Dave

I cried when Johnny Carson retired. I know I’ll cry harder when Dave broadcasts his last show in 2015. I’ve watched him for over 30 years…ever since he had the morning show. Yes, the summer I was 21 and looking for a job I watched Dave every morning and wondered why he wasn’t on at night. That quirky, funny, shy, cute, mid-western guy with the bad haircut and the blond eyebrows hooked me.

I remember a few years later a boyfriend asked one of those questions that just gets everyone in trouble: “Who’s your celebrity crush?” Not knowing whom to choose, the then boyfriend threw out names like Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise, to which I replied, “not even close.” And that’s when I realized Dave was my celebrity crush. “DAVE IS!”  As much as he loved Dave too, he questioned my taste in men….and that didn’t bode well for the future of our relationship.

Somewhere in my collection of paper memories, I have a birthday card from a friend that lists the Top Ten Reasons Why Dave Should Marry Me. People who knew me knew Dave found a place in my heart and more importantly my brain. His humor is clever – even when he wore a Velcro suit, threw fruit off the roof, and made us watch stupid pet tricks, he’s smart. He shines when he interviews politicians, newscasters, and authors.  I’ll watch him with Brian Williams, Bill O’Reilly or Tom Brokaw any day. Dr. Phil, Julia Roberts and Howard Stern are probably my top 3 favorite guests though.

Before the DVR and when I could stay up late, I’d watch Late Night every night until 1:30AM. My day could then end. Now, even the 11:30PM Late Show needs to be DVR’d. I’m 30 years older than when I started watching Dave, but it’s hard to understand that he’s 67 years old. He still looks like the quirky, funny, shy, cute, mid-western guy with the bad haircut and the blond eyebrows.

My son and I watched the first night Jimmy Fallon hosted the Tonight Show and I said to Zach, “remember this night…in 30 or so years you’ll sit with your children, marvel when Jimmy retires and tell them you remember him when.”