Late-night legend David Letterman's ugly personality no laughing matter, former colleagues say

New York Daily News ^ | 3/11/17 | Larry McShane

[Yossarian]

Late-night funnyman David Letterman was hardly a barrel of laughs off the air.

A new biography of the now-retired talk show host portrays Letterman as more self-loathing than self-critical

[pcottraux]

So in other words, he was a liberal?

[lbtbell]

I never could stand his show, or him.

[iowamark]

Old Johnny Carson shows are on Antenna TV every night. They are quite a contrast to the late night shows today, both in the quality of the host and the guests.

[Captainpaintball]

Do tell!

[Jamestown1630]

That’s pretty neat - they have Burns and Allen, and Newhart...

[PhiloBedo]

a little picky, but you’d think the author would know that Coke cans haven’t been made with tin since the ‘60’s.

[21twelve]

“To me, he had a quirkiness that was fun.”

I used to watch him for quite awhile and was pretty religous every night. I think we quit watching it about the time the two Indian guys with the tourist shop got booted off his show (they wanted more money or something?). Bud Melvin(?) was a hoot too.

Years later I turned it on to see some special guest and the entire show was crap.

[ncfool]

He did a bit for about 10 years with an intern. I believe her name was Stephanie. Perhaps it was something else but she was sort of funny. Does Anybody know what her real name was.

[Jamestown1630]

I remember Bud! and I liked ‘stupid pet tricks’.

[Romans Nine]

Carson was great. I remember when interveiwed a little old lady from Iowa. Maybe she was over an hundred years old I can’t remember but he easily brought out a character in her that was great and fun to watch. He was an entertainment icon. Yes his personal life was a wreck but he was the best at his profession. I also miss watching him. I know he was a lib but he was a professional first.

What passes for comedy and those that pass for comedians today is pathetic.

[minnesota_bound]

The hair disappeared off the top of his head and grew out on his face.

[Riley]

Johnny Carson was it for late-night for me.

One of my cousins-by-marriage that I lived with for a while was Jay Leno’s on-the-road sound guy. Never heard anything about Leno’s behavior off-camera but the very best.

[definitelynotaliberal]

Likened her to a 'slutty flight attendant', trashed the entire profession and slammed Palin. Then came the pictures of his wife, whom he only married years after she served herself a slice of his earnings by becoming burdened with a baby.

http://img2-2.timeinc.net/people/i/2009/news/090406/letterman_lasko320.jpg

[867V309]

The Velcro suit was hilarious! After that, nothing,,,,,,,,,!

Best gig he had was throwing junk off buildings. Should have jumped, would be his claim to fame.

[ssaftler]

Anyone else recall Letterman's turn as comic relief on The Starland Vocal Band Show?

Wow! I'm not sure if I'm more surprised that Letterman was actually funny once, or that the Starland Vocal Band had a show. Well, I guess a one-trick pony for a one-hit wonder has a certain karma to it.

[Impy]

I never found him that funny, preferred Leno.

I’m not surprised to here he’s a jerk, he seemed like one. Something mean under the surface. Angry Clown.

[atc23]

I stream archived shows from Art Bell and George Knapp on Coast to Coast AM -’no commercials and spooky

[atc23]

Alcoholic (Letterman)

[Tuxedo]

He also did the hydraulic press. Hilarious

[Pelham]

Likely from this biography: King of the Night: The Life of Johnny Carson