When Regis Philbin David Letterman asked about the difficultdecision to return to the air less than a week after 9/11, the "Late Show" host said, "I remember not wanting to go back, not feelingready to go back, but knowing We had to go back. And you know -my concerns were minimal compared to people who really suffered."
Philbin, sitting in for Piers Morgan, in his return to hosting afterleaving 'Regis and Kelly "Letterman gets to open up aboutfatherhood, politics, his career, his friendship with the late JohnnyCarson and more.
Letterman: Both parties target of jokes Letterman: Brian Williamscan have my job What Letterman thinks of Johnny Carson Carsonpredicts future Letterman Letterman's son and joke about skiing
Letterman's "Late Show" guest on September 17, 2001, werePhilbin and Dan Rather, and his completely joke-free monologuewas solemnly delivered from behind his desk rather than the usualcenter stage. Letterman praised New York firefighters, police officers and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Of those who carried out theattacks, he said: "We were told that they were zealots fueled byreligious fervor, and if you live to be a thousand years old, will thatmake any sense to you?"
Philbin, sitting in for Piers Morgan, in his return to hosting afterleaving 'Regis and Kelly "Letterman gets to open up aboutfatherhood, politics, his career, his friendship with the late JohnnyCarson and more.
Letterman: Both parties target of jokes Letterman: Brian Williamscan have my job What Letterman thinks of Johnny Carson Carsonpredicts future Letterman Letterman's son and joke about skiing
Letterman's "Late Show" guest on September 17, 2001, werePhilbin and Dan Rather, and his completely joke-free monologuewas solemnly delivered from behind his desk rather than the usualcenter stage. Letterman praised New York firefighters, police officers and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Of those who carried out theattacks, he said: "We were told that they were zealots fueled byreligious fervor, and if you live to be a thousand years old, will thatmake any sense to you?"
When Philbin asked Letterman to take him back to the beginning ofhis career, Letterman recalled falling behind in college until thesemester he took a public speaking course at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. He referred to the class as a "lifeline" that made him realize he "might be able to turn this into doing something."
Letterman graduated from Ball State in 1969 and six years laterwent to California to try to make it as a writer. He found successquickly, he told Philbin, "not because of me. It was just in those days... if you wanted to go to California and become a comic or get involved in comedy, writing, performing, whatever, the blueprint forthat was laid out in front of you every night on 'The Tonight Show.' "
The show's host, Carson, often plugged comedians' appearancesat the Comedy Store, and Letterman saw the famed Hollywoodcomedy club as "an instant connection."
Three years later, in 1978, Letterman appeared on "The TonightShow."
On that appearance, Carson predicted great success for the youngcomedian, and Letterman, watching the old "Tonight Show" clip,Philbin told, "That breaks my heart - to see Johnny again."
Letterman recalled Carson's early influence on him.
"He was, I think, the biggest star in television. And I was just a kid ...who has followed the beacon light of his coming out of Burbank."
Letterman called Carson's Friendship "a tremendous blessing" andsaid he made a point of telling him the way he felt. Lettermanrecalled the last time he saw Carson.
"The way life is," Letterman said, "You do not know that that will be the last time, but it turned out to be the last time, and it could not have been a lovelier evening. And I cherish that because it wasunusual. it was not going to happen under any other circumstances.and it was my wife, myself, Johnny and his wife on Johnny's yachtthat he had anchored in the Hudson.
Letterman graduated from Ball State in 1969 and six years laterwent to California to try to make it as a writer. He found successquickly, he told Philbin, "not because of me. It was just in those days... if you wanted to go to California and become a comic or get involved in comedy, writing, performing, whatever, the blueprint forthat was laid out in front of you every night on 'The Tonight Show.' "
The show's host, Carson, often plugged comedians' appearancesat the Comedy Store, and Letterman saw the famed Hollywoodcomedy club as "an instant connection."
Three years later, in 1978, Letterman appeared on "The TonightShow."
On that appearance, Carson predicted great success for the youngcomedian, and Letterman, watching the old "Tonight Show" clip,Philbin told, "That breaks my heart - to see Johnny again."
Letterman recalled Carson's early influence on him.
"He was, I think, the biggest star in television. And I was just a kid ...who has followed the beacon light of his coming out of Burbank."
Letterman called Carson's Friendship "a tremendous blessing" andsaid he made a point of telling him the way he felt. Lettermanrecalled the last time he saw Carson.
"The way life is," Letterman said, "You do not know that that will be the last time, but it turned out to be the last time, and it could not have been a lovelier evening. And I cherish that because it wasunusual. it was not going to happen under any other circumstances.and it was my wife, myself, Johnny and his wife on Johnny's yachtthat he had anchored in the Hudson.
