See You, Bud

Sadly, Calvert DeForest died on Monday night at the age of 85. DeForest was known as Larry "Bud" Melman on David Letterman's NBC show, but when Letterman moved to CBS in 1993, NBC claimed ownership of the name and blocked its usage. DeForest continued to appear with Letterman, sans moniker.

Hang onto that name, NBC. Never know when that property might come in handy again.

DeForest was funny and dear, and he was a pro at not being a pro. Few performers could do bad impressions as well as he could, or stumble so marvelously over cue cards. In the very first episode of Letterman's NBC show in 1982, the first thing viewers saw was DeForest doing a horror-film introduction to the host (see clip below). Likewise, his was the first face we saw on the premiere of Letterman's CBS show.

But DeForest was also living proof of Letterman's power. He was a roly-poly elder with black-rimmed glasses and a nebbishy manner, but in Letterman's presence, he was suddenly hip and culty. It was as if DeForest were completely transformed simply by the reflection of Letterman's ironic aura. No other entertainer can change the very meaning of the word "loser" into "winner" as effortlessly as Letterman.

Letterman was fond of DeForest, and he said in a statement, "Everyone always wondered if Calvert was an actor playing a character, but in reality he was just himself -- a genuine, modest, and nice man. To our staff and to our viewers, he was a beloved and valued part of our show, and we will miss him."