# Letterman's "Putting away the Late Show bear" running gag - I HATE IT! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 12, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettermans-putting-away-the-late-show-bear-running-gag-i-hate-it/321176 "2005-09-12T01:52:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettermans-putting-away-the-late-show-bear-running-gag-i-hate-it/321176/1 "2005-09-12T01:52:57Z")
While I have to admit Dave’s not as edgy or funny as he used to, he’s still better than Leno. In the past two months or so, he’s been using a running gag in which a staff member, audience member, or a guest star will get to “put away the Late Show bear” (supposedly left over from the Ed Sullivan days). It was mildly humorous the first time he did it, but it just grates on my nerves now (thank Og for the 30 second jump button on the DVD recorder). It’s not unusual for Dave to beat an unfunny horse to death, but this is ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettermans-putting-away-the-late-show-bear-running-gag-i-hate-it/321176/2 "2005-09-12T01:59:22Z")
As far as filler running gags go, “Will it float?” still takes the cake. Putting away the bear can be interesting, especially when it’s an audience member with great “pipes”. BTW, after giving an ad credit (Kool-Aid I think), Dave muttered a Naughty Word under his breath. Another word stricken from Carlin’s list. “That’s a good song.” ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettermans-putting-away-the-late-show-bear-running-gag-i-hate-it/321176/3 "2005-09-12T02:28:07Z")
Hey, I still like “Will It Float?” I wish I had a gigantic tub of water in which to dump things and see if they will float. But the bear is really bad. Hey, how about we combine the fillers and play Will the Late Show Bear Float? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettermans-putting-away-the-late-show-bear-running-gag-i-hate-it/321176/4 "2005-09-12T02:37:58Z")
I also don’t like how Stephanie “Monty”/“Smitty” Burkitt has been reduced to stooge during “Audience Show & Tell” and “Know Your Current Events”. I liked it better when Dave was dressing her up for the CBS Mail Bag (which isn’t seen much anymore). Although there was something mildly disturbing about it. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettermans-putting-away-the-late-show-bear-running-gag-i-hate-it/321176/5 "2005-09-12T13:00:49Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > (supposedly left over from the Ed Sullivan days). He’s not doing the show in the Ed Sullivan Theater anymore? Since when? I never get a chance to watch the show much these days. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettermans-putting-away-the-late-show-bear-running-gag-i-hate-it/321176/6 "2005-09-12T13:12:16Z")
It’s still in the Ed Sullivan theatre, that’s why they have the bear hanging round. Or at least, that’s the joke. I agree, that this particular gag has run its course. It wasn’t too funny to begin with and now it’s got no legs. I do like _Will It Float?_, and _Ape or Artist?_, and I even liked _Is This Anything?_ But I’m getting bored with Rupert Jee’s cameos and the games they play in his Deli, as they tend to be obviously stretched to be filler, lately. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettermans-putting-away-the-late-show-bear-running-gag-i-hate-it/321176/7 "2005-09-12T17:37:23Z")
I hadn’t seen Dave in ages (why bother?), but channel-surfing, I saw that he still throws shit off the roof. :rolleyes: Good God that was getting hackneyed before he left NBC! Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettermans-putting-away-the-late-show-bear-running-gag-i-hate-it/321176/8 "2005-09-12T18:14:22Z")
I watch Dave when everybody else is in reruns, but I find myself fast-forwarding through almost all the sketches. They died years ago, apparently long with his sense of humor. Please, Dave, retire. ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettermans-putting-away-the-late-show-bear-running-gag-i-hate-it/321176/9 "2005-09-12T21:30:47Z")
True, it has become a supremely lame bit, but still not as bad as Leno’s “Jaywalking” segment. Are just people from California that stupid, or is this a national phenomenon?Hey, how about they let Leno put away the bear? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettermans-putting-away-the-late-show-bear-running-gag-i-hate-it/321176/10 "2005-09-13T00:34:00Z")
> [@want2know](#): > > Hey, how about they let Leno put away the bear?[/INDENT] 😉 Or vice versa? ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettermans-putting-away-the-late-show-bear-running-gag-i-hate-it/321176/11 "2005-09-13T02:04:29Z")
The bear doesn’t do much for me, but I’m attracted to the absurdity of using a million bucks’ worth of airtime to find out whether a car battery will float. And throwing shit off the roof is _always_ cool.