David Letterman: News

If Johnny Carson was considered the king of late-night TV, David Letterman was the revolutionary prince. He was funny, abrasive, self-deprecating, and rude, among other things. He revolutionized late-night TV with his deadpan humor. His feud with his contemporary Jay Leno was one for ages. In a career spanning over 30 years as a late-night host, there aren’t many things Letterman hasn’t done, and there aren’t many people he hasn’t made uncomfortable. David Letterman was born on April 12, 1947, in Indianapolis, Indiana. His love for humor was inspired by his father. After graduating from Ball State University, he began his career as a weatherman-cum-TV announcer in the early ‘70s. His career in late-night television began by appearing as a guest on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.’ He soon became a permanent substitute host. In 1980, NBC gave Letterman his first chance as the main host. However, his daytime show ‘The David Letterman Show’ stopped airing after a few months due to poor ratings. NBS gave him another chance in 1982 with ‘Late Night With David Letterman.’ The show enjoyed great success and Letterman was touted as Carson’s successor to the ‘Tonight Show.’ However, NBC chose to go with Jay Leno. Letterman quit NBC in 1993 to host his own late-night show on CBS - ‘Late Show with David Letterman.’ He hosted the show till his retirement in 2015. In his late-night career, Letterman has been nominated for 52 Emmy Awards and has won 10.