Letterman
The definitive biography of David Letterman, the greatest television talk show host of all time and the hallmark humorous voice of a generation, is written by New York Times comedy writer Jason Zinoman.
David Letterman created the contemporary talk show with a sarcastic humorous style that transcended traditional television over the course of a thirty-year career. While he is still one of America's most well-known figures, he is a distant, almost secretive figure whose career is largely misunderstood. Letterman combines groundbreaking reporting with unprecedented access and probing critical analysis to explain the unique entertainer's titanic legacy. Jason Zinoman, the first comedy critic in the history of the New York Times, combines groundbreaking reporting with unprecedented access and probing critical analysis to explain the unique entertainer's titanic legacy. Zinoman takes us behind the scenes of Letterman's television career, from his early days in Indiana to his retirement, to expose the beginnings of his groundbreaking humour, its missed inspirations, and how his work connects with and reflects his notoriously quirky nature.
Letterman, according to Zinoman, had three major artistic eras, each different and integral to his development. He illuminates Letterman's relationship with his writers, particularly the show's co-creator, Merrill Markoe, with whom Letterman shared a long professional and personal relationship, as he examines key broadcasting moments such as "Stupid Pet Tricks" and other captivating segments that defined Late Night with David Letterman.
To understand popular culture today, it’s necessary to understand David Letterman. With this revealing biography, Zinoman offers a perceptive analysis of the man and the artist whose ironic voice and caustic meta-humor was critical to an entire generation of comedians and viewers—and whose singular style ushered in new tropes that have become clichés in comedy today.
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