Well, as you may notice, there aren't any pictures that go along with this report. Sorry. I never got the ticket stub from this trip from Victoria. Sorry. I'm just so apologetic, aren't I? Oh, one more thing, sorry this trip report was so late in coming. And I'm sorry that for some time, this trip report has been in limbo. I don't know what happened, but I'll have to retype, but I should remember the details.

On May 4th, 1998, I, Bill Lehecka, made my sixth trip to the Ed Sullivan Theater to see the "Late Show with David Letterman." For this trip, I just got home from school, finishing up my sophomore year. I got a 3.0 for this semester. Acceptible, but well under my potential. I was about to continue my job as webmaster of Syosset Ford. I wanted to take Kim on this trip with me, but she was still at school. I took my sister Mary (This was her third trip). For a change up, and the fact we were late for our train, she drove into Manhattan, and I must say, going on the Long Island Expressway to the Midtown tunnel there is a marvelous view of Manhattan and it's major buildings. It also seemed much more quicker, but maybe it was because I wasn't on mass transit. I wish I took a picture. Oh well.

Now before this trip, I left a message with Victoria saying I was coming. I stopped by the page's and asked where she was, and I told them I was there. Geez, I felt like such an idiot saying that, but hey, what can you do. we had ticket numbers 600 or something. It was really deep into the line, because at this time we had to line up by the number on our ticket. Interesting policy, I must say (ed. Note, as of 1/26/99, they NO LONGER do this, rather send you a postcard with a phone number for you to call and set a date where you can make it).

Mary and I parked in a garage on 53rd street and an affordable one to boot. We went in line. Now I saw Victoria looking for us, and she finally found us. Now this is where the trip gets weird. She pulls us out of line (to the boos of the people in line, har har...) If you remember the scene in GoodFellas where Ray Liotta gets them in through the backway to see Henny Youngman, that's what it felt like. She took us up to the balcony and say us up there with pretty good seats for a view. (Now before people go nuts, I took seats that were reserved for people who weren't going to make it at the last minute, so nothing lost).

Eddie Brill once again did his amazing warmup. The preshow video was, I think, Dave talks to kids, yet again. It could have been Dave and Paul go Golfing, but this is a report that's being reedited 8 months later.) The preshow went on as normal, and Dave came out. I think he talked about the 1,000 shows (we were at 1,001). I think the question from the audience was a lame one, well, it wasn't memorable. So this leads me to a bit of advice for all those people who are looking forward to the show. If you get the opportunity to ask Dave a question, think it through. Don't be obnoxious, but don't ask an easy one. Ask one you don't think he's ever heard before. I did, and look how much better the Second Trip Report was... :-)

Act I featured Dave's highlights of the past 1,000 shows. Pretty funny stuff. I was especially touched by the gift the staff presented Dave. It was a mounted old microphone. I thought that was classy. The guests on that night were Elle MacPherson (Pregnant, or just over pregnancy, either way, looked ravishing.), Jon Favreau (Promoting Deep Impact, also was gutter, or gunner, whatever, in PCU. Good guest.), and Singer Usher (Number one, I'm older than this guy, two, the song he performed, "My Way," grew on me and three, his outfit was shiny). Victoria mentioned it to me before the show, but I couldn't believe how shiny it really was. After his song, he bumped into Dave, which I thought was kind of funny.

The show ended, Victoria greeted us before we made our exit, and there you have it, show number 1,001 for the Late Show, but show number 6 for me.