David Letterman
Transcript: David Letterman David Letterman was born April 12, 1947 in Indianapolis, Indiana. And as a kid in school Letterman was a class clown. Letterman studied radio and television at Ball State University, in Muncie, Indiana (B.A. 1969). He worked in Indianapolis as a radio talk-show host. His big break came when he began appearing on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,he was offered his own show, the daytime David Letterman Show. Late Night with David Letterman soon became popular with a young audience by mixing the usual talk-show ingredients of celebrity guests His signature features include The Top Ten List; Stupid Pet Tricks (along with its companion, Stupid Human Tricks); Letterman has received several Emmys for both writing and for his talk show hosting duties. On January 14, 2000, fans were shocked to learn that Letterman underwent quintuple heart bypass surgery. Letterman's next show aired after the surgey was February 21. In 2009, Forbes also listed Letterman as No. 14 on their list of most powerful personalities in entertainment. Letterman and Lasko wed during a private courthouse ceremony in Choteau, Montana, on March 19, 2009. The family lives in North Salem, New York, on a 108-acre estate. Letterman is known for successfully keeping his private life away from the media. He was married to Michele Cook from 1969-1977. He has also been romantically linked to comedian/writer Merrill Markoe. In 2007, he was ranked as No. 17 on the Forbes list of richest men in the entertainment industry, making an estimated $40 million that year. He then began a relationship with production manager Regina Lasko in the mid 80s. Letterman and Lasko celebrated the birth of their son in 2004, who they named after Letterman's father, Harry Joseph Letterman.