Anyone else disklike David Letterman?

[Geoff_M]

Letterman doesn't even try to be non-political or non-biased. I can't stand him anymore.

I "grew up" with Letterman. I used to watch him when I was a kid in East Central Indiana as the TV weatherman and host of "trying too hard to be hip and cool" Saturday afternoon teen-oriented talk show on Channel 13 in Indy. (When "Clover Power" came on, it was a bummer because I knew the Saturday morning cartoons were over.) I loved watching him when he went "national" and Late Night was standard fare in my dorm at IU in Bloomington. I also seen a lot of him at CART races and Indy when I've worked in the pits.

I don't know, about 10 or 15 years ago I lost my appetite for Letterman. Too often he seems like a bitter old curmudgeon and uses his show to "go on the attack".

 

[a1tinkfans]

He just seems like an old pervert to me lately. Did you hear what he said to Serena Williams?

I'll take Jimmy Kimmel any day!

I did not hear what he did...
but last time I passed thru the channel/show he commented about the latest decision of Kelly and her new co-host and he actually said....Blah Blah, Kelly Lee (as in kathy lee) Uh...perhaps he needs glasses...Or to RETIRE
He just seems Old and Tired to me...AKA Boring....
..

GO JIMMY KIMMEL!!!!!

 

[Scurvy]

I used to really like Letterman. I liked Leno too but I enjoyed Letterman's quirkiness. Then the whole shakeup happened with Leno getting the Tonight Show and Letterman changed completely. Now I don't like Letterman at all. I do still like Leno.

I don't know, about 10 or 15 years ago I lost my appetite for Letterman. Too often he seems like a bitter old curmudgeon and uses his show to "go on the attack".

I agree completely with this. Letterman comes across like an angry old man and I find his show painful to watch. I never intentionally watch any more but I have caught bits of the show occasionally and almost every time I've seen him say something wrong - like calling someone the wrong name, for example.

For what it's worth, I know some people who have performed on both shows a few times over the years and they always liked Leno more. They said he's better to work with, and they really didn't like Letterman even back when his show was good.

 

[merryweather20]

Neither one-sided nor pulp.

On rare occasion something in them is funny. I'd be more than happy for them to cease to exist. So would he; he hates them. Everyone hates them except America, where it became a thing that they must perpetuate.

I'd prefer nightly 'Potatoes or Gavin McLeod,' or 'Will it Float,' or 'Trump or Monkey,' or even a nightly recitation of dog poetry.

So you've put in some deep research, but you missed the part where he fought with NBC over nomenclature, and keeping some form of the bit in his show on the new network?
Are the people demanding the top ten the same as the canned cheez people?

 

[Family Fun Mom]

No one said it's excusable - but it's not our behaviour to excuse. It's his wife's, and however it violated whatever their deal was.

Leno's point was that it was silly for people to act as if they were shocked or offended as if Letterman was a hypocrite or a liar or something, which they could have, had Leno been in the same situation. Letterman had never presented himself as anything but this - thus to be surprised and shocked that he was this was disingenuous.

Also - I think your analogy is faulty. Kicking a dog is abuse. Consenting adult relationships are what they are. He was the victim of a crime, not the perpetrator of one. He violated some agreement with his wife, but that's their business, no one else's.

A man who kicks dogs and a man who cheats on his wife are equal jerks in my eyes. I know people who are the victims of cheating spouses. They would rather have been kicked. A kick is easier to recover from.

 

[Family Fun Mom]

The bold is pretty obvious!

Kicking a dog is abuse. A grown man having an affair with another grown up isn't abuse. It may go against my morals but his girlfriend of many years, now wife, doesn't seem to be too bothered by it since she is still with him. If I had to dislike everyone associated with Hollywood that slept around, I'd never turn on my TV or see a movie again.

I actually didn't even know Letterman was married, or a cheater, until I read this thread. I don't watch his show and don't follow his life because I don't like him or his show. But learning all this confirms what I already thought; Letterman's a jerk. I'm extra glad I don't watch him now that I know he's a womanizer on top of it all.

ETA Before someone asks, yes, I have watched his show. I used to tune in fairly regularly when I was younger. But I completely lost my taste for him around the time he hosted the Oscars. Uma... Oprah, not funny.

 

[cornflake]

So you've put in some deep research, but you missed the part where he fought with NBC over nomenclature, and keeping some form of the bit in his show on the new network?
Are the people demanding the top ten the same as the canned cheez people?

Not research.

Of course he fought for it, it's his intellectual property. Not liking it and leaving it for someone else to make money off of are two entirely different things.

Yes, the people demanding the Top Ten are the canned cheez people. It is a business.

As for the cheating - no one has any idea what their deal was. She was with him for decades before they were married.

 

[cornflake]

I did not hear what he did...
but last time I passed thru the channel/show he commented about the latest decision of Kelly and her new co-host and he actually said....Blah Blah, Kelly Lee (as in kathy lee) Uh...perhaps he needs glasses...Or to RETIRE
He just seems Old and Tired to me...AKA Boring....
..

GO JIMMY KIMMEL!!!!!

That's a joke. He's been calling them 'Regis and Kelly Lee' for years.

 

[asta]

I love Letterman. I think his show is a zillion times funnier and more interesting than Leno. While his style may be a little acerbic, I find his humor to be intelligent. Leno is just corny.

I also really like Jimmy Fallon. It is a shame that he doesn't have Leno's time slot.

 

[cornflake]

I "grew up" with Letterman. I used to watch him when I was a kid in East Central Indiana as the TV weatherman and host of "trying too hard to be hip and cool" Saturday afternoon teen-oriented talk show on Channel 13 in Indy. (When "Clover Power" came on, it was a bummer because I knew the Saturday morning cartoons were over.) I loved watching him when he went "national" and Late Night was standard fare in my dorm at IU in Bloomington. I also seen a lot of him at CART races and Indy when I've worked in the pits.

I don't know, about 10 or 15 years ago I lost my appetite for Letterman. Too often he seems like a bitter old curmudgeon and uses his show to "go on the attack".

Oh my heck, really? Tell me you saw him congratulate the hurricane.

He's seemed like a bitter old curmudgeon his entire career to me. It's part of what makes him so amusing. He's so much mellower now - he really used to go after people much more.

Remember Nastassja Kinski? And the Cher thing? And the Madonna thing?

Now he reserves it for when he gets really ticked off and finds someone especially irritating. If you haven't seen it, he eviscerated Bill O'Reilly on the show a couple of years ago, around Christmas. It was the best thing on tv that year. He was just vicious and brilliant and so, so quick. It was beyond hilarious - same as when he got peeved at Joaquin Phoenix when he went on pretending to be whatever he was pretending to be, with the beard, when he was filming the Casey Affleck thing. Brilliant and hilarious.

Jack Hanna's appearances are still always rofl-worthy too, though not in the same way.

 

[denisem]

Letterman's humor is an acquired taste. But he's true to himself. Have always found it interesting that prior to the Tonight Show, Jay Leno had "edgier" humor, but watered it down for the masses.

BTW, I read "The Late Shift" years ago (it was also a highly rated HBO movie available on Netflix) and the behind-the-scenes machinations by Leno and his agent toward Carson's "retirement" were enlightening. Pulp fiction? I think not, or the author/production team on the film would have been sued. Interesting stuff if anyone is interested.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Never really cared for him. I also feel that his Top 10 would do better if it was only once a week as there are many days that it is clear that they are reaching to try and find humor.

 

[Andtototoo]

I've never liked Letterman. I don't think he's funny. (Nor do I think Conan is funny.) But worse than that, he's smug, which repels me. Every time I watch him, I feel like popping him in the nose.

I usually like Leno and I wish Jimmy Fallon was on earlier, because I really like him.

 

[Bob NC]

I liked Letterman when I was younger. For many years I never missed his show.

I don't know what happened, but, it kind of seems like I grew up a little bit and he didn't.

Whenever I see a little of his show now I feel a little embarrassed for him. Lol, on second thought maybe I'm embarrassed for ME because I'm watching him.

 

[Geoff_M]

Oh my heck, really? Tell me you saw him congratulate the hurricane.

No, but I saw a great moment when he was doing the weather when he realized that the US map was missing the line for the border between Ohio and Pennsylvania. He stopped the weather, and pretended to be handed a bulletin that he "read" and announced the merger of the two states, complete with the new name (can't remember) and other pertinent details. Ball State University's telecomm department has a great TV news blooper reel with lots of stuff from Letterman and "The Today Show's" Jane Pauley.

 

[luvmy3]

I used to LOVE David Letterman. Even went to see his show taped...twice.

Now, I can't stand him. Can't even sit through the Top Ten List anymore.

His time is done.

I don't know, about 10 or 15 years ago I lost my appetite for Letterman. Too often he seems like a bitter old curmudgeon and uses his show to "go on the attack".

 

[Tinkh]

I really love Letterman, but I also really like Kimmel and Conan. I will never, ever watch Jay Leno.

 

[CandyMandy]

Letterman doesn't even try to be non-political or non-biased. I can't stand him anymore.

I completely agree and that is why I no longer watch him. Those with class understand politics and religion don't mix well with open social discussion. Or stated another way, you can be funny and engaging without taking sides. But Dave either doesn't understand that or doesn't have the maturity to restrain himself from broadcasting his biases - and I suspect the people here who are giving him kudos tend to be those who share his "preferences" (if they really didn't they would not be able to stand him).

 

[Tinkh]

I completely agree and that is why I no longer watch him. Those with class understand politics and religion don't mix well with open social discussion. Or stated another way, you can be funny and engaging without taking sides. But Dave either doesn't understand that or doesn't have the maturity to restrain himself from broadcasting his biases - and I suspect the people here who are giving him kudos tend to be those who share his "preferences" (if they really didn't they would not be able to stand him).

Way to show YOUR restraint and class in not inserting your assumed judgement of people and their political preferences. As a person who does not take ones opinion based on their ideals in the voting booth, I am perfectly capable of enjoying someone for their talent and humor. I have been watching him since I was a teen and he was on NBC. If I didn't care for someone because of their political leanings, I would have a short list of people that I could watch. Stay classy!

 

[StephMK]

I don't like Letterman but dislike Leno even more. I stay up late every night but I never watch either of them, it's either HGTV or Food Network. I Jimmy Fallon so I might watch him if he ever gets bumped to an earlier spot.