I'm hoping this story is some horrible mistake. Maybe they mean British singer Robbie Williams?
But it looks like it's true. The comedian will open The Late Show with David Letterman when the CBS show comes back from its strike hiatus this Wednesday night. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Williams will talk really fast and make a lot of funny noises with his mouth, and maybe even do some impressions of foreign people. He's a genius!
I'd actually like to see someone else open the show. How about Bill Murray, who is always the first guest Letterman has on when he goes to a new network or has an anniversary? Or how longtime guest and friend Amy Sedaris? Tom Hanks? Tom Brokaw? Or how about the guy who bagged my groceries this morning when I bought some chicken (Perdue) and contact lens cleaner? Anyone but Williams, please!
In other late night guest news, Jay Leno is going with Mike Huckabee as his first guest on Wednesday. No word yet on what the other late night hosts are going to do.















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-31-2007 @ 3:03PM
Scott said...
Williams has become a complete hack. There was a time, maybe 15 years ago, when he was funny. Since then he's burned up all audience goodwill by continuing to do the same hacky material and starring in a bunch of melodramatic movie roles. To the point where now he inspires averse reactions like yours when news of an appearance becomes public.
Reply
12-31-2007 @ 3:08PM
Sam said...
Bell & Evans chicken, dude!
See, if Dave was coming in sans writers, he would be a perfect choice, since he can just eat up valuable network time. But since they're all coming back .... sigh.
Reply
12-31-2007 @ 3:12PM
Nathaniel said...
Dude, that was way, way harsh. We all know Robin Williams Live on Broadway is hilarious, and if he does stand-up for this, then it'll be fine.
Reply
12-31-2007 @ 3:16PM
George said...
Well said, Scott. You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned R.W. burning up all his audience goodwill. Like a lot of people, I used to really enjoy his comedic work..Then I started to realize that appearance after appearance after appearance was the exact same schtick involving tired impression of a gay guy, followed by a dated impression of a black guy, followed by a beaten-to-death impression of an Indian guy. I still enjoy when he does dramatic roles though... His performance in Good Will Hunting was pretty fantastic..
(On a side note: I did get to meet the guy once.. I sold him a Nintendo 64 at the FAO Schwarz in San Francisco when they first came out, back in 96 or so. He was extremely cool and fun to help)
Reply
12-31-2007 @ 3:24PM
kevjohn said...
You couldn't have killed my interest in watching Dave's comeback show more than if you had said Paris Hilton would be the first guest (although I do enjoy Dave making fun of her to her face and her not really realizing it).
Hmmm... Paris: does nothing. Robin W.: does too much. Have them switch bodies and you'll have your next hilarious R.W. movie!
Reply
12-31-2007 @ 4:06PM
MacGuffin said...
Robin Williams is so incredibly UN-funny in talk shows.
On a recent Real Time with Bill Maher, he absolutely ruined the show with the manic behavior and weird quips. I know his hero/mentor is Jonathan Winters but Jonathan Winters was actually funny.
Reply
12-31-2007 @ 4:19PM
Thomas said...
10-15 minutes of irritating noises then.
Reply
12-31-2007 @ 5:12PM
Ian said...
Witht he writers strike the show badly needed an opening guest who likes to ad lib.
I can understand their choice.
Reply
12-31-2007 @ 5:27PM
Oreo said...
They have writers they don't need him.
I used to like him until a few years ago when I heard him on some show and he has been using the same stuff since 2001-2002.
Reply
1-03-2008 @ 11:21AM
viewdrix said...
His HBO stand-up DVD is the one time, ever, that I've considered him hilarious post-puberty. On that DVD, he's gut-bustingly hilarious, dare I say.
Watching it was a strange phenomenon.
Reply
1-01-2008 @ 1:00AM
Barb. P said...
I don't know about you but I'd really like to see Letterman alone with no one....I think he'd be funny.
Reply
1-01-2008 @ 6:28AM
Max said...
I actually like Robin Williams but will not watch the show because I do not care at all for Dave Letterman.
Reply
1-03-2008 @ 2:45PM
nono said...
your right only lettermans looks are funny, he is not.
1-01-2008 @ 9:20AM
Bash said...
How about Bob Sassone... can't be worse than his *beep* blog entries...
Sorry, I still like Robin Williams. Dont' quite get why it's so popular now to bash him...
Reply
1-01-2008 @ 11:49AM
ameerah773 said...
Sorry guys but I love Robyn Williams. and am looking forward to the show. He is one of a kind and is always very funny in my opinion!
Reply
1-02-2008 @ 5:20PM
coz said...
well i have missed Letterman and from a British point of view i think it would have been great to of seen Robbie Williams opening his show, it's nice to know at last some of our American friends have heard of Robbie, I must say you don't know what you've been missing. hopefully the American people will give him a chance to show what a great entertainer he is, oh well you never know.
Reply
1-02-2008 @ 2:18PM
Brad Hill said...
I'm not a big Williams fan, but the choice makes sense. Dave had Robin on the first show back from heart surgery (for which I+friends were in the audience, btw). It's going to be a competitive night, and Williams is a big draw. Normally I never allow Leno's ghastly image appear on my TV screen, but I'll record him tonight to see how he copes with the writerless situation. And doesn't Dave's agreement with the writer's guild start next week? or was it moved up to tonight?
Reply
1-03-2008 @ 8:21PM
J. Brian Thompson said...
I love comedy and I am relieved to learn I am not the only person with a severe Robin Williams aversion. He is like the neophyte photographer told to make a thousand exposures and choose the best two. 90% of his lines are lame, and accompanied by extreme histrionics that don't help. A host can't talk to the man. He offers few opinions or anecdotes. He seems terrified of not being the center of attention. Indeed, I skipped the entire show from fear of being involved in a drive-by manic assault. Robin Williams once was interesting. Now he's simply pathetic.
Reply