From: drice@ponder.csci.unt.edu (D. Keith Rice)
Subject: FAQ: alt.fan.letterman Frequently Asked Questions (read before posting)
Followup-To: alt.fan.letterman
Summary: This posting contains a list of Frequently Asked Questions (and
	their answers) about David Letterman. It should be read by anyone
	who wishes to post to the alt.fan.letterman newsgroup.
Originator: drice@ponder.csci.unt.edu
Reply-To: drice@ponder.csci.unt.edu
Organization: University of North Texas
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1993 05:00:31 GMT

Archive-name: letterman-faq
Last-modified: 1993/01/28
Version: 5

======================================================================
 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for the alt.fan.letterman newsgroup
======================================================================

Author: Keith Rice (drice@ponder.csci.unt.edu)

======================================================================

This FAQ list will attempt to answer common questions as completely
as possible in order to keep questions from coming up too often on
the newsgroup which would make reading new postings a chore for those
who have actively been following alt.fan.letterman.  The information
in this FAQ has been sent to me by readers of a.f.l and some has been
gleaned from the net.

Please send any and all suggestions, comments, corrections, and new
information to me, Keith Rice (drice@ponder.csci.unt.edu) via email.
Your input will help this FAQ to become the definitive source of
information on David Letterman and "Late Night with David Letterman."
Please send any and all flames to /dev/null.

This FAQ follows a simple Q&A format and I will try to categorize
all questions as much as possible.  In the meantime, enjoy the FAQ,
the newsgroup, and, most of all, Dave!!!!

My thanks and appreciation go out to: Dean Adams, Fritz Anderson, John
Bonacci, Ken Anderson, Jason Bak, J.D. Baldwin, Marc Conte, Lewis Coury, 
Matt Dittrich, Sean Donnelly, David Eccleston, Kevin Fong, Mathew A. 
Hennessy, Ed Krauss, Lana Krotenko, Robert Lopez, Lon Lowen, Ian McCuaig, 
Shamim Zvonko Mohamed, Noel (t-noelc@microsoft.com), Alan Perry, Tom 
Sakoda, Bill Sherman, Jeff Shimbo, Jason Snell, Greg Sroka, Christopher 
Taylor, Tim Veatch, Jeff Wilder, and Eric Wood.

				Keith Rice
				drice@ponder.csci.unt.edu

======================================================================
Section 0:  General Information.
======================================================================

I have categorized the FAQ into related sections.  Starting with
the next revision (revision 3), I will be making notations as to
which sections have been updated with a "|", and which sections
are new "!".

There are currently 9 sections to this FAQ.  They are:

	0.	General Information
	1.	Questions about Viewer Mail.
	2.	Questions about tickets.
	3.	Questions about Dave himself.
|	4.	Questions about the Top Ten lists.
	5.	Questions about LNWDL skits, stunts, etc.
	6.	Questions about LNWDL music.
|	7.	Miscellaneous questions.
|	8.	Questions about this list.

======================================================================
Section 1:  Questions about Viewer Mail.
======================================================================

Q.	What is the address for Viewer Mail?
A.	The address for viewer mail is:

	Viewer Mail
	Late Night with David Letterman
	c/o NBC
	30 Rockefeller Plaza
	New York, NY  10020

======================================================================
Section 2: Questions about tickets.
======================================================================

Q.	Where can I write to get tickets to Late Night?
A.	Send a postcard (no letters) with your name and address to:

		Tickets
		Late Night with David Letterman
		c/o NBC
		30 Rockefeller Plaza
		New York, NY  10020

	Requests are limited to 2 tickets.

Q.	If I'm in NY and don't have advance tickets can I still see
	the show?
A.	Yes.  Standby tickets are given out at 8:15am on the morning of
	the show (Tues-Fri).  They are limited to one ticket per person
	and have a number on the back in accordance to your place in
	line. The line usually starts around 3:00am at the Guest Rela-
	tions door on the Mezzanine level.  You then line up in numeri-
	cal order at 5:00pm beside the gift shop on the main level.
	Once all the advance ticket holders have gone in, the standby
	ticket holders fill the seats.  The first 10 have an excellent
	chance, sometimes as many as 20-30 are let in.  Good Luck!

======================================================================
Section 3: Questions about Dave himself.
======================================================================

Q.	Where does Dave live in Connecticut?
A.	New Canaan.  (Anybody have his address?)

Q.	Where did Dave attend college?
A.	Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.

Q.	Was Dave in a fraternity in college?
A.	Yes.  Dave is a member of Sigma Chi.

Q.	What was Dave's major in college?
A.	Dave majored in Television and Radio Broadcasting with a minor
	in speech.

Q.	Is Dave married?
A.	No.  Dave is divorced and is presently in a relationship with
	a former LNWDL staffer.

Q.	I heard that Dave used to be a weatherman in Indianapolis.  Why
	did he leave this job?
A.	He was fired.  More info below:

	From Lewis Coury (coury@chem.duke.edu) --
	"I used to live in Cincinnati, Ohio, and there was a popular
	story at the time that Letterman was fired from his job as
	the weatherman on one of the Indianapolis t.v. stations for
	making fun of the veteran's memorial in downtown Indy.  The
	memorial is a tall column in the center of the downtown
	area, and supposedly Dave referred to it as a giant aspar-
	agus, `the state tree of Indiana.'"

======================================================================
Section 4:  Questions about the Top Ten Lists.
======================================================================

Q.	Are there any files with Top Ten listings available through
	anonymous FTP?
A.	Yes.  From the a.f.l archive site at quartz.rutgers.edu in
	the /pub/tv+movies/letterman directory.

Q.	Can I post Top Ten lists to the newsgroup?
A.	Yes.  Just be sure to include the copyright notice for the
	show in the post.

Q.	What are the different cities where Dave's "home office" has
	been located?
A.	The former homes of the home office are:

	o   Lebanon, Pennsylvania
	o   Lincoln, Nebraska
	o   Milwaukee, Wisconsin
	o   Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
	o   Omaha, Nebraska
	o   Scottsdale, Arizona
	o   Tempe, Arizona
	o   Torrance, California

	The home office is presently located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

======================================================================
Section 5:  Questions about LNWDL skits, stunts, etc.
======================================================================

Q.	What are the different types of "cams" that have been used on
	LNWDL?
A.	Here is the list of cams from LNWDL:

	o   Amphi-cam (8th anniversary show at Universal Amphitheatre)
	o   Anton-cam (or was it the "Fig-cam"?)
	o   Chair-cam
	o   Cow-cam
	o   Crash-cam
	o   Guest-cam (worn by Howie Mandel)
	o   Love-cam (Bill Murray)
	o   Monkey-cam
	o   Sewer-cam
	o   Sky-cam
	o   Thrill-cam
	o   Thrill-cam 360
	o   Tiger-cam

Q.	What were the different animals that Dave had on the show to
	sing "Blueberry Hill"?
A.	The animals that attempted, and "failed" were:

	o   Chicken
	o   Iguana
	o   Mynah bird

	The creature that actually "sang" was a catfish.  The viewers
	weren't able to hear him because of the water, of course.

Q.	What types of gifts has Dave given to the audience members of
	LNWDL?
A.	Gift types:

	o   Bacon
	o   Beef
	o   Cartons of cigarettes
	o   Collapsible drinking cups
	o   Composters
	o   Edible plunger
	o   Fajitas
	o   French fries
	o   Frozen turkeys
	o   Gallon jars of mayonnaise
	o   Handfuls of nickels from a big bucket
	o   Handfuls of watches from a fish bowl.
	o   Jumper cables
	o   Kielbasa
	o   Large squares of sod
	o   Late Night with David Letterman facial sponges (if you
	    were an *especially* good little audience member, Dave
	    would use it first.)
	o   One volume of an encyclopedia set
	o   Packs of assorted GE light bulbs
	o   Pounds of hair
	o   Roll of garden hose
	o   Selections of fluorescent lighting
	o   Six dollars.
	o   Tee-shirts (via Bob Rooney)
	o   Tires
	o   Toast
	o   "Today" show coffee mugs
	o   Waffles

Q.	What were the films in LNWDL's Holiday Film Festivals?
A.	List of films from the "1st Annual Holiday Film Festival":
	Air date: 11/30/85

	o   "With My Own Eyes", by David Letterman
	o   "Dress Cool", music video by Paul and the band
	o   "But I'm Happy", Michael Keaton (with Clint Howard)
	o   "Why Bother?", Bette Midler

	List of films from the "2nd Annual Holiday Film Festival":
	Air date: 11/86

	o   "Feelin' in Love",  David Letterman
	o   "The Iceman Hummeth",  Michael J. Fox
	o   "An Audience of My Own",  Diane Sawyer
	o   "My Day With the Stars",  Jonathan Winters
	o   "You Kill Me" (music video),  Paul Shaffer w/Teri Garr
	o   "Chris Elliot: A Television Miracle", w/George Takei
	    (aka Mr. Sulu from "Star Trek")

Q.	What are the different types of "suits" Dave has worn on
	the show?
A.	Dave's "suits":

	o   Suit of Alka-Seltzer
	o   Suit of Lard (worn by someone other than Dave)
	o   Suit of Magnets
	o   Suit of Marshmallows (they tried to light the marshmallows
	    with propane torches but failed; eaten by audience)
	o   Suit of Nachos (eaten by members of the audience after
	    Dave was dunked in cheese)
	o   Suit of Rice Krispies (milk poured on Dave)
	o   Suit of Sponge (they weighed Dave, dunked him in water,
	    then weighed him again, but it was off the scale)
	o   Suit of Suet (Dave went into a cage of birds)
	o   Suit of Vegemite (sp?)
	o   Suit of Velcro (Dave wore the soft part, then he jumped
	    onto a wall covered with the other part, and stuck)

Q.	When Chris Elliot was still writing for LNWDL, what were
	some of the characters he played?
A.	Chris' characters:

	o   Marlon Brando
	o   The Guy Under the Seats
	o   Marv Albert
	o   Jay Leno (with large fake chin)
	o   Letterman imitation--"Late Night with Chris Elliot"
	o   The Fugitive Guy
	o   The Nervous Guy
	o   The Regulator Guy
	o   Chris Elliot, Jr. (Morton Downey, Jr. take-off w/ lots
	    o' moles)
	o   The Panicky Guy
	o   The Conspiracy Guy
	o   Gerard Mulligan's baby boy, "Kevin" (complete w/ diaper)
	o   Jack Hanna of the Columbus Zoo

Q.	What were the Democratic catch-phrases for the 1992 election?
A.	o   "We have compromising pictures of Bush with Angela Lans-
	    bury."
	o   "We're Dukkak-er-if-ic!"
	o   "Please. Please...for the love of God PLEASE vote for us!"
	o   "Read my lips.  No Dan Quayle!"

	And the winner:

	o   "We don't have a clue, but we don't have a Quayle!"

Q.	What were the Republican catch phrases?  (This one is not
	complete--DKR)
A.	o   "Vote Republican and screw the spotted owl!"

	And the winner:

	o   "Deficit Schmeficit!"

Q.	What is Larry "Bud" Melman's real name?
A.	Calvert DeForest.

Q.	Who played Flunky the Clown?
A.	Jeff Martin, one of LNWDL's former writers.

Q.	Who all have been the means of delivery of Cokes, etc. from
	the vending machines?
A.	o   The Rockettes
	o   Members of the NYC area chapter of Mensa
	o   Carl Lewis
	o   Boy Scouts
	o   Marching Band
	o   Andy Grayson, trail bike rider, rode down the stairs and
	    jumped up on Dave's desk (w/the bike) without touching a
	    foot.

======================================================================
Section 6: Questions about LNWDL music.
======================================================================

Q.	What are the names of the members of "The World's Most Dangerous
	Band"?  Former members?
A.	Current members:

	o   Paul Shaffer, leader/keyboards
	o   Anton Fig, drums
	o   Will Lee, bass guitar
	o   Sid McGinniss, guitar

	Former members:

	o   Hiram Bullock, guitar
	o   Steve Jordan, drums

======================================================================
Section 7: Miscellaneous questions.
======================================================================

Q.	What's all this about an Australian rip-off of LNWDL?
A.	Australia has their own version of LNWDL.  It's called
	"Tonight Live."  The host's name is Steve Vizard.  They have
	admitted to ripping off Dave and Late Night.  Steve Vizard has
	said, "Naturally people compare the two.  We ripped off half
	his show.  But I believe we've gone beyond what the US shows
	offer.  Not in terms of good or bad but in terms of risk.
	They're pre-recorded and studio-bound.  We're live.  As a re-
	sult, we often get it wrong--guests don't fire, gags don't
	work, and some shows have been downright woeful.  But the hits
	more than compensate for the misses."  (Yeah, right--DKR)

Q.	What's the translation of the Japanese on the kites in the
	LNWDL opening sequence?
A.	Well, rumor (that is, a.f.l) has it that it is one of two
	messages.  It's either "Late Night," or "G.E. sucks."

Q.	Is there an official alt.fan.letterman archive site accessible
	via anonymous FTP?
A.	Yes, there is.  It's quartz.rutgers.edu.  The directory path
	is /pub/tv+movies/letterman.  There you can download graphic
	files, top ten lists, and the latest version of the FAQ.

======================================================================
Section 8: Questions about this list.
======================================================================

Q.	Where can I get the latest version of this list?
A.	The latest versions of the alt.fan.letterman FAQ list can be
	gotten approximately every two weeks on alt.fan.letterman.
	If for some reason you miss the posting, the list is availa-
	ble via anonymous FTP from quartz.rutgers.edu in the
	/pub/tv+movies/letterman directory as alt.fan.letterman.faq.Z.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

This article is Copyright (c) 1992 by Keith Rice.
It may be freely redistributed so long as the author's name, and this
notice, remain intact.