Baboon

The quick-witted jokester who made late-night a playground.

David Letterman built his entire career on irreverent humor, absurdist stunts, and a sharp improvisational wit — from dropping watermelons off buildings to awkward celebrity interviews designed to subvert the format itself. He was endlessly expressive and comedically elastic, delighting in being the center of attention while also being self-deprecating enough to turn the joke on himself. His warm but unpredictable on-screen persona, his famous gap-toothed grin, and his genuine affection for his audience and staff all point squarely to the socially shrewd, performance-driven baboon.