David Letterman on being unrecognized

    by Freddenver: David Letterman

    The shift in how David Letterman is perceived by the public has become so stark he says he now needs to wear a name tag just to get anything going. He describes walking across town the other day heading somewhere when a guy came up and asked if he was Dick Van Dyke. Letterman notes that previously people of his age or younger would approach him to express they watched his show nightly. After his departure, viewers told him they missed him and mentioned their mothers now watch his content. Here lately it's you know what I would like a picture of you to show to my grandfather and his father also. #DavidLetterman

    Transcript (en)

    Here's what happens to me now. People used to know who I am. And now, you know, I have to wear a name tag to get anything going. So I was walking across town just the other day, going somewhere, maybe the farmer's market. I don't know where I was going. And a guy comes up to me and he says, excuse me, are you who I think you are? And now I'm all loaded up and I respond, well, you know, that depends on who you think I are. That always gets a big laugh. And I said, who do you think I am? And he said, Dick Van Dyke. And I said, no! What is... no! What is... Because when I was your age, people my age and younger would come up to me and say, oh, we watch this show every night. We love it. And then when I left, oh, we miss you. And then it would be, oh, my mother watches you now every night. She... and she really misses you now that you're gone. And here lately it's, you know what, I'd like a picture of you to show to my grandfather, because... And his father also... We used to watch it together in the hospital before, you know, just like that, so...