David Letterman Posts Worst Ratings Since 1993

Hollywood Reporter:

NEW YORK -- CBS' "The Late Show With David Letterman" tied its lowest-ever adults 18-49 rating last week.

"Late Show" averaged a 0.9 rating in adults 18-49, Nielsen Media Research said. That is its lowest ever for an original since the program premiered in 1993, though not the lowest for the show: It has hit 0.9 several times, most recently in late December when it was in reruns because of the WGA strike.

Read the whole story: Hollywood Reporter

Comments

[AnnK]

I still prefer Letterman to any of the usual suspects. Could the low ratings be due, in part, to going up against Steven Colbert...­..which is led into from The Daily Show? Particularly in the 18-49 age group, I would think they are mostly tuned into Stewart and Colbert. Possible?

[buckbuck11]

I'm watching Colbert at that hour and I'm old as dirt. I never liked Letterman's air of superiority, so I usually turned off the tube and read something. Now I have Stewart and Colbert to give me a few good hoots before I doze off to get ready for another day at the old salt mines....

[Zeje]

Me too. I'm very old, and I love to laugh. I laugh every time I watch Colbert. I love him.

[TrueBlueMajority]

For a while I missed Letterman because of watching Colbert and the midnight rebroadcast of Olbermann.

Now that the Olbermann rebroadcast is on at 10pm instead of midnight I see the last half hour of Letterman sometimes, but the first half hour is the most consistent part of the show.

I used to watch his first half hour no matter what guest was on, but I only watch the last half hour if he has an interesting guest. Since I don't follow pop culture I don't know a lot of the celebrities he has on and since I have gotten older I am not familiar with most of the musical guests either.

Sorry Dave. I still think you are great, but the world is changing. Late night political humor is where it's at now.

[ThinkLiberal]

I am afraid that David's time has run it's course. And what a great run it has been for him. But it's time to welcome a new day with new faces and ideas. Thanks for all the laughs over the years, Dave. Lights out.

[HeevenSteven]

Still better than Leno.

[Pippilangstrumpf]

Letterman is still my fave. I think his monologues are hysterical­...but the problem is, they're too SHORT.

Although I usually stop watching the show when he interviews guests because I don't think there are too many celebs out there who have anything interesting to say, I will say this: Letterman is, hands down, the best interviewer out there. He does not interrupt the guests, he lets them talk, he is always interested in what they have to say and he asks them questions.

When I see Leno interview guests, he is always more interested in the sound of his own voice and he is constantly interrupting and ignoring what they say. He's very boorish.

I do have a total crush on Craig Ferguson, he's funny and charming and I love his self deprecating sense of humor, but he comes on too late so I rarely tune in.

[cobblepot]

I agree with you totally: Letterman is way funnier and a better interviewer than Leno, and his political humor is progressive, not so much with Leno.; Ferguson is just grand, and (I'd add) Conan is NOT FUNNY. I really don't like Paul Schaeffer--could he be part of the reason people don't watch?

[Zeje]

I don't like Paul Schaeffer at all. That's why I never watch Letterman. I do remember when Letterman was funny.

[ManWithLantern]

Watch Letterman lately? No surprise he is sinking in ratings as he depends entirely on facial mannerisms and '3 stooge like looks' in attempt to get laughs.
He stinks!

[cowboyjerkface]

There is no way a person can truly say they have watched Letterman over the years and then come out and say "he stinks"

You Sir are the same individual who claims to be a Hilary democrat and yet decides to vote McCain. Youre a phoney!