Although David Letterman has never been a late-night ratings juggernaut,
it's safe to assume that most people consider him to have one of the
sharper wits among the late night hosts. Letterman's never really been
able to top Jay Leno's ratings, but he's funnier - let's just admit it.
And, somehow, it's been 30 years since David Letterman first took to the
late-night airwaves. After making a name for himself via The Tonight
Show with Johnny Carson, it looked like Dave was all set for the coveted
hosting gig after Johnny departed.
But that was not the case, as Jay Leno swooped in and took the job.
Dave's bitterness about that turn of events, as well as his open feuds
with the networks he's worked for, played well in helping him develop
long-running bits and establish an on-air persona that was just a little
off the beaten path.
And with that said, it comes as no surprise that Howard Stern still
ranks as one of Dave's all-time favorite guests. Stern and Letterman
have similar styles and senses of humor, albeit with Stern having far
more latitude on the radio - and now free rein on Sirius satellite
radio. The two have put together some of the more memorable performances
on late night television over the past few decades - and it was
Letterman who first brought Stern into the national spotlight while he
was still an up-and-coming shock jock in New York City.
And now, nearly 30 years later, Stern is set to make his debut as a
national television presence, taking over the judge's seat on America's
Got Talent that was vacated by Piers Morgan last year. So while Dave is a
national daily fixture on late night television, we should all expect
to see quite a bit more of Howard in the years to come.
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