David Letterman has a very elaborate opening for his show . Announcer Alan Kalter does the voice over. We see scenes of New York City and Kalter says "From the greatest city in the world, it's Late Night with David Letterman!" Then he lists the guests and makes a joke like "Now with 50% more chicken flavor, David Letterman!" as the camera zooms over the heads of the audience and to the stage.
But lately Letterman is always out of position for this opening. A few years ago, one or two nights a week, we'd see him sprinting across the stage so he can come out from the audience's right. Now it is every night that he has to make a mad dash while we're all watching.
Then when he comes out, as he walks up to his spot on stage, he turns toward the left side of backstage and makes a gesture to somebody we can't see. It's a sort of tug on his sleeve or a tug on his wrist. Then he comes out to his mark to deliver his monologue.
First, doesn't he know when the show's about to begin? Do we take him by surpise every night? If he can't be in position when Kalter announces his name, why not just start coming out from the left side of the stage?
And why make a gesture every night to someone backstage? It's not his wife or son. They don't come to every show. It just isn't practical for the wife or son to attend every taping Monday thru Wednesday and twice on Thursday. Is it a producer or an assistant? What's with that? Carol Burnett used to tug on her ear as a way to signal hello to a favorite aunt at the end of her show every week. But that was someone she only saw a few times a year who lived hundreds of miles away. Whoever Letterman is gesturing to he just saw 90 seconds earlier and he'll see again when the show ends... and he does this five nights a week.
I guess we are all eccentric to an extent but I don't put my oddities on display every night for millions to see. Or is Letterman so insulated at this point that nobody at CBS or on his own staff can point this out to him?
Gregg
[email protected]
But lately Letterman is always out of position for this opening. A few years ago, one or two nights a week, we'd see him sprinting across the stage so he can come out from the audience's right. Now it is every night that he has to make a mad dash while we're all watching.
Then when he comes out, as he walks up to his spot on stage, he turns toward the left side of backstage and makes a gesture to somebody we can't see. It's a sort of tug on his sleeve or a tug on his wrist. Then he comes out to his mark to deliver his monologue.
First, doesn't he know when the show's about to begin? Do we take him by surpise every night? If he can't be in position when Kalter announces his name, why not just start coming out from the left side of the stage?
And why make a gesture every night to someone backstage? It's not his wife or son. They don't come to every show. It just isn't practical for the wife or son to attend every taping Monday thru Wednesday and twice on Thursday. Is it a producer or an assistant? What's with that? Carol Burnett used to tug on her ear as a way to signal hello to a favorite aunt at the end of her show every week. But that was someone she only saw a few times a year who lived hundreds of miles away. Whoever Letterman is gesturing to he just saw 90 seconds earlier and he'll see again when the show ends... and he does this five nights a week.
I guess we are all eccentric to an extent but I don't put my oddities on display every night for millions to see. Or is Letterman so insulated at this point that nobody at CBS or on his own staff can point this out to him?
Gregg
[email protected]
