This aired on my 18th birthday!  Woo-hoo!  I got an '85 Camaro.  Fun times...

I really appreciate how natural Letterman was on camera, maybe I'm naive to think it, but I feel like what you see on the show is who Dave really is.

Love these full episodes. Each show has its own unique vibe. The way jokes and references “circle back” over the program. Thanks Don.

I love @6:45 when Paul spoils Dave's jokey top-ten category.  Dave's "uh-HUH!" reaction is priceless.

This was a perfect episode of Late Night; exactly right, perfectly balanced. It's not so much a "stand out", but a perfect specimen. The lights going out, the tension with Seinfeld, the confetti, the beer commercial skit at the end, and the excellent, if mostly forgotten in America, "adult contemporary R & B" pop performance which showcased the programs predilection for adult, intelligent critically well regarded fare in a gentle subtle way rather than the usual "hip old timer" or young alternative act that would usually be what most of us were anticipating on the average night. Instead we get a British songwriter of note reflecting another, more eclectic side, of Late Night that gave the show that credibility and depth that isn't mentioned much but was certainly the heart of the thing. From the humor to the overall production it is that effortless intellect and reluctantly  cosmopolitan foundation that makes the silly droll banter and self consciously unscripted shtick so effective. No, I can't say this is my "favorite episode" nor would it be the first episode I'd introduce to a neophyte...and that's exactly  what I like about it.

The night before my wedding!

I seem to recall Bob Costas being on the show after one of the first Stereo broadcasts & he & Dave were joking about the all-star game in baseball being broadcast in stereo. Dave said something like I saw a foul ball & I had to duck away because the sound was so good.

jeez. the episodes really make me long for older times. I remember having a little b&w TV in my bedroom and I'd sneak this show at night. I'd be luggage at school the next day but it was worth it

Man oh man, I love these full episode uploads. Thanks a lot, Don!

By the way, does anybody know the name of the tune Paul and the band plays when Robert C. Wright enters? :-)

At 1:05 Cool finger tapping licks on the guitar !

That’s my grandfather Elmer Gorry playing Robert Wright ha

You're so awesome, Don.  Thanks for all of it!

Best cold close of all time ... my favorite anyway.  Cold closes were rare since it was usually unclear how much time would be available at the end.  There was another where Dave gathered everyone around the desk and they all wore guns in holsters on their shoulders.  Dave then went into detail about how he solved the "murder" of that night's guest.  This was bumped 2 or 3 times before finally having the time to air and it had to be re-shot each time to fit the show.  Who was the guest that was finally "murdered?"

Man. Learning a new song every day, practicing it for a couple hours until you know it like you’ve been playing it on tour for months… on top of all the interstitial music… this band was special. That’s a serious work load

"SB and M married to SP" = Sandra Bernhard and Madonna married to Sean Penn. I'm a real Colombo aren't I?

Wow! I just saw this! What a show! Thanks Don. Two of my favorite legends on the same show..Paul Harvey and Jerry Seinfeld. Plus the bits were great! Speaking of which, does anyone know the song that Paul plays after the Biff Henderson bit going into and then coming out of that commercial break? It’s kind of a circus music feel. I’ve heard him play it a lot but never knew what it was.

35:45 The "Denver" story! That's turned up in some biographies of Dave.

Lost it when he drilled Paul's head...

Did they say the writers we're back for this show? LoL.

In the intro, did anyone else feel a pang of sadness when the camera panned through a floor in the world trade center?