Late Show with David Letterman: Two interesting things that David Letterman does at the beginning of the show

NPFireFox04
[1]Feb 8, 2009
member since: 09/18/05
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It seems like nobody has seemed to noticed this or I havent found anyone that has talked about it but why (at least in most of the recent episodes) does dave run across the stage when the show starts? It doesnt always happen but it does enough to question why? Cant he just enter the stage from the left side as opposed to the right? Also in every show this happens he walks to the left end of backstage after he starts to walk out and points to his watch or wrist and looks like he says something to someone then continues to walk out like nothing happened. So my question is to this is why does he do this everytime, what happens from the point he walks in to the halfway point to his camera spot on the monologue stage? This is really bothering me and if anyone can enlighten me i would apperciate it very much thank you.
Edited on 02/11/2009 8:09am
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HelloStuart
[2]Feb 11, 2009
member since: 06/03/05
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It's all superstition. Dave started running with his first show after his quintuple-bypass surgery in 2000, mostly to prove that such a serious medical procedure hadn't affected his ability to host a late night talk show. As for the watch, I don't know where that came from.
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NPFireFox04
[3]Feb 14, 2009
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but you see him point to his wrist/watch at the beginning right? the other day i saw him get playful with it, he put both arms around his back pointed to his wrist and faced that side of the stage almost like he was getting bored doing it.
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GilligansIsle
[4]Oct 7, 2009
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In light of all the stage back sprinting, wrist watch pointing, and his recent VERY public and VERY private crises, I wonder if our indestructable Dave isn't cracking up.
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HelloStuart
[5]Nov 19, 2009
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GilligansIsle wrote:

In light of all the stage back sprinting, wrist watch pointing, and his recent VERY public and VERY private crises, I wonder if our indestructable Dave isn't cracking up.

If Dave cracked up, it was probably in the mid-90s when Jay Leno started pounding him in the ratings and his longtime producer left the show.
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IndianaMom

[6]Dec 1, 2009

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NPFireFox04 wrote:

but you see him point to his wrist/watch at the beginning right? the other day i saw him get playful with it, he put both arms around his back pointed to his wrist and faced that side of the stage almost like he was getting bored doing it.

I think it's just his way of loosening up the staff as the show begins.

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drcarstens
[7]Jan 16, 2010
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I also noticed this and a couple of other things as well:

He sometimes will back up against the pillar on the right side of the stage, and he sometimes turns his back to the audience and leans against the left pillar of the stage. I have wondered why he does this, and if this is a private message to his family. (Carol Burnett used to pull her ear on her show as a private message to her family.)
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HelloStuart

[8]Feb 5, 2010

member since: 06/03/05
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drcarstens wrote:

I also noticed this and a couple of other things as well:

He sometimes will back up against the pillar on the right side of the stage, and he sometimes turns his back to the audience and leans against the left pillar of the stage. I have wondered why he does this, and if this is a private message to his family. (Carol Burnett used to pull her ear on her show as a private message to her family.)

Considering the state of his marriage, I doubt it. I think it's just a quirk for the audience's amusement.

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