It ain’t Oprah ’til it’s Oprah

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After literally years of (humorous) whining by Dave, including one stretch where Paul Shaffer played his song “It Ain’t Oprah ‘Til It’s Oprah” every night for several weeks on end, Oprah Winfrey has apparently agreed to appear on “Late Show With David Letterman.” Her last appearance with Dave was in 1989, on his old NBC show. Oprah will be on next Thursday, the same night her production of “The Color Purple” opens on Broadway.

By the way, my second-favorite late night highlight was in prime time — but it was a rerun of a late-night show from last week. I missed last week’s episode of “The Colbert Report” with Tim Robbins as Stephen Colbert’s in-studio guest. Here was Colbert’s first question:

“I have a two-part question. What was it like working with Clint Eastwood, and why do you hate America?”

Robbins, who was aware of the show’s satiric intent, took it in stride. That hasn’t always been the case; I still remember when Letterman hosted the Academy Awards (which I actually enjoyed) and Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon were presenters. Letterman introduced the politically-active couple with “Let’s see what they’re pissed off about tonight,” and if looks could kill Letterman would not have made it to the next commercial break.

Just to bring everything full circle, that was also the night when Letterman made the notorious joke of introducing Uma to Oprah and Oprah to Uma. Again, I thought it was funny, although I seem to have been in the minority.

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About John

John Carney is a journalist, a certified United Methodist lay speaker, a veteran of foreign and domestic short-term mission trips, and author of a self-published novel, Soapstone.
  • http://www.inthatnumber.com/index.php Phisch

    I remember that one! He said “Uma, Oprah” three different times that night.

  • http://www.inthatnumber.com/index.php Phisch

    I remember that one! He said “Uma, Oprah” three different times that night.

  • http://wildfaith.blogspot.com/ Darrell Grizzle

    I can see why Colbert’s question would not be offensive but Letterman’s statement would. Colbert’s question is a funny joke in itself; the way it’s worded, it could be taken as a satire not on Tim Robbins but on people who assume liberals hate America. Letterman’s statement, though, is more than a little passive-aggressive, not to mention crude.

  • http://wildfaith.blogspot.com/ Darrell Grizzle

    I can see why Colbert’s question would not be offensive but Letterman’s statement would. Colbert’s question is a funny joke in itself; the way it’s worded, it could be taken as a satire not on Tim Robbins but on people who assume liberals hate America. Letterman’s statement, though, is more than a little passive-aggressive, not to mention crude.