Brush With Greatness....David Letterman

David Letterman used to have a segment on his show called "Brush With Greatness" where studio audience members would tell about various encourters with assorted celebrities so in honor of Dave himself....I thought I'd begin this series with "My David Letterman Story."

I interned for him many years ago when he was still at NBC. I was assigned to the "Visuals Deptartment" who were responsible for all of the special graphics he used to use on the show back then. Ironically, one of my bosses there went on to be the announcer for "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, Ed Hall. I was only there two days a week and most of my time was spent outside of the office running around town picking up stock movies and celebrity headshots. This was in the dark days before the internet. I had little direct contact with Dave the entire semester I interned there. Some of the other interns there with me went on to work for the show, but not me because, I believe, they had more opportunity to stay at their desk and shmooze.

I interned the following semester in the NBC Travel Department and then managed to get a temporary job for the summer as a NBC Telephone Operator. Believe it or not, they still had a live switch board 24 hours a day at NBC, but it was slowly being phased out even back then. Fortunately, both the Travel Department and the Telephone Room were on the same side of 30 Rock as the "Late Night" office so I would still run into people from the show on the elevator.

One day I found myself on the elevator with several older women who worked with me in the phone room and David Letterman. His office was located on the 14th floor and the Telephone Room was located directly above him on 15. It was almost the end of summer and one of the operators asked me what I was planning on doing once this temp assignment ended. Dave stood there silently listening.

"So," one of them said, "Have you started looking for another job yet? Do you have any plans?"

"No," I replied, "I just thought maybe I might get into selling crack to school kids."

Obviously, I was joking because crack was a big deal in the news at the time. They chuckled, but Dave remained silent.

The doors open on 15 and that's when I realized Dave had forgotten to get off at his stop so I turned to him as I exited.

"I think you missed your floor, Dave" I said.

"I forgot," he replied, "I was so busy listening to your story."

I smiled as the door closed behind me. I had actually gotten a laugh out of David Letterman!