HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ajay@miro.Berkeley.EDU (Ajay Sreekanth)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
Subject: Re: Dennis Miller on the Emmys
Date: 3 Sep 1992 08:08:32 GMT
Organization: University of California at Berkeley
Reply-To: ajay@miro.Berkeley.EDU (Ajay Sreekanth)
NNTP-Posting-Host: miro.berkeley.edu

In article <181ot5INN10i@agate.berkeley.edu> wft@soda.berkeley.edu (William F. Tell) writes:

>But I must say, I do NOT like the new opening montage with Dave as
>an Astronaut.

What??  That's the best of the series.  I still burst out laughing
everytime I see him make that goofy face just before he floats out
of view.

Speaking of which, "Late Night" is the only show on TV today that 
causes me to laugh out loud (and thereby reassure me that I haven't
totally lost my sense of humour).  Is this true for some of you too?


-Ajay
(ajay@cs.berkeley.edu)

"If you think about it, we're living in an age of computers."
                                               - David Letterman
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: drice@ponder.csci.unt.edu (Keith Rice)
Subject: The creation of alt.marshal.perlman.weenie (Was Re: THE CREATION OF ALT.FAN.LETTERMAN)
Organization: University of North Texas
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 15:40:46 GMT

In <5=kn3pb.rdc@netcom.com> rdc@netcom.com (Rachel Dafni Christy) writes:

>LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
>			 I PRESENT TO YOU...
>				   
>			 THE BIGGEST WEENIE
>				   
>			 IN THE *WORLD*!!!

>mperlman@nyx.cs.du.edu (Marshal "Airborne" Perlman) writes:
>>rdc@netcom.com (Rachel Dafni Christy) writes:
>>>Articles include:
>>>	typing in the daily top 10 list and other jokes
>>
>>I was informed by a few people that [this] be in violation of copyright laws.
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>				   
>			DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND,
>				   
>		      I CALL FOR THE CREATION OF
>				   
>		      alt.marshal.perlman.weenie

Here's my YES vote!

--
D. Keith Rice -- University of North Texas -- drice@ponder.csci.unt.edu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Beta Test: To voluntarily entrust one's data, livelihood and sanity to
           hardware or software intended to destroy all three.  In
           earlier days, virgins were selected to beta test volcanoes.
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: mconners@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Michael R Conners)
Subject: Re: Top Ten Lists
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 19:43:30 GMT

     I vote that the poorest one of us post them, and let them sue the s**t out
of us & then try to collect....bwahahahaha!

>
>  (I would think there'd be no problem at all, except that top ten
>lists are published in book format too.  Thus, Carson Productions would
>*not* want to see any of them pass into the public domain).
>--
>Eric Alfred Burns, Lord Sabre            "Faith is a fine invention
>Society for Creative Solipsism            When Gentlemen can *see* --
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Who? What? Where? When? Why?
Just curious...
>"It's all in your mind"                   But *Microscopes* are prudent
>IK20001@maine.maine.edu                   In an Emergency."
>|-}----------                                     --Emily Dickinson
-- 
:  Michael R. Conners              : Remember: The last time a Democrat was  :
:  THE Ohio State University       : in the White House we had double-digit  :
:  College of Business             : inflation and disco...                  :
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: mperlman@nyx.cs.du.edu (Marshal "Airborne" Perlman)
Subject: Re: So what's his ABC show about?
Organization: University of Denver, Dept. of Math & Comp. Sci.
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 92 01:40:40 GMT

seanmei@ocf.berkeley.edu (Sean Mei) writes:

>I just heard that when his contract with NBC expires in April,
>he will go to ABC.  So what's going to be his new show?

I read that on the cover of TVGuide...i doubt its true.

WHO knows...

BTW..I'm on the west coast..who's on tonites show? [you'll
seeit at 9:35 my time]...why did they put that 5 min between
the news and Carson <lenno..I know>..???
--
Generic Signature:
Marshal Perlman - Huntington Beach - California - USA - Earth - Milky Way
yaW ykliM - htraE - ASU - ainrofilaC - hcaeB notgnitnuH - namlreP lahsraM
                                                        :erutangiS cireneG
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: dlcogswe@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Dan Cogswell)
Subject: Re: Letterman Qoutes
Organization: Oakland University, Rochester MI.
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 20:51:34 GMT

tgreen@sw.stratus.com (Tom Green) writes:

>"No, Don(?) Prudhomme.  I had the nitro-burning crayfish and
>the funny car etouffe(?)"

Don Prudhomme:  funny car drag racer.

This ain't Letterman quote, but I still laugh thinking about the guy
that used to pretend he was Grant Tinker and used to call Dave, "Tom".

-- 
Dan Cogswell               Or as we say in Michigan:  "Dee-troit"


Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: dslee@netcom.com (Donna S. Lee)
Subject: Re: Lucky Ticketholders! 
Date: Wed, 02 Sep 92 22:48:31 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Distribution: world,local

aoek774@chpc.utexas.edu (David Letterman) writes:

>Hey!

>How many of you have been to see a taping of our Late Night Leader's esteemed
>show (Winner of the coveted Peabody Award)?  I've been to 3 of them in the  
>past 3 years and just had to give away 2 tickets for Sept. 8 and 2 tickets for
>Sept. 10.  Tell me that dosen't suck!

Not being anywhere near NY this doesn't really apply to me at
this point, but I'd love to find out exactly how one goes about
getting Late Night tix. Do you write away for them or what?
-- 
 Donna S. Lee // EC Technology // dslee@netcom.com
From: jsnell@ocf.berkeley.edu (Jason Snell)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
Subject: Brush With Greatness (was: Rose)
Date: 3 Sep 1992 06:25:43 GMT
Organization: U. C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: headcrash.berkeley.edu

Someone mentioned they couldn't remember Dave's assistant's name, and
I was reminded:

While standing in the Universal Studios parking lot before the taping
of the 10th anniversary special, I met both "Rose" (Dave's assistant,
Laurie Diamond) and "Connie Pleskow, Pregnant Staffer" (Mary Connolly, I 
believe..).. They were just out wandering around, they say, because
"Dave wanted to see how things were going outside." Now, realistically,
this could be serious PR flak. But whatever the reason, they were there,
milling around, talking to the fans. 

So whatever their reason for being there, they were there, and they
spent a bunch of time with all of us. Rose is a very cool woman, and is
perhaps the coolest semi-known person I've ever met (though I owe Crowded
House drummer Paul Hester my life; he gave me ice water when I was about
to die of heatstroke.. but that's another story).

So, to sum up: Rose, Mary, very cool. Once again, I've crystallized my
thoughts perfectly.

Hypmotized!
-jason

-- 
  Jason Snell / jsnell@ocf.berkeley.edu / Cal Graduate School of Journalism
 InterText: A Net Fiction Magazine - ASCII or PostScript - Mail me for info!
            "I thought for a second that my monkey had rabies --
   It turned out he had just gotten into the Cool Whip." -- Dave Letterman
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: christo@bcarh803.BNR.CA (Mark Christopher)
Subject: Re: The Crispin Affair
Reply-To: christo@bnr.ca
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 20:26:27 GMT

In article <1992Sep2.051451.29712@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>,
dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu (Dean Adams) writes:
|>ahawks@nyx.cs.du.edu writes:
|> >Ok...I *MUST* know this...Does anyone know the whole story behind the
|> >most famous Letterman episode of all, the Crispin Glover affair?  
|>
|>Yea, the guy was trying to make an image of being really weird.
|>
|> >What the fuck was he on, anyway?  Coke or PCP I assume, 
|>
|>No, he's just a strange actor.
|>
|> >This 2 minutes of TV ranks among the greatest ever, 
|> >right up there with the Beatles on Sullivan.....
|>
|>It is certainly the one and only time Dave has actually
|>WALKED OFF his own show..

The original Crispin "Kick Dave in the Head" Glover show aired
July 28/87.  There was no top 10 list that day.  It seemed that
they were having some sort of problems getting it ready because
Dave kept saying "is the top 10 list ready yet?"  After Glover
went non-linear, Dave got up and walked off saying "I have to
go check on the top 10 list", Glover sat there looking stupid
(not a stretch for him), then fade to commercial.  After the
ads, Letterman makes numerous cracks about Glover, saying
he "had to get a cab", etc.

-- 
Mark Christopher        Bell-Northern Research          christo@bnr.ca
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: cc@cowan.fishkill.ibm.com (Chris Cowan)
Subject: Move to ABC 
Date: Thu, 03 Sep 92 16:42:18 GMT
Reply-To: cc@vnet.ibm.com
Organization: Pough, NY

If and when Dave moves to ABC, who is coming with him?  Paul and the Band?
Biff?  Anyone know?

It would really be primo, if he was able to get Chris Elliot back.
(I miss the "Mole People!")

-CC

Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: weltyc@porsche.cs.rpi.edu (Chris Welty)
Subject: Re: Tom Brokaw
Organization: RPI Computer Science Dept.
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 17:40:45 GMT


The best Brokaw skit, I think, is the one where Dave get's knocked out
by an NBC thug and wakes up in a dark room to find Tom telling him
something about Cosby feeling that Dave wasn't promoting that "NBC
family" feel in his show, and that he better start, or else.  It was
all done as if Cosby was the godfather and was to be feared.  I
laughed till I puked.

--

Christopher Welty                   Asst. Director, RPI CS Labs, Troy, NY 12180
weltyc@cs.rpi.edu                  "Porsche:  Fahren in seiner schoensten Form"
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: millerm@oakhill.sps.mot.com (Mikemoe)
Subject: Contract Talks (Re: Dropping stuff (was: Re: THE CREATION OF ALT.FAN.LETTERMAN)
Organization: Motorola Inc., Austin, Texas
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 19:34:16 GMT

Adam Lawrence Salter <adam@zooid.guild.org> writes:



>  Ya I miss that stuff too. So, is he gonna move to ABC?

>                                                                adam


Some disappointing news I heard for the first time today....
it might not be new to the rest of you...


WIth Dave's contract about to expire, if Dave does sign with
another network, NBC has up to 1 year to match the offer. This
means, NBC could keep Dave off the air for 1 year if they want
to. Especially, if Dave is nasty during the negotiating process.


I guess its NBC or another network with 1 year vacation time...


mike
millerm@oakhill.sps.mot.com
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: dlcogswe@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Dan Cogswell)
Subject: Re: Letterman Quotes
Organization: Oakland University, Rochester MI.
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 13:49:42 GMT

dks@athena.mit.edu (dks) writes:

>"Heh-heh-heh  . . .  What d'ya want?  Wicker?"

Or, "They pelted us with rocks and garbage."

-- 
Dan Cogswell               Or as we say in Michigan:  "Dee-troit"


Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: mperlman@nyx.cs.du.edu (Marshal "Airborne" Perlman)
Subject: Re: So what's his ABC show about?
Organization: University of Denver, Dept. of Math & Comp. Sci.
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 92 01:42:00 GMT

clc@bifur.unh.edu (Christian L Claiborn) writes:

>Heard he was going to Fox.

>	hit..dave doesn't acknoledge fox as a STATION!

maybe now that chris elliot got dead <for real this time>..hell come
crying back to dave for his job..hah..that show GET A LIFE
was pretty good...he died at least once in each episode..sometimes
more times...heh..
--
Generic Signature:
Marshal Perlman - Huntington Beach - California - USA - Earth - Milky Way
yaW ykliM - htraE - ASU - ainrofilaC - hcaeB notgnitnuH - namlreP lahsraM
                                                        :erutangiS cireneG
From: billm@thor.fsrg.bear.com (Bill Moss)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
Subject: Re: The Crispin Affair
Date: 2 Sep 92 15:37:41 GMT
Organization: Bear Stearns & Company, New York, NY

>Okay, let's see who the REAL Dave fans are: who used to watch the
>Morning show?  (I did!!)  Who saw the first Late Night with Bill Murray
>doing aerobics when it was broadcast??  (I did -- but don't remember
>much of it :-()
>Dan Cogswell               Or as we say in Michigan:  "Dee-troit"

You want a fan?

I was in the studio audience for Dave's morning show!
(It taped out of the same place as the current show).

AND I attended the second night's show (the night after Bill Murray).  Dave
had one of the audience running the camera that night (this made the 10th
anniversary clips).

		==Bill Moss
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
Subject: Re: In Living Color ripoffs of Dave...
From: mcirvin@husc8.harvard.edu (Mcirvin)
Date: 3 Sep 92 00:30:47 GMT
Distribution: world,local

unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (tuu) writes:


>In article <0095FFF0.6E6207D8@VIOLET.CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU> i34183289@VIOLET.CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU writes:
>}  And I won't begin to compare Homey the Clown and the original 
>}  Flunky the Clown.....

>	A bunch of the old writers for Letterman are now ILC writers.

Including the guy who played and wrote Flunky.

-- 
Matt McIrvin, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA 
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: lllowen@netcom.com (lllowen)
Subject: Re: Does Dave know ? ( was Re: Top 10 Copyright
Date: Thu, 03 Sep 92 06:26:39 GMT
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)

In article <BtzF6F.ErA@csn.org> steveg@teal.csn.org (Steve Genoff) writes:
>
>   Do you suppose that Dave knows he has a UseNet following ? A newsgroup
>   dedicated to total Dave worship ?  I'm sure he'd get a kick out of it...
>
>  Wow, wouldn't it be neat if Dave posted somehting HERE ????

What I think would be kinda' cool, is we all pick a day, mail a postcard
or a letter out to "Late Night", and all have it say the same ridiculous
thing.  

If a large handful of people all mail something really stupid, they'd
know something was up.  "Defecit Schmefit" or somethin' like that.

Any ideas?
--

-Lon   (lllowen@netcom.com)
-- 
Lon Lowen Jr.                      lllowen@netcom.com
Netcom On-Line Communications
Calling remote from Michigan
From: roek@ruby.egr.msu.edu (Daniel Roek)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
Subject: Re: Letterman's plans
Date: 2 Sep 92 12:38:43 GMT
Organization: College of Engineering, Michigan State University

In article <-7jnj8c.genie@netcom.com>, genie@netcom.com (The Genie) writes:
|> 
|> As far as Letterman's future plans are concerned, I think it's still
|> up in the air, although I've heard that he'll probably work
|> out something with ABC.  The rumor is that ABC will air his
|> show at the same tim as the Tonight Show.  Should be an
|> interesting dual...

What with Regis going to ABC...

How could Dave stand to be away from him? :-)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: eepmatt@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Matthew Friedman)
Subject: Re: Dave's satellite-location stunts
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston Illinois.
Distribution: world,local
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 02:54:17 GMT

In article <00960143.8EEB245E@VIOLET.CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU> i34183289@VIOLET.CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU writes:
>I've always wondered if anyone with a satellite dish has ever picked up
>a satellite transmission when they do a location shot in New York...
>(i.e. when they do 'May we see your photos please')

As a video geek graduating with a film/television degree from NU, I'd guess
that they use shortwave for this, and that satellite dishes would not pick it
up.
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: christ@cie.uoregon.edu (Christian G. Smith)
Subject: "Latka freaking out"...
Summary: Anyone watch his ninth annaversary show?
Keywords: latka, who else
Organization: University of Oregon Campus Information Exchange
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 92 01:51:29 GMT

 Ah, I just remembered his name: Andy Kaufman (sp?)...He play-
ed 'Latka' on the television show Taxi.  I think it was on    
Dave's ninth or tenth annaversary show that they showed a bunch
of clips from previous seasons...One of them having Dave talking
to Andy Kaufman and some BIG burly pirate-looking dude.
  I forget most of what happened, just that Mr. Kaufman freaked
out and started insulting the guy, who then chased the weasel
around Dave's desk.  Dave, of course, is smiling into the camera
as this mayhem unfolds around him.
  I'm sure if anyone saw his show, they'd remember this clip, it's
pretty cool.

  MY QUESTION to those skilled enough to answer it:
  
  Why was he so upset at the guy?  It looks real because Andy, who
is wearing a neck brace, calls the guy a motherfucker or somesuch 
then throws Dave's coffee at him.  I'd really love to see the episode,
but if anyone who has seen it can shed light on it, I'd just crap
in happiness.
 
-christian

-- 
                         WAR IS PEACE
                      FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
                    IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
christ@cie.uoregon.edu
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: jmwojtal@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Wojo)
Subject: Re: "Latka freaking out"...
Keywords: latka, who else
Organization: Oakland University, Rochester MI.
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 11:32:02 GMT

In article <1992Sep2.015129.11290@nntp.uoregon.edu> christ@cie.uoregon.edu (Christian G. Smith) writes:
>  
>  Why was he so upset at the guy?  It looks real because Andy, who
>is wearing a neck brace, calls the guy a motherfucker or somesuch 
>then throws Dave's coffee at him.  I'd really love to see the episode,
>but if anyone who has seen it can shed light on it, I'd just crap
>in happiness.
> 

Befor the incident, I believe Andy was wrestling women.  Then on Saturday
Night Live, on one of the sketches, Andy was wrestling The King Jerry Lawler,
the guy on Letterman.  The deal was to have Andy put a headlock on him for 30
seconds.  Well after Andy did it for 30 seconds, Jerry suplexed him (picking
him up and slamming his upper back on the mat) and knocked him out.  Then he
proceeded to do piledrivers on him (putting Andy's head between legs, tip
him upside down, and fall on butt).  That was why e was wearing a neck brace.




-- 
************************************************************************
Jeff Wojtalewicz (Wojo)  jmwojtal@vela.acs.oakland.edu
Oakland University		      Start Hacking
************************************************************************
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: soley@trop32.enet.dec.com (Norm Soley)
Subject: Re: Why did A&E cancel Letterman reruns?
Organization: Digital Equipment of Canada
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 16:11:59 GMT

In article <1992Sep3.132959.10201@sunova.ssc.gov> peterson@bolivia.Berkeley.EDU (BBB) writes:
>The way I understood it was that was one of the things Dave was 
>pissed at NBC about. They sold his reruns to A&E and didn't pay
>him a dime. So I am sure NBC is trying to work something out with
>Dave. (They can't be so stupid as to let him go? Can they? I guess
>they are owned by GE so anything is possible.)

Given that the reruns were "presented" by Worldwide Pants (Which is DL's
production company isn't it?) and the fact that the announcement clips
for the "re-run plus" episode(s) featured a modern day Dave I doubt that
this was done without his consent. 
-- 
    Norman Soley, Specialist, Digital Integrations Services,  ITC District
    Digital Equipment of Canada                   soley@trooa.enet.dec.com
    Opinions expressed are mine alone  and do not reflect those of Digital 
    Equipment Corporation or my cat Marge.
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: christo@bcarh803.BNR.CA (Mark Christopher)
Subject: Racing legend Hal Gurney
Reply-To: christo@bnr.ca
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 15:06:40 GMT

Dave is a big racing fan, and always takes the weeky of the Indy 500
race off to go down to the race.  I think the "racing legend Hal Gurney"
bit is a reference to _All American Racing_ which is run by DAN Gurney.

No idea if Dan and Hal are related.

Did anyone see the Belgium GP last Sunday?  They aired a top 10 list
there: "Top 10 enjoyable things about ESPN's Formula 1 coverage".

-- 
Mark Christopher        Bell-Northern Research          christo@bnr.ca
From: baldwin@csservera.scs.usna.navy.mil (J.D. Baldwin)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
Subject: Re: Contract Talks
Date: 4 Sep 92 14:23:27 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Comp. Sci. Dep't., U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD
In-reply-to: millerm@oakhill.sps.mot.com's message of 3 Sep 92 19:34:16 GMT

Those of you who are interested in Dave's contract status are invited to
visit your local library, get hold of 3 September's edition of the Washington
Post, and read Tom Shales' (their TV critic) interview with Dave.  It's
quite interesting.
--
 From the catapult of:              |+| "If anyone disagrees with anything I
   _,_  J. D. Baldwin, Comp Sci Dept|+| say, I am quite prepared not only to
 _|70|___:::)=}-  U.S. Naval Academy|+| retract it, but also to deny under
 \      /   baldwin@usna.navy.mil   |+| oath that I ever said it." --T. Lehrer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: mperlman@nyx.cs.du.edu (Marshal "Airborne" Perlman)
Subject: Re: "Latka freaking out"...
Keywords: latka, who else
Organization: University of Denver, Dept. of Math & Comp. Sci.
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 92 02:49:43 GMT

eodell@nyx.cs.du.edu (Eugene O'Dell) writes:

>In article <1992Sep2.015129.11290@nntp.uoregon.edu> christ@cie.uoregon.edu (Christian G. Smith) writes:
>>to Andy Kaufman and some BIG burly pirate-looking dude.

>     I remember seeing that on the anniversary show.  As I recall, 
>the "burly pirate-looking dude" slapped Kaufman hard enough to make him
>fall over in his chair.  From there, the chase scene began(?) (I think).
>Anyhow, it was a very early show....  The burly guy had a disco-type
>medallion on his chest (god knows why I remember that).
>--

lets see..who wears a medallion and is on TV...Michael KNIGHT?


"Salt...I LOVE SALT" - Bill Wendle
--
Generic Signature:
Marshal Perlman - Huntington Beach - California - USA - Earth - Milky Way
yaW ykliM - htraE - ASU - ainrofilaC - hcaeB notgnitnuH - namlreP lahsraM
                                                        :erutangiS cireneG
Newsgroups: alt.fan.letterman
From: steinman@me.utoronto.ca (David Steinman)
Subject: Re: Dave 'n' Cher
Organization: UofT Mechanical Engineering
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 04:21:21 GMT

norris@athena.mit.edu (Richard A Chonak) writes:

>I suppose their antagonism crystallized when Cher appeared on the program
>(after months of jokes about her refusals) and said something to the effect of: 
>"Y'know, (so-and-so) was right: you're an a**hole."  

Actually, Dave asked Cher why she hadn't wanted to appear on the show, and
she said it was because she'd heard he was an asshole.  That really threw
Dave -- he is on record as saying it was one of the most unsettling things
to happen to him in the show.  But he did get her back later when he said
something to the effect of:

"Y'know, I was really upset about what she said, and then I thought: 'this
comes from a woman who was married to Sonny Bono'" 

In retrospect, I think Letterman kinda liked Cher's honesty (and her
ability to get him good ratings :-), to the point that he got her to (very
grudgingly) sing with Sonny on his show, something no one else had been
able to do.  She may now be pissed off with him for putting her on the spot
then, however.
--
Dave!