Letterman Mark Twain Prize, Combined Versions, Nov. 20, 2017 

Oh Norm, how I wished you would be sitting one day up there and receiving this well deserved price.

This absolutely could not have been a proper Letterman moment without Biff coming out

I was born for this kind of humor... can remember back to grade school years, sneaking out of bed to go watch Steve Allen on TV... then later the long reign of Johnny Carson. After that was a period of uncertainty, until for me it was David Letterman. It was almost Conan after them, but TV got too 'hipster' until I couldn't watch late night anymore. Today is all canned crap that I won't watch... none of the edge to it that the earlier greats had. We miss you, Dave.

Steve Martin and Martin Short - 1:00 Stupid Pet Tricks - 5:53 Jimmy Kimmel - 10:16 Letterman's First Tonight Show Set - 14:28 Amy Schumer - 18:32 Bus Station Sketch - 23:27 John Mulaney - 25:59 Alka Seltzer Water Tank - 30:40 Letterman's Psychiatrist - 32:16 Jimmy Walker - 33:25 They Took my Show Away - 35:57 Norm Macdonald - 40:15 Bill Hader and Fred Armisen - 42:43 Martin Short - 47:21 Senator Al Franken - 50:04 Funny or Die Clip - 54:18 Bill Murray - 56:00 Taco Bell - 1:01:13 Michelle Obama - 1:04:05 Montage of Past Mark Twain Recipients - 1:05:25 Paul Shaffer - 1:08:57 Eddie Vetter Performance - 1:10:53 Top Ten List - 1:15:55 Award Presentation - 1:18:36 David Letterman - 1:20:07 Group Photo - 1:30:40

Am I the only one who rewound the horse because I couldn't take my eyes off dancing cop number three?

Such a great song by Warren Zevon. What a fantastic performance by Veddor. Warren's last visit with Dave was beyond heartbreaking. He gifted Dave one of his guitars. I read the famously stoic Dave, after the taping was complete & Warren had left, hugged that guitar and wept.

I don't know how long I've been watching your videos, 30yrs? Just wanted to say thanks for all of the memories you've managed to store.

David Letterman was the most funny, entertaining talk show host on the planet. At least I can watch reruns of his show.

This man was the only American talk show host who went all the way to India to interview Shah Rukh Khan , spend time with Khan in his home to give us a good idea about the King of romance . Simply brilliant.

Bill Murry could have just walked up on the stage and walked off because that entrance was Awesome , So funny . He did not need to say a word and so funny . Love it . That outfit is great .

Thank you don - footage adviser, nice. Hope people recognize how happy you make the letterman community with your work, by maintaining your archive and posting here on youtube.

This is as good a place as any for a hearty thanks to Don Giller for all the videos. It's a great thing to have them available whether we watch for basic entertainment or as a salve after a hard day. Thanks, dude.

Amazing, just seeing this. So good.

"Yeah yeah, Steve Allen did some of that stuff, but if Steve Allen is so great how come he's dead?" Easily the joke of the night. Mulaney's segment was fantastic.

Hell yeah I'd watch a reality show of Norm McDonald going on road trips

Really enjoyed that - thanks so much for uploading

Dave truly had an amazing run. Carson and Robin Williams should have won this award in the 90's. Seinfeld MUST be next❗

So glad I got to see this, Dave was a true original!!! Eddie Vetter singing that amazing Warren Zevon song tore me up!!!! I don't know how a person that knew he was near death could write such a beautiful song!!!

Thank you so much for the unedited version...and shame on PBS for editing out Al Franken's appeance.

How humble is Letterman! At the end, instead of barging about his career, he kept talking about other comedians. As a non-native speaker, I always like the inelegance and wit of Letterman in his show. He's incomparable.

Thanks for your work putting together this like you did. I know this is from 3 years ago but its been long enough since I watched that its new to me again.

Thank Don for sharing

Thanks Don - great job!

I can’t believe I’m just now seeing this!!

Beautiful job Thanks!

What a great show! What a great career!

"They Took Away My Show" (35:58) is an incredible Letterman bit, so influential to comics like Conan and Kimmel.

A 'Don Giller' credit on a Letterman show, appearing on-screen the same time as Dave himself was on it. Must have been a thrill Don?

Thank you so much, Don!

Thanks Don Giller, as always, you da Man!

Again I say thanks, Don! The world is a better place due to your commitment, obsession, & hard work in sharing this content with those of us who had our sensibilities so shaped by late night and the characters therein. Bless!

Thanks for the "bonus feature" at the end!

That bus driver at 24:25 is the most 80's looking cop I've ever seen!

When it aired in New Orleans Monday on, oh yes, WYES, it included a long Al Franken segment which I was not expecting. So I guess we got the unedited Al. The next day, when there was a sudden scramble to fill the Charlie Rose slot, they aired it again, same version. But wow, Norm McDonald's contribution was noticeably, brutally edited.

Don't you hate it when people try to change history? Thanks for uploading the event in its entirety.

Thanks for sharing

Wow I can't believe I haven't already seen this! Miss you on the Late night hour David! Yes after Dave left the World really has been falling apart! He really did make it okay after 9/11! Stupid pet tricks!? Nothing else needs be said about that! Bwahahah! I loved the Velcro suit and wall, oh and the chips suit he wore to be dipped him into the dip bit too! Hahaha! He complained about the crotch being too tight! lol Oh heck David Letterman was the Best! 🥳💕🙏

Not even halfway through and ive gone to click thumbs up at least 5 times.

all I could think of was having how overwhelmed Harry must have been. To think your dad is such a big deal.

I am one taco supreme away from being named employee of the month.

John Mulaney really made a brilliant point re Dave painting grapes.

Thanks so much for posting this. I hit the 'subscribe' button thanks to this. I'm hoping one day to find the "Twirling Bowl of Chili" clip someday!

How did you find the original Franken version? Amazing upload. Appreciate all of your work.

David Letterman 💖

Merrill Markoe deserves alotta' credit, too.

This tribute was as great as I expected. Thank you so much for posting! There were three unexpected things that were big highlights for me. His psychiatrist being asked to present was brilliant and reminded me of the early odd bits on NBC. The second was the very moving Eddie Vedder performance. I am sure Paul picked the song, but Vedder embraced it with all his heart and it was just beautiful. The third was the fantastic part where Bill Murry has Harry throw food into the audience - just delightful. The best line of the the night was delivered by John Mulaney who was great: "that's what Letterman did for comedy, he painted grapes." The most disappointing (and sad) part of the night was poor Norm. Norm so wonderfully kicked ass in his last stand up on the Late Show and then broke into tears. He loves Dave so much. It was sad to see what happened to his bit. The only surprising omission on the show was no reference to Dave's mom.

It's a shame that Chris Elliott only appears for a few seconds in the top ten bit. He should have been given a spot earlier in the show that was at least as long as the other comedians. He played a huge role in making 'Late Night' the great show that it was.

I died laughing when Bill Murray was on😂🤣

Good job Don, spotted @ 1:29:54

The honor is a little tarnished when they go through the last twenty years of recipients & Will Ferrell & Jay Leno were past award winners.

When Martin sang, felt like a Rat Pack show. I miss what Dave brought us.

40:15 Norm fucking with the audience yet again! 🤣

I miss him, so fucking much.

LOVE the beagle playing dead. THAT is quality TV.

In the space of 19 years, Rudy Guiliani went from 'the personification of courage' to 'the personification of sleeze'. Good times.

How I wish they would have had a compilation of all the weird guests he had, including Andy Kaufman, Brother Theodore, Harvey Pekar, Crispin Glover, Howard Stern (preferably not in drag), and a clip from the Tom Waits/George Clooney thing with the handcuffs.

39:34 It's nice to see David and Conan together again.

Bonnie Hunt should have been roasting Dave , that's too bad . 🌟

Its sad that they didn't call conan

Letterman great, he took care of his friends, good guy

Hader & Armisen ! Pure gold 42:43

Honestly surprised that Letterman didn't try to get the Foo Fighters to perform "Everlong" for this.

so Conan's name used to be Jimmy.

Norm MacDonald, John Mulaney, Steve Martin, Bill Murray!!! but man oh man am I glad they came through and booked Amy Schumer too?!

Amazing content as always. What is that song that Paul and the band are playing at the end. I have not been able to find it.

Bill and Fred looked like they could do the Oh, Hello with John and Nick

Al franken 🙌💫

It's too bad they never aired Norm's whole segment. He just mentioned it on twitter: "Today, my buddy sent me the tape. Awful. cut to bits. The bit had no chance from the start because a fellow presenter made a comment that was the spine of my bit." Do you know what the missing "comment" was?

I love so much the relation between Jimmy and Dave ♡

Why did they edit out Al Franken?

Saw The Donz’s name in the credits!

can't help but wonder what went through Harry's head during this. His dad is David Letterman not just dad

the mark of a mature man is one who can laugh at himself

holy crap Bill Murray is hilarious

Any chance you could upload the Eddie Murphy Mark Twain Prize video @DonGiller?

hah that's awesome that senator al walked on to Frankenstein

why didn't Carson and Robin Williams win this?

Norm is sooooo funny

👏

thank you for this! would you happen to have Chappelle’s Mark Twain Prize show from last night?

SUCH A SMART BEAGLE

I wonder if when a young Don Giller bought his first VCR, if he ever thought it would lead to this? LOL

The NBC show was so much funnier than the CBS version.

Ah coo it’s David “PELUCA” Letterman 🤗

mark twain was childhood friends with an American President Theodore Roosevelt. but they both had a spectacular falling out. and it became very nasty and bitter. twain hated the way Roosevelt was using the press as weapon and set up his own newsletter to vent his opinions. very few of Samuel Clements other work beyond the adventures of huckleberry finn exists. when he died he asked everything bar the books to be destroyed. none of the newsletters, none of his correspondece to Theodore Roosevelt. I saw a documentary about all that. some time ago

Can't believe Tom Waits wasn't there.

I really enjoyed the"vegetable rights activist" line.

And if you help someone big or small.... 💜💗🖖🧝

Do you know what segments were padded to make up for Franken? Cutting him left a hole of several minutes.

Footage advisor! Tell us more!

Ugh Jimmy Kimmel had to go there.....

Yes I would have loved to have gone on a road trip with Norm Macdonald. Insightful conversation and laughing like an idiot? Yes please :) A comedy legend who more than deserved a Mark Twain award. RIP Norm

Someone help me with this. Martin Short said, "and Dave when you finally do retire..." but, Dave appears on this program with his full beard which he didn't grow until AFTER he retired. Am I missing something?

how did Jay Leno get this before Dave??

Not to take away anything from Dave, but yes my generation remembers Steve Allen and he was , I think, a great influencer of the comedic side of late night TV, as was Jack Paar in a totally different way..

Bill Murray was the best performer. Absolutely killed it.

They royally fucked up Norm's part by editing it out. I have looked so much for the full version but can't find it anywhere. Anyone has a clue?

So Bradley Cooper will play Vetter in a biopic...right...?

How sad that they edited out Al Franken. His alleged transgressions against women may have merited an apology, but certainly not a resignation from the Senate. He is missed.

jimmy is like dave down to earth but jimmy is the most emotional (in a good way) host ive ever seen