Channel Surfing: My Next Guest Needs No Introduction - "It's a Whole New Ball Game Now"

Welcome to a new column called Channel Surfing, in which I sporadically look at current TV shows and talk about them. These are not ones that I care to write weekly recaps for and are instead reflections either on the episode, the series, or particular moments. This will hopefully help to share personal opinions as well as discover entertainment on the outer pantheon that I feel is well worth checking out, or in some cases, shows that are weird enough to talk about, but should never be seen.
While 2018 is less than two weeks old, it's already produced one of the most unexpected comebacks of the year. David Letterman left The Late Show in 2015 after several decades of late night shenanigans. As a seasoned vet, there was no real expectation of him being a prominent figure in comedy. After all, he had done everything under the sun and only occasionally popped out of his reclusive state to make jokes. Letterman didn't need to come back in part because his career was so uniquely defined by his curmudgeon style that it almost fit his image. Yet here he is, working with Netflix on a new series. The aged comedian has joined his younger contemporaries in a move that isn't necessarily unprecedented, but maybe is more shocking for what it's not.
This is not just another version of The Late Show. While it does have interviews, the first episode features nothing resembling the familiar set-up. There is no house band or dumb pet tricks to entertain audiences. Instead, it is something more formal and maybe serious. It's shocking, even as Letterman was a premiere interviewer at his best moments. This is a show where he strips away the facade of comedy and gets to the heart of what makes him a compelling force. He isn't just  interviewing celebrities hocking new movies. He is, as the title My Next Guess Needs No Introduction suggests, interviewing people of some repute. It makes sense then that he starts with the person likely to get the most eyes: former president Barrack Obama 
There's something electric about Letterman, who somehow manages to relate both of their retirements to each other in obvious but effective ways. These are men ravaged by careers in the spotlight, and yet they continue to be happy. It's an ironic move, given Letterman's status as a curmudgeon and his occasional post-Late Show pictures where his burly beard made him unrecognizable. He may look different now, but he's just as focused as ever, choosing to break personal anecdotes with self-effacing comments. It's something that comes off as charming, even showing his deeper investment in Obama's career as a retiree looking for a second act. There's plenty for Obama to do, but the best moments of the first episode come from the simple laughter of two friends, alluding to what will come next (which includes an interview with the even chummier George Clooney).
There's also a segment featuring John Lewis walking around Selma, Alabama while discussing his activism. The most striking detail about the show is that it's not necessarily comedic. In fact, Letterman feels more mature and desiring to focus on a more socially conscious message. It could just be Obama's nature, but it also could be that Letterman is all laughed out and ready to focus on something more important. In that way, he feels more relevant than just an elderly goofball making jokes. The show may not actually make a cultural difference, but at least it shows the versatility of Letterman, who has managed to reinvent himself within live theater as a more serious interviewer wanting to know bigger questions about life and how to be socially relevant.
The show is supposed to come out monthly, and it is speculative if Letterman will be able to maintain guests as appealing as Obama or Clooney. He definitely doesn't have anything to prove in 2018, so the show's inoffensive and straightforward nature isn't an issue. It's just a moment for him to let loose and interview people that he admires. It may be a simple gimmick, and one that dozens upon dozens have done before him, but he always has a charming and warm vibe to his subjects. Letterman is able to make Obama more personable in the process, which would suggest that he could make anyone seem friendly. Only time will tell. Still, it's a comeback that's very surprising not because of how radical it is, but because of how warm and engaging Letterman seems after years of convincing us he was a bitter old man for comedy. 

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