Did you happen to catch me on the
”
Late Show with David Letterman
”
the other night? Well, at least all of eight seconds worth.
Actually, this is the second time I’ve crossed paths with the
famous talk show host from Indiana. First, let me relate my latest
adventure.
Did you happen to catch me on the “Late Show with David Letterman” the other night? Well, at least all of eight seconds worth. Actually, this is the second time I’ve crossed paths with the famous talk show host from Indiana. First, let me relate my latest adventure.
I was on vacation in New York City with my family. After applying for tickets three months earlier, we had gotten into a taping of the “Late Show” the previous evening (presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, actor Shiloh Labuff and the musical group McCarthy were guests). The following day we were walking back to our hotel, which was just around the corner from the Ed Sullivan Theater where Letterman’s show is taped. I heard Dave’s voice over a loudspeaker on the street outside the theater and knew exactly what he was up to. Dave was doing the gag where he talks to passersby via a loud speaker and squirts unknowing people as they walk by a hidden camera.
We hurried over the the area where around 30 or 40 people had gathered, and where the sidewalk was already wet from previous soakings. Then, I heard Dave’s voice over the loud speaker, “Don’t go near the puddle.” That was all I needed to hear. I calmly walked to the middle of the puddle, waving both hands at the camera.” Dave then said, “OK, I warned you.” He let me have it with a full dosing of water from a sprinkler attached to a nearby utility pole. I danced around and continued to wave as his audience laughed at the fool getting drenched.
Now this is the funny part. My 16-year-old daughter, Kaitlin, who was standing right next to me for a bit, failed to follow me to the puddle. She can be seen in the background laughing at her father. Meanwhile, my wife, Debbie, can be seen making an abrupt U-turn, walking briskly away from the antics. Seems she didn’t want anything to do with the fool of a husband, dancing on the sidewalk, getting drenched from an overhead sprinkler.
So, there were my eight seconds of fame. My other brush with David Letterman occurred years ago after Dave had a guest named Bessie Weidle on the show. Weidle, who lives in Rhode Island, was a guest after she was saved from serious injury or death by a painted-cement reindeer that adorned her garden. It seems a drunk driver drove his car right into Weidle’s bedroom late at night. He ran over the painted-cement reindeer, which wedged underneath the car that ended up just above Weidle’s bed. The 4-foot-tall reindeer prevented Weidle from being crushed by mere inches.
After seeing Weidle, I contacted the “Late Show” and interviewed her by telephone. I ended up with a great column. Weidle even sent me a picture that I ran with the column, showing just how close she came to death.
“That’s what helped save my life,” Bessie said in the telephone interview. “It was propping up the car. The car was right on top of me.”
So, since this is a garden column, that’s precisely how stupid garden statues can save lives.