126 replies to this topic

[Helene]

Merv Griffin was mid-evening, if I remember correctly, like Dick Cavett.

[Drew]

Letterman interviewed Natalia Makarova years ago and I found it painful. This occurred well before 1989 and he kept pushing her to talk about whether she would ever be able to go back to Russia. As I remember, the subject caused her visible distress and he would not drop it. She finally said something along the lines of 'I thought this was supposed to be a funny show' -- At the time I really blamed him and essentially became "anti" Letterman. Years later I did get over that, and I don't know what I would think if I were to see a repeat of that same interview now.

I also recall a Nureyev interview, some years before that, that took place (I think) on one of the afternoon talk shows--probably Mike Douglas--in which the interviewer said something to Nureyev along the lines of "You left [the Soviet Union] for freedom" and he replied immediately and, I thought, quite brilliantly, "for independence."

[cubanmiamiboy]

Ha, Letterman...can't forget those old Madonna interviews in which she would not only totally disregard his questions but the whole pre-concieved show plan. Good job, M !

[angelica]

DVR set to record! Thanks, Fleegull!

Please forgive my ignorance, but I'd like to set my DVR too. At what time and on what channel does the David Letterman Show appear? And how long does it run? I fell in love with Veronika Part this year but will be away on Thursday night.
Many thanks, angelica

[Dale]

She will be a proper guest, according to a Time Out NY blog:

http://www3.timeoutn...avid-letterman/

[angelica]

She will be a proper guest, according to a Time Out NY blog:

http://www3.timeoutn...avid-letterman/

Thanks so much! Got it! angelica

[Hans]

This is extraordinary! When was the last time that a ballet dancer was a guest on one of the late night talk shows? Perhaps it has to do with the ghost of Ed Sullivan roaming the theater named for him (where the Letterman show originates).

Didn't Wendy Whelan dance the Sugarplum Fairy variation on Letterman a while ago?

[DeborahB]

This is happy news, Veronika Part will be a guest on The Late Show With David Letterman on Thursday, July 9th!

A very rare moment when I truly regret not having a TV

You can watch the interview online the next day.
There are exceptions, but most of the interviews make it onto the CBS site (www.cbs.com. Then go to Letterman).

[DeborahB]

DVR set to record! Thanks, Fleegull!

Please forgive my ignorance, but I'd like to set my DVR too. At what time and on what channel does the David Letterman Show appear? And how long does it run? I fell in love with Veronika Part this year but will be away on Thursday night.
Many thanks, angelica

Letterman is on from 11:35-12:35 pm EST.
My guess is that Ms. Part will be the second guest. The first 20 minutes is almost always monologue, Top Ten list etc.
He's on CBS.

[FauxPas]

Frankly, not all dancers are articulate conversationalists and Ms. Part has always seemed rather reserved and introverted in interviews. She also sometimes is frank about the negatives in her life and career which is honest but can be a downer in a TV interview. Also this can offend her current employers. My advice to Veronika: smile and joke as much as possible and be very upbeat about her life and career right now! Flirt with Letterman, maybe he will invite you back and let you dance as well!

[angelica]

DVR set to record! Thanks, Fleegull!

Please forgive my ignorance, but I'd like to set my DVR too. At what time and on what channel does the David Letterman Show appear? And how long does it run? I fell in love with Veronika Part this year but will be away on Thursday night.
Many thanks, angelica

Letterman is on from 11:35-12:35 pm EST.
My guess is that Ms. Part will be the second guest. The first 20 minutes is almost always monologue, Top Ten list etc.
He's on CBS.

Thank you soooo much for the coordinates. I will definitely record it!
angelica

[Jack Reed]

Yes, thanks, Fleegull, I'll also have my recorder grinding away that evening now. I regularly use the search term "ballet" when checking listings online, but that didn't bring this up, so that I see I need to add "ballerina" and "dancer" too.

Hans, the Internet Movie Database

http://www.imdb.com/...ullcredits#cast

purports to list all 888 cast on the show, but searching on "Whelan" doesn't get results. (Likewise "Baryshnikov", folks.)

[abatt]

As noted above, Letterman's first guest on Thurs will be Daniel Radcliffe. I happen to read an excerpt of an interview he gave to Esquire recently in which he stated that he is taking ballet classes because he feels that it is important for him to be able to dance (and also sing) to be a complete actor. Maybe Veronika can give him some pointers on the show.

[dirac]

Didn't Wendy Whelan dance the Sugarplum Fairy variation on Letterman a while ago?

It’s rare to have dancers as guests rather than coming on to do a jig and leave. I’m not knocking that, but it’s good to hear dancers as well as see them. The only talk show that features dancers regularly is Charlie Rose.

[DeborahB]

Actually The Today Show (the 10am hour with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb) had two ABT corps members (I'm sorry, their name
slips my mind at the moment) last fall. The dancers not only showed some steps (i.e. teaching Kathie Lee and Hoda) but they also talked about ballet. It was really fun.