What a friend! "The Late Show" host David Letterman dedicated 10 minutes of his show to longtime friend Robin Williams.
During Monday's episode, Letterman shared with the audience happy memories about his late friend and fellow comic. The pair had known each other for 38 years, after meeting at the Comedy Store in West Hollywood.
Letterman joked that for a long time he thought Williams was from Scotland.
"They introduced Robin Williams, and for some reason in the beginning he was introduced as being from Scotland," Letterman recalled. "All of a sudden he comes up on stage and you know what it is. It's like nothing we had ever seen before - nothing we had ever imagined before. This guy comes in, and we're like morning dew - this guy's like a hurricane. And now, the longer he's on stage, the worse we feel about ourselves. Because it's not stopping!"
He continued: "He finishes, and I thought, 'Oh, that's it, they're gonna have to put an end to show business because what can happen after this?' We get to see this night after night after night, and we didn't approach him because we were afraid of him. Honest to God, you thought, 'Holy cap, there goes my chance at show business because of this guy from Scotland!'"
William was found dead last week at the age of 63 after taking his own life. Monday's tapping was Letterman's first new episode since Williams' death, which the late-night host reportedly learned of while he was on vacation.
During the tapping he admitted that Williams gave him his big break with an appearance on "Mork & Mindy." Letterman, who interviewed Williams more than 50 times, said people were attracted to the Academy Award winner's energy Letterman's show and joked that it made his job as a host easier.
"One, I didn't have to do anything - all I had to do was sit here and watch the machine," he said. "And two, people would watch. If they knew Robin was on this show, the viewership would go up because they wanted to see Robin... People were drawn to him because of this electricity, this whatever it was that he radiated that propelled him and powered him."
Letterman said Williams was one of the "kindest" and "easiest" guests on his show. He presented a package that featured memorable clips of Williams' appearances on the late-night show.
The slightly emotional host concluded the tribute by reflecting on the loss of Williams and noted that his death caught him. along with many, off guard.
"What I will add here is beyond being a very talented man and a good friend and a gentlemen and I am sorry, I, like everybody else, had no idea that the man was in pain and the man was suffering," Letterman said.
