Late Show - Psychic Sandwich

 A peak into the magic of the Late Show. You can't write a segment like this. A breakdown of what makes this funny would be impossible, it just seems like magic. It's 3 people who don't belong on television, none of them are charismatic, only 1 is a comedian and yet it totally works.

"It's called 'DJ's Sex Club'"

"What?! What is that all about?!"

"Corned beef... Provolone..."

Psychic Sandwich was always one of my favorite minor bits. I don't recall her ever getting a correct answer.

Late Show - Fun with Rupert Compilation

The classic Late Show bit: Rupert Jee walks the streets and says and does whatever Dave tells him to say and do.

Towards the beginning, Dave frames it as a "sociological experiment" but is usually more to the point: it's "just really annoying people."

The "it was my thumb" line is one of my favorite moments in Late Show history.



When I first saw this bit, it was thrilling and hilarious and amazing. For some reason, it isn't quite that anymore. Maybe the world has changed, maybe I've changed, or maybe it's that I know how it ends (the video at the end of the clip).

Regardless, there's not a day that goes by that I don't want to see the jazz box.

Late Show - Best of Rupert Jee

On David Letterman's second-to-last show, Rupert Jee makes one last appearance.

Rupert Jee goes right back to the "old days" of the show where part of the fun was putting people on TV who had no business being on TV - and by extension, making celebrities out of people who were simply "normal" people. And Rupert Jee always seemed like a just a really nice guy.


Watching these clips again, I'm amazed at how quickly it feels like it's from an ancient era. Not due to the video quality or technology, the entire zeitgeist is gone forever. Today the "comedy of annoyance" feels mean-spirited, whereas back then it was just the cutting-edge of comedy. Not only that, this is cutting-edge comedy that still feels new and fresh today - and how often does that happen? I was uncomfortable watching it then, I'm uncomfortable watching it now.

"It was my thumb."