The Letterman Podcast

Jeremy Weiner wore many hats in his tenure with 'The Late Show with David Letterman.' He was a researcher, segment 'jack of all trades,' Winnebago driver for Biff Henderson, and of course a long term writer for the show all the way until the end of LS's run in 2015. Jeremy and Mike have an epic conversation that highlights many of his favorite moments working for Dave and Company. They also talk a...

Will Lee has the distinction of being one of the longest serving members of David Letterman's staff. He was right there at the beginning of Late Night, and along with Paul, stayed the entire way,  playing Bass in the Worlds Most Dangerous Band/CBS Orchestra, and being featured in many other ways in the show. He is also part of a very special Beatles cover band called Fab Faux, a studio musici...

Lee Ellenberg is currently a writer for Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show. He also worked for David Letterman & Company in one capacity or another from 1994 all the way until the end of the run in 2015. He was a page, worked in audience coordination, worked the reception desk for Dave's floor as well as the writer's floor, and for 15 years was a full fledged writer for Late Show with David Letterman...

OG Late Night writer Stephen Winer is back on The Letterman Podcast, and we could not be more excited. After telling his 'origin story' his first time on the show a few months ago, Stephen and Mike got together again to discuss all sorts of things both Letterman and comedy related. Loose ends from his last appearance are discussed including prepping for night one of Late Night with Bill Murray, an...

The thrilling conclusion of Mike's first conversation with former Letterman, current Tonight Show writer Joe Grossman is here! This episode starts right where part one left off with Joe talking about his new job as a Tonight Show monologue writer. The discussion shifts to pondering the comedy writer's mind and what makes it tick. Joe finishes his narrative chronicling how he ended up working for T...

Joe Grossman was a writer for Late Show with David Letterman from 2004 until the show went off the air in 2015. He also appeared on the show 112 times in various capacities, usually as himself with a deadpan disposition that would more often than not exasperate Dave. Where did Joe come from? How did he end up writing for David Letterman & Co, and how did he end up on camera so many times? Did...

Fred Graver has had an eclectic career to say the least. He worked for the National Lampoon, Norman Lear, Cheers, Twitter TV, has written two 'Choose Your Own Adventure' books, and he currently works for a Microsoft endeavor teaching AI entities to be better communicators. He also spent 6 years working for Late Night with David Letterman as a writer from 1984-1990. Fred and Mike have a fantastic t...

For over 30 years, Sue Hum was the costume designer for Late Night and Late Show with David Letterman. She helmed the crafting and execution of everything we saw on the show from the aesthetic of Dave's wardrobe, the designing and production of the humorous suits and costumes he and other members of the cast wore, and of course the iconic annual Halloween bit where children would come in wearing h...

Candace Chisholm is Mike's Wife. Why is she this week's guest on the show? Because she and Mike just returned from New York and have a lot of stories to tell! Lots of Letterman stuff on this trip including a lunch with Walter Kim, Brunch with Steve Winer (birthday boy the day this episode is released) and his amazing wife Lori, Dinner with Steve O'Donnell, Our Friendship and adventures with Rupert...

The epic conclusion to Mike and Riggs's first of hopefully many conversations. Mike and Dave talk about his transition out of his writing job at Late Night, which took place right around the time it was announced that Jay Leno got the Tonight Show gig. He then went to The Chevy Chase show and even the Magic Johnson show, before ending up as a writer on the Tonight Show. Rygalski shows us a couple...

David Rygalski has an incredible history as a writer in both the Late Night genre and show itself. As a college student who voraciously consumed the first couple years of Late Night with David Letterman, 'Riggs' did what thousands dreamt of doing-he joined Late Night as an intern, and was then hired on. In part one of this fascinating conversation, Dave tells Mike all about how he landed the show...

Well, its been 5 months and we have reached our 30th episode of 'The Letterman Podcast.' In this episode, Mike spends some time recapping his feelings on how things have gone so far, and reveals some behind the scenes insights about this show he loves to host so much, and some of the places its going. Mike also goes through each guest featured in the 'first 30' and what they mean to him. This epis...

Eddie Brill has returned! Since his first appearance on episode 3 of The Letterman Podcast, the show has found its voice in many respects, and many of the dynamics between Mike and the guests have deepened. This episode is a prime example!  He and Eddie continue down the rabbit hole they started down and it just keeps going! Eddie and Mike talk about the comedy scene then and now, what made a...

We use the 'F' word a LOT on this particular episode of The Letterman Podcast. Don't worry; its not gratuitous, but we will disclaim it none the less. Jody Ebert, (no relation to Roger, that we know of) a long time actor as well as a director and screenwriter, professionally went in a direction he never could have predicted: he was the player in a reoccurring bit with David Letterman where he got...

George Schweitzer may well be the most successful marketer in the history of network television. He was employed by CBS for a hair under 50 years, much of that heading up marketing for the entire network. He's seen it all over a career that spanned multiple generations. One of the many things he saw, promoted, and gave tremendous respect and leeway for was David Letterman and Company. He was the g...

Steve Young returns to The Letterman Podcast to go deep and talk about Bathtubs Over Broadway, the documentary he and many Letterman alum, and even Dave himself were featured in. One might say this amazing film was spawned from 'Dave's Record Collection,' a bit featured on Late Night and Late Show going back decades.  Steve and Mike continue their rapport going far down the rabbit hole, explo...

Caissie St. Onge is a writer, producer, showrunner and podcaster. She and Busy Philipps currently co host the podcast 'Busy Philipps is Doing Her Best' which can be heard on the major podcast platforms. How did it all start? Well, Caissie was David Letterman's assistant-at perhaps the most pivotal point in his career-when he made the move to CBS. She did this despite the fact that she didn't know...

Vinnie Favale has had an interesting career. In fact, Vinnie has had MANY interesting careers, seemingly all happening at once. He's a writer, producer and director (of many disciplines) and was one of the folks to launch what is now known at Comedy Central. He has also worked for MTV, A&E, HBO and even produced and launched his own musical. He was also the executive liaison from CBS to The La...

Its rare that a comedy writer/performer can say they had a gig for nearly 4 decades working with the same performer, or broadcaster in this case; an exception to the rule, no doubt. Well, hold onto your hotdogs kids, we got one as our guest this week. Gerard Mulligan can trace his history in the lore of Letterman ALL the way back. Before (The) Late Show. Before Late Night. Before The David Letterm...

Steve Young was one of David Letterman's longest serving and influential writers, his tenure lasting from 1990 until the Last Late Show on May 20, 2015. Brilliant to a fault, for some reason, Steve agreed to appear on our show, instantly making it much better than it would have been. He and Mike have a wonderful, unstructured conversation that spans decades and takes rabbit holes at her leisure. T...

Stephen Winer was there at the very beginning of Late Night. And some of his contributions to the show as a writer endured the entire Letterman run until 2015, such as the bit he wrote for a viewer mail segment where Dave threw something into the open window scape behind him, triggering what would become an iconic glass breaking sound effect. He was also one of the men who discovered Calvert DeFor...

Tom 'Bones" Malone might be the most accomplished and interesting musician in all of entertainment. For the purposes of this show, Tom was the arranger and key member of the CBS orchestra for the entire run of The Late Show with David Letterman. For many, that would be considered legendary. But for Tom, its literally one of many accomplishments on a long list.  A maestro in both theory and pr...

After the unexpected power outage that interrupted the epic conversation between head writer Steve O'Donnell and Mike was in the rearview mirror, the unlikely duo seamlessly continued their dialog. So for all  who have been waiting with baited breath to find out how Steve and Shecky met, fear not! That question will be answered, along with others.  What was one of the code names used for...

Steve O'Donnell has a history with David Letterman that spans more than 40 years. He was with Dave near the very beginning, became head writer, left when the show became 'bigger' and  came back at the end as an overqualified faxer. What happened in all those middle years? Much of that is discussed in this episode. Of all the comedy legends out there, Steve might be one of the most humble of t...

Irene Hoffman is our second repeat guest on The Letterman Podcast and she is broadcasting from one of her and Rupert Jee's favorite spots on planet earth...Greece! Irene has taken time from her getaway to come back on the show and talk with Mike about the episode of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction featuring one of the comic geniuses of our generation, Tina Fey. Why that episode? Because Irene...