"Maybe that's the purpose of television. You just turn it on and watch it whether you want to or not." - David Letterman

March 8, 2010 5:15 PM

After getting his start as a DJ on Ball State's WAGO-FM, David Letterman spent most of the 1970s appearing in a lot of cheesy television, exhaustively chronicled here. Whether kayaking on the Battle of the Network Stars, appearing on an ill-fated variety show with Mary Tyler Moore, working as a panelist on The Love Experts, or hosting a game-show pilot for The Riddlers (part 1, 2, and 3), Letterman more than paid his dues.

Letterman gets dissed by Otto Preminger
Letterman plays a 70s-style encounter group leader on Mork & Mindy
Letterman on variety show with Michael Jackson

posted by jonp72 (12 comments total)

Seriously, check out Cosell's totally chauvinist commentary on that kayak race. "how does she hold her own as a girl against Bill Shatner?" Its like a stream of terrible comments. Saying Tim Reid does not like the water? Why's that Cosell?
posted by Ironmouth at 5:23 PM on March 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

Man, I LOVED battle of the network stars when I was a kid. With all the reality tv now, why don't they bring that back?
posted by empath at 6:00 PM on March 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

.
posted by kimota at 6:12 PM on March 8, 2010

Waitasec. Sometimes I hate the past tense.
posted by kimota at 6:20 PM on March 8, 2010

I remember seeing that Mork & Mindy episode. I didn't realize that was Before He Was A Star. I thought he was just doing some TV.
posted by DU at 6:21 PM on March 8, 2010

In case people don't get the reference, Letterman is spoofing EST founder Werner Erhard in that Mork and Mindy bit.
posted by empath at 6:27 PM on March 8, 2010

I have the proud honor of having watched Dave as a weatherman for one of the Indianapolis TV stations. Even then, the tongue was planted firmly in-cheek.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:03 PM on March 8, 2010

Sometime, Letterman had a show where he did a number on racism. It had to do with sorting black and white balls -- I recall him showing this early on the Late Night Letterman show. He was proud of it. I suppose it was good back whenever it was done, 70s, 80s -- I doubt 60s, but he had a right to point it out. It was good. That was when he was good. For a little while. Then he had the Leno thing and got sour. I recall Sandra Bernhard telling him, "You used to be funny." And he was, once, before he became a self-absorbed asshole.
posted by CCBC at 3:09 AM on March 9, 2010

He also did a morning show for four months in 1980.
posted by kirkaracha at 8:38 AM on March 9, 2010 [1 favorite]

Steve Martin interview from the morning show.
posted by kirkaracha at 8:42 AM on March 9, 2010

I was horrified to learn that Mary Tyler Moore had at one time attempted a variety show of some kind.
posted by blucevalo at 8:48 AM on March 9, 2010

Don't forget that Letterman was also a regular on the short-lived variety show hosted by the Starland Vocal Band; sadly, I've yet to find any clips on YouTube of this show.
posted by stannate at 10:39 AM on March 9, 2010