David Letterman, a popular talk show host known for his humor and philanthropy, began his broadcasting career in Indiana before moving to Hollywood in the mid-1970s. He became a frequent guest on the Tonight Show and later hosted Late Night with David Letterman, which competed with Jay Leno’s show. Letterman’s interest in racing led him to invest in two race cars and form his own production company. He also created a charitable organization, the American Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming, which has donated over two million USD to children’s education and health programs.
David Letterman is a popular talk show host known for his quirky and dry wit, his willingness to tease or make fun of guests, and also for his philanthropic work and his love of auto racing. Born in 1947, in Indiana, Letterman’s first job in broadcasting was at the Ball State University student radio network, where he graduated in 1969. He majored in telecommunications and began his broadcasting career on the local Indianapolis station , WLWI.
Although David Letterman worked as a straight man, forecasting the weather and then broadcasting the news, he showed signs of his fantastic sense of humor and was well-liked by Indianapolis residents, but a little irritating to network executives. . The weather couldn’t be delivered without joking about it, and Letterman enjoyed predicting things like hailstones the size of canned hams. In fact, this reference may be one of his longest running jokes of him because he still occasionally gives canned hams to members of his audience.
Hollywood and the possibility of a career in stand-up comedy beckoned in the mid-1970s, and in 1975, David Letterman moved to the West Coast. He soon found work as a writer and performed stand-up comedy at prestigious comedy clubs such as The Comedy Store. He has also made a few guest appearances on television shows, including those on Mork and Mindy and Mary, and has become a guest on several game shows.
His acerbic humor caught the attention of Tonight Show host Johnny Carson, and he became a frequent guest on the show. Carson and David Letterman became very good friends and when Carson retired, it was very clear that he wanted Letterman to replace him as host of the Tonight Show. The job was instead given to Jay Leno, because Letterman’s show, Late Night with David Letterman, was very popular. The NBC television network owned both shows and did not want to give up the audience that Letterman had garnered on his show.
This decision by NBC executives left Letterman feeling severely battered. Under Johnny Carson’s advice, he moved on to host a show on the CBS network in 1993 that competed directly with Leno’s show. Initially Letterman’s ratings were much higher than Leno’s, but over time Leno gained popularity and consistently beat Letterman. Though he occasionally required absences, mostly due to heart bypass surgery in 2000, Letterman’s show still has a huge fan base. Some of the popular aspects of the Late Show include segments like Top Ten Lists and “Stupid Pet Tricks.”
David Letterman is not universally liked and has had some notable feuds with other celebrities. The most famous of these was a ten-year feud with Oprah Winfrey. The pair settled their differences amicably in 2007. Letterman was also noted for his unsuccessful turn as host of the 1995 Academy Awards. The pranks backfired and became the fodder of many comedians.
Letterman’s interest in racing prompted him to invest in the co-ownership of two race cars competing in Indy 500 events. He also formed his own production company, which produced several hit shows, including Ed and Everybody Loves Raymond. Letterman has expressed his philanthropic leanings by creating a charitable organization called the American Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming. Though the name sounds like a joke, through the foundation, funded primarily by the talk show host, Letterman has donated over two million US dollars (USD) to numerous programs supporting children’s education and health.
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