Joe Grossman (LS w/ David Letterman, Full Frontal w/ Samantha Bee)

Joe Grossman joined me to discuss having no early TV restrictions; being a fan of David Letterman since 13 or 14; Chris Elliot; trying at first to be a cartoonist; finding out that Letterman has writers; Lewis & Clark College; learning standup at the American Comedy Institute for an article for Time Out NY; writing a submission packet; being passed over for the job twice; eventually getting hired by the Stangel brothers; getting stuff on the first night; meeting Dave after putting away the Late Show bear; a chance encounter with Dave before in an elevator; almost being run over by Dave in the basement; written into bits by Lee Ellenberg, Jeremy Wiener, and Tom Ruprecht; did not write himself in because he did not want to be a performer; how the annual Thanksgiving dinner for the staff gave us Sherman Grossman, the sneezing monkey; monkey handler stories; how a kangaroo ended up on the Late Show; 2008 Writer's Strike brings comradery; Joe starts appearing telling rehashed jokes about other subjects; Chris Christie; "Ox, the Wilderness Expert"; drinking urine in a lot of sketches; rules of urine drinking for young comedy writers; having Grace Helbig play a love interest in a bit; inadvertently talking like Dave; telling viewers about his birthing classes; Dave announcing his child's birth on air; puns with the Foo Fighters and Wu Tang Clan; his last appearance with a highlight reel; Norm MacDonald; going to the last show party and then watching it in a bar at 11:35; cleaning out his office and taking a few mementos; getting hired at Full Frontal with Samantha bee; having to learn a new voice to write to; and adjusting to a new schedule