Beech Tree News Network

Late Night with David Letterman premiered on NBC February 1, 1982.  I was three years old so, obviously, I didn’t watch for a few years.  Add to the fact that it was after the Tonight Show, and even when I was older I only watched Friday nights.  Johnny Carson and David Letterman back-to-back.  Those were the days. 
When Letterman premiered in 1982, the most popular shows on television were 60 Minutes, Dallas and Trapper John, M.D.  Lawrence Welk still had his own show.  Archie Bunker and the Fonz were still on the air.  Ask your parents or catch the repeats, kids.  MTV was six months old.  If Jimmy Fallon lasts as many years as Letterman, he’ll retire in 2042. 
“What I’d like”, Letterman once said, “is for the show to stay on long enough to become just a pattern of American television.  If we’re still on the air in five years, I’ll think of it as a success”.  Boy, he blew that projection away! He was rolling along.  Then came his heart surgery in 2000.  Then his son Harry was born.  The contract extensions got shorter and shorter.  In 2013, he passed Carson for longest-tenured late night host.  Carson retired at 66.  Letterman would’ve been 68 had he renewed again. 
I’ve read he could do a lecture series at his alma mater after he retires from his show.  “Those are fun”, he says.  When Carson retired, Letterman was one of his final guests.  I wonder if Jay Leno or Stephen Colbert will be one of Dave’s final guests?  Doubtful, but maybe.
I’ve seen too many Letterman shows to pick a favorite guest. Like I wrote earlier in this piece, I could only watch the old NBC show on Friday nights when school was going on.  Those were my favorite nights. Dave was in his prime.  Things were loose on Friday nights.  I watched his final NBC show and his first CBS shows. I was a devoted watcher live until Jimmy Fallon got the Tonight Show.  Now I TiVo Letterman and binge-watch, usually on the weekends.  It’ll be odd not seeing Dave on TV anymore after the 20th.  Thank you, Dave!