Name: Harvey Pekar's On-Air Implosion | Letterman
Uploaded: 2024-01-01T23:00:18.000Z
Description: Watch the stand-up comedy video 'Harvey Pekar's On-Air Implosion | Letterman' from Letterman on Comedy Buff. Published 2024-01-01. Transcript available.

Watch the stand-up comedy video 'Harvey Pekar's On-Air Implosion | Letterman' from Letterman on Comedy Buff. Published 2024-01-01. Transcript available.

You know, ladies and gentlemen, when Thoreau wrote that most men lead lives of
quiet desperation,
he obviously had not met my first guest, who happens to lead a life of whining
desperation,
and writes about it in his American Splendor comic books.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome back to the show Harvey Pekar.
Harvey, come on out here.
Good morning. Nice to see you.
Harvey Pekar, ladies and gentlemen.
How you been, Harvey?
I've been all right. How you been, Dave?
Pretty good.
Yeah, what'd you do during the strike?
Let's see. I was in Los Angeles for a while, then I was in New York for a while,
and trying to keep busy.
You did. What were you doing trying to keep busy?
Oh, took some small trips, went to some sporting events, visited with friends,
some barbecuing, running, reading, swimming, basketball.
Did you want any writing?
Did a little writing for, well, lengthy letters to my friends.
That's all? Because I heard you had a deal with Disney.
Yes, I had a deal with Disney.
Why don't you do something for him, you know?
Okay.
Kind of get out of the rut you're in.
Rut?
Yeah.
How would you describe the rut, Harvey?
Well, you do the same thing all the time, you know, over and over every night.
Harvey, you didn't get the memo about the dress code, I guess, did you?
I think I'm looking real nice.
Everybody else compliment.
You're a hot guy.
You're a hot guy.
You're a hot guy.
What are you talking about, man?
This looks nice.
Yeah, no, it really is.
You don't look so hot yourself.
Sneakers and a suit, that looks weird, man.
So let's talk about your summer.
What did you do this summer?
I worked.
What did you do?
I just kind of covered myself.
Yeah, I know, you covered it.
You did write just lengthy letters.
Okay.
Did you take trips?
Do you take vacations?
Do you...
No.
This is my vacation.
Weekend trips?
After I get through with this show, it's going to be my vacation.
Where are you going to go?
I'm in New York, Dave.
That's where I'm going to take my vacation, in New York.
After the show.
This is work.
Then I have vacation.
Right.
A few days.
Yeah.
Okay.
Um...
You look stumped, Dave.
You're doing that?
I get the sense.
Are you meditating now, Harvey?
No, I'm talking.
Can you hear me?
I'm talking.
That's not meditation.
Talking is audible.
Meditation is silent, Dave.
Do you...
Did you enjoy...
Did you watch either of the conventions?
The Republican?
No, I didn't.
I didn't.
Because, you know, it was a foregone conclusion, Dave, and I got to go to bed
early at night
anyway.
So that's how I...
You know, I mean, I knew that Hukakis and Bush would each win.
I can't, though, express my preference for a candidate because I'm a federal
employee
and it would be a violation of the Hatch Act.
Right.
And, you know, like, I'd hate to do anything illegal, especially in front of
your millions
of viewers, Dave.
Yeah.
But who...
Well, I think I...
Well, no, there's no way you can even...
You want to know what my politics are, Dave?
No, not really.
Let's talk about...
I'm a strident leftist, Dave.
I'm a strident leftist.
Yes.
Yeah.
Well, I could have guessed half of that.
You could have.
You could have guessed all of it, Dave.
You were here.
You know, you were here the night of July 31st last year.
Do I sound like Howard Cassell, Dave?
Yeah, it's pretty good.
You're doing impressions now, Harvey.
Yeah, well, semi-impressions.
I'm semi-impressionable.
Go ahead, Dave.
What about...
We have to do a commercial.
Oh, all right.
Okay.
Aren't you going to hold up my book, Dave?
I got something to sell here.
Thanks.
The front.
Show them the front, Dave.
Harvey, I want you to savor this appearance.
I will.
This is going to...
Here's Harvey's book, everything down here.
It's a comic book, and these are actual stories from your actual life, more or
less, and friends
that you work with, and it's about 100 pages here, and the artwork is very nice.
It's beautiful.
Why don't you look at it, Dave?
I won't miss you.
I won't miss you.
Three and a quarter for this.
Three and a quarter, Dave, but for you, $2.50.
We'll settle up after the show.
You got it on you?
I'll just keep this copy right here.
All right.
We'll talk about it.
Can I keep this copy, Harvey?
Yeah, you can have that copy.
You want me to autograph it for you, Dave?
Yeah, would you mind?
All right, sure.
Harvey will autograph the magazine, and then we'll come...
Get the camera down here.
I happen to have a pen here.
It's a U.S. government pen.
I hope nobody turns me in.
We'll be right back with Harvey P. Carr, ladies and gentlemen.
Hi, welcome back to the program.
Harvey P. Carr is with us tomorrow.
Dave, I got an inspiration.
Peter Sklari will be here, and herpetologist Jack Cover.
He's from the National Aquarium in Baltimore.
Ooh, we're having trouble with gnats again.
This is what we're talking about.
It's counterpoint, Dave.
They're swarming me.
Paul, get me some off, will you?
It's counterpoint.
Yes, Harvey.
Listen, Dave, I noticed you looking at that one story.
I hope you look at that.
That's the GE show.
Remember that?
That was a real memorable moment in TV.
I enjoyed it.
Did you?
Anyway, I wanted to ask you, you know, like...
Listen, we're getting into it, Dave.
Just keep me out for another 10 minutes.
Anyway, I wanted to ask you, you've got this delusion that this is your house.
Why don't you treat me well?
Be a nice host, you know?
You think you own the RCA building?
Treat me well, Dave.
Anyway, I'm serious.
I wanted to ask you, why, when I started to talk about GE that night...
Is Harvey's nurse in the green room?
Dave, come on.
It may be time for the medication.
See if it isn't time.
You're a cop-out, man.
Oh, wait a minute.
I want to ask you, man, why you tried to...
Let me show you something.
Watch this.
Watch this, Harvey.
Wait a minute.
Why?
Why you defended GE?
That was really...
I thought that was really dumb because, you know, it made you look like a shill
for GE,
and I was really surprised to hear you do that.
I, you know, I'd like...
First of all, Harvey, what you're saying is not true.
Second of all, this is not the place to say it.
And if you want to continue talking about this, go somewhere else because we're
not going to talk about it on the show.
Dave, I signed...
Harvey, one.
I signed the paper.
I'll talk what I want to talk about.
Harvey, one, you're wrong.
This is good TV, by the way.
What you're saying is wrong.
I said you looked like.
I didn't say you were.
What you're saying is wrong, Harvey.
Here's your context.
I said it looked like you were a shill.
That's why I don't understand because you wanted laughs that night, and I got
you, you laughs.
See, I had it planned.
I figured if I...
Harvey, you've never planned anything in your life.
No, no, that's been wrong.
What did you plan?
Your wardrobe?
Dave.
Dave, look.
Yeah, I planned it.
It's color-corded.
Yes, it is.
I'm wearing a pair of $75 shoes, and I'm very hurt because you didn't, you know,
compliment me on it.
These are the rock-board waffles.
Dave, these are in.
Those are in.
Aren't you glad?
Yeah, those are nice.
All right, Dave.
To get those free with your subscription to Field and Stream.
Don't worry.
Don't worry, Dave.
I won't come back unless you really ask me.
No, you're not coming back at all, Harvey, because we've given...
No, no, we've given you many, many chances to come on this show and talk about
things that we thought would be of general interest to people.
And also to promote your little Mickey Mouse magazine here, your little
newsletter, your little clubhouse fun and...
You're having fun and rainy day fun for boys and girls.
You're a weekly reader deal here.
Dave, you complimented.
And you've blown every single chance you've had, Harvey.
Every single chance.
So what?
You're not coming back.
Dave, I was a file clerk before I knew you.
You're a dork, Harvey, relax.
I was a file clerk.
I was a file clerk before I knew you.
I'll be a file clerk after you.
And now, I'm a dork.
I'd like to apologize to Cleveland now.
You're even dorks about it now.
So it's Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
You have my deepest, most heartfelt apology.
Well, my best.
We'll be right back.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Welcome back to the show.
Who's next?
Oh, what?
Look, look.
I have a fistful of comedy right here in my left hand, kids.
It's Dumb Ads.
Paul, do we have music for Dumb Ads?
Yes, yes, I do.
Original composition.
Dumb Ads.
Original music for Dumb Ads.
Turn this mic on.
Dumb Ads.
Those crazy ads.
Those cuckoo ads.
You know the rest.
Never mind.
Geez, I thought we were going to do Dumb Ads tomorrow night,
but it looks like we have some time here tonight,
so we'll do them for you tonight.
These dumb ads.
Oh, look, here's an ad for something called Cheesy and Easy.