Stupid Writer Tricks on David Letterman Show & LN, 1980, 1982

Only two installments of Stupid Writer Tricks were prepared on Dave's talk shows: the first occurred on the final morning show at the end of Week 18 of its run on October 24, 1980. The second was on the 90-minute Late Night special, "Dave," on June 4, 1982 (taped the day before), which was also at the end of Late Night's own Week 18.

Folks associated with both shows either can't remember or aren't convinced that the second installment was a conscious and deliberate homage to the morning show, but there's no doubt that at least one person on the Late Night staff was aware of the Week 18 milestone: In the show's log is a note by Barbara Gaines (which is shown at the end of the video):

"WEEK NUMBER EIGHTEEN
"**NOTE: Morning show we were on the air 18 weeks and completed 90 shows. Five shows a week. Monday June 23, 1980 - Friday October 24, 1980/"

Of special note is that Merrill Markoe performed the same Stupid Writer Trick on both shows.

And Harve Mann was on board for both, singing newly-composed lyrics to each respective show's main music theme (though not seen in the morning show segment here).

Writers on the morning show's Stupid Writer Tricks in 1980 were Gerard Mulligan, Paul Raley, Ron Richards, Rich Hall, and Merrill Markoe.

Writers on Late Night's Stupid Writer Tricks in 1982 were Gerard Mulligan, Stephen Winer and Karl Tiedermann, Andy Breckman (with Chris Elliott), George Meyer, the comedy team of Tom Gammill and Max Pross (actual actors' names not remembered), and Merrill Markoe.

Видео Stupid Writer Tricks on David Letterman Show & LN, 1980, 1982 канала Don Giller