Back when there were no rules on TV.
This has to be one of my favorite old interview clips. There are always funny clips of interview questions or artists being tickled too much, answering, but whenever a host gets involved with an activity on air, that is gold.
In 1982, Charlie Daniels was a guest on Late Night With David Letterman. Given the two are complete opposites, with clean-cut Letterman and then a “Long-Haired Country Boy” Daniels, the interview honestly starts off a little awkward.
Letterman seems a little discombobulated before Daniels takes the stage, and the first few questions are filled with heavy dad jokes.
The host then quickly points out that Daniels is chewing gum, which Daniels notes he likes because it keeps his throat moist, and then he also says snuff does the same when he is on stage.
He then asks Letterman if he wants a lip.
“What is it?”
Daniels then has to explain chewing tobacco to the host:
“It’s snuff….it’s ground tobacco is basically what it is. I’m about out, but I’ll give you a dip anyways.”
But Letterman wasn’t so sure about it:
“This looks like bait, Charlie.”
As the crowd giggles, Letterman seems hesitant to try it and lets Daniels lead the way.
Once Charlie Daniels lays down the law on how to properly dip, Letterman finally gets the nerve to put in a little pinch, which is short-lived.
Letterman then jokingly says the spitting makes sense because what else would you want to do with chewing tobacco. Then he notes it was burning his gums a little.
“Yeah, well, you see, after it burns the nerve endings off…it’s comforting.”
The crowd is filled with laughter as Letterman is still trying to get the remains of the dip out of his mouth.
The two chat more about music and upcoming projects before Daniels performs “Wyoming.” But let’s face it. The shining share of this interview is that bit.
Charlie Daniels was a legend for many reasons, but this interview will always go down in history as legendary for this moment.
