The Legacy of Letterman, In Jason Zinoman's New Bio

(This program was originally aired on June 5, 2017) With more than 6,000 hours of shows logged during an influential career that spanned more than 30 years, David Letterman’s impact on the landscape of late-night is unquestioned. On today's Midday, a closer look at the life and work of the trend-setting funny man, through the eyes of a writer-journalist who's spent the past three years sizing up the Letterman legacy.Jason Zinoman writes about comedy for the New York Times, and has contributed to Slate, the Guardian and Vanity Fair. He’s the author of three books: Shock Value, a chronicle of the horror film industry, and Searching for Dave Chappelle, a probing look at the unexpected twists and turns in the career of that brilliant comedian.Zinoman's latest book is a study of another gifted and enigmatic comedian: David Letterman retired in 2015 after more than three decades on TV, during which time he became a cultural icon. Today, Zinoman joins host Tom Hall from Argot Studios in New York City to talk about his new biography: Letterman: The Last Giant of Late Night.Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.