The Letterman Podcast

By Mike ChisholmTV & Film

The Letterman Podcast episodes

January 24, 2025 161 Former Letterman Page Eric Schmidt Reveals The Secret List All Letterman Pages Memorized
This episode features Eric Schmidt, who worked as a page and audience coordinator during one of the most entertaining eras of Late Show with David Letterman from 2009 to 2011. Now a stand-up comedian and host of the podcast Talking Schmidt, Eric reflects on his time at the Ed Sullivan Theater with humor and gratitude.
Eric and Mike dive into behind-the-scenes stories of Late Show, including the unforgettable music acts Eric witnessed, what it was like to be at the show during Conan’s Tonight Show departure, and his interactions with Dave during those fascinating years. He shares the lasting friendships he made and how his time at Late Show shaped his career and perspective.
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1 hr 59 min
January 10, 2025 160 Andrew Buss and the Conan/Letterman Oral History
Episode 160: Andrew L. Buss – The Oral Historian Extraordinaire
This week’s guest is Andrew L. Buss, a prolific writer and oral historian who has meticulously documented some of pop culture’s most iconic projects, including The Jerk, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, High Fidelity, Freaks and Geeks, Clerks: The Animated Series, and more. As an assistant, collaborator, and protégé of the late Bill Zehme, Andrew has written for Consequence of Sound, Vulture, Vanity Fair, and LateNighter.com. He is also recognized as an Andy Kaufman historian.
In this lively episode, Andrew and Mike dive deep into the art of storytelling and the nuanced history of late-night television. They focus on Late Bloomer, Andrew’s oral history for Vanity Fair chronicling Conan O’Brien’s succession of David Letterman as the host of Late Night and the extraordinary year that followed. With interviews from all the main players—including David Letterman himself—this piece offers a fascinating perspective on the transition and legacy of late-night television.
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If you enjoyed this episode, please like, share, and subscribe. Leave us a positive comment or two—Mike’s self-esteem is directly linked to your feedback!
1 hr 14 min
January 03, 2025 159 Television Critic of 50 years David Bianculli just followed his bliss
Episode 159: Television Legend David Bianculli Joins the Show
Our first episode of the year features David Bianculli, a man who has been writing about television for over 50 years, appeared on radio, and currently teaches television at Rowan University. He’s the author of The Platinum Age of Television and Dangerously Funny, a deep dive into the legacy of The Smothers Brothers, among others.
David and Mike have an expansive and fascinating conversation, covering a wide array of topics including Saturday Night Live, Andy Kaufman, Fred Rogers, Tom Snyder, and—of course—how all these legends intersect with David Letterman. It’s a lively discussion, and Mike does his best to keep up with his expert guest (spoiler alert: he just barely manages).
And don’t forget to visit Hello-Deli.com, the official home for Late Show with David Letterman merchandise. Rupert Jee is still delighting fans with iconic goodies—grab yours now!
Finally, we kindly ask you to like, share, subscribe, and leave positive comments for the show. Every click helps validate Mike’s hours of obsessive Letterman fandom—and trust us, his ego thanks you.
#DavidBianculli #TheLettermanPodcast #LateShow #DavidLetterman #TVHistory #ThePlatinumAgeOfTelevision #DangerouslyFunny #AndyKaufman #SaturdayNightLive #TomSnyder #FredRogers #ComedyHistory
1 hr 28 min
December 27, 2024 158 The Tonight Show With David Letterman?
Episode 158 - Rob Kates & Darin Cox: A Letterman Fan Fest Finale for 2024
To wrap up 2024, The Letterman Podcast brings together two friends of the show who have never appeared on the same episode before: Rob Kates and Darin Cox.
Rob is the administrator of several thriving Facebook groups, including the David Letterman Fans page, boasting tens of thousands of members. His encyclopedic knowledge of late-night television and its key players makes him an invaluable resource for fans of the genre.
Darin, co-host of the Irritable Dad Syndrome podcast, is a frequent collaborator with our show and never fails to bring insightful and entertaining perspectives to our discussions.
This week, we dive into a fascinating “what if” scenario: What if David Letterman had hosted The Tonight Show? Would late-night television history have taken a different turn?
We also discuss the exciting launch of the new Letterman Samsung FAST channel and the amazing Letterman-related merchandise now available through the Worldwide Pants store and, of course, our beloved sponsor, Hello-Deli.com—the exclusive place for authentic Late Show with David Letterman merchandise.
Oh, and for those of you who haven’t yet subscribed—Lake Cher has already subscribed. Do you really want to be outdone by a body of water?
1 hr 38 min
December 20, 2024 157 John Mcdermott And Mike Discuss David Letterman In The Comedy News
Episode 157: Comedy Catch-Up with John McDermott
This episode features the return of John McDermott, founder and host of the Daily Comedy News podcast, with over 1,400 episodes and decades of experience, including his time running comedy programming for SiriusXM.
John and Mike have an expansive conversation covering the latest in comedy news, much of it involving none other than David Letterman. They dive into Letterman’s recent GQ magazine interview, the announcement of his FAST channel on Samsung TV, and plenty more.
The discussion also ventures into the top comedians and comedy specials of the year, the possibility of Conan O’Brien hosting the Oscars, and a host of other laugh-inducing topics that comedy fans won’t want to miss.
But first! A fun and clever ad for our sponsor, Hello-Deli.com, the only place to buy official Late Show with David Letterman merchandise—don’t forget to check it out!
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1 hr 19 min
December 13, 2024 156 Steve Randisi Wrote The Inside Story of The Merv Griffin Show
The Conclusion of our conversation with author of The Merv Griffin Show: The Inside Story Steve Randisi.
53 min
December 06, 2024 155 Steve Randisi Wrote The Inside Story On Merv Griffin
This week, we’re delighted to welcome author Steve Randisi to the show. Steve’s knowledge of Merv Griffin is unparalleled—he literally wrote the book on him, Merv Griffin: The Inside Story. With an encyclopedic understanding of Merv, game shows, and late-night television during their formative years and evolution, Steve offers fascinating insights into the titans of late-night TV.
In this episode, Steve and Mike dive deep into the influential figures who shaped the genre, many of whom played a role in inspiring and interacting with David Letterman. It’s an enlightening conversation that bridges the golden age of television and the alchemy of modern late-night comedy.
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We pour our hearts into every episode, but we’re totally fine with begging for validation. Please like, share, follow, and leave positive comments about the show. Help us keep the lights on, and in return, we’ll continue providing the entertainment you didn’t know you needed.
58 min
November 29, 2024 154 Carson The Magnificent
Episode 154 of The Letterman Podcast
This week, we delve into the newly released book Carson the Magnificent by the late, great Bill Zehme, completed posthumously with the help of his collaborator Mike Thomas. The book provides a uniquely insightful take on Johnny Carson, exploring his early years, career, and the magic (both literal and figurative) that made him a television legend.
Joining Mike for this special Thanksgiving episode are television historian Allison Lips and Rob Kates, admin of the David Letterman Fans Facebook group. Together, they dive into topics like Johnny’s Midwestern roots, his passion for magic, the parallels between Carson and David Letterman, and much more.
Sponsor Plug:
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1 hr 38 min
November 22, 2024 153 Everybody Loves Rory
This week, we are thrilled to welcome legendary comedy manager Rory Rosegarten to the show. For over four decades, Rory has been guiding the careers of some of the greatest stand-up comics in the world, including Robert Klein, Ray Romano, Brian Regan, Tom Green, and many others.
Rory’s influence reaches far and wide. From helping his clients land spots on iconic stages like The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Late Night and Late Show with David Letterman, to shaping entertainment history through Everybody Loves Raymond—produced in partnership with Letterman’s Worldwide Pants—Rory has been at the heart of comedy’s golden era.
In this episode, Rory opens the vault of stories, sharing behind-the-scenes moments from his incredible career. He and Mike explore the intersections of stand-up, television, and the world of David Letterman, all wrapped in a conversation as insightful as it is entertaining.
Our sponsor, Hello-Deli.com, keeps things classic!
Get your official Late Show with David Letterman merchandise while you still can, courtesy of the one and only Rupert Jee. You won’t find a sandwich named after Rory (yet), but you can own a piece of TV history!
We beg of you, with all the charm we can muster…
Please like, share, subscribe, and leave glowing reviews for The Letterman Podcast. If not for us, then for Rory. Or Rupert. Or the comedy gods.
#TheLettermanPodcast #RoryRosegarten #EverybodyLovesRaymond #StandUpComedy #DavidLetterman #LateShow #WorldwidePants #ComedyLegends #HelloDeli #MikeChisholm #ComedyHistory #RobertKlein #RayRomano #BrianRegan #TomGreen
1 hr 25 min
November 15, 2024 152 Friends Of The Show Volume I Part II
This episode is the thrilling conclusion to our first Friends of the Show series. Featuring an incredible lineup—prolific Letterman comedy writer Steve Young, OG Late Night with David Letterman writer Steve Winer, official Warren Zevon historian Adam Unger, TV historian Allison Lips, and Darin Cox, co-host of the Irritable Dad Syndrome podcast and content creator for Antenna TV—we pick up right where we left off.
In Part Two, the conversation deepens, diving into even more late-night lore, with fresh insights, personal anecdotes, and side-splitting humor. And if Part One wasn’t enough, we wrap things up with more surprises and a resolution that will delight fans of David Letterman and beyond.
Before we get into it, a huge shoutout to our sponsor, Hello-Deli.com—the one and only place to buy licensed Late Show with David Letterman merchandise. Run by the legendary Rupert Jee, it’s where nostalgia and great sandwiches meet (not literally, but close). Check it out!
Also, if you enjoy what we’re doing here, why not like, share, and subscribe to The Letterman Podcast? Who knows? It might even make your day a little brighter—and it sure helps ours.
1 hr 47 min

About The Letterman Podcast

From the publisher's feed

This podcast celebrates the incredible body of work done by broadcast legend David Letterman and Company. On the show we highlight folks who worked for Dave or were a part of any of his shows…