After a two-year hiatus, veteran talk show host David Letterman has returned to television, with his new talk show "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction," which premiered on Netflix on January 12.
Letterman’s new show announced via trailer on Netflix is made up of six episodes, with each episode running for an hour. Unlike "The Late Show," for "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction," Letterman is sporting a beard, a look which seems to go over well with guests and audience. Letterman also is enjoying himself by saying to the show's audience; “how great it is to be out of the damn house.”
The new show premiered January 12
"My Next Guest Needs No Introduction" premiered with its first guest, former President Barack Obama.
Since leaving the White House in 2017, Obama has been keeping a low profile. The most recent interview, that the former president carried out, was a radio interview with Prince Harry in 2017 in Canada. Obama’s interview on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, was his first television interview since leaving the White House.
However, this is not the first time that Barack Obama has been interviewed by Letterman. Obama has appeared on "The Late Show," and it seems that the two (Obama and Letterman), were able to form a good working relationship as interviewer and interviewee.
'My Next Guest Needs No Introduction'
In a statement regarding the show, Netflix has said “My Next Guest is centered around one extraordinary figure whom David finds fascinating… and takes place inside and outside of a studio setting, the conversations are intimate, in-depth and far-reaching, with the levity and humor Dave’s fans know and love.”
Other guests on the show include George Clooney, Tina Fey, Malala Yousafzai, Jay Z and Howard Stern.
Unlike Letterman’s previous talk show "The Late Show," "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction," is filmed in a more intimate setting.”
This intimate setting seemed to have worked well with Obama, as he talked about his family, the media and the American political system. The American political system was discussed at some length in the first episode.
Letterman catches up with Congressman John Lewis and together they visit places of political significance including; Selma and Alabama. Letterman and Lewis, also discuss the history of voting rights.
Whilst Letterman has been out of the spotlight, he didn’t disappear completely. In November 2017, Letterman was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
