It’s been almost two years now since “The Late Show with David Letterman” has been off the air, and we’d lying if we said we didn’t miss it. No late night host today comes close to touching Letterman. He was notorious for making fun of his, how shall we say, not-so-intelligent guests with subtle digs, but he also knew when to take a back seat and let the more talented performers do their thing on the show.
A great example of the latter is when Dave had Al Pacino on the show back in 2013 and asked for his thoughts on other actors impersonating him. Letterman specifically asked about fellow acting legend Kevin Spacey, who often turned heads with his impression of his colleague.
“I think it’s good, if people like it,” Pacino told Letterman, noting that he didn’t personally think Spacey’s impression was very good.
“I don’t see myself in his impression.”
With that, Letterman surprised Pacino bringing out Spacey who refused to break his Pacino character and had both Al and Dave cracking up with his impression.
As he leaned further into his chair, spreading out as Pacino is know to do in interviews, Spacey completely embodied the acting legend.
It’s moments like this that made Letterman a late-night television staple.