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Late Show with David Letterman

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
Revision as of 15:56, April 15, 2024 by SolarBot (talk | contribs) (replaced: {{Cultural references}} → {{Cultural references|TV=yes}})


Late Show with David Letterman was an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman, broadcast between 1982 and 2015. It featured Letterman with a humoristic opening monologue, interviews with celebrity guests and musical performances. Paul Shaffer was his musical sidekick. Some people who once wrote jokes for the show later become writers for The Simpsons too, among them Steve O'Donnell, Steve Young and George Meyer. Late Show with David Letterman has been referenced on The Simpsons various times and vice versa.

References to Late Show with David Letterman in The Simpsons

Picture Season Episode number Episode name Reference
CouchGagS5E09.png 5 90 "The Last Temptation of Homer" During the couch gag the family discovers they're guests in Letterman's show..
CouchGagS5E09.png 5 101 "The Boy Who Knew Too Much" Repeat of the couch gag of "The Last Temptation of Homer".
Here's JOHNNY! - Treehouse of Horror V.png 6 109 "Treehouse of Horror V" In a parody of the famous scene from The Shining where Jack cuts his axe in the door and shouts: "Here's Johnny!" in reference to the way Johnny Carson was always announced on his talk show Homer shouts this line first, then realizes he's in the wrong room, and follows it up with yelling: "David Letterman", whose presence in "The Late Show with David Letterman" was announced in a similar manner.
Late Show with David Letterman.png 6 112 "Homer Badman" Homer watches "The Late Show", on which his sex scandal is ridiculed.
Late Show with David Letterman Radioactive Man.png 7 130 "Radioactive Man" When Homer flips past the TV channels where everybody is talking about the upcoming Radioactive Man film one of the shows he passes by is Late Show with David Letterman.
10 222 "Mom and Pop Art" In a deleted scene Lisa reads in a newspaper that Letterman might be hosting the Oscars.
11 238 "The Mansion Family" When Bart lights up a cigar, Marge slaps it out of his hands and says this is something only for people like Bill Cosby and David Letterman, whose names she mispronounces.
Paul Shaffer.png 13 280 "The Bart Wants What It Wants" In Toronto the family arrives at a bus station where a memorial plaque states that Paul Shaffer was born there. In reality Shaffer was born in Thunder Bay.
David Letterman couch gag.png 23 497 "The D'oh-cial Network" In an extended couch gag the family is guest at Letterman's show, though this time with actual dialogue and David Letterman as special guest voice.

References to The Late Show with David Letterman in The Simpsons Comics

  • In the issue Simpsons Comics#171, namely The Phantom Tollhouse story, he is referenced as David the Letterman.

References to The Late Show with David Letterman in The Simpsons Books

In Flanders' Book of Faith David Letterman is mentioned on his list of "Laudable Lefties".

Late Show Top Ten List

Late Show Top Ten List
Late Show Top Ten List 1.jpg
Special Information
Show: Late Show with David Letterman
Channel: CBS
Special Guest Voices: David Letterman as himself


Late Show Top Ten List is a regular segment of the television program Late Show with David Letterman where a celebrity reads out a top ten list. Homer Simpson has done three lists, one in 2008, one in 2010 and another in 2012.

Reasons why I, Homer Simpson, should be the next President

  1. Kick-ass inauguration party! Bring a six pack and you're in.
  2. My vice president will be Mayor McCheese.
  3. My middle name isn't Hussein... anymore.
  4. I will be the secretary of donuts.
  5. I will appoint a secretary of donuts.
  6. I have enormous experience apologizing for failed decisions.
  7. I will take full advantage of the free food that comes with the job.
  8. Fox News is already on my side.
  9. With an oval office, I can't bump into anything.
  10. I'm smarter than the last guy.
Late Show Top Ten List 2.png

Things I've learned from the last 20 years of television

  1. Television is not a vast wasteland, it's a cesspool.
  2. Ever notice all morning weathermen are as fat as a dump truck?
  3. There is no good way to tell your spouse you want to go on Wife Swap.
  4. No one on Earth is funnier than Howie Mandel.
  5. Sitting close to the TV is a cheap alternative to a tanning salon.
  6. Sadly, Cougar Town, is not a show about people getting attacked by giant cats.
  7. Widescreen televisions were invented to accommodate Keith Olbermann's enormous head.
  8. Thanks to iTunes, now you can get free TV shows for just 99 cents.
  9. Do not buy sushi from the Home Shopping Network.
  10. Better to be bald than have a hairpiece like Letterman.
Late Show Top Ten List 3.jpg

Reasons I, Homer Simpson, am proud to be an American

Aired November 8, 2012.

  1. We're the first country to leave trash on the Moon.
  2. Even a dumb guy can have his own show, right Dave?
  3. Not a nation of blowhard teabags like England.
  4. We own Hawaii.
  5. No other country has cars, I assume.
  6. It's the home of French fries, German chocolate cake, and Korean barbeque.
  7. Our flag doesn't have any weird stuff on it.
  8. America has won every Super Bowl.
  9. Warnings on cups tell you hot things are hot.
  10. High obesity rates make me feel better about my body.

Outtakes

On November 9, FOX released some outtakes from the bit.

  • Our national religion is no longer voodoo.
  • Superman and Batman live here.
  • Deep-fried Snickers.
  • No law requires me to wear pants.

Other references

In the final episode of the Late Show with David Letterman, which aired May 20, 2015, the Simpson family made an appearance. After watching Letterman break a window, Homer laughs at him. Marge mentions how Letterman has been on the air for 33 years and Bart and Lisa were kids and Maggie was still a baby, only for Marge to realize that is still the case.

Common cast members

Picture Name Role in Late Show with David Letterman Role on The Simpsons
David Letterman.jpg David Letterman Host of the show. Voiced himself in "The D'oh-cial Network".

External links