Evil Dave Letterman
Encyclopedia
Dave Van Dam is an American voice impressionist who has appeared on The Howard Stern Show since 1999. With only a minor adjustment, Van Dam can accurately impersonate the voice of American late night talk show host David Letterman
which is used to comedic effect on The Howard Stern Show. Van Dam is also a member of the show's Wack Pack.
When visiting the Stern show, Van Dam is given material by the show's staff. The nature of the material is often crude, and includes themes of homophobia
, murder
, pedophilia
, racism
, and anti-Semitism
.
, Letterman's rival late night talk show host. The next day, Stern read an article from the New York Post
explaining that an advisor of the real Letterman had to announce that the caller was actually not the real Letterman. Van Dam was then called back to congratulate, and showed his interest in the impression and the reaction it got. Stern then told Van Dam that he would contact him to make more appearances as well as writing "filthy" lines that the real Letterman would not say.
Van Dam would continue calling in the show throughout 2000 until he made his first live studio appearance on July 27, 2001 where he took part in The Gossip Game with Mike Walker
, a weekly show segment, under the identity of "David E. Letterman". The visit was a success, and Van Dam would make three to five studio visits a year from 2001-2005 until Stern left terrestrial radio.
Following the show's move to Sirius XM Radio in January, 2006, Van Dam's first appearance on Howard 100 was during an episode of Tissue Time with Heidi Cortez
, before the show's inaugural broadcast. Van Dam's first call was on January 13, 2006, that was planned as a series of pranks to new show announcer George Takei
. Van Dam called in as Letterman to dupe Takei in reading a Top 10 list about William Shatner
on the day's Late Show with David Letterman
.
and Benjy Bronk. He is usually given various lines or words to pronounce, which is put into a game for the show, where you bet whether Van Dam could pronounce words such as "rhapsody" "psychology" or celebrity names such as Renee Zellweger
.
episode "Back to the Woods
" on February 17, 2008, as the real Letterman.
He has also appeared on the Internet and cable television program Psycho Babble.
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
which is used to comedic effect on The Howard Stern Show. Van Dam is also a member of the show's Wack Pack.
When visiting the Stern show, Van Dam is given material by the show's staff. The nature of the material is often crude, and includes themes of homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
, murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, pedophilia
Pedophilia
As a medical diagnosis, pedophilia is defined as a psychiatric disorder in adults or late adolescents typically characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children...
, racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, and anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
.
The Howard Stern Show
Van Dam's first appearance on the The Howard Stern Show was on December 8, 1999, where using his "Letterman voice", called in making jokes about Jay LenoJay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
, Letterman's rival late night talk show host. The next day, Stern read an article from the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
explaining that an advisor of the real Letterman had to announce that the caller was actually not the real Letterman. Van Dam was then called back to congratulate, and showed his interest in the impression and the reaction it got. Stern then told Van Dam that he would contact him to make more appearances as well as writing "filthy" lines that the real Letterman would not say.
Van Dam would continue calling in the show throughout 2000 until he made his first live studio appearance on July 27, 2001 where he took part in The Gossip Game with Mike Walker
Mike Walker (columnist)
Mike Walker is a gossip columnist for The National Enquirer, and hosted the magazine's 1999-2001 MGM-produced newsmagazine, National Enquirer TV...
, a weekly show segment, under the identity of "David E. Letterman". The visit was a success, and Van Dam would make three to five studio visits a year from 2001-2005 until Stern left terrestrial radio.
Following the show's move to Sirius XM Radio in January, 2006, Van Dam's first appearance on Howard 100 was during an episode of Tissue Time with Heidi Cortez
Heidi Cortez
Heidi Cortez is an American entrepreneur . In November 2005, Cortez was hired by Howard Stern to be the radio host and co-writer for the show Tissue Time with Heidi Cortez Sirius XM satellite radio channel. On the show, Cortez read saucy, comical, bedtime stories to listeners at the end of the day...
, before the show's inaugural broadcast. Van Dam's first call was on January 13, 2006, that was planned as a series of pranks to new show announcer George Takei
George Takei
George Hosato Takei Altman is an American actor, author, social activist and former civil politician. He is best known for his role in the television series Star Trek and its film spinoffs, in which he played Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the...
. Van Dam called in as Letterman to dupe Takei in reading a Top 10 list about William Shatner
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
on the day's Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
.
Show segments
Van Dam also records prank calls and other clips which are recorded and put together by show staffers Sal Governale, Richard ChristyRichard Christy
Thomas Richard Christy is an American musician and radio personality who currently works on The Howard Stern Show. Christy began to work on the show after winning the "Get John's Job" contest on July 1, 2004. He is known for his prank calls, song parodies, personality, and stunts performed on the...
and Benjy Bronk. He is usually given various lines or words to pronounce, which is put into a game for the show, where you bet whether Van Dam could pronounce words such as "rhapsody" "psychology" or celebrity names such as Renee Zellweger
Renée Zellweger
Renée Kathleen Zellweger is an American actress and producer. Zellweger first gained widespread attention for her role in the film Jerry Maguire , and subsequently received two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her roles as Bridget Jones in the comedy Bridget Jones's Diary ...
.
Other work
Van Dam has also starred in the Family GuyFamily Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
episode "Back to the Woods
Back to the Woods (Family Guy)
"Back to the Woods" is the ninth episode of season six in the FOX animated series Family Guy that aired on February 17, 2008. James Woods and Barry Manilow play themselves in special guest appearances, and impressionist Dave Van Dam portrays David Letterman...
" on February 17, 2008, as the real Letterman.
He has also appeared on the Internet and cable television program Psycho Babble.