David Letterman is a talkshow staple when it comes to veterans of the industry.
The American television host, comedian and write has become an icon in the States and has won prestigious awards and recognition for his interview skills and iconic shows.
He’s interviewed everyone from Madonna to Bob Dylan, Jennifer Aniston to Jennifer Lawrence – if you’re in Hollywood, you’ve been grilled by Letterman.
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If you’ve ever wondered about David’s glittering career highlights, then look no further – Daily Star has put together a selection of the star’s most memorable moments.
Keep reading to check out some career highlights from David’s hugely successful TV run.
Feuds
Letterman has been involved in a long list of drama since he first appeared on air.
American talkshow host Oprah Winfrey reported back in 1989 that she’d “felt so uncomfortable that she didn’t want to have that experience again” after appearing on NBC’s Late Night.
This resulted in a 16 year long feud between the pair, which was reportedly solved after Winfrey agreed to go on his show once again.
Back in 2009, he also landed himself in hot water after he made a sexually suggestive joke about Sarah Palin’s daughter, of which he later apologised.
Long running career
Aside from his feuds, Letterman’s career is of course his most impressive achievement.
Letterman began his career on his college’s student-run radio station as an announcer after he realised his passion for broadcasting.
Soon after he graduated, David landed a job as a radio talk show host and a place on an Indianapolis television station.
His quirky behaviour gained him popularity and his unpredictable lines kept audiences laughing throughout his bulletins.
Letterman once congratulated a storm for being upgraded to a hurricane, while another bizarre comment came when he compared hailstones to “the size of canned hams”.
David’s personality shone through as he began to troll viewers by predicting the weather forecast for fictitious locations.
He once joked that a state line had been erased and blamed politics for the fake scenario.
Letterman went on to land roles on children’s TV shows and eventually hosted his own talkshow.
From then on his career only skyrocketed and he was moved to a late night slot which earned a reputation for being wildly unpredictable.
He was known for sparring with his celebrity guests and jokey segments that provided laughs all round for his predominantly college student viewers.
Achievements
Throughout his over five decade long career, Letterman has received many awards for his contribution to the entertainment industry.
His show received 67 Emmy Award nominations and he won 12 times during his first two decades on air.
Letterman also regularly reached among the top names in polls about the nation’s favourite talkshow hosts.
He even went on to host the 1995 Academy Awards.
Heart Surgery
Back in 2000, a checkup revealed that an artery in his heart was obstructed and he was rushed into surgery.
He was forced to take time off from presenting and the Late Show saw Drew Barrymore, Robin Williams, Bruce Willis, Hilary Clinton and Danny DeVito take his place, among many other Hollywood names.
When Letterman returned to his show, he brought out all of the doctors and nurses that worked on him.
An emotional David was nearly reduced to tears as he exclaimed that they were “the people who saved his life” – a gesture that earned the episode an Emmy nomination.
Madonna’s 1994 interview
(Image: MDIBMultimedia/Youtube)
During an infamous interview back in 1994, Madonna caused quite a stir after appearing on Letterman’s show.
The singer smoked on air, swore and used suggestive language the entire way through her segment.
She used the word f*** 14 times, which made the episode the most censored in American network television talk show history.
Letterman also had some of the highest rating’s he’d ever experienced due to Madonna’s disruptive and controversial behaviour.
(Image: Wikipedia)
Critics even scorned Madonna and raved that she’d hit “her lowest low” as she used double entendres and refused to leave the set after her segment was over.
As she initially made her way onto the set, she walked on to her song Holiday while holding a pair of knickers.
She exclaimed to Letterman: “Wait a minute, aren’t you gonna smell them? […] I gave him my underpants and he won’t smell them!”
Madonna then pulled out a cigar and began to smoke it before calling him a “sick f***”.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
