Letterman's third to last show (Monday, May 18th, 2015)

When I first started watching "Late Night with David Letterman" it had only been on the air for a few months. Amazingly fresh and hilarious it was, and I watched it regularly throughout the early and mid eighties. Throughout the nineties I guess I gradually watched it less and less often, and I'd estimate that this century I've seen it probably less than half a dozen times. But on those occasions when I have watched the 21st century broadcasts, or checked out recent clips on Youtube, I've been struck by how tired and cranky and just going-through-the-motions Dave has seemed. And then there have been the embarrassingly cringe inducing political jokes and ramblings I've seen. When I see him adopting that grotesque and dishonest "Gee whiz I'm just a simple guy but it just seems clear even to a bumpkin like me that blah blah blah blah" thing I seriously feel ill with embarrassment for him.

But anyway, this is the final week of his show, and I've got to say that those episodes of the early years of "Late Night" were some of the most enjoyable television viewing I've ever had, and I'm a sentimental guy, particularly when it comes to "end of an era" sort of events like the Monty Python reunion last year and now Letterman heading out to pasture this year, so I feel obligated to watch this week, and then I just remembered this blog that I started and thought I was going to do something with but never did, so I thought I'd write some observations here. And here they are: *ahem* . . . Regarding his THIRD TO LAST EPISODE: His opening jokes were as tired as I expected. And he even dove into the political stuff. He said that Jeb Bush (who, I think, has announced that he's running for prez in 2016, I think?) recently said that "if gay people are allowed to marry then the next thing you know women will want the right to vote". Do you think that's anywhere close to funny? In this age of a million and one clowns and assholes spouting on talk radio and 24 hour cable news, not to mention online, trying to be oh-so-clever with precisely that exact stupid line, do you really think it's funny when Letterman says it on his late night talk show?

So anyway, then Tom Hanks came on and I found their chit-chat pretty boring, which caused me to ponder ------ if this was still nineteen eighty-something and Tom and Dave were chatting about "Bachelor Party" or "Splash" I know that I'd be finding it fascinating and hilarious. So what's changed? Me? Or Hanks and Letterman? I honestly don't know. Maybe I just don't give much of a damn about celebrities and their show biz anecdotes anymore. Or maybe those guys are just old and jaded and boring and fake nowadays? Like I said, I pondered it but I really and truly and honestly don't know.

Actually, during the second half of the interview I did loosen up and started to chuckle and enjoy it. And then Eddie Vedder wrapped up the show performing that "can't find a better man" song. I've never really been a fan of Pearl Jam or Vedder, but I thought it was a great performance. I will catch the second to final show. And final show. And, unless the existence of this blog completely slips out of my thoughts, I will post something 'bout those.