Kerry (flip-flop), the stereotype he presents of Bush as a slightly goofy dumb normal guy doesn't actually hurt Bush with Letterman's audience, because that's the same persona Dave presents for himself.
Ans as I predicted the only people coming out of this looking bad are CNN and those salivating about this incident bringing down Bush.
I know I'm not supposed to mention them but there is no joy in DUdville tonight. The words "lame-o softball suckfest" have been uttered.
I agree with you. I'm a Bushbot, but this was funny. There was nothing derogatory to Bush in this anyway. In fact, I'd guess that the president got a huge laugh out of this.
I do have a problem with "comedy" based on lies and designed to smear the president, but this bit doesn't fall into that category. Most of what I've seen Letterman do doesn't either, though I'll admit that I don't watch Letterman regularly.
Letterman loved Clinton in that he had so much material. One of the funniest things I saw him do on Clinton was in January or February 2001. He mentioned that the Clintons bought a new house in Chappaqua, and he said that he had a picture of their new place. Then he showed a picture of the house with Air Force One parked in the driveway.
Here is my take on the mistakes Kerry is making
To know that what Kerry is doing is wrong, all you have to do is look at the recent polls.
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