Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman aired on NBC from 1982 until 1993 when Letterman moved his show to CBS where the name changed to the Late Show with David Letterman.
While Fred Rogers appeared as a guest on the show a time or two, throughout the years, Letterman also featured "Dave's Record Collection" -- a segment where he shares records from his "own collection" and comments on clips he plays. On multiple occasions, Mister Rogers was mentioned in this segment.
Date: February 17, 1982
Fred Rogers appeared as a guest on the then-new talk show Late Night with David Letterman, in the third week of Letterman’s career as a late-night host. Topics covered in the seven-minute segment included Rogers’ childhood and early television career as well as Eddie Murphy’s (then-current) satiric impression of Rogers on Saturday Night Live.
Date: Unknown
Album: Won't You Be My Neighbor
Letterman: Here's our old friend, Fred Rogers. Mister Rogers' Won't You Be My Neighbor is the name of the album, and we're going to be listening to a song called Tree Tree Tree. [clip plays] Honestly, Fred. How much time did you spend writing that song?
Date: Unknown
Album: Going To Marry Mom
Letterman: Here's something from Fred Rogers' "Won't You Be My Neighbor." Mister Rogers, we're hearing a song about marriage from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. [clip plays] That's right. I'm really going to marry my mom. You get the feeling that he's sitting there singing to a skeleton wearing a wig.
Date: February 13, 1992
Album: You Are Special
Letterman: Okay, this is Mister Rogers. The album is entitled You Are Special and we'll be listening to Troll Talk. [clip plays] You know, I think he needs to ventilate the workshop when he's painting the puppets.
Date: September 3, 1992
Album: Come On and Wake Up
Letterman: Here we go. This is a Mister Rogers record. It's called Come On and Wake Up is the record. And the cut we'll be listening to this evening is called I'm Angry. [clip plays] Oh yeah, this guy's a regular Hulk Hogan, isnt' he? This guy's the Ultimate Warrior, isn't he? He's Randy Savage, isn't he? He's Roddy Piper, this guy. Don't get this guy fired up. He's the Missing Link. He's the Big Boss Man, this guy. This guy's a regular Bobby Heenan. Don't get him...
Paul Shaffer: He's angry. He's so angry.
Letterman: How would you like a little puppet show, Paul?
Shaffer: I'm fine, thanks.