Good Morning, Dave: Fri, 10/17/80

We're down to just 1 full week left, and those angels on earth who had Betas laying around KNEW more had to be done to commemorate The David Letterman Show in its fading run.  But, as announcer Bill Wendell announces, we're taped today: Dave and the crew are on their way to Iowa to do the show from someone's home.  We'll see that episode next week.  In the meantime...

The shot dissolves to Dave as you see a giant sign reading "Don't Let David Letterman become Extinct.  KEEP HIM"  Maybe they thought he'd be embarrassed.

"Boy, do you look familiar!" says Dave, using what is clearly Thursday's audience who were bound and gagged.  Catherine Deneuve is the feature guest, which elicits "WOOOO!" from the audience, mostly the men.

After Catherine comes out she tells Dave "not so fast" since she regularly speaks French.  This changes the course of the interview immediately, and Dave starts with basic questions: the comparison between American and French women, her looks, and that she was married.  

Dave: One day, would you give up your world fame and become a married person again?

Catherine: Why not?  Is that an offer?

This sends the audience into "ooooo!" and applause - Dave can only react with...

In town to promote what would become an Oscar-nominated film, The Last Metro, her interview is cut short in the second segment as Frank begins to play the piano - when we return, she's off the set.

Next is an odd segment: Dave flying a TWA flight simulator.  Now, bearing in mind 1980 video and technology, it's tough to really tell what's happening beyond the two of them talking:

Dave: "I believe I'm ready for my complimentary cocktail."

While Dave and the pilot go through some of the standard checks, Dave laments "this takes the fun out of a trip."  In this simulation, two engines are up in flames, and they fly back to New York.  I don't mind saying they could have just flashed FILLING TIME on the screen and we'd feel the same.

Now we're back in studio for fun stuff: mail-order catalog orders.  Intriguing items such as an egg cuber

Dave: "That's it?!  Oh, come on."

"Magic Rocks" ("rocks" that are multiple colors that slowly leak in water), and the album "Sebastian Speaks" (a dog barking for 30 minutes - "Your watchdog on a disc!").  Dave reminds viewers to look for the album "Sebastian Takes a Dump" - and "Dump" gets edited out.  Considering the out of control laughter that comment brings, it's good NBC kept America safe.

Next is guest Earl Mindell, the author of "The Vitamin Bible" - and it's a topic that was heavy on the show.  Despite the comedy leanings, they knew they still had to include guests that were thought to be focused to the Daytime ("Housewives" - NBC's thinking) viewer.  The vitamin aspect was something that was reported to annoy Dave.  ("Have we had B-12 on yet?" he said in one meeting)

Earl shows Dave a small package of vitamins he takes each day while travelling, leading Dave, looking at the clear bag of pills to ask "Is this OK to buy on the street?"  After they talk about vitamins and using them to battle Depression, Dave seems to get serious and focused, asking on the specific differences in lifestyle with and without different vitamins.  

After the break, however, it seems as if Dave is just rattling of questions from the card.  Earl dutifully answers them, of course, but I can't say I blame him - Dave energy-wise, after doing 2 episodes in the morning, seems wiped out.

After saying goodbye, and again to fill time, we get an extended version of the credits.

Dave's own groupies are here: This girl wearing an "I Love David Letterman" T-shirt, and another wearing one that's black.  We can only guess if they had time to chat with their favorite TV star, but we hope so - there's only 1 week to go. Who knows of the future?