Top 10 Late Night Talk Show Appearances of the Decade
7. Warren Zevon on Late Show with David Letterman (October, 2002)
The legendary musician was Dave's only guest during the Fall 2002 taping, as the rocker had recently been diagnosed with incurable mesothelioma and planned to retire from music. He spoke at length about his illness and performed a number of songs, including ones requested by Dave himself.
6. Harrison Ford on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (February, 2006)
The unpredictable (and sometimes sinister) Harrison Ford's four appearances on Conan's show are best summed up with the following clip, where he lets up on the grizzled reputation that's come to precede him.
5. Jim Cramer on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (March, 2009)
Histrionic pundits have a special place in the decade's best talk show appearances, but the ne plus ultra remains Jim Cramer's March 2009 spot on The Daily Show. In addition to wildly recanting his CNBC show's advice to stockholders, Cramer practically sputtered for Stewart to go easy on him. Come on, Jim: Even Ann Coulter knows you can't let them see the whites of your lies.
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The final clip is a true master class in passive-aggressiveness.
It reminds me of when I am at a party and suddenly realize the person I'm talking to just isn't that in to me...
That's when it gets fun!! The trick is figuring out EXACTLY what is annoying them and KEEP DOING IT just to see how long they will put up with you before moving on.
What, no Oprah and Dave reunion?
Wow is letterman cool or what? Wow.
Jes
http://www.total-privacy.es.tc
Good list, but I would have included Monty Python's Flying Circus (sans Michael Palin and, of course, Graham Chapman) on Jimmy Fallon. It was glorious just for the first three minutes of the interview where the Pythons steadfastly refused to actually let Fallon interview them.
The Joaquin Phoenix interview is truly uncomfortable. He is clearly in a bad place, and the audience are clueless, interrupting what could have been a very interesting interview with inane laughter. The real muppets here are the audience, and, of course, Letterman, whose ego is too huge to try to relate to his guest properly, put the audience in their place and conduct a real interview. Cheap shots seem to be about his level. Who watches this trash??
What F'ing Ian Guy?
Dude really? The guy was chewing gum and had about 3 thoughts the entire time. I think the only way this got out of the "staring contest" was due to Letterman's creativity. Sure, the audience was clueless, but really, did they go to Letterman to watch some guys facial hair grow?
Yeah, if the muppets would just stop interrupting Mr. Letterman with inane laughter maybe he could have been the next Mike Wallace.
STOP LAUGHING AT DAVE!!! CAN'T YOU SEE HOW YOU ARE HURTING HIM????!!!
I agree. I don't understand why he doesn't even try to connect with his guest. Yes, guest, someone he invited to appear on his show. High or not, Joaquin is obviously confused by the whole situation. I don't think he expected to be treated this way by Letterman or the audience, no matter what he looks like. Maybe he forgot the gum when he went on and once Letterman started to make fun of him, he got nervous and just started chewing...
If he was really high or not present for some other reason, Lettermans people should've noticed and cancelled his appearance. Anyways, an unprofessional display by the Late night folks (including Letterman).
How'd they forget Cruise as "Couch Destroyer" on Oprah from the list?! The single most amazing moment in TV history. He is so gone.
With every appearance she makes, Palin comes across smarter and smarter. Obama, on the other hand, ...
Is that a Cosby sweater?
Unfortunately the Tom Cruise-Oprah incident is not technically a "late night" event, even if you watch Oprah at 3 AM when you can't be seen.
You know when David Letterman was funny...oh wait...the comedian NEVER achieved status as humorous. He's a dim-witted bully at best, with an accommodating audience to provide peanut-gallery, slack-jawed laughter.
No Drew Barrymore dancing on Letterman's desk???
BULLSHIT!!! He wasn't invited, his publicist requested he appear. These half-wit celebrities need Letterman much more than he needs them. The best moments of his NBC show often didn't even involve the celebrity guests. (how I miss those moments..)
Do you think these celebrities live on Mars? That they have no idea what to expect from David Letterman?? And they both were really just playing their celebrity roles and it made for great television. Joaquin and Paris knew this as much as Letterman.
It seems as if people like you want TV to be as bland and safe as possible which means NO ONE WOULD WATCH...
The Joaquin Phoenix interview wasn't Dave's fault. It came off that Joaquin wanted to convey that awkwardness as a staged event. The fact that he was really just being weird on stage isn't Dave's fault. He had a show to run and keep interesting. The guy clearly had nothing to say and was high.
This was a staged event. Both actor and host rehearsed this and you dumb fucks bought it.
...no wonder Hollywood is so powerful, you people are drones...
Well, if you wanna put it that way...
Any best-of list that includes 3 appearance by Leno and his band of sycophants must be a put-on, much like the Phoenix-Letterman clip or the guy who thinks Sarah Palin is "smart".
You denigrate the memory of Mr. Newman by showing a clip of him with Jay Leno. He was much better being lifted into the air on a balloon-powered lounge chair by the Mythbusters guys during one of his appearances on Letterman. Newman and Letterman were actually friends, unlike Newman and that rent-a-hack Jay Leno.
To conclude, disagreeing with this brief review to any degree is certainly censorship, that may be normal for your misdefined 19th-century agenda.
Thing about the Joaquin interview that tips his hand: look at the finish, when he goes to talk to Letterman after the interview. Look at how quickly the sunglasses come off and the manner changes - he slightly blows the "gag", just because it's such a pronounced, visible difference.
This list is a load of crap...the best talk show guest of all time was and still is Don Rickles !! End of discussion !!!!