All this month I am participating in the A to Z Challenge. Today's letter is...
for David Letterman
David Letterman announced his retirement today. It feels like I'm losing an old friend. I've been watching him for over 30 years. When my children were babies, and I was a stay-at-home mom, I watched his morning show. When my kids were in preschool and I went back to college to get my teaching certificate, I wrote my Master's thesis late at night with Dave to keep me company. One of the benefits of retirement has been staying up to watch Dave on the "Late Show" without having to get up early in the morning to go to work.
Dave has had his ups and downs. I commiserated with him when he didn't get the Tonight Show and I admired how he dealt with the very public disappointment. His frustration became material for his comedy, and while he sometimes sounded a little bitter, he was always funny. I appreciated that he didn't deny his disappointment, but he went on and achieved even greater success.
Years later he had another very public humiliation when his sexual relationship with a staffer became public. He he made a public apology. He showed us that he was human; he made mistakes, and he moved forward and tried to rectify them. He's a pretty good role model. He's demonstrated that you can fail and still achieve, make mistakes and make amends, and be a celebrity and human.
Although I will miss his company late at night when the rest of my household is fast asleep, I wish him all the best in his retirement. I hope he will find, like I have, that retirement is one more opportunity to find joy every day.
Thanks, Dave, for sharing so much of yourself with us for so many years.
Posts
I was sad to hear this also, but late night TV is going to the youth now and it is better to step away when it is his choice rather than to be dismissed like Leno (twice). I am also happy that he outlasted Leno.
ReplyDeleteBefore I retired I was an early to bed person. So, I never got into the late night talk shows. I have, of course, seen Letterman on occasion and I do know he has a unique talent. Both he and Johnny Carson, kept a mysterious air about themeselves, adding, I think to their intrigue.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid as a morning person I've never once watched Dave Letterman. But I'm sad he will be retiring; it's just one more reminder of time passing by so fast. I'm enjoying your A-Z challenge, Jann. I knew I would. :-)
ReplyDeleteI wish him the best as well. We will find something else to watch. But there will never be another David Letterman. I just don't like the other late night talk shows.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe there is someone else in the world who remembers his morning show. I worked at my parents motel each summer and it was always on in our lobby. I loved that show! It will seem strange without him. I am a Fallon addict and have been for years, but I will always have a soft spot for Dave...it will be so strange without him.
ReplyDeleteIf I watched any late night show, which was seldom, it was the Letterman show that I watched. I frequently heard his top ten list the next day on the radio. Funny stuff.
ReplyDeleteNice job on this tribute.