Top 10 Most Memorable David Letterman Moments

the longest-serving late-night talk show host in history has had some memorable moments over the years ladies and gentlemen this is not a promo this is the actual show welcome to watchmojo.com and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 David Letterman TV moments number 10 things that sound creepy when said by John Malkovich I put my jammies on all by myself mom made for this list we're looking at the best moments from David Letterman's late-night shows and are including both his time on NBC and CBS meaning both Late Night with David Letterman and Late Show with David Letterman [Music] with damon we're looking for specific incidents however and are not including recurring segments like the top ten lists although we at WatchMojo would like to give a special thanks to letterman for this format [Applause] [Music] number ten monologue after 9/11 to the Late Show this is our first show on the air since New York and Washington were attacked and I need to ask your patience and indulgence here because I want to say a few things the United States and especially New York City was in no mood for comedy following the terrorist attacks on September 11th 2001 Letterman was the first late-night comedian to return to the air and gave an emotional monologue to open his first show back they had a rally for New York City and not just a rally for New York City but a rally to raise money to raise money for New York City and and if that doesn't tell you everything you need to know about the spirit of the United States and I can't help you Letterman was visibly distraught but gave a heartfelt speech that praised then Mayor Rudy Giuliani the police and fire departments for myself and everybody else not only in New York but everywhere is that we never ever take these people for granted absolutely never take them for granted he ended by calling New York City the greatest city in the world if you didn't believe it before you can absolutely believe it now New York City is the greatest city in the world which would become the tagline of the show I I think these are great moments on television well thank you I well thank you I don't know what to say beyond that number nine Paris Hilton after jail I Love New York New York City is exciting though isn't it I was born here yeah yeah good for you how'd you like being in jail Letterman can be pretty tough on his guests and even made Lindsay Lohan cry at one point stop yeah she's tearing up a little bit god bless you although Paris Hilton didn't cry she was visibly angered by Dave's constant questions about her time in jail tell us what it now looking back looking back on that experience what have we learned what can you tell us what what what's different about you forward as you look back Paris allegedly believed she had been invited on the show to talk about her perfume and her new film but instead was grilled by Letterman about what jail was like including what the meals were and if they had locked up her friend Nicole Richie as well they locked up here a friend Nicole she was only in for a short period of time when she how could she was only in for like 45 minutes how did that work how can somebody only be in for 45 minutes number 8 Dave admits to adultery well more or less while Letterman was never afraid to make fun of himself and his life on air he kept the details of his personal life relatively private the creepy stuff was that I have had sex with women who work for me on this show that all changed in October of 2009 when he confessed on-air to having had sexual affairs with female members of his staff would it be embarrassing if it were made public perhaps it would perhaps would this especially for the women perhaps more shockingly he gave details of an extortion attempt against him from a man who was seeking two million dollars or he would tell the public all the details of Dave's sexual escapades the idea is is if they believe in fact a crime has been committed then they issue a warrant and that's exactly what happened and a little bit after noon today the guy was arrested number seven Farrah Fawcett spaced out what kind of things do they say to you when they see you yo looking good yeah yo yeah so yeah right you know that New York where they just say yes Farrah Fawcett is not the first celebrity to try to hang on to success but she may have spent too much time in the tanning bed before this interview [Applause] yeah faucet tolls long nonsensical stories that left everyone including Letterman incredibly confused there are places where the wall right the wall what is that the thing the interview sparked rumors that faucet was on drugs or drunk dope that's really dope although it was later suggested that she was attempting to play the ditzy blonde to promote Playboy magazine we'll let you decide that's one that's more and you could just cover that right sure cover the bat how long did it take you to get the paint off number six Madonna dropping f-bombs put on an hour just sitting around smoking cigars swapping recipes Letterman isn't afraid to antagonize his guests and this interview with Madonna may be the perfect example let's go kiss a guy in the audience Dave set the stage by introducing her as having slept with some of the biggest names in the industry and Madonna retaliated by saying she was only there because there wasn't a Knicks game on she then proceeded to drop the f-bomb 14 times I tell you what we were gonna do a commercial and we're gonna wash her my thought was solely claim that she gave Dave a pair of her underwear and made countless sexual innuendos Dave just slobbered all over mine you asked me to light it for and I thought I was doing the gentlemanly class I'm ever gonna get to kissing you including a joke about NBA players and the microphone that microphone is really long speaking of the NBA number five Johnny Carson's final appearance Johnny could I have the top ten list Jay Leno may have landed The Tonight Show gig but it was Dave who got the last laugh when he secured Johnny Carson's final TV appearance in 1994 [Music] [Applause] Carson who first appeared on Letterman in 1985 locked onstage to a thunderous applause from the audience [Applause] [Music] Letterman gave him the host chair and for a second it seemed like Carson would reclaim his throne he then shook his head and as all legends do walked off into the sunset it's still a little warm I wish a little that would rub off on me Wow number four Andy Kaufman gets slapped I don't want to sit out here and pretend that I'm friends with this guy because I think he's a wimp with Andy Kaufman it was nearly impossible to tell if something was real or staged Kaufman appeared on Letterman with wrestler Jerry Lawler who had injured Kaufman's neck in a wrestling match Kaufman demanded an apology from Lawler because of the injury while Lawler mocked Kaufman's neck brace [Applause] Lawlor eventually had enough and slapped Kaufmann so hard he fell out of his chair you're full of my friend I will sue you for everything you have Kaufman unleashed a verbal tirade on Lawler and threw a cup of coffee at him staged or not this is definitely one of the more memorable moments in television history thanks to the studio audience we're putting up with this tonight I think we've learned a little something about human nature haven't we number three Joaquin Phoenix's bizarre interview but I will just say right off the top here you look different than I remember okay so this was a stunt performed by Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck for the film I'm still here it's time for me to end this game with a brand-new star coming to you live direct of you tear out my spleen it's none other than the one and only walkie regardless this was one of the strangest moments in the history of Letterman's career and it showed just how funny but ruthless the late-night host could be once he got his hands on you I'll come to your house and chew gum I don't know just relax to be fair Phoenix was asking for it with his untamed hair lumberjack beard and dark sunglasses what well can you tell us about your days with the Unabomber Letterman hammered Phoenix asking him about his time with the Unabomber and mocking his musical career you're doing fine thanks high praise coming from you he ended the interview with a perfect line and Joaquin I'm sorry you couldn't be here tonight number two Crispin Glover nearly kicks Dave I notice you have something there in the case I I knew that this was gonna happen in Phoenix may have been taking a page out of Crispin Glover 'he's book who appeared on Dave's late-night show in 1987 and nearly ended up kicking Letterman in the face you seem to make me sound a lot weird and I'm just I'm strong you know I'm strong I can arm-wrestle this interview was bizarre and uncomfortable as Glover read random clips about himself from the newspaper whoever was pinstripe and greased up for the occasion and pressing the girl things who are trying to get next to him guess some people are turned on by Brylcreem yeah well perhaps more miraculous was that Letterman allowed Glover to ramble on incoherently I can catch okay hey I'm gonna go check on the top ten until Glover almost kicked him in the face at which point Dave walked off the set I would love to chat it more with Crispin Glover but I just understand he had a cab to catch and well no traffic this time of night here in Midtown is pretty brutal before we unveil our number one pick here are a few honorable mentions for this to happen for me to be in a comedy club and flip out and say this crap you know I'm I'm deeply deeply sorry while I was gone I had quintuple bypass surgery on my heart oh plus I got a haircut it isn't where a bad country bushes and evil lie I didn't say country I didn't say he was an evil liar you're putting words in my mouth just the way you put artificial facts in your head right that was some entrance are you all right I went to the other place and it turned out not to be congestive heart failure Lou no and what was the diagnosis it's it's lung cancer that's spread that's tough well that means you better get your dry cleaning done unspecial number one drew Barrymore flashes Dave would you like me to do dance for you wait are we sure this was the cute innocent little girl from et this interview started off perfectly normal but things heated up when Dave mentioned Drew's recent appearance at a club where she stripped it's called the Blue Angel it's really really cool yeah forty-four Walker Street yeah well you know what that's not right know where that is everyone including Dave was stunned at what happens next as Barrymore jumped onto the desk and lifted her shirt up giving Letterman a full view I wish I wish more of our guests would consider that sort of thing Courtney Love would attempt to replicate this act in a future interview [Applause] [Music] [Applause] but it didn't come close to reaching the same heights as Barrymore's Act which Letterman still talks about to this day it's it's it's my birthday you've made it emit of gosh it was fun yeah that was very nice of you it's always a pleasure to have here do you agree with our list what's your favorite David Letterman moment what are you doing here I'm gonna I'm doing a show I'm doing a TV show here I thought I thought you were dead for more great top 10s published every day be sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com thank you very much for joining us tonight we'll see you tomorrow good night everybody [Music]

Channel: WatchMojo.com

Views: 4,972,708

Rating: 4.4939365 out of 5

Keywords: tv, television, david letterman, talk shows, late night, late show, hosts, moments, joaquin phoenix, paris hilton, farrah fawcett, andy kaufman, drew barrymore, 9/11, johnny carson, crispin glover, madonna, top 10, WatchMojo, Comedy (Theater Genre)

Id: K22baZRNQKc

Length: 14min 24sec (864 seconds)

Published: Wed May 20 2015

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