Chris Elliott Performs "Rocket Man" | Letterman

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  • Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
  • Respect to William Shatner.
    (From "Late Night," air date: 6/12/92)
    #chriselliott #williamshatner #letterman
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    Welcome to the Letterman RUclips Channel, home to all your favorite clips from Late Night and Late Show - as well as conversations with the writers, producers and performers who helped make it all happen. The language may strike you as quaint & flowery, the clothing comically lacey & ornate - but that’s how things were back in this colorful and now bygone era.

Комментарии • 161

  • @robclarkson5356
    @robclarkson5356 Год назад +62

    I could watch a thousand Letterman/Elliot clips. They are always so hilarious together.

    • @theblade9024
      @theblade9024 Год назад +1

      spoofing Shatner who did a dramtic version that was hilarious.

  • @HigherPlanes
    @HigherPlanes 10 месяцев назад +26

    As a child I always thought Chris was a goofy and unskilled actor, even though he made me laugh...as an adult now I realize how talented he really is.

  • @thingmaker67
    @thingmaker67 Год назад +18

    "I miss my wife too" plus eye roll. So funny! I wonder if Shatner has seen this. He must have, right?

  • @mcdarwin
    @mcdarwin Год назад +21

    How did I miss this episode? Chris channeling Shatner? Genius.

  • @Piggy-Oink-Oink
    @Piggy-Oink-Oink Год назад +23

    Shatner's Rocket Man is the MOST obtusely brilliant performance ever on television.

  • @GolfAfter50
    @GolfAfter50 Год назад +37

    Like some others here, I also saw Chris' version before seeing Shatner's. When I finally did, Hashtag MindBlown.

    • @michaelparks6120
      @michaelparks6120 Год назад +3

      Have you seen Shatner do Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds? It's enough to make you question the existence of God or even bigfoot 😉

    • @theblade9024
      @theblade9024 Год назад +1

      spoofing Shatner who did a dramatic version that was hilarious.

  • @cygnustsp
    @cygnustsp 8 месяцев назад +7

    The most underappreciated comic ever

  • @michaelparks6120
    @michaelparks6120 Год назад +15

    Chris has all the charm and magical qualities that one may guess at random 😃

  • @quesoblanco444
    @quesoblanco444 Год назад +40

    This song is so powerful, and it really helped me get through that difficult time in my life when my father, a jazz street musician, was brutally murdered by satanic cultists. Thank you for helping me get through those hard times Chris.

    • @DiodeMom
      @DiodeMom Год назад

      Which song? Lol

    • @leebrock4783
      @leebrock4783 Год назад +4

      Top tier comment. 💯

    • @ontologicallysteve7765
      @ontologicallysteve7765 Год назад +6

      By Satanic cultists? Holy balls, my friend. That's too oddly specific to be made up. Condolences.

    • @blueabattoir
      @blueabattoir 9 месяцев назад +1

      This song helps when my herpes flares up. Thank you Mr. Elliot! You truly are a Rocket Man.

    • @peaceandlove544
      @peaceandlove544 5 месяцев назад +1

      I am so sorry 😢😢😢

  • @Writebrain82
    @Writebrain82 Год назад +8

    Little piece of trivia. Chris actually did this in front of Elton John way back in 2009 and Elton was so moved he wrote the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" right after that and dedicated it to Chris Elliot. True Story. I saw it online. :-p hehe

  • @sCulturefan
    @sCulturefan Год назад +16

    It was already the 90s, but Paul nailed those mid-70s synthesizer sounds here

  • @steves1588
    @steves1588 Год назад +10

    The genius of Chris Elliot...one of the few reasons to own a TV

  • @christopherwall444
    @christopherwall444 Год назад +9

    Chris's comfort level on stage in front of an audience has no equal

  • @stevelang6083
    @stevelang6083 Год назад +37

    So ahead of his time. Chris Elliott was the #1 reason to watch Letterman in the 1980s

    • @michaelparks6120
      @michaelparks6120 Год назад +2

      You defined hip knowing Chris Elliott in the 80s.

    • @theblade9024
      @theblade9024 Год назад

      spoofing Shatner who did a dramatic version that was hilarious.

  • @MagicAl5F4781
    @MagicAl5F4781 Год назад +21

    This was really out there at the time and Chris Elliott is a genius. This was so many years after Shatner's one-time performance that most people would have no idea what this is, but it's perfect in every way, not just a random pop-culture reference (again, no reason to expect anyone to get it) but a personal artistic expression, channeling Elliot's own anxieties following the cancellation of his TV series Get A Life by reenacting what Shatner's career was for several years following the cancellation of Star Trek. It's hilarious and deep and real, and the best thing about Family Guy and anyone else imitating the bit is giving more people the chance to find this original parody and appreciate how rich Elliott's work is.

    • @davidfuller764
      @davidfuller764 Год назад +3

      Right on! Thanks

    • @dgodrummer8110
      @dgodrummer8110 10 месяцев назад +1

      and no internet archive. so most of us had no idea Shatner's version existed.

  • @faheyplayer
    @faheyplayer 10 месяцев назад +4

    Chris’ comic sense is absolutely hilarious. The whole vanity thing, ego, just cracks me up

  • @MrCHAIRMANOFTHEBORED
    @MrCHAIRMANOFTHEBORED Год назад +9

    I remember when Chris performed in a spoof of an NBC show called
    "Goddess of Love" when Chris said I am the Goddess of Love,then he belched, and said no really I am the Goddess of Love,chris is hilarious and so is his daughter Abby,she was great on Saturday Night Live

  • @AudioFileZ
    @AudioFileZ 3 месяца назад +1

    The more out-there Chris gets it's like he's just getting started. Love it.

  • @PilotsWorld
    @PilotsWorld Год назад +41

    Elliot and Letterman. Let's get these two together to do something again.

  • @baronoflivonia.3512
    @baronoflivonia.3512 Год назад +25

    Chris Elliot was hilarious, Man under seats was a good bit too.

  • @stardust_memories2260
    @stardust_memories2260 Год назад +10

    This version of Rocket Man always brought tears to my eyes.🚀

    • @v4v819
      @v4v819 4 месяца назад +1

      Did you see Shatner's

    • @stardust_memories2260
      @stardust_memories2260 4 месяца назад

      This is good tears, Shatner's were bad tears

  • @moxica93
    @moxica93 Год назад +3

    Was watching Michael Mann's "Manhunter" from '86 - and all of a sudden, there's Chris Elliot!

  • @gersonkphone
    @gersonkphone Год назад +13

    This was before most people had the internet, so Shatner's performance was a hazy memory for some, a rumor for others, and a traded VHS tape for very few. And people couldn't jus go online to ask wtf they'd just seen. Sheer trust in the material and performance.

  • @dtsdigitalden5023
    @dtsdigitalden5023 Год назад +7

    Did Chris Elliot actually manage to out-Shatner Shatner? This deserved a lifetime achievement award!

  • @Itelkner
    @Itelkner 7 месяцев назад +2

    That wig Chris is sporting is quite a statement. I've never seen his head vaguely resemble Art Garfunkel more!

  • @MarkKanaster-ev6pq
    @MarkKanaster-ev6pq Год назад +3

    Dave is Dave he deals with Chris shangenens like a proud parent does with their kids 😊

  • @lesweizman388
    @lesweizman388 9 месяцев назад +4

    the greatest impersonation of shatner ever

  • @JD_Cool
    @JD_Cool Год назад +76

    It's nearly impossible to be able to parody a parody. But that's how good Chris Elliott is.

    • @chriszozaski
      @chriszozaski Год назад +6

      And you have to take into account that back in '92, I'm gonna assume that a large percentage of people who saw this had no idea that it was a parody.

    • @JD_Cool
      @JD_Cool Год назад +4

      @@chriszozaski Good point. Pre RUclips, the only folks with knowledge of Shatner's shtick were those who saw it live.

    • @theblade9024
      @theblade9024 Год назад +3

      spoofing Shatner who did a dramatic version that was hilarious.

    • @mulemule
      @mulemule Год назад +9

      Except Shatner didn't do his as a parody.

    • @trekkiejunk
      @trekkiejunk 11 месяцев назад +8

      "a parody of a parody?" I am not convinced Shatner's interpretation from the 70's was a parody. He did a whole album like that, and still does those types of "raps" onstage.

  • @michaelparks6120
    @michaelparks6120 2 месяца назад +1

    You gotta love when he undoes his tie!

  • @davidchandler5432
    @davidchandler5432 Год назад +4

    The Max Headroom bit made me laugh a lot since this was like 4 years after Max Headroom was relevant, that's a funny thing for Elliott to pretend was going on. I was only a kid back then but I loved his sitcom, he was my favorite comedian because of his Letterman bits.

    • @Itelkner
      @Itelkner 7 месяцев назад

      Another of Chris's favorite go-to funny-bone ticklers - bring up an old dated reference as if it were a current thing.

  • @abundantYOUniverse
    @abundantYOUniverse Год назад +3

    I saw this when it aired hilarious thanks! The famous Shatner bit.

  • @michaelparks6120
    @michaelparks6120 Год назад +6

    This is gold...especially for those that don't get it.....

    • @andrewfurst5711
      @andrewfurst5711 2 месяца назад +1

      ESPECIALLY, for those... who don't... GET IT!

  • @superfly3990
    @superfly3990 11 месяцев назад +3

    You know, and I'd like to take this opportunity to speak for everyone, including both Sid Caesar and Charlie Callas, Chris Elliott has more natural god given talent in the end of his pinky finger than the entire cast of The Partridge Family has in their entire finger. And I really mean that too.

    • @Itelkner
      @Itelkner 7 месяцев назад

      It takes one of deep showbiz insight to tie all those analogous threads together.

  • @MarkKanaster-ev6pq
    @MarkKanaster-ev6pq Год назад +4

    Two comic geniuses

  • @larryhuston8433
    @larryhuston8433 Год назад +3

    Chris is such a riot

  • @wads_o_hair
    @wads_o_hair Год назад +3

    That blond TJ Hooker wig alone is worth the price of admission.

    • @Itelkner
      @Itelkner 7 месяцев назад

      Haha... you're right! Good catch. Chris is spoofing Shatner's TJ Hooker-era penchant for wearing "stylish" wigs.

  • @brian-ld4vd
    @brian-ld4vd Год назад +10

    Chris Elliott is the best comedian of the 80's and 90's.

  • @ArchernAce
    @ArchernAce Год назад +9

    I have always loved this man.

  • @kamuelalee
    @kamuelalee Месяц назад

    "Chris, I think you made us all sick." Truer words were never spoken.

  • @UberNeuman
    @UberNeuman Год назад +7

    I saw Chris Elliot's take on Shatner's years before I saw the original vid. My mind was blown when I finally did. lol.

  • @RM-ed1if
    @RM-ed1if Год назад +2

    Never underestimate the challenge of shopping for quality hair pieces.

  • @nedwart
    @nedwart Год назад +5

    What a fancy lad!

  • @zabagar
    @zabagar 4 месяца назад

    Chris Elliott on Letterman! For me it couldn’t be better!

  • @peaceandlove544
    @peaceandlove544 5 месяцев назад +1

    Best Chris Elliot bit

  • @botboy6977
    @botboy6977 7 месяцев назад

    Love his self-important attitude, Chris what a talent!

  • @SameAsAnyOtherStranger
    @SameAsAnyOtherStranger Год назад +2

    I was thinking this must have been were "Family Guy" got this bit, but then I read the video description- "Respect to William Shatner" and I was like "Oh yeah. I forgot about that."

  • @charlenemack7040
    @charlenemack7040 Год назад +3

    Chris Elliott, a genius just like his dad.

  • @Matty-vw8vw
    @Matty-vw8vw Год назад +10

    Chris Elliott so underrated

  • @michaelparks6120
    @michaelparks6120 Год назад +3

    OMG, these guys are hilarious!!

  • @timtravels116
    @timtravels116 11 месяцев назад

    Chris Elliot is so funny that I started laughing looking at the thumbnail.

  • @milfordmkt
    @milfordmkt Год назад +1

    At the time, before internet/RUclips, most of us didn't know he was satirizing a bizarre Shatner performance from a 1970's Sci-Fi awards show. Stewie did his own rendition of this same routine on an episode of Family Guy. Look that one up too. All three performance, back to back, are a laugh riot!

  • @jamesgoforth1606
    @jamesgoforth1606 Год назад +2

    I forgot how good he was on there

  • @marcthompson3665
    @marcthompson3665 Год назад +2

    Still waiting to see Chris's masterpiece, "Poolside Ecstasy."

  • @privatepenguin3137
    @privatepenguin3137 Год назад +1

    I remember this appearance very very well.

  • @james5460
    @james5460 11 месяцев назад +1

    Shatner apparently was doing a Sinatra "It's a quarter to 3 and the bar is empty" kind of deal and it was stupefying. I watched it at the time - late '70s - and for the life of me couldn't figure out what was going on. Just knowing that Chris Elliott even knew about it to parody is mind-blowing! But Shatner's honestly was funnier 'cuz he was serious!

  • @michaelparks6120
    @michaelparks6120 2 месяца назад +1

    BTW, his hair hat is the vees knees

  • @peterj4741
    @peterj4741 Год назад +3

    I still remember “ get a life “… it had some sort of impact on a very young boy. Thanks Chris…

  • @TwinPeaksArchive1
    @TwinPeaksArchive1 Год назад +1

    Brilliant!

  • @Afriend-nv4uq
    @Afriend-nv4uq 4 месяца назад

    “I miss my wife too.” Priceless.

  • @DigiRangerScott
    @DigiRangerScott Год назад +6

    I didn’t realize how much of a punchline Shatner’s Rocketman was. So many years of watching Stewie Griffin’s parody I didn’t know this one existed

  • @mego73
    @mego73 5 месяцев назад +1

    I love it but I am surprised there was an awareness of the Shatner clip before the internet.

  • @stevelibby6852
    @stevelibby6852 Год назад

    Genuis to the genius power.

  • @jonlong5197
    @jonlong5197 10 месяцев назад

    C.E. got that Art Garfunkle thing going.

  • @georgemaranville3305
    @georgemaranville3305 Год назад +1

    I made a lot of beer money in college “sharing” my Chris Elliott DVD collections with other fans.

    • @charlenemack7040
      @charlenemack7040 Год назад +2

      Chris Elliott has been trying to find you for the last 20+ years. He wants his share of the money you doofus! 😂😂😂💰💰💰🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺

  • @abc-bu7nr
    @abc-bu7nr 11 месяцев назад

    The difference is that Chris was undoubtedly going for comedy
    Shatner was clearly doing a dramatic version that was undeniably comical as hell

  • @robinblackmoor8732
    @robinblackmoor8732 Год назад +2

    It is like a car crash. You just can't look away.

  • @hoppyandhisholidayhelpers1714
    @hoppyandhisholidayhelpers1714 11 месяцев назад

    i'm sure that most viewers of Letterman in 1992 have not seen the Shatner song from1978 and thought this was original comedic material.
    back in 1992, when we didn't have the internets,
    most viewers wouldn't know what Steve Elliott was doing here. unless they were some VHS sharing nerd.
    i was watching TV back in 1978 but i didn't know about Rocket Man Shatner Karaoke video until the early 2000s,
    like the rest of us.

  • @Itelkner
    @Itelkner 7 месяцев назад

    "And I'm gonna be.......HIGH!!!!"

  • @dnatzel5472
    @dnatzel5472 7 месяцев назад

    I'm in the mood to watch Cabin Boy.

  • @Emophiliac2
    @Emophiliac2 Год назад +2

    This was, of course, done in memory of SPEWEY.

  • @CptGTSpaulding
    @CptGTSpaulding Год назад

    When that actually aired in 1992, I was 21 and hadn't _seen_ the Shatner "Rocket Man" performance. (Viral videos then were spread by "Your friend has a copy on VHS for some reason and shows it to you.") So I thought Chris Elliott was just being silly.

  • @richardyoon4209
    @richardyoon4209 8 месяцев назад

    Dave wearing a Malcom X hat!

  • @JasonJolley71
    @JasonJolley71 2 месяца назад

    *hugs dave*

  • @MarkKanaster-ev6pq
    @MarkKanaster-ev6pq Год назад +1

    Get a life is without doubt the greatest show ever made if you don’t have the time to watch it you are going to be a fool and I am just clicking the words that come up when you are messaging 😂

  • @MSeanMcManus
    @MSeanMcManus 10 месяцев назад

    Chris Elliott is King of Trolls!

  • @RobVespa
    @RobVespa Год назад +1

    Hope he sent Shatner a check.

  • @ExtremeBeatlesArchive
    @ExtremeBeatlesArchive 11 месяцев назад

    Actually, X is hug and O is kiss.

  • @dianewinters8628
    @dianewinters8628 Год назад

    That was great😂 Sorry Chris that's a hug hat. A kiss hat would be the circle. Good try though. Love you Dave.

  • @MarkKanaster-ev6pq
    @MarkKanaster-ev6pq Год назад

    Genius

  • @ericjohnston591
    @ericjohnston591 Год назад

    Patio Chairs to ya!

  • @ericligotke3542
    @ericligotke3542 11 месяцев назад

    Paul does a mean Elton!

  • @theblade9024
    @theblade9024 Год назад +1

    spoofing Shatner who did a dramatic version that was hilarious.

  • @michaelparks6120
    @michaelparks6120 Год назад

    I think Chis's hair deserves some sort of mention asa potential oddity.

  • @evenflowsteven
    @evenflowsteven Год назад

    Isn’t that the lead singer of the Spin Doctors? 😂 I swear he kind of looks like the guy.

  • @wannabe4668
    @wannabe4668 8 месяцев назад +1

    No, he got this idea from William shatner

  • @bluebear1985
    @bluebear1985 Год назад

    We're going to take a brief pause right now, and be right back with Christopher Walken. You don't want to miss this one.

  • @TXMEDRGR
    @TXMEDRGR 11 месяцев назад

    Comic genius.

  • @garymack2069
    @garymack2069 Год назад +2

    👍 & 👌

  • @nathueil1
    @nathueil1 Год назад +1

    Roc’e Man.

  • @patrickvillers6454
    @patrickvillers6454 Год назад

    I was never on board with Chris Elliot I was more the Larry Bud Melman type.

  • @gamma1695
    @gamma1695 11 месяцев назад

    Don't show Musk this clip, he'll probably go after Dave for wearing that hat

  • @chuckselvage3157
    @chuckselvage3157 Год назад

    William Shatner did a version of this.🤣

  • @plaws0
    @plaws0 Год назад

    I was a pretty regular viewer of LNwDL and have no recollection of this so first, thanks for posting.
    Second, I went back and reviewed the original. I'm sure I'd seen it at some point in the 45 years since it happened but not recently. I thought Mr Elliot's version was a little over the top what with the multiple Chrises ... and then I rewatched the original - it's completely faithful to The Shat's version.
    Third ... OMG, did The Shat's "people" really let him do that? In the clip I saw there isn't any context beyond it being some awards show, so I don't know if it was *intended* to out-Chris-Elliot-before-Chris-Elliot or it was intended to be just what it professes to be - The Shat's interpretation of Taupin's lyrics. Which is what Bernie Taupin himself actually says when he introduces the performance.

  • @brian19711
    @brian19711 Год назад

    STP Vibes 😂

  • @therunawaykid6523
    @therunawaykid6523 3 месяца назад

    Oh look it’s that guy from the scary movie 2 film

  • @jungastein3952
    @jungastein3952 Год назад +1

    Loved Get A Life.

  • @pray4mojo35
    @pray4mojo35 Год назад +1

    Just may have topped Shatner’s performance.

  • @wfk3rd
    @wfk3rd 10 месяцев назад

    Way ahead of his time giving Dave the Elon musk X branded baseball cap. It’s like he’s a time travluh or sumptin’.

  • @IamCatharinemme
    @IamCatharinemme Год назад +2

    Only guy funnier than Dave.

  • @teddyzamba1396
    @teddyzamba1396 Год назад

    Chris missed this one, HUGE...c'mon...I was hoping for something more...