Dave TV...
This was the night that David Letterman joined "Katie TV" which some are calling CBS-TV (with tongue firmly affixed to cheek) 13 years ago after "retiring" from NBC. Dave is just as funny, topical and creative as he was back in 1993. He opened his latest monologue wtih 3 gems in a row, first mentioning the USA team from Columbus (GA) that won the Little League World Series..."I know that doesn't mean much to you folks but Wayne Gretsky's wife just lost a half a million dollars". On Tom Cruise, "did you hear that Tom Cruise has a new business partner ? and I was worried that Tom would be driving a cab". George Bush was the next target: "the President is visiting New Orleans on the anniversary of Katrina. Now if we could just get FEMA down there". Not word for word as I was paraphrasing but those punchlines are pretty accurate and quite fitting for Letterman's humor...
Billy Joel was Letterman's first musical guest on his CBS show and it was reportedly on idol Johnny Carson's advice that David made the move to a new network after 11 years at NBC. The final straw for Letterman was the selection of Jay Leno as Carson's replacement. Johnny's choice ? David Letterman...
Each "Late Show with David Letterman" is taped at 5pm at the old Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway for playback that night. For recaps, "The Wahoo Gazette" shows highlites of each show, including the infamous Letterman Top 10:
http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/esclusives/wahoo/
Ten Timeline Memories...
(01) [1963] The hot-line communications link between Washington and Moscow goes into operation (unfortunately outtakes of the first several wrong numbers were on Nixon's blank 18-minute tape)...
(02) [1964] The Beatles draw 18,000 Beatlemaniacs to the Atlantic City Convention Hall on the Boardwalk (I was at WMID and this was the year my daughter Lynn was born in AC Hospital and it was also the year the Democratic National Convention was at the same venue as the Bealtes)...
(03) [1965] Thurgood Marshall is confimed by the Senate as the 1st black Supreme Court Justice...
(04) [1970] Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, the Who, Joni Mitchell, Jethro Tull, the Moody Blues and more appear at the Isle of Wight Pop Festival...
(05) [1972] John Lennon & Yoko Ono perform at their "One To One" benefit for children at Madison Square Garden...
(06) [1976] Tom Brokaw joins the "Today Show" as news anchor...
(07) [1984] An auction of Beatles memorabilia in London, including Ringo Starr's snare drum and an unpublished John Lennon book raises $270,000...
(08) [1989] A federal jury in New York finds "the Queen of mean", Leona Helmsley guilty of income tax evasion but acquits her of extortion...
(09) [1992] "Northern Exposure" wins an Emmy for "Outstanding Drama Series" (that is was !)...
(10) [1995] James Taylor and Carly Simon reunite on Martha's Vineyard for "Livestock '95", a benefit for the MV's Agricultural Society, as Cape Cod's summer draws to a close on the Vineyard...
#1 on this date: 1961] "Michael" - Highwaymen...1965] "Help!" - Beatles...
Released on this date: 1981] "Tatoo You" LP - Rolling Stones...
"D-I-V-O-R-C-E": 1988] Julianne Phillips files for divorce from Bruce Springsteen (ironically rumors are swirling now that the Boss and Patti Scialfa might be headed that way)...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...
Commentary...
Bob Sherwood e-emails that he has a ticket for the Beatles final concert in the USA (Candlestick Park,1966). Aside to Bob: if things ever get tough (not likely for you I know) but...that ticket is worth a bloody fortune on eBay. Hold on to it Bob...
"Happy Birthday...happy Birthday"...
Andy Roddick (24), Cameron Diaz (34), Michael Chiklis (43), Celtic great, "The Chief", Robert Parish (53), Timothy Bottoms (55), Peggy Lipton (59), Elizabeth Ashley (67), Warren Buffett (76), Bill Daily ("The Bob Newhart Show") (78) and "The Queen of Country Music", Kitty Wells (87)...
[Timeline Countdown: 6 days until Labor Day, 10 days until NFL kickoff, 35 days until MLB playoffs, 123 days left in 2006 and The Mets Magic #: 17]
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