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Paul Shaffer

Music Director

"There I was in college and I couldn’t figure out –- I couldn’t do anything but go into music.  I would’ve been too unhappy." 

About This Interview

In his Archive interview, Paul Shaffer talks about serving as a musician/performer on Saturday Night Live , as well as his long association with David Letterman as music director of Late Night with David Letterman and The Late Show with David Letterman .  Paul Shaffer was interviewed in New York, NY on June 24, 2009; Dan Pasternack conducted the three-and-a-half-hour interview.

Related To This Video

  • Shows
  • People
  • Topics
  • Genres

Shows

  • Comedy Central Presents: The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Chevy Chase
  • Concert for New York City
  • Late Night with David Letterman
  • Late Show with David Letterman
  • Saturday Night Live
  • Seinfeld

People

  • Cher
  • Dan Aykroyd
  • John Belushi
  • Sonny Bono
  • Sonny Bono and Cher “Sonny & Cher”
  • James Brown
  • Chevy Chase
  • Elvis Costello
  • Jane Curtin
  • Jean Doumanian
  • Brian Doyle-Murray
  • Don Kirshner
  • David Letterman
  • Lorne Michaels
  • Garrett Morris
  • Bill Murray
  • Laraine Newman
  • Gilda Radner
  • John Sebastian
  • Martin Short
  • Patti Smith
  • Bruce Springsteen
  • Damon Wayons
  • Warren Zevon

Topics

  • Bloopers
  • Memorable Moments on Television
  • Pop Culture
  • Television Industry

Genres

  • Late Night

Featured Content

Embeddable video clip: Paul Shaffer creates a theme song on-the-fly for his autobiography, We'll Be Here for the Rest of Our Lives

Resources

Paul Shaffer autobiography

Autobiography: We'll Be Here For the Rest of Our Lives: A Swingin' Show-biz Saga by Paul Shaffer

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Watch Interview Highlights

  • Paul plays a theme song for his new book
  • Full Chapter One
  • Paul Shaffer on various skits he was involved with on SNL.
  • Paul Shaffer on the working schedule of Saturday Night Live; working with Lorne Michaels

Watch By Chapter

  • Chapter 1
  • On his early years growing up in Canada 
  • On his musical influences and education
  • On pursuing a musical career
  • On becoming involved in the Toronto production of "Godspell" (and hanging out with many Second City people) which led to his move to New York
  • Chapter 2
  • On joining Saturday Night Live as it was being developed
  • On Saturday Night Live's early years
  • On some of the musical guests on Saturday Night Live including John Sebastian, Elvis Costello, Patti Smith, and ABBA
  • On the development of Saturday Night Live's "lounge singer," "The Blues Brothers" musical sketches; playing Don Kirshner; and working with castmembers Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, and Laraine Newman
  • Chapter 3
  • On Saturday Night Live castmembers Chevy Chase (and hosting 2002's Comedy Central Presents: The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Chevy Chase) and Bill Murray
  • On becoming a castmember on Saturday Night Live and accidentally swearing during a live broadcast; leaving the show after five years
  • On joining Late Night with David Letterman and their approach to the show
  • On David Letterman and working on his shows
  • On Sonny and Cher's reunion (November 13, 1987) on Late Night with David Letterman
  • On Letterman guest James Brown
  • On Bruce Springsteen's performance on the final Late Night with David Letterman Show
  • On David Letterman's move from NBC to CBS and the changes made to the new show, Late Show with David Letterman
  • On his favorite musical performances on Late Show with David Letterman (Iggy Pop, Fat Boy Slim, Warren Zevon)
  • On how David Letterman's health issues affected Late Show with David Letterman
  • Chapter 4
  • Full Chapter Four

Discussed In This Interview

  • shows
  • people
  • topics
  • genres

shows

  • Comedy Central Presents: The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Chevy Chase
    • Clip 1
  • Concert for New York City
    • Clip 1
  • Late Night with David Letterman
    • Clip 1
    • Clip 2
    • Clip 3
    • Clip 4
    • Clip 5
  • Late Show with David Letterman
    • Clip 1
    • Clip 2
    • Clip 3
    • Clip 4
  • Saturday Night Live
    • Clip 1
    • Clip 2
    • Clip 3
    • Clip 4
    • Clip 5
    • Clip 6
    • Clip 7
    • Clip 8
    • Clip 9
    • Clip 10
    • Clip 11
    • Clip 12
    • Clip 13
    • Clip 14
  • Seinfeld
    • Clip 1

people

  • Cher
  • Dan Aykroyd
  • John Belushi
  • Sonny Bono
  • Sonny Bono and Cher “Sonny & Cher”
  • James Brown
  • Chevy Chase
  • Elvis Costello
  • Jane Curtin
  • Jean Doumanian
  • Brian Doyle-Murray
  • Don Kirshner
  • David Letterman
  • Lorne Michaels
  • Garrett Morris
  • Bill Murray
  • Laraine Newman
  • Gilda Radner
  • John Sebastian
  • Martin Short
  • Patti Smith
  • Bruce Springsteen
  • Damon Wayons
  • Warren Zevon

topics

  • Bloopers
  • Censorship / Standards & Practices
  • Memorable Moments on Television
  • Pop Culture

genres

  • Late Night
  • Late Night
  • Home
  • Interviews
  • Resources
  • About The Archive
  • Advanced Search

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