I happen to think David Letterman is the best thing to happen to late-night television since Steve Allen. His timing and intelligence are absolutely unique -- he makes Jay Leno, who is in fact a pretty bright guy, look like a Hollywood suck-up. As often as not, Letterman's targets are, for instance, "music-industry weasels". ("It's those dumb silk jackets.")

The hottest live music I have EVER heard on television was Ricky Skaggs on Fender trading solos with Paul Schafer. The only musicians I have ever seen Letterman gently tease were some au courant band that deserved it. ("Do they have that bald singer, Paul? He scares me.") With real musicians, especially roots musicians, I have never seen him be anything but respectful and polite. And bear in mind that in this age of programming to 14-year-olds, not many network shows would have the character to book a Ralph Stanley.