As a child, I most definitely was not allowed to stay up and watch things like Letterman. Through the magic of Youtube, I get to revisit some old, "classic" episodes, here and there. Maybe the poor captures lend themselves to misinterpretation, but part of me can't believe that Letterman survived the business for this long. Kudos to him.
There will be no funeral service for DeForest, who left no survivors.
I remember the first appearances of "Larry" on Letterman.
The show was so wacky and weird and new and "Larry" was so game with whatever Letterman threw his way.
Good times, good times.
So long, Calvert. posted by bru at 5:24 PM on March 21, 2007
....................................................................................................... posted by Ironmouth at 5:25 PM on March 21, 2007
I saw him outside the Palace of Fine Arts when Letterman was doing his week of shows in San Francisco. He seemed frail but very friendly -- he was escorted by two lovely women.
I will always remember that bit where he said he liked girls who were twelve or thirteen, with firm breasts. I laughed, my parents were shocked. posted by adipocere at 5:36 PM on March 21, 2007
I remember when Letterman switched networks, Calvert had to stop going by Larry Bud Melman because the name was intellectual property of NBC even though Letterman had made it up. That annoyed me. But I digress.
I've watched Letterman from the very beginning, give or take a short while during the CBS years. Calvert's persona represented perfectly Letterman's style of humor, and set the tone for the following 25 years.
I've been watching a show for 25 years? Man, I feel old.
Anyway, even though Calvert hadn't appeared on the show in 5 years, I'll miss him! posted by newfers at 5:45 PM on March 21, 2007
By the way... for those of you who don't know Larry Bud, I encourage you to watch the link on "R" in my last post. It's the classic "Larry gives away hot towels at the bus depot" skit. posted by miss lynnster at 5:49 PM on March 21, 2007
. Early Letterman was great, I watched pretty religiously during the those years on my 13" Panasonic. It may have something to do with my starting college around the time that he started so that I was able to stay up late enough to watch but the show seemed really daring and subversive. posted by octothorpe at 5:54 PM on March 21, 2007
DeForest rode in the Mardi Gras Bacchus parade one year as an honorary captain. This was back in 1994 or so. My girlfriend at the time, who was never starstruck, screamed when she saw his float approaching. "It's Larry Bud Melman!" she screamed, as she pulled up her shirt and flashed her breasts at him. It's important to note that this was the only time she had ever, ever flashed someone--in fact, she found the practice repellant.
She never could explain why Calvert deserved a private showing, but I think I understand now. posted by ColdChef at 6:04 PM on March 21, 2007
Damn, but he made me laugh back in the day. What a great shtick. Never knew if he was really "in" on the gag/s, but each appearance sure was priceless.
RIP, Larry/Calvert. posted by davidmsc at 6:04 PM on March 21, 2007
So long, Mr. Calvert, and thanks for so many laughs. posted by dbiedny at 6:32 PM on March 21, 2007
part of me can't believe that Letterman survived the business for this long
That's because he's been on autopilot since the CBS move, in my opinion.
The Larry Bud, Fugitive Guy, velcro suit NBC years were superb. But he's just gone along with the homogenization of the genre- and he is a big part of why the talk show is a such a huge waste of time now. posted by Jay Reimenschneider at 6:33 PM on March 21, 2007
My abiding dislike for David Letterman ignited the moment I realized he knew full well Larry "Bud" wasn't in on the joke, and simply didn't care. posted by adamgreenfield at 7:03 PM on March 21, 2007
The one thing that nobody is reporting is that as time went on (especially post-9/11, which really made an impact on him), Calvert degenerated into batshit insanity. Nobody who was close to him could tell whether he was doing schtick or whether he was playing it straight. Compound those misunderstandings with the problem that all of his minders were hired help who got paid less than $9/hour or whatever, and we had a really bad situation. Toward the end, especially, there was not a lot of humor involved. May he rest in peace. posted by Slap Factory at 7:05 PM on March 21, 2007
I'm sure there is a deliberate stage laugh it heaven. (I love it when life-long batchelors live long lives.) posted by longsleeves at 7:07 PM on March 21, 2007
Those old clips of Letterman show just how damn funny Late Night was...before the move to CBS. I used to watch it religiously. Then Letterman became an arrogant prick in love with that big audience's applause. It was much funnier when he would make a joke and the audience wouldn't laugh. There was lots of self-deprecating humor that doesn't exist on his current show.
was there any tribute to the great man on the show tonight? posted by psychoticreaction at 9:26 PM on March 21, 2007
I only watched a bit (10 minutes), but nothing in that short time. posted by UseyurBrain at 9:33 PM on March 21, 2007
He's the only one who could make Letterman laugh like a school girl. posted by any major dude at 9:38 PM on March 21, 2007
Tonights episode was previously taped. And I think the next 2 nights the show will be preempted. posted by puke & cry at 9:44 PM on March 21, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]
He's the only one who could make Letterman laugh like a school girl.
Oh dear god, I have this distinct memory of some Larry Bud Melman skit where they sat him in front of the camera and he was reading some long dialogue. And when he gets to the line "the magical smell of men enjoying themselves", Letterman just loses it. It wasn't even the end of a line, so Larry keeps on reading, and Dave is just crying, and high pitched screaming, the works. It was awesome.
He reminds me of being young, and staying up late, and watching television that was totally insane where anything could happen. I kind of miss that, and I am bummed to hear that he is dead. posted by 23skidoo at 10:07 PM on March 21, 2007
. for the spirit of Early Letterman. And even though Dave's "knows he isn't in on the joke and doesn't care" attitude sometimes was cruel and/or creepy, the fact that Dave's 'victim' usually seemed to be enjoying it on HIS level and didn't care if he was in on the joke made it better. Maybe that's what he's lacking now - an honest 'innocent' to counter the cynicism. posted by wendell at 10:11 PM on March 21, 2007
Good sir, I hope you and Brother Theodore are somewhere having been and laughing about your days on Letterman. posted by smallerdemon at 10:22 PM on March 21, 2007
*whoops* ...having beer and laughing. You'll be missed. posted by smallerdemon at 10:23 PM on March 21, 2007
I recall the simple touches ... like when he interviewed people on the street and kept mixing up where to hold the mic (ie: he'd hold it on himself when the other guy was speaking and vice versa, so that you couldn't hear anything). I particularly recall the time Dave "walked off the show" and left Larry to fill in as host interviewing Jack Lalanne and his wife. And when they wheeled him out in that giant costume as "The Big Man". posted by RavinDave at 1:26 AM on March 22, 2007
.
As Robert Fulghum said, "Laughter is the cure for grief -- love is stronger than death."
I'm trying to understand why he wouldn't have a funeral, and then it hit me, that in true Calvert/Melman style he probably didn't want anyone to inconvenience themselves too much with his death and all.
Was Larry "Bud" Melman the Buddha walking amongst us and laughing maniacally (in all the wrong places).
I must meditate on this further.
*Assumes lotus position* posted by Skygazer at 5:34 AM on March 22, 2007
Easily my favorite person on Late Night.
Handing out hot towels at the bus terminal had me laughing harder than I've ever laughed in my life. I don't care whether he was or was not in on the jokes, the guy's personality and apparent naivete was both sweet and funny which made for great television.
It's good to see he lived a long life, but still sad that he's now gone. posted by ruthsarian at 5:53 AM on March 22, 2007
I realized he knew full well Larry "Bud" wasn't in on the joke
I find that very hard to believe. Obviously, DeForest wasn't a simpleton. Regardless of how similar he was to the character he played, how could he not have known that the nebbish-look was part of the joke?
Next you'll be telling me that Dave's Mom wasn't in on the joke, either.
Anyway. Some of my favorite Larry "Bud" moments are his reports from the '94 Winter Olympics with said Mom and the commercial he did for Honda Scooters. posted by octobersurprise at 6:57 AM on March 22, 2007
Larry would have made the perfect crazy boss. RIP dude,
I'll call in sick for you. posted by doctorschlock at 6:58 AM on March 22, 2007
I remember sitting down with friends a few years ago to watch the movie Freaked. In one scene an old man started haranguing a crowd. I turned to my friends and said, "Aw-- they should've gotten Larry 'Bud' Melman to play that guy." The movie then cut to... Larry 'Bud' Melman. Minds were blown that day. Thank you, Calvert. May you rest in peace. posted by Fuzzy Monster at 7:01 AM on March 22, 2007
I still can't hear Roy Orbison without picturing Larry dressed up as Orbison, lip-synching to a recording. posted by schmedeman at 7:49 AM on March 22, 2007
And when he gets to the line "the magical smell of men enjoying themselves", Letterman just loses it.
Holy crow, this moment may have been the hardest I laughed at any time between the ages of 10 and 15. Please tell me it's on YouTube somewhere. posted by escabeche at 9:03 AM on March 22, 2007
I was 11 when Late Night first came on TV. I even remember seeing some episodes of Dave's first morning show. I was a fan from 11 on through my 20s. I'm from Chicago, so the show was on at 11:30. Late, but early enough that I could get away with watching it from time to time and still get up for school. Every summer vacation I'd stay up and watch every episode, religiously.
I love Larry "Bud" and the old days of the Letterman show. A huge part of my formative years. Sad to hear he's passed. posted by jeff-o-matic at 9:03 AM on March 22, 2007
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