Letterman Fan Details Every Frame in Final Show Montage
Late Show With David Letterman wrapped up Wednesday night with a genius finale and an incredible rapid-fire highlight reel soundtracked by the Foo Fighters’ “Everlong.” Letterman’s 33-year late-night tenure was presented in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fashion, with many fans overlooking must-see moments while wiping away tears.
Thankfully, one Letterman superfan on Facebook has painstakingly broken down the five-plus minute montage into 537 individual frames, with many of the photos sporting details of when and why each image was spotlighted.
Adam Nedeff is responsible for taking that final greatest hits barrage and transforming it into a manageable Facebook slideshow, from Larry “Bud” Melman’s ghoulish Late Night intro in 1982 to the fireworks exploding off the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theatre.
So many classic Letterman moments – reduced to split-second glimpses in the montage – are given the proper treatment, like Howard Stern’s cross-dressing appearance in 1995, the Late Night Monkey Cam and American Splendor creator Harvey Pekar’s memorable visit. (The breakdown of the montage also confirms our suspicions that the “Will It Float?” sketch was criminally forgotten.)
Also featured in greater detail in the slideshow: A memorial segment that featured Joan Rivers, Paul Newman, Johnny Carson, Robin Williams, Lou Reed and Warren Zevon; Letterman announcing the birth of his son Harry to the crowd; Warren Beatty shilling Big Ass Pork products and sportscaster Marv Albert dancing with a giant squirrel. Relive the montage at your own pace at Nedeff’s Facebook, or rewatch it accompanied by “Everlong” below: