In the world of talk shows, David Letterman has always been a fan favorite. Known for his wit and charm, Letterman has kept audiences entertained for years. And one segment that viewers always look forward to is his beloved viewer mail. On a recent episode of the talk show, Letterman indulged in answering some of the fan mail that has flooded his desk over the years.
As the camera panned in on him, Letterman announced with his signature dry humor, “ladies and gentlemen it’s it’s Friday night and what do we always do on a Friday night? We answer our voluminous viewer mail!” And boy, does he have a lot of mail to answer.
Over the years, the talk show host has received a staggering amount of viewer mail. As he held up a stack of letters, he joked, “In all the years that we’ve been on the air, how many pieces of viewer mail do you think we have received?” The answer? A whopping 16 million pieces of mail. Yes, you heard that right – 16 million!
With a twinkle in his eye, Letterman continued, “These are letters from actual viewers who write in, and we take a couple of minutes every Friday night to respond to those letters.” It’s clear that the talk show host values his audience and takes their thoughts and questions seriously.
As the first letter was read aloud, it became evident that viewers from all walks of life tune in to Letterman’s show. Phyllis from Houston, Texas, who had been away from New York City for 16 years, asked if anything significant had happened in the city during her absence. With a sense of pride, Letterman pointed to the cityscape behind him, exclaiming, “You should see the place now! They’ve really cleaned it up. It’s a showplace, New York City.”
But not all the viewer mail was about city updates. One viewer named Jason, from West Senica, New York, had an unusual request. “Could I please borrow $20?” he wrote. Letterman, ever the generous host, agreed and decided to send Jason the money. “Why not? We’re in a recession now, and if somebody can use a couple of bucks, well, why not?” he exclaimed. And just like that, the host sealed the envelope, ready to fulfill Jason’s request.
The viewer mail segment took an unexpected turn when a concerned viewer from Cedarberg, Wisconsin, wrote in, wondering if Paul, Letterman’s sidekick, was experiencing emotional problems. Letterman, always quick with a witty response, assured the viewer that Paul was emotionally healthy. And to prove his point, he mentioned that the viewer had missed a follow-up comic strip in which Paul’s sunglasses dilemma was resolved.
Of course, no viewer mail segment would be complete without a little mischief. A viewer named Randy from La Marada, California, dared Letterman to lick a postcard. In a tongue-in-cheek moment, Letterman obliged, licking the postcard and then deciding to eat it for good measure.
As the viewer mail segment came to a close, Letterman reflected on the enjoyable experience. “It’s stuff like this that makes you proud to be here every Friday, isn’t it?” he shared. And the audience couldn’t agree more, as they erupted into applause.
David Letterman has truly mastered the art of engagement with his audience through his viewer mail segment. Whether it’s answering questions, fulfilling requests, or engaging in playful banter, Letterman knows how to keep his viewers entertained. And with 16 million pieces of mail and counting, it’s safe to say that his mailbox will never be empty. So, here’s to many more years of viewer mail and the joy it brings to both David Letterman and his dedicated fans.
