Late Show with David Letterman: Letterman Goes Back on the Air

Monday night's airing of the Late Show with David Letterman was one of those rare television moments where everyone watching felt that they could identify with the topics and the feelings of both Dave and his guests. There aren't many shows that had the courage to resume operations after the Tuesday's attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, especially when thousands of innocent people remain buried and presumed dead under the rubble that was once the WTC. But Dave did it with class, dignity, and a respect for America and his viewers that will not soon be forgotten.

Letterman seemed to approach his first show back cautiously, openly admitting that he was not sure it was the right thing to do, but noting that no one knows what to do in a situation like this. His first guest, CBS anchor man Dan Rather, made one of the most memorable late night talk show appearances in recent memory. The usually stoic Rather finally let a week's worth of pent up emotions flow as he talked with Letterman about the attacks and the devastation they caused. His tears were shared briefly by Letterman, who was visibly shaken by Rather's commentary on the situation.

Dave managed to inject some humor into the show whenever it was appropriate, but the point of the show clearly had nothing to do with humor. It was about being there, where people expect to see him. It was about sharing the pain of the nation with the people that enjoy tuning into his show. There was nothing extraordinary about the show and that may be why so many found it to be so appealing. Dave was simply talking to his viewers and sharing time with his guests. Eventually, things will have to move back toward the "normalcy" of late night television, but it's nice to see that at least one show knew the best way to approach the most difficult time in our nation's history.