It’s been 30 years since Paul Shaffer started working with late night host David Letterman, and a recent interview reveals that the special relationship may end soon.
Shaffer, a Canadian Jew, started working as Letterman’s sidekick and musical director back in 1982, when Letterman was hosting the “Late Night” show on NBC, Shaffer led the “World’s Most Dangerous Band,” and later moved to lead the “CBS Orchestra” after Letterman moved to the network rival because NBC chose Jay Leno as Johnny Carson’s replacement on the “Tonight Show.”
“We’ve been on 30 years so now we’ve got another two years,” Shaffer told TV Guide Canada over the weekend, “… I’m going to be certainly ready to lie down after that, take a nap.”
However, Shaffer did not indicate that his decision to “take a nap” is final.
Life is nutty, anything can happen,” he added. “I’ve been so lucky and blessed to be working this long in show business. And whatever happens now is just gravy to me.”
Shaffer, who was born to a Jewish family in Ontario in 1949, began his career in music in the early 1970s, and is in charge of producing events such as events such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony and the 1996 Summer Olympic Games opening ceremonies. In addition, Shaffer co-wrote and co-produced the 1984 hit song “It’s Raining Men.”
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