David Letterman Research Paper

David Michael Letterman was born on April 12, 1947 to his father Harry a florist and his mother Dorothy a church secretary in Indianapolis, Indiana. During his childhood Letterman cited that he loved watching Johnny Carson and always wanted to do late night comedy. Growing up as teen in Indianapolis Letterman ran track at Broad Ripple High School, had a paper route, and bagged groceries at local supermarket. After graduating high school he decided to go to Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana where he majored in communications. While in college, during the summer he found a job as a weekend weather announcer which led him to a local ABC news channel in Indianapolis. Working at the news station tested his humor with the local audience and there he

Then in 1975 he made the life changing decision to make his way west to the city of dreams Los Angeles, California. There he started performing at local comedy clubs and during he met and became friends with Jay Leno. Letterman now cites Jay Leno as one of his greatest inspirations. Then in 1978 Letterman had one of the biggest opportunities of his life. Johnny Carson had invited him to do some of his stand-up on The Tonight Show a milestone in any entertainer's career. On The Tonight Show Letterman was well received by Carson and the audience so Carson invited him to sit and talk with him and the other guests; a regonication to any first time performer on the show. After his appearance on the show Letterman started filling in for Carson on more than twenty episodes. Speculators assumed since Carson was soon to retire that Letterman would take his spot on The Tonight Show. Later in 1980 Letterman was signed to a contract for a NBC morning talk show. On the talk show Letterman provided his slapstick humor and his zany atics which was well praised by critics and winning him two Emmy awards. Sadly, ratings for the show was a let down and canceled the show but better days were coming when NBC gave him the Late Night