Paul Shaffer to leave 'Late Show?' (Well ...)
Star: Paul Shaffer
Local connection: Lives in Bedford
Years on show: 1975-78 (member of house band), 1979-80 (featured player)
Famous characters: Shaffer used his musical talents for characters such as music producer Don Kirshner and pianist for Bill Murray’s Nick the Lounge Singer. He was also was the first “SNL” cast member to utter the F-word on live television. Credit: Getty Images
A comment by Paul Shaffer to TV Guide Canada published over the weekend has some wondering whether David Letterman's longtime musical wingman plans to leave in a couple of years.
Speculation is reasonable because this is what he said: “We’ve been on 30 years so now we’ve got another two years … I’m going to be certainly ready to lie down after that, take a nap,” he says. “But once again, life is nutty — anything can happen. I’ve been so lucky and blessed to be working this long in show business. And whatever happens now is just gravy to me.”
Let us analyze!
“We've on 30 years so now we've got another two years:" "We” is the operative word here. It refers to “Late Show's” extended contract with CBS; simply put, no one knows what happens after that, except for Dave. There has been speculation - forever - that Dave would retire someday, and someday the speculation will actually be right.
“Ready to lie down after that, take a nap ..." Well, naps get real old after about 20 minutes. Can't imagine someone like Paul would be happy with an extended nap, under any circumstance.
“Anything can happen ..." Ah, and so we get to the key part of this quote - the wiggle room part, the “who knows” part, the “disregard everything I just said” part. Anything can happen and of course anything will. Two years is an eternity.
