# Letterman has a beard! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 3, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letterman-has-a-beard/432099 "2008-01-03T04:42:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letterman-has-a-beard/432099/1 "2008-01-03T04:42:13Z")
For the first time in his 30+ years in TV (AFAIK), David Letterman has appeared on air with facial hair (other than a three-day stubble)! He has a full beard and mustache. He’s back tonight after eight weeks off because of the writers’ strike. He made a separate deal with is writers so his show and Craig Ferguson’s (which he also owns) can be back. I’m glad to have him back, but that beard is something of a shock! ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letterman-has-a-beard/432099/2 "2008-01-03T04:54:17Z")
Fuck. He looks like a cross between Burl Ives and Phil Jackson. That’s not a compliment, either. Is he going for “distinguished elder statesman of late-night TV” or “old assed out of work Santa impersonator?” Because he nailed the latter. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letterman-has-a-beard/432099/3 "2008-01-03T06:36:42Z")
He says he’s going to have it shaved off on-air soon. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letterman-has-a-beard/432099/4 "2008-01-03T14:09:40Z")
[QUOTE=commasense] He says he’s going to have it shaved off on-air soon. [/QUOTE] By Johnny Depp? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letterman-has-a-beard/432099/5 "2008-01-03T14:12:29Z")
Perhaps due to the new deal he struck with the writers, he’s not able to afford a razor anymore? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letterman-has-a-beard/432099/6 "2008-01-03T14:20:05Z")
Conan had a beard too. Is this some kind of solidarity thing? ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letterman-has-a-beard/432099/7 "2008-01-03T15:19:29Z")
[QUOTE=Menocchio] Conan had a beard too. Is this some kind of solidarity thing? [/QUOTE] [Yes.](http://www.newyorker.com/talk/2008/01/07/080107ta_talk_mcgrath) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letterman-has-a-beard/432099/8 "2008-01-03T15:21:38Z")
[QUOTE=Menocchio] Conan had a beard too. Is this some kind of solidarity thing? [/QUOTE] They had eight weeks off and for the first time in decades a chance to grow beards. So they grew beards. It’s a good year to grow a beard. Mine is coming in extra thick and woolly and surprising many people. My mom definitely does not approve. Reminds me of when I was a teen and grew my hair long. 😉 My wife is usually Ok with my winter beard. She doesn’t seem to like this one. Jim ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letterman-has-a-beard/432099/9 "2008-01-03T15:25:52Z")
There recently has been a thread on the growing tendency of retailers to put items like razor blades under lock and key. So perhaps the sinister truth is: Dave and Conan have been shoplifting blades all these years; and now that they can’t . . . . ---
**Author:** ![Rachael\_Rage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@Rachael\_Rage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachael_Rage)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letterman-has-a-beard/432099/10 "2008-01-03T15:34:02Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] My wife is usually Ok with my winter beard. She doesn’t seem to like this one. [/QUOTE] My boyfriend grew a winter beard last year and I never let him shave it off - he still has it. If we ever get married I don’t want him to shave it for the wedding, though I’m sure his mom would have a fit about it. Some people just look great in beards. It was fun seeing Letterman whiskered up, but I missed Conan. I’m kind of sad that Craig Ferguson decided to shave for his return. In any case, it is great to have them back. ---
**Author:** ![Sprockets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/35a633/32.png) [@Sprockets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sprockets)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letterman-has-a-beard/432099/11 "2008-01-03T15:39:47Z")
Recorded last night’s show, just watched it. Now I know what tonight’s nightmare will be about. CREEPY.