Harvey Pekar's On-Air Implosion | Letterman

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  • Опубліковано 31 гру 2023
  • Spoiler alert: He did come back.
    (From "Late Night," air date: 8/31/88)
    #harveypekar #americansplendor #letterman
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    Welcome to the Letterman UA-cam Channel, home to all your favorite clips from Late Night and Late Show - as well as conversations with the writers, producers and performers who helped make it all happen. And for those of you who like Miscellaneous, you may very well find some Miscellaneous here.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 2,3 тис.

  • @MrDuneedon
    @MrDuneedon 4 місяці тому +829

    "Sneakers and a suit -- that looks weird, man." THANK YOU, HARVEY.

    • @Taffey_Lewis
      @Taffey_Lewis 4 місяці тому +14

      He f'n got him there wow

    • @StrikeTeam0316
      @StrikeTeam0316 3 місяці тому +6

      Exactly! Sneakers 👟 don’t go with suits

    • @hannibalburgers477
      @hannibalburgers477 3 місяці тому +4

      Looked 🔥 on 10th Doctor

    • @Skank_and_Gutterboy
      @Skank_and_Gutterboy 3 місяці тому +4

      I have to agree. Buckaroo Banzai is quirky and loveable but it didn't work him, either.

    • @Braindead591
      @Braindead591 3 місяці тому +7

      Harvey reminded me of Al Pacino here

  • @bc1969214
    @bc1969214 5 місяців тому +2134

    From Harvey's wikipedia page- After Pekar's death, Letterman reflected in 2017 that
    "He was great.... He would just go after stuff. He ... would go after me, he would go after the network, he would go after everything, in a very committed way. It wasn’t a gag, it wasn’t an act, he would really go to work on you.... [Pekar] was anti-establishment in a way that you don’t see guys like that anymore. And that used to really upset me, because I just thought 'Come on Harvey, don’t do this to us, just play the game, blah blah blah blah.'... I’m a completely different person now. And I would be so much more better equipped to view the immediate surroundings of that show now, than I was [then].... Now, jeez, I wish I could have had Harvey on every night.

    • @presto709
      @presto709 5 місяців тому +126

      Wow, that's interesting. Thanks for sharing

    • @profile2047
      @profile2047 5 місяців тому +35

      Pretty cool.

    • @danny1959
      @danny1959 5 місяців тому +67

      It was great television, and Dave was no fool.

    • @presto709
      @presto709 5 місяців тому +54

      @@danny1959
      Charles Grodin was very antagonistic and always had a great interview on Letterman. It was a little more playful than with Pecor.

    • @amra33
      @amra33 5 місяців тому +13

      Thank you for sharing this.

  • @Chris_34
    @Chris_34 4 місяці тому +321

    Dude reminds me of Andy Kaufman doing a character. This was awesome.

    • @Skank_and_Gutterboy
      @Skank_and_Gutterboy 3 місяці тому +10

      That's who I thought this was when I clicked the thumbnail. Then, "Wait, this isn't Andy Kaufman...." I needn't have worried.

    • @michaelgpartridge2384
      @michaelgpartridge2384 3 місяці тому +4

      But if you were around to see it back then, you knew it was for real. It was awesome

    • @granthurlburt4062
      @granthurlburt4062 3 місяці тому +6

      He;s nothing at all like Kaufman, who was a self-aggrandiizing entertainer who some people found funny. Pejar was honest.

    • @leucifer2
      @leucifer2 3 місяці тому +2

      ​@@michaelgpartridge2384it wasn't real. It was staged

    • @marcowerner8739
      @marcowerner8739 2 місяці тому +1

      Exactly what I thought!!!

  • @foreleftyall
    @foreleftyall 5 місяців тому +311

    "I want you to savor this appearance" is such a great line

    • @misterpsych3804
      @misterpsych3804 5 місяців тому +22

      brilliant way to say you're never coming back!

    • @luskvideoproductions869
      @luskvideoproductions869 4 місяці тому +5

      This is what I miss the most about Letterman...he was nearly perfect with pointed ripostes to guests off the cuff. The Between 2 Ferns out-take where he grills Zack about why the show is called between TWO ferns is just comedy perfection

    • @educateme8455
      @educateme8455 4 місяці тому

      No. The way you yanks worship these tv shills is just depressing.

    • @jasonsgroovemachine
      @jasonsgroovemachine 3 місяці тому +2

      Reminds me of when Joaquin Phoenix came on and did his "act" with the gum.

  • @evangalyen3407
    @evangalyen3407 5 місяців тому +1474

    When you insult a man before he even comes on stage you’re bound to get something back

    • @stevec7770
      @stevec7770 5 місяців тому +137

      Always despised Letterman

    • @useliteski3381
      @useliteski3381 5 місяців тому +97

      Letterman is absolutely awful.

    • @57briben
      @57briben 5 місяців тому +1

      awfully good.@@useliteski3381

    • @taylorbayouth998
      @taylorbayouth998 5 місяців тому +21

      I get that, but look what he was wearing

    • @keithobrien7894
      @keithobrien7894 5 місяців тому +63

      @@stevec7770yet here you are on a Letterman channel lmao

  • @markjohnson7910
    @markjohnson7910 5 місяців тому +817

    The unblinking stare. Right into Dave’s soul. Absolutely amazing.

    • @fatmunch6318
      @fatmunch6318 5 місяців тому +30

      He didn’t blink the whole interview

    • @ParaousiaComingnow
      @ParaousiaComingnow 5 місяців тому +52

      He didn't blink because he's a psycho... he's also high. Look at the gloss in his eye.

    • @andreaholcock8992
      @andreaholcock8992 5 місяців тому +21

      @@ParaousiaComingnow that’s not an indicator of a psycho lol

    • @ParaousiaComingnow
      @ParaousiaComingnow 5 місяців тому +21

      @@andreaholcock8992 I've worked with Schizo's for years, they don't blink... unless you used the phrase metaphorically, it absolutely is an indicator.

    • @andreaholcock8992
      @andreaholcock8992 5 місяців тому +30

      @@ParaousiaComingnow a schizophrenic isn’t a psychopath, so even if you were telling the truth you’re still wrong

  • @MensaGiraffe
    @MensaGiraffe Місяць тому +96

    "How about another joke, Murr-Ray?"

  • @Jimmietwotimes
    @Jimmietwotimes 5 місяців тому +446

    Every now and then you can see a twinkle in Pekar's eye that says, "This is fun as hell."

    • @milesstover3724
      @milesstover3724 5 місяців тому +10

      it comes with his unique cultural and ethnic heritage

    • @Bulvan123
      @Bulvan123 5 місяців тому +9

      ​@@milesstover3724 there are quite a few Jews like this. Brilliant & "out there" but kookoo as well.

    • @PhilJRose
      @PhilJRose 4 місяці тому +8

      Cough cough, Andy Kaufman.@@Bulvan123

    • @mr.blackhawk142
      @mr.blackhawk142 4 місяці тому

      I see a GLASSY-eyed guy who writes comic books. What is the attraction here? BTW, I hope he DIN lol shave his back just for this appearance! :P

    • @mr.blackhawk142
      @mr.blackhawk142 4 місяці тому +3

      Yup! It's a SKIT! They'll go for beers after and laugh at the audience!

  • @ahappyshow
    @ahappyshow 5 місяців тому +505

    I watched this episode when it aired. Harvey was truly fearless, and you'll never see network TV like this again.

    • @JK-br1mu
      @JK-br1mu 5 місяців тому +11

      Clearly a little "off".

    • @spb7883
      @spb7883 5 місяців тому +49

      @@JK-br1muIf you read his work and understand his motivations, not in the slightest. What he *was* was his own person, and - unsurprisingly - that seems “off” to anyone in American culture.

    • @JK-br1mu
      @JK-br1mu 5 місяців тому +10

      @@spb7883 very off, he didn't really make much sense here, and if he was going to attack Dave, he could do it in a coherent fashion.
      One of those counter-culture weirdos who aren't capable of forming coherent thoughts, but they're very anti. Very, very anti.

    • @derekderek2570
      @derekderek2570 5 місяців тому +2

      What’s network TV?

    • @ahappyshow
      @ahappyshow 5 місяців тому +4

      @@derekderek2570 NBC, CBS, FOX, ABC, are all network television.

  • @torgman
    @torgman 5 місяців тому +802

    I remember this. Harvey's beef was that Dave didn't honor the writers' strike that was going on at the time.

    • @Scorchy666
      @Scorchy666 5 місяців тому +116

      That must have been why his first question was what Dave had been doing. Letterman looked very uncomfortable answering.

    • @fostena
      @fostena 5 місяців тому +28

      Oh! That makes sense. And what about 5:20 "why you defended G"? "being a shill for G"?

    • @torgman
      @torgman 5 місяців тому +6

      @@Scorchy666 if I remember right, that was the week that Dave returned to the show after honoring the strike for a bit

    • @jdsciano
      @jdsciano 5 місяців тому +35

      For working people, most honorable thing is not to cross the Picket line in a Union strike-cannot blame Harvey but kudos to Letterman for having him on knowing that was his beef.

    • @dbadagna
      @dbadagna 4 місяці тому +70

      @@fostena He might have actually said "GE," referring to General Electric, the owner of NBC at the time.

  • @Zer0fuks
    @Zer0fuks 3 місяці тому +87

    "meditation is silent..... *Dave* ....." 😂

  • @willdotchill7607
    @willdotchill7607 2 місяці тому +42

    If Michael Keaton and Andy Kaufman had a baby.

  • @anitamiller7960
    @anitamiller7960 5 місяців тому +761

    Pekar calling Letterman a shill for General Electric hit him right in the gut. Letterman later reflected that Pekar was right about a lot of things, especially his anti-establishment positions. Letterman had to play that game in order to protect his show.

    • @bc1969214
      @bc1969214 5 місяців тому +33

      It's kind of funny when Dave went to CBS he amped up the anti-corporate pinhead routine especially after Michael Jordan (no kids, not the one who played for the Bulls) took over and didn't bother to come by to see the Late Show staff. “We make more money for this dump than any other single production in television today. I’ve challenged him to a fight. I’ve called him a drunk on the air. I’ve been on television with affiliates where I’ve said this guy’s a lightweight, he’s a pinhead, he’s a twit, and he still has not called me.”

    • @tomifost
      @tomifost 5 місяців тому +2

      I found that interesting. Id like to know more about what that means. I saw "America Splendor" and this scene was in it.

    • @nigelinasia2088
      @nigelinasia2088 5 місяців тому +5

      Could you please point to where these reflections might be? Would love to listen to Letterman talk or write about it but my desktop search is fruitless.

    • @gregory-of-tours
      @gregory-of-tours 5 місяців тому +4

      @@nigelinasia2088 I'm maybe 75% sure it's in the Letterman Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee episode.

    • @ryanlynch290
      @ryanlynch290 5 місяців тому +6

      GE owned NBC, what do you expect?

  • @wungabunga
    @wungabunga 5 місяців тому +156

    I can imagine Dave getting extremely uncomfortable here, once that line is crossed it’s hard to pull back! Hahaha. Tough gig. Loved the guest.

  • @The_Notorious_N.O.E.
    @The_Notorious_N.O.E. 5 місяців тому +36

    I hope Dave still has that autographed comic from Harvey. What an amazing collectable it is now

  • @Brandon-tk2rw
    @Brandon-tk2rw Місяць тому +12

    I think the "you're in a rut, you do the same thing every night" stung a little for Dave, hence him falling back on his well used "thanks for dressing up" line .. and I love Dave

  • @MrBradfordchild
    @MrBradfordchild 5 місяців тому +371

    'Dave, you're wearing sneakers with a suit'. Dave quickly puts his sneakered foot behind the desk.

    • @djdonald243
      @djdonald243 4 місяці тому +6

      Yah, Dave thought that made him anti-establishment edgy, but he was a midwesterner in New York

    • @DaveDexterMusic
      @DaveDexterMusic 4 місяці тому +6

      no, he shifts his sneakered foot into view afterwards then moves it back. it wasn't like it was on display the whole time and only pekar's comment got him to hide it

    • @djhenyo
      @djhenyo 3 місяці тому +1

      Dave's foot was already behind the desk when Harvey said that and was moved sideways, putting it in view for less than a second, while Dave rotated his body slightly away from Harvey and towards the audience. Your interpretation of events is horrible.

    • @NP-ux9xg
      @NP-ux9xg 17 днів тому +1

      @@djdonald243 being a "midwesterner in New York" has nothing to do with being edgy one way or another. As a matter of fact someone going to New York (the center of the universe as far as boring and normal goes) is as much the opposite of edgy as you can get. Add to that someone working in the TV business in New York and you have as much of a square as someone can be.

  • @terracottapie
    @terracottapie 5 місяців тому +668

    Where was the implosion? That was just Harvey being himself. Seemed like Dave imploded, if anything.

    • @brt5273
      @brt5273 5 місяців тому +29

      Exactly.

    • @Splandrocity
      @Splandrocity 4 місяці тому +37

      Right, he couldn't match his energy so he tapped out.

    • @williamlyons3947
      @williamlyons3947 4 місяці тому +29

      Yep, Harvey won this

    • @benjaminqmorris
      @benjaminqmorris 4 місяці тому

      this is a definite EXplosion. see, imploding is silent; exploding is audible.

    • @svalbard01
      @svalbard01 4 місяці тому +28

      Dave filled his diaper about 60 seconds in.

  • @nextworldaction8828
    @nextworldaction8828 4 місяці тому +28

    my eyes are burning just watching him not blink!

  • @thenavajoknow
    @thenavajoknow 5 місяців тому +235

    I admire how Pekar succeeded in dragging out Letterman's unflattering side into the open from behind the glib facade, live on camera, in Dave's control room.

    • @bobvp9434
      @bobvp9434 4 місяці тому +4

      spot on.

    • @user-fk6lf6yy4s
      @user-fk6lf6yy4s 4 місяці тому +3

      Great take, exactly.

    • @katg7965
      @katg7965 4 місяці тому +8

      Unflattering side? Or just showing annoyance? Calm down

    • @user-fk6lf6yy4s
      @user-fk6lf6yy4s 4 місяці тому +18

      @@katg7965 Unflattering not strong enough. Arrogant and condescending. Still calm over here. Letterman should stick to interns.

    • @MinecraftMartin
      @MinecraftMartin 2 місяці тому

      You think we should always display our unflattering sides, and anything else would be fake and glib?
      ... Why?

  • @travelwell8098
    @travelwell8098 5 місяців тому +384

    This dude knew how to get under David's skin... it's wonderful

    • @thegreatrenaldo7718
      @thegreatrenaldo7718 5 місяців тому +9

      He was mad because he’s bald

    • @travelwell8098
      @travelwell8098 5 місяців тому

      was does that even mean?@@thegreatrenaldo7718

    • @seanoleary1979
      @seanoleary1979 4 місяці тому +20

      @@thegreatrenaldo7718 ...don't quit your day job. Comedy won't pay the bills for you!

    • @Hausbrauen
      @Hausbrauen 4 місяці тому +4

      @@seanoleary1979 Seemed to me like a genuine hypothesis as to why he may not be a happy fella, rather than intended as a joke.

    • @noneofyourbusiness4616
      @noneofyourbusiness4616 2 місяці тому

      @@thegreatrenaldo7718 Thanks for sharing the perspective of a small child.

  • @Kestrel13
    @Kestrel13 5 місяців тому +129

    "Sneakers and a suit" really got me ☠️

  • @alphamale1228
    @alphamale1228 5 місяців тому +78

    An old fashioned fight with just words, something you rarely see anymore.

    • @royfr8136
      @royfr8136 4 місяці тому

      WEll, there were cameras there.... It's not that they were any more civilized.

    • @alphamale1228
      @alphamale1228 4 місяці тому

      @@royfr8136 So if there were no cameras there, you feel it would've resulted in violence?

    • @23Butanedione
      @23Butanedione 4 місяці тому +3

      ​@@alphamale1228no it's because they were both white men. The violence in this country is coming from one demographic

    • @alphamale1228
      @alphamale1228 4 місяці тому +1

      @@23Butanedione White men don't fight with their fists?

    • @sardonicsisyphus
      @sardonicsisyphus 4 місяці тому

      @@23Butanedione I guess all of those violent white people attacking the US capitol went below your radar huh?

  • @PaulDale-og1lk
    @PaulDale-og1lk 2 місяці тому +5

    I have the great pleasure of meeting Harvey pekar at the San Diego Comic-Con in 1995. We were both in the artist Ali section. This is an area in which famous artists and writers of comic books can get a table for free and sell their work to the attendees. Few people seem to recognize him as he has never been at the Comic-Con before, it was also his first time in California. He was such a nice person and he was impressed with my ability to do sales. He was so interested that he put me in his next issue of American Splendor comics published in June 1996.

  • @drillbag
    @drillbag 5 місяців тому +224

    Harvey was one of the few people who would have no problem with talking to Dave the way he spoke to his guests and called BS anytime he smelled it!!!!

    • @MikeSchmidt969
      @MikeSchmidt969 4 місяці тому +7

      Yeah those types of folks are invited to parties once and only once.

    • @TheGeenat
      @TheGeenat 4 місяці тому +10

      @@MikeSchmidt969good. Those types of people are superior to the idiots at the party (sheep fest) anyway.

    • @blakfloyd
      @blakfloyd 3 місяці тому

      Indeed. I thought the exact same thing.

  • @misterbonzoid5623
    @misterbonzoid5623 5 місяців тому +87

    Anyone who can rock that hairstyle does not care what anyone thinks of him.

    • @ruok3351
      @ruok3351 5 місяців тому +1

      Who sold comics about his life story. That’s ego and people with big egos actually care deeply about what people think of them.

    • @humphreygruntwhistle3946
      @humphreygruntwhistle3946 5 місяців тому +6

      I doubt he even owned a mirror. Just a frivolous waste of money.

  • @CalebThornhill
    @CalebThornhill 5 місяців тому +156

    I remember watching that show. I didn't know Pekar, but he certainly grabbed my attention. This was during the days when Letterman was at the top of his creative period. He had very intriguing guests who were completely unpredictable. Pekar was one of the most audacious of this type

    • @CalebThornhill
      @CalebThornhill 5 місяців тому +7

      @@kirks.1854 You may think it's staged, but I'm not so sure. Even if it was partially staged, it's clearly not entirely so. I worked in theatre for a decade, and to me the exchange bristles with a vitality that only comes from a work in progress. They may have worked some stuff out, but it's definitely not fully scripted.

    • @j7220
      @j7220 5 місяців тому +14

      Definitely not staged

    • @terrymckenzie8786
      @terrymckenzie8786 5 місяців тому +7

      Brother Theadore was a hoot.

    • @VOOODOOO37
      @VOOODOOO37 4 місяці тому +4

      Yeah it was a great time in his show, all the cool guests and antics. No fancy suits, and Paul was great too as a side kick. Loved when he had Richard Simmons on and Larry Bud Melman

  • @charlescowan6121
    @charlescowan6121 5 місяців тому +17

    It's awkward as hell and amazingly fun! This guy is having a blast!

  • @UberNeuman
    @UberNeuman 5 місяців тому +137

    Harvey lived to flip the table over and he pretty much did that on every appearance. Still remember him complaining about not getting dounuts and then there's that thought-bubble picture of dounuts - I about died laughing that night. RIP, HP, you beautiful bastard.

    • @Hengry-hn7rb
      @Hengry-hn7rb 3 місяці тому

      I’m making a t-shirt that says “ beautiful bastard “😂

  • @MsPea
    @MsPea 5 місяців тому +421

    I met Harvey around this time. This was his normal. You never knew what to expect. My ex-husband illustrated a couple of Harvey's stories in American Splendor. Weird times it was.

    • @jamesjdm
      @jamesjdm 5 місяців тому

      He has a personality disorder and needed therapy

    • @nighthawk5295
      @nighthawk5295 5 місяців тому

      Maybe your husband left you because you're a raging feminist. (lol) 😑

    • @v4v819
      @v4v819 5 місяців тому +17

      He seems like a reasonably agreeable, charming, elegant kind of fellow... I'm sure you enjoyed his company and i wish you and your family the best for 2024! :)

    • @jediryan9454
      @jediryan9454 5 місяців тому +3

      So this wasn't staged or a bit?

    • @OTOss8
      @OTOss8 4 місяці тому +4

      Val Mayerik?

  • @JockoV
    @JockoV 5 місяців тому +32

    If anyone is wondering what the donuts were about they were used in a comedy bit earlier in the show. The bit started with a stage light crashing down next to/on Dave's desk and it turns out it was Biff Henderson's (stage hand) plan to kill Dave so he had more donuts to himself in the breakroom. So the bit ended with the camera fixed on a disappointed Biff thinking about the extra donuts he's missing out on. Some genius in the control room decided to bust out the donut graphic again to use on Harvey. I saw this when it first aired and I lost my mind laughing 😆 It's been quite a while but that's the way I remember it.

    • @lowkeysoundsystem6174
      @lowkeysoundsystem6174 5 місяців тому +2

      Nice. I thought it was from one of their previous interviews where Harvey asks Dave for doughnuts. 😅

    • @derekderek2570
      @derekderek2570 5 місяців тому +1

      40 years!!! Is quite awhile. Better times back then I’m sure

    • @ADrunkBassist
      @ADrunkBassist 5 місяців тому +4

      he was promised donuts the next time he came to the show in a previous interview.

    • @caderoger
      @caderoger 5 місяців тому +4

      haha without any context it looks bizarre and random

    • @thjola
      @thjola 5 місяців тому +3

      On his first visit on the show, Harvey complained about the lack of snacks in the green room, e.g. donuts, to which Dave replied that Tom Brokaw ate them all when he was a guest a little earlier on the same show.

  • @EddieJarnowski
    @EddieJarnowski 4 місяці тому +2

    When he said "who's next" i laughed out loud. That was a good line + facial expression.

  • @dustinprewitt
    @dustinprewitt 5 місяців тому +656

    Him and Crispin Glover are the only two guests that I know of who have made Dave visibly lose his temper

    • @Nastyboy269
      @Nastyboy269 5 місяців тому +41

      I remember him getting heated with Bill O’Reilly once, but you’re probably right. The weirder and more uncomfortable an interview the more he loved it. Especially the early days.

    • @dustinprewitt
      @dustinprewitt 5 місяців тому +18

      @Nastyboy269 I sorta remember that interview.... but Dave seemed less angry and more annoyed

    • @peterjensen6233
      @peterjensen6233 5 місяців тому +21

      Richard Simmons.

    • @thedude4672
      @thedude4672 5 місяців тому +73

      Harmony Korine, who was a weird interview and who got banned when Letterman caught him going through Meryl Streep's purse backstage.

    • @thedude4672
      @thedude4672 5 місяців тому +23

      Oh yeah, and we can't forget Andy Kaufman

  • @maximehamelin156
    @maximehamelin156 5 місяців тому +32

    Ordered 3 of his books last month! Thanks to you, Dave!

    • @maximehamelin156
      @maximehamelin156 3 місяці тому

      @flatearthlogicdotnet Really, ordering more.
      I grew up with Archies in the restroom,. Harvey replaced them :)

  • @phrozac
    @phrozac 2 місяці тому

    One of the best interviews I've ever seen. Harvey just being Harvey and Dave trying to navigate the storm on live TV. Brilliant for as long as it lasted. RIP Harvey

  • @warrenenglish942
    @warrenenglish942 3 місяці тому

    Harvey was one of a kind. Loved his visits to the show. I saw him once at a literary festival. He was just himself and I loved it.

  • @ArchernAce
    @ArchernAce 5 місяців тому +55

    I saw this when it happened when it was broadcast. I'm sure he meant it. He was always off the hook.

  • @Deadfoot-Dan
    @Deadfoot-Dan 5 місяців тому +11

    I watched this live, one of those many interviews on Late Night that you never, ever forget.

  • @undeadspaghetti
    @undeadspaghetti 3 місяці тому +36

    The "implosion" is Harvey knowing that Letterman was scabbing for Disney during a strike and not letting up on it.

  • @guardshack9865
    @guardshack9865 5 місяців тому +195

    Harvey actually grabs Dave's pencil from him. That is the true source of Dave's power....notice how Harvey's demeanor changes to calm when he has it and Dave loses control.

    • @daveconnor6174
      @daveconnor6174 5 місяців тому +16

      Haha that's wild. Dave really didn't wanna give it up.

    • @callmesceptical9114
      @callmesceptical9114 5 місяців тому +17

      So true! The pencil grab was a savage move💪🏼

    • @autonomoustronomous5264
      @autonomoustronomous5264 5 місяців тому +16

      That's because Dave went from getting laughs to getting laughed at and it broke him. Lol

    • @devonalomar9012
      @devonalomar9012 5 місяців тому +3

      Harvey was actually trembling. Truly a sad mental case.

    • @cayleprice
      @cayleprice 5 місяців тому +5

      I thought Dave was going to catch it in the jugular there for a minute!

  • @KurtChristensenPhoto
    @KurtChristensenPhoto 5 місяців тому +70

    Nowadays you would never see a Harvey Pekar on late night TV. It's sad. Now it is just a bunch of actors and pop stars pretending they are excited to lip sync with Jimmy Fallon as he fake laughs and ruins every joke that every guest tells.

    • @hunterericson6782
      @hunterericson6782 19 днів тому +5

      nailed it. the fakeness is so cringeworthy i cant dare to watch

    • @maddrop
      @maddrop 18 днів тому +6

      Facts. It became so fake that it´s annoying.

    • @lablaine1981
      @lablaine1981 16 днів тому +3

      Fake" describes late nite tv,

    • @cdgolem
      @cdgolem 4 дні тому

      Last time I watched a late night comedy show was when Jimmy Fallon had Obama on and he was "slow jamming the news." They had the Roots playing and Obama stood their and gave a bunch of talking points to push Obamacare. It was literal propaganda from the State and the audience were too stupid to even realize what was going on. There was no comedy, there was no talent. It was simply propaganda.

    • @andrewrobert5019
      @andrewrobert5019 3 дні тому

      Don't forget the absolute garbage heap that is Kimmel lol

  • @reneharde3459
    @reneharde3459 3 місяці тому

    New to Harvey today - the intensity in his eyes is amazing, you knew he was going to bring it - Glad to see him fight the power, whatever the cost

  • @marlabrown8022
    @marlabrown8022 5 місяців тому +2

    3:25 “Harvey, I want you to savor this appearance” 😂😂😂 you will not be asked back.

  • @curtislindsey1736
    @curtislindsey1736 5 місяців тому +166

    That stare though, no blinking.😂😂😂

    • @kdooms
      @kdooms 5 місяців тому +5

      This. I've stared pretty hard at certain people in my life.....I'm not sure he actually ever does blink though....

    • @justinsixx90
      @justinsixx90 4 місяці тому

      Cocaine

    • @randallf.4646
      @randallf.4646 3 місяці тому +5

      A common trait of a psychopath....

    • @blazer3327
      @blazer3327 2 місяці тому +1

      Pekar was the real deal amidst the phony personalities of the celebrity mill wheel.

    • @blazer3327
      @blazer3327 2 місяці тому +1

      In a match I’d have to give Pekar the edge over Dave by virtue of his unpredictability and relentless focus.

  • @robatsea2009
    @robatsea2009 5 місяців тому +192

    The unpredictability of the guests - and the sheer eclectic variety of who was appearing - made this show must-see each night.

    • @gordons-alive4940
      @gordons-alive4940 5 місяців тому +6

      Yeah,. They lost that when Dave moved to an earlier time slot. It became a pretty conventional late night talk show.

    • @markbeames7852
      @markbeames7852 5 місяців тому

      Pekar was on five or six times.

    • @crackawood
      @crackawood 4 місяці тому +3

      ​@@gordons-alive4940but dave's influence was already well established. his effect on comedy reverberates to this day and every late night show is just a rehash of conventions that dave established

    • @olorin1710
      @olorin1710 3 місяці тому

      Left version of Trump

  • @stkvox
    @stkvox 4 місяці тому +1

    Harvey, completely geeked out of his mind.

  • @christophervan9634
    @christophervan9634 День тому

    This is not a On-Air Implosion, this is a man who is correct in every way spewing the truth.

  • @ricebrown1
    @ricebrown1 5 місяців тому +31

    Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff.

  • @danielstoddart
    @danielstoddart 5 місяців тому +49

    I loved this one. I remember staying up late in college to watch this episode. Amusingly, right from the get-go Pekar's body language and the way he shakes Dave's hand is very telling. And it goes downhill from there...

    • @brt5273
      @brt5273 5 місяців тому +17

      I think it was going downhill before Pekar even came out. Letterman's tone is already dismal, probably because they exchanged words before the show and he got an idea of the sort of ride it was going to be.

    • @danielstoddart
      @danielstoddart 5 місяців тому +10

      @@brt5273 My fave Letterman guests were Pekar, Charles Grodin, Harrison Ford, Harmony Korine (before he got banned), Crispin Glover, and Andy Kaufman. Those were absolute musts to stay up late.

    • @kbrewski1
      @kbrewski1 5 місяців тому +1

      ​@danielstoddart
      Man, I don't remember issues with Grodin and Kaufman, those guys were Dave regulars, especially Grodin. I'm going to have to search for those clips.
      Joaquin Phoenix is the one that stands out for me. He appeared like he was drugged and Dave couldn't get him to talk.

    • @danielstoddart
      @danielstoddart 4 місяці тому

      @@kbrewski1 They weren't really "issues" because especially in the case of Grodin, it was a bit. A gag. Grodin's entire act was to be antagonistic to the host. But all of the guests mentioned above scored high on the passive-aggressive quotient.

    • @kbrewski1
      @kbrewski1 4 місяці тому +1

      @danielstoddart
      That was my point. Dave didn't have issues with Grodin because he knew Grodin's shtick. This Pekar wasn't in that category, he was truly so odd and obstinate he wanted to upset the apple cart.

  • @mossbogger8366
    @mossbogger8366 4 місяці тому +3

    the look of a man who has been up every night thinking about his interview since the day he was born

  • @jallanb1963
    @jallanb1963 5 місяців тому +55

    The way he kept saying Dave's name...reminiscent of the talk show scene in the Joker.

  • @emerpus01
    @emerpus01 5 місяців тому +34

    Pekar covered the whole thing from his perspective in an issue of American Splendor labeled “David Letterman Exploitation Issue” showing Dave telling Harvey (in front of the audience) “You f-cked up a great thing!”.

  • @blurredlenzpictures3251
    @blurredlenzpictures3251 5 місяців тому +18

    There's a very funny, well-made film about Harvey, with Paul Giamatti playing him. American Splendor.

  • @perrymihalakos2119
    @perrymihalakos2119 5 місяців тому +6

    Kudos to Pekar. Love the guy.

  • @hotff50
    @hotff50 4 місяці тому +5

    I love the comb over

  • @lostsols-ancienttreasure6457
    @lostsols-ancienttreasure6457 5 місяців тому +54

    Letterman was so much better when it wasn’t just about spoiled celebrities.

    • @OMGWTFLOLSMH
      @OMGWTFLOLSMH 5 місяців тому +6

      I gave up on talk shows because of celebrities shilling their crappy projects, well before The Late Show ended. I watched the last few weeks, which I enjoyed, and I watched/watch clips of Conan and Kimmel on UA-cam, sans celebs.

    • @fatalmodelmadhatter
      @fatalmodelmadhatter 5 місяців тому +3

      Thank you! Funny how the "talk" parts of a talk show are often the less interesting unless there is chemistry with a guest or it's not a celebrity pandering. Dave usually made an effort to go beyond the shilling and when the celebrity went along with it got gold, but modern talk shows don't even bother, everybody comes rehearsed and all is insufferable because of it!

    • @keefriff99
      @keefriff99 5 місяців тому +3

      @@fatalmodelmadhatter
      There are some celebrities who are REALLY great at talk shows…relaxed, funny, conversational, not overly scripted, but they’re few and far between.
      Nothing is worse than a comedian who’s being prompted by the host for anecdotes. It’s so fake that it drives me crazy…can’t do it.

    • @apchsiri1156
      @apchsiri1156 5 місяців тому +3

      ​@@keefriff99Comedians doing bits from their latest show during their talk show interview: uggh.

    • @jonesnbones
      @jonesnbones Місяць тому +1

      I loved when Dave really did get uncomfortable. It made for good tv.

  • @andyrose5616
    @andyrose5616 5 місяців тому +22

    0:52 I had forgotten about his deal to star in movies for Disney. Almost as soon as he signed that deal, he started making jokes and giving interviews saying he didn't intend to fulfill it.

    • @chiefscheider
      @chiefscheider 5 місяців тому +9

      Thank God he fulfilled his obligation to appear in Cabin Boy

    • @danielbrown4383
      @danielbrown4383 5 місяців тому

      @@chiefscheider Would you like to buy a monkey?

    • @Brendan-Black
      @Brendan-Black 5 місяців тому +1

      ​@@chiefscheider"Man oh man, do I hate them fancy lads."

  • @bobdobbz9334
    @bobdobbz9334 2 місяці тому +4

    Dave can't even look him in the eye. Lol Pekar FTW.

  • @no1philosopher
    @no1philosopher 2 дні тому +1

    Harvey makes me proud to be a left-handed person. What a strong person to do an appearance like this and just stick it to all the stupid systems of this right-handed world. *hides from fire and pitchforks*

    • @CannedFishFiles
      @CannedFishFiles 19 хвилин тому

      yeah i noticed the lefthandedness and said "yeah that figures." lefthanded power!

  • @jayess7177
    @jayess7177 5 місяців тому +67

    Harvey was a simmering volcano of saccharine contempt, God love him!

    • @zimmerman1031
      @zimmerman1031 4 місяці тому +5

      What was saccharine about his contempt?

    • @jamescarter3196
      @jamescarter3196 4 місяці тому +1

      "saccharine" means 'artificially sweet' and he wasn't artificial or sweet, just extremely focused on whatever he was thinking

  • @jean-paulgagnon8479
    @jean-paulgagnon8479 5 місяців тому +11

    Unmatched intensity.

  • @thygoldentents
    @thygoldentents 2 місяці тому

    You could see him nearly break when Letterman said 'I could have guessed half of that' lol.

  • @Steviecraig7
    @Steviecraig7 Місяць тому +4

    Being from the other side of the pond, I'd never heard of Harvey Pekar before tonight. Which is a shame, seemed like a good guy.

  • @jasperburchfield2028
    @jasperburchfield2028 5 місяців тому +10

    I think calling him "whining" in his intro is what started it.

  • @dan0nada754
    @dan0nada754 5 місяців тому +12

    since I saw this dude on the first upload they did of him on this channel, hes become my fave guest ever. surpassing all the guests I ever saw on the show while it was on the air

  • @XeroFailGames
    @XeroFailGames 3 місяці тому

    Bros intensity is insane i love it

  • @squirelova1815
    @squirelova1815 4 місяці тому

    Priceless. Like watching a Lone Piranha going a a big buffalo all by himself.

  • @westleywest7259
    @westleywest7259 5 місяців тому +172

    I remember when Dave used to have actual psychos on the show. We at home were never really sure how much was real or fake. BEST TELEVISION EVER!

    • @mwdiphone
      @mwdiphone 5 місяців тому +34

      Your comment is exactly why Harvey finally went off. He wasn’t a psycho. Not even close. He was a brilliant writer. A regular guy with a job who had a talent. Dave and the audience played him and his words like he was a fool. Harvey felt like he was being used instead of being listened to. Thats why he went off.

    • @sonicdiablo8968
      @sonicdiablo8968 5 місяців тому +9

      How is he a psycho?

    • @thedude4672
      @thedude4672 5 місяців тому +12

      I don't think Harvey was a psycho at all, but Dave was good about having eccentric people on who wouldn't make you comfortable

    • @porflepopnecker4376
      @porflepopnecker4376 5 місяців тому +11

      Harvey was pushing Dave's buttons hard that night and he knew it. Dave kept things comedy-oriented while still demonstrating that he wasn't a pushover for someone like Harvey to steamroll on his own show.

    • @Mozart1220
      @Mozart1220 5 місяців тому +7

      @@mwdiphoneI don;t know him but from this interview he's a psycho.

  • @Nastyboy269
    @Nastyboy269 5 місяців тому +7

    I remember watching this. Harvey was a character.😆

  • @garrethenderson9695
    @garrethenderson9695 4 місяці тому +2

    I’ve been wanting to see this ever since I saw American Splendor. Glad they released it.

    • @agtv_media
      @agtv_media Місяць тому

      I just saw American Splendor for the first time today

  • @ChrisCarnage-jp4fc
    @ChrisCarnage-jp4fc Місяць тому +7

    Priceless. Someone who saw hollywood for what is was long before now.

  • @BenGates
    @BenGates 5 місяців тому +131

    I would pay good money to see Eric Andre flip his own script and do a whole season where every guest is combative and angrily talking over him like in this interview.

    • @andrehendrik
      @andrehendrik 5 місяців тому +8

      really? I tried watching his show, kind of empty shock value, I thought it got boring pretty fast

    • @mralexforbes
      @mralexforbes 5 місяців тому +4

      100% the show is pure shit​@@andrehendrik

    • @thechosenmountain9815
      @thechosenmountain9815 5 місяців тому +1

      or eric andre having harvey pekar

    • @D2ezbmu
      @D2ezbmu 5 місяців тому +2

      except this sint a skit or an act or a gag.

    • @steventhana8314
      @steventhana8314 4 місяці тому +1

      Found the smooth brain who enjoys eric andre elementary school humor

  • @bmewes
    @bmewes 5 місяців тому +65

    I gotta admit, that’s the first I saw Dave loose an interaction. But he got owned.

    • @krewgarr
      @krewgarr 4 місяці тому +13

      "Lose" is the word you're looking for.

    • @blakfloyd
      @blakfloyd 3 місяці тому +5

      @@krewgarra one-letter typo doesn't change the validity of what they're saying.

    • @morb0yo
      @morb0yo 3 місяці тому +3

      @@blakfloydWho says it did?

    • @blakfloyd
      @blakfloyd 3 місяці тому +2

      @@morb0yo ya mama.

    • @Prince.Hamlet
      @Prince.Hamlet 2 місяці тому +1

      @@blakfloyd Nah, we're tired of y'all spelling lose wrong.

  • @johnhancock8556
    @johnhancock8556 4 місяці тому +1

    I miss this kind of confrontational interviews on late night talk shows. Those were the good old days.

  • @AskJoe
    @AskJoe 4 місяці тому +1

    One of my favorite unpredictable guests. I never knew what to expect to guests like him, Brother Theodore, Bill Murray, Crispin Glover, Charles Grodin, Cybill Shepherd, Teri Garr, and Andy Kaufman.

  • @wastedapathy22
    @wastedapathy22 5 місяців тому +68

    “Harvey, I want you to savor this appearance!”
    Ooof…savage. Dave telling him he ain’t ever gonna be on again.

    • @thedude4672
      @thedude4672 5 місяців тому +22

      But he did come back on ... two or three times

    • @wastedapathy22
      @wastedapathy22 5 місяців тому +1

      @@thedude4672 was he as worked up in those later appearances as he was here?

    • @chiefscheider
      @chiefscheider 5 місяців тому +8

      Thanks for explaining what Dave meant by that

    • @Brendan-Black
      @Brendan-Black 5 місяців тому +2

      ​@@wastedapathy22Nope, Pekar was much more subdued when he finally came on again.

    • @simonfeakes
      @simonfeakes 4 місяці тому +1

      ​@@wastedapathy22he came back after a number of years, and before it started Dave opened that they had a misunderstanding/disagreement previously but they'd got over it.
      Harvey was still his awkward weird self, but definitely less antagonistic towards Dave than he was in this particular interview

  • @domonicp9136
    @domonicp9136 5 місяців тому +8

    From off the streets of Cleveland! Keep the Harvey Pekar vids coming!

  • @sstaners1234
    @sstaners1234 4 місяці тому +1

    The man didn’t blink the whole interview.

  • @joace8575
    @joace8575 14 днів тому +1

    Who wishes it was 1988 all over again?!

  • @AlanDavidDoane
    @AlanDavidDoane 5 місяців тому +360

    Harvey was one of the greatest comic book writers in history. His American Splendor comics are absolute genius. I cannot recommend them enough. Anyone interested in him should check them out and also watch the great Paul Giamatti bring him to life in the American Splendor movie.

    • @mwdiphone
      @mwdiphone 5 місяців тому +24

      His appearance on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservation Cleveland episode is a classic as well. The entire show was pretty much themed to go with Pekar’s comics.

    • @dengueberries
      @dengueberries 5 місяців тому

      oooooh i have to check that out, thanks a lot @@mwdiphone

    • @keefriff99
      @keefriff99 5 місяців тому +4

      @@mwdiphone
      Oh damn, I gotta look this episode up now! Thanks for the suggestion.

    • @brt5273
      @brt5273 5 місяців тому +1

      Good stuff. Available online.

    • @user-db6pt7vr3l
      @user-db6pt7vr3l 5 місяців тому

      Oh, shut up. He's a social misfit. He's the problem not everybody else.

  • @calixa
    @calixa 5 місяців тому +15

    I don't know him or anything about this, but I like Harvey.

  • @nickc247
    @nickc247 2 місяці тому

    Didn't read the title, only selected it by the stillshot... totally thought that was Andy Kaufman. 🤣

  • @karmuppet
    @karmuppet 3 місяці тому

    I finally bought my own copy of American Splendor after checking it out about once a month from the library. Harvey was going thru a rougher time than usual in his daily life during that appearance.

  • @startreknitpickers5838
    @startreknitpickers5838 5 місяців тому +4

    Love this guy!

  • @TandemKnights
    @TandemKnights 5 місяців тому +10

    Ah, the good ole days of television.

  • @markmorico5439
    @markmorico5439 Місяць тому +3

    Paul Giamatti played Harvey brilliantly

  • @allhell138
    @allhell138 Місяць тому +2

    Definitely Dave that ended up imploding 😂

  • @ronehill
    @ronehill 5 місяців тому +34

    The comic store I own had the pleasure of selling books for Harvey at a New York Comic-Con 20 plus years ago. On the first day, one of our managers showed up and gave Harvey a two liter bottle of Sunkist, which pleased Harvey to no end. Harvey's wife at stop by the booth and it kept asking her if she wanted some pop, and she was like "Harvey Do you have a glass? " Which of course he didn't. He was insisting she just drink some straight from the bottle like he was!

    • @ronehill
      @ronehill 5 місяців тому +13

      On Day 2 I was personally doing the vending. Harvey was very much the guy you see here on TV, telling me the only reason he's here at this show was to get the free trip to New York. The convention area he was in was filled with all kinds of b movie celebrities, and sitting directly across from us was Peter Tork, from the Monkees (another classic late night guest!).

    • @Zepster77
      @Zepster77 5 місяців тому

      What???!

    • @claytonbouldin9381
      @claytonbouldin9381 24 дні тому

      @@ronehill I met Peter Tork and Mickey Dolenz at Chicago Comiccon YEARS ago. Taylor Dayne was there too. Lots of wrestlers too for some reason.

  • @rangers11ization
    @rangers11ization 5 місяців тому +6

    Paul was getting nervous😂

  • @01FUMBLE
    @01FUMBLE Місяць тому +1

    This is gold

  • @LTD-7
    @LTD-7 4 місяці тому

    In 1999 i won a post card mail in contest on Dave Letterman's show. I set beside Tony Randall and it was a blast.

  • @RajeshJustaguy
    @RajeshJustaguy 5 місяців тому +68

    actually this is the first time ive seen Dave visibly losing patience at 5:14, very rarely have i seen him shaken... You can see he isnt happy at all

    • @Road2acept
      @Road2acept 5 місяців тому +6

      Harvey Pekar looked ready to fight him. The way he grabbed the pen. Privately these 2 definitely would have traded blows.

    • @danielnichols5632
      @danielnichols5632 4 місяці тому +3

      Good, Letterman is awful

    • @asdf2593
      @asdf2593 3 місяці тому

      @@Road2acept you're projecting, why would anyone fight over words? because they are an idiot

  • @gzayas08
    @gzayas08 5 місяців тому +46

    I used to love watching Letterman growing up, even though I didn't get half the jokes. I have never heard of Harvey Pekar before, he's awesome!

    • @lesweizman388
      @lesweizman388 5 місяців тому +5

      you should read american splendor

  • @Jivolt
    @Jivolt 2 місяці тому

    This is just two guys having a good time playing off each other. It’s gorgeous.

  • @danbrodsky57
    @danbrodsky57 14 днів тому

    The perfect guest for Dave.. Wish there was more authentic folks like him which you don't see anymore.

  • @joelzulueta5585
    @joelzulueta5585 5 місяців тому +63

    Love Harvey, and love his comics. Kudos to Dave for keeping this interview in the show. I thought it was one his best interviews, ever.

    • @hughmcaloon6506
      @hughmcaloon6506 5 місяців тому +6

      Harvey was interviewing Dave, from the outset. It's really stunning to see; fascinating. Harvey was large and in charge until Dave blew his top.

    • @carewser
      @carewser 5 місяців тому +2

      @@hughmcaloon6506 Dave never "blew his top", he just got rightfully annoyed with Pekar

    • @useliteski3381
      @useliteski3381 5 місяців тому

      Yes, he did. Harvey is an incredible man, Dave is not.@@carewser

    • @chrisisnowliftingstuff3248
      @chrisisnowliftingstuff3248 5 місяців тому +3

      This was Harveys 6th appearance and they were all like this one. After this appearance Harvey continued to come on. Dave and Harvey loved going back and forth. It wasn't scripted or rehearsed but this was the magic they knew would naturally happen.

  • @davemustaki134
    @davemustaki134 5 місяців тому +50

    He had an Andy Kaufman vibe to him here

    • @kbrewski1
      @kbrewski1 5 місяців тому +5

      More of a Son of Sam vibe....

    • @davemustaki134
      @davemustaki134 5 місяців тому +1

      @@kbrewski1 nah lol

    • @user-gn3qt4pu3u
      @user-gn3qt4pu3u 4 місяці тому +2

      Yes, with a little Christopher Lloyd's Reverend Jim from Taxi mixed in.

    • @davemustaki134
      @davemustaki134 4 місяці тому

      @@user-gn3qt4pu3u yeah kinda....

    • @jamescarter3196
      @jamescarter3196 4 місяці тому

      @@user-gn3qt4pu3u Like Reverend Jim if he was a scary crackhead

  • @franksiller4245
    @franksiller4245 4 місяці тому

    This guy never blinks

  • @androidarkitecht8339
    @androidarkitecht8339 Місяць тому

    I loved the David Letterman show.Hell,i learned how to record on my VCR just so i wouldn't miss it while I was at work.Good 'ol days!😂

  • @rickytoddbotelho9555
    @rickytoddbotelho9555 5 місяців тому +2

    One of the best interviews in history of all time ⏲️🙌👌👏