Letterman interrupts The Today Show - first ever split-screen view of both shows!
Channel: Adam Abrams
Date: 2014-07-29

It took almost 30 years (!), but at long last, here's the legendary Letterman prank of August 19, 1985 - from the perspective of the live Today Show broadcast, which was interrupted in the background by Dave on a bullhorn from his offices high above Rockefeller Plaza!

Down below, a special, live evening edition of the Today Show was taping, and Dave shouted out some random taunts. (His "comedy premise" for doing so was that he was peeved that the ad for the Today Show event was much larger than that for his own anniversary special.)

All audio is from the live Today Show broadcast, but I've overlaid the image of Dave's show - which taped at the same time, but aired that night - so it overlaps exactly in real time, showing his camera's perspective on the proceedings. Wow, I can't believe I finally get to do this!  8^)

If you read along with the titles which I added to show what Dave was saying, you'll find that a surprising amount of it is quite understandable in the Today Show's audio. A few phrases definitely stand out clearly. And there definitely seems to be laughter audible in the background from the crowd.

No wonder Bryant Gumbel was steamed at Letterman for years after this.

Note: you'll find Letterman's side of this gag here if you'd like to watch it first:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3R8aoPyGyc

Then keep the volume up, and look at this!



Thanks so much to Daniel Savaria for posting the Letterman side of this (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3R8aoPyGyc). I thought I had it as well in my VHS archives, but came up short. Luckily, his copy is perfect!