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There’s no doubt that David Letterman left a significant mark on the nighttime landscape, especially during his time on Late Show on CBS. Celebrities have rubbed shoulders for decades with the famously curmudgeonly man, who often kept people on their toes with cutting observations and pointed questions. Letterman would later say that he “got it” when it came to any “criticism,” but did you know that the late-night host was so eccentric that major stars were told not to compliment him?
This isn’t the only example of eccentric late-night host behavior, but Amy Poehler and Mindy Kaling recently spoke candidly about their experiences with Dave.
Mindy Kaling and Amy Poehler Reveal They Were Advised Not to Be Too Nice to Letterman
Kaling recently paid Amy Poehler a compliment of the highest order when she said she loves the positive vibe the fellow NBC comedian brings to her now-famous “Good Hang” podcast. You can sense the love in the room, but Kaling humorously backed up the compliment by pointing out that she and Poehler have previously been told that “it feels like an insult” when she says something nice about David Letterman.
Remember when we played with David Letterman, the producers said, “Don’t compliment him.” He doesn’t know what to do with it? And you thought: “Oh, it’s an insult to compliment the presenter.”
The warning from her agents stuck with her for years to come. In fact, it caused her to go on the show again and again, where she spent time worrying that saying something nice wasn’t “cool.” She’s been working on it, and in light of that, she wanted to tell Poehler that she’s a fan of how “Good Hang” works.
And then, now, I felt like on other shows I was like, “Don’t do this,” and then it spilled over into this whole, like, it’s not cool to give compliments. It was very helpful when the producer said, “Don’t compliment him,” and that’s a hostile thing to do. Still, I love compliments as a performer, and if someone came to my show and said, “I love this show.”
Amy Poehler was also very familiar with Letterman’s advice. Interestingly, when Kaling complimented her, Poehler, in her typical fashion, rejected her words. Mindy Project star compliment, joke:
Literally, what are we doing? What are we going to do, be cruel to each other?
So, maybe not accepting a compliment is an epidemic among owners? Although I will say that Poehler was good-natured throughout the conversation, and it’s always funny when celebrities bring up completely unrelated facts about other people. In this case, David Letterman is known for hating compliments, and this particular topic has come up time and time again over the years.
Letterman himself admitted that he hates compliments
Probably the most specific incident occurred in 2017, just two years after David Letterman retired. Late Show. That same year, the former host received an award: the Mark Twain Award for American Humor. This meant that there was an event with many celebrities in attendance. It also meant that a lot of good things were said about Letterman, as even the Washington Post noted at the time that he “hates compliments.” In fact, when asked about people fawning over him, he admitted that he found it unpleasant.
It’s inconvenient. I’m having a really good time so far, but I’m afraid things will get worse when people on stage tell lies about me and then I’ll start wasting away, feeling uncomfortable and sweating through my shirt.
David Letterman’s entire comedic personality lives on the line between funny and uncomfortable. He is often at his most charming and funny when there is only a little awkwardness between him and the person he is talking to, be it a celebrity, a journalist, or just someone random he is casually chatting with. He’s always willing to ask about uncomfortable things, and this has sometimes made him a less popular host late at night while running.
Of course, no one is perfect, and that means sometimes they tow that rope incorrectly. Other times it does something like compare Late Show ending with the arrival of an adult bookstore, and everything works perfectly. No matter what, you never know exactly what will come out of Dave’s mouth. I’m sure it can be very difficult, especially when you’re at the beginning of your celebrity career, wearing uncomfortable celebrity clothes, and trying to make a positive impression late at night – without saying literally anything positive to said host.