Our Tribute To Longtime Staffer And Our Good Friend Arthur Kelly

do here before the final round of playoffs. Let's check in uh once again with Mike Singleary on Coach's Corner. Mike, here we go.

Welcome once again to the Letterman podcast. My name is Mike Chisum. Okay. Um yeah, this is a tribute episode to my friend Arthur Kelly. um art for for people who who uh enjoyed the production the late show with David Letterman Productions um and and the bits that they would have over the years uh host of coach's corner the guy who ran the uh reception desk on Dave's floor for so long um but also had more than a more than a passive res uh resemblance to uh NFL Hall of Fame coach uh Hall of Famer and coach uh Mike Singleary. Um Arthur Kelly was one of a kind and he passed away um around the 4th of July uh this past this year in 2025 and um I was I was gutted by it for a variety of reasons. This show wouldn't exist without him and uh um you know so but we can't blame the dead. So guess what? You're stuck with it. Um while he was around you could blame Arty. You could send your hate mail to him.

Um, I I have talked about there being a trail of lily pads to the how this show came about as to me being the chucklehead who hosts it. Uh, it should not be me. It should be somebody with some real clout um some real talent and uh perhaps even some more connection to the show. But you got me and the reason you got me uh one of those lily pads was because of Arthur Kelly. Um I uh I I have two recorded conversations with him. One which was serves as sort of a pilot for this show. It was called Tales uh from the Late Show. Um and it was sort of a half-baked idea. Um as as Rick Sheckchman and I we were in contact and uh and and when I shot that episode um he had some some some interesting notes for me. Um but then he was on this show as well and and but it was way more than that. Arty and I would talk on the phone um a lot and uh he would give me calls at random intervals and it was just a lot of fun to talk to Arty.

Um his brother Andre uh shortly after Arty's passing reached out to me and um um has graciously um agreed to come on here and and and talk about his brother with me and in in a tribute episode. And not just it was uh with it was in in in the poker world it'd be an insta call. He said, "Absolutely. I would love to do that.

I'd be honored to do that." Uh, which was just an honor to me. So, the honor went around in a circle and grew great, big, huge, and uh, was just a beautiful, beautiful sentiment. And that's what we're going to do right now. Um, we'll finish this intro right here by saying what we always say. The Letterman podcast has one sponsor and one sponsor only so far. That is hello-dlly.com. Go to hell-delly.com. Um, and you can get um, all sorts of official Late Show with David Letterman merchandise, classic stuff. You know, I would call it the OG late show stuff. Uh because this was the stuff that you could get if you came in off the street. Say you you you uh say Letterman was dark one week or say you tried to get in, you were on the standby audience when there was such a thing. Uh but you didn't get in, you could always go and visit Rupert at the Hello Deli. Uh the deli may not be around, but Hello- Deli still is. And you can still get the mugs and the same shirts that Rupert had back in the day. Go to hell-delly.com.

And um if you ask him really nicely, Rupert still packs this stuff on his own. most of the time. And if you ask him really nicely, he might add onions to the order. Also, the official Letterman channel will give them a shout out because you can get merch there. I love this. It's a long sleeve as well. Um, I've got a Barbara Gaines Show shirt. And how good has the Barbara Gain show been hearing Dave talk about current events. It feels a little bit like 09 when Leno did his um his magic trick of making his Tonight Show disappear and then reappear out of nowhere. Uh, Dave, talking about the current events of late night is a lot of fun. Make sure you go to the Barbara Gain show and see that just ah good stuff. Um but uh here we've got about an hour conversation u with a really really sweet guy named Andre Kelly. He lets me call him Dre uh because it makes me feel cool calling my friends Andre Dre. He's a great guy. Um and he talks about his brother. We there's some cool late show memories that we talk about. And uh well here you know you don't want to hear me.

Uh here is our tribute episode to um my friend and yours, Arthur Kelly. Uh Dre, I'm so happy that we're doing this. Uh I wish the reason that we were doing it obviously um was not the case, but at the same time um first off, the week that uh that it came out that that that art passed that already passed, I uh um I I just want to tell you how much I appreciate you reaching out to me.

Yes. That meant the world to me. Um I had talked to a few of the staffers. Uh it had sort of been unconfirmed because the way that things came out, it was it was weird. And and when you reached out to me, um a couple things happened. First off, the reality set in that this is really the case that we lost Arty uh just around the 4th of July this year. And and and um the the the next thing was that I had somebody who I could really talk to about it. and you blew me away. Thank you so much um for representing your family, for coming on here today so we can we can uh we can tribute already the oneman party Arthur Kelly uh from from from Late Show the the general masses know him of course um doing uh coach's corner Mike Singleary uh you know running the reception desk up on Dave's floor of course and being singled out to do that. Um I miss your brother very much. How are you doing?

I'm hanging in there. I have my good days and my bad days. Same thing with my sister, my wife.

But we've been hanging in there through the grace of God. We've been hanging in there and um and anytime we get like sad or depressed about it, we have those videos.

Yeah. Boy, do you ever. And and and such good stuff. Um I just I love the genesis of of of what Arty did and and and how it turned out. And really at the end of the day, I we can get into some of my personal stuff with him, too, because again, this show would not exist if it weren't for for for Arthur. And now we're in a place where nobody can blame him because he's gone. And you don't blame the dead for things like that. So, hey, sorry. And that might be his one last little uh haha to everybody. Seriously, this show wouldn't exist if it wasn't for him. Um, first off, before I'm gonna There are going to be staffers who are watching this. Um, did you ever go to the Ed Sullivan Theater and meet everybody? Did you ever go to a get together, a party of any sort with Arty?

No, but I did go to one of the shows. He always let me know that I can always come anytime.

What happened was during my vacation time in the time that the show was like I I guess at a dark period where they had their vacation. Yep.

That's what the conflict of interest was. But I was able to go to one of the shows and that was when Harrison Ford was there and the musical guest was they know their name by the Trail of the Dead. That was a musical group. Wow. Um, and no offense uh no offense to those fine fine musicians. Harrison Ford, my gosh.

Do you remember do you do you remember I mean that to me that's that's Han Solo. I mean I'm sorry. Yes. Indiana Jones fans. Okay. But to me I'm the Star Wars guy. Uh a little bit more. Holy smokes. You got to see Harrison Ford. How cool was that?

Yeah. It was cool. I mean and seeing him being um there live in person. It was great. It was a great experience and it was good just being able to go into the Ed Sullivan Theater um you felt special because like being able to um when the staff invited you there um you had a separate line that you stand on. So then when he was able to go into the balcony and then it was cold in there though I tell you that Dave kept that place very cold but

still is.

Yes.

It was very enjoyable. That was a very enjoyable experience. Me and my wife went and we had a great time.

Okay. So, I'm going to also uh for there there are staffers that watch this show. Um again, who knows why, but there are uh and the first thing anybody who interacted with Arty is going to listen to you, Dre, and they're going to say, "Oh my god, does he ever sound like his brother and look like his brother." What's the age difference between the two of you?

Actually, nine and a half. I'm going to say go ahead and 10 because what happened that I was born June 10th, 1967. Yep.

He was born um December 18th, 1957. So, Okay. How old was Arty when he passed then?

67. He was

just turned 67.

Yes. Turning 60. He'll be 68 come this December.

Oh man. Okay. So, um I think that would surprise a lot of people. I I think he, you know, um his looks certainly his energy most definitely not of a 67y old. Um and if so, that's what I want to be like when I'm 67. Uh 10 year difference between the two of you growing up. Where did you uh did you live with him for a long time? I mean, 10 years is a long is a is is a big gap there, but uh where did you guys grow up?

We grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Yes.

And um my brother when he moved out, he had a roommate named Gary. So, they moved out and they had his own apartment. Then when my mother had passed away, what happened? My brother said, "Hey, you're going to come live with me." So, me and him was roommate. He had he had his own apartment at that time. So, we started living together for about a year and he's responsible for me getting into the financial industry.

Really?

Yeah. And um and this leads up to a lot of jobs that he had before he got to the Late Show and we'll talk about that as well. But in the beginning, he was responsible for me getting into the financial industry. And from that point, been in the finance industry for about what maybe 30 something years.

Wow.

Uh he was with it was it was it Goldman Sachs he was with? Yes, that's right before he got to the late show.

Yeah,

he had some other jobs that too that were similar to the Goldman where it was like actually answering phones,

placing people in jobs and everything like that. And he was so helpful. Um there's a couple of people that um that really thank him for him being able to get them job placements and dur especially during a time when um they went to the um sign up for different programs and he was able to help them get into different um jobs good paying jobs as well.

So one of the things and we're alluding to it now we might as well talk about it here um because I mean one of the things that that people have told me about RD is how giving he was and how generous he was. uh in wanting to help people especially. He he he loved that and I mean I can certainly attest to it as well. Uh this is the first worldwide pants jacket I ever got. I got it from him. We can maybe talk about that a little bit cuz that story went further than I ever thought it did within the Kelly family. And uh we can talk about that a little bit. But but but at the end of the day um you know the fact that you went to live with him. How old were you when you went to live with him in the apartment?

Actually I was going on 26. 26.

26. Okay. and you got to go hang out with your big brother and live with your big brother and uh like you know that shows right there you know his his his desire to help people and help people give give people a hand. Um and at that time is that when you got into the financial business?

Yes. What happened was I was actually started working at JC Penney in the beginning

and then what happened my brother he was in a job placement agency and he said you know what he said there's a job opening um down at Morgan Stanley. Mhm.

It was supposed to be in a mail room. Got down there, lady interviewed me and she said, "I can't give you a mail room job." And I said, "Okay." She said, "Well, because you have all this college experience." She said, "Well, I'm going to do I'm going to give you a job in um closed in department, which is dealing with um funds, stocks, stocks and and bonds."

Yeah.

And and next thing you know,

got me a job where I was able to a good salary. I was able to go out on my own and take care of myself. But that time of me living with my brother, boy, did he give me a crash course lesson in life. He would talk to me a lot about a lot of things. Andre, be prepared because life is going to be like this, this, that, or whatever. So, it was a great experience having him being 10 years older than me. Let me know exactly what was going on in the world. So, this way I'd be prepared for it.

Okay. What year are we talking at that point? This was 1992 going into so so still a ways before he would go and work for pants and company. Um uh so so it's cool like and you and I could go into an aside on this because I'm in the financial service business. I' I've had a financial service business for uh for for for 20 years. I'm an independent broker in the sense of life insurance investments things like that. The funds that you're talking about up here in Canada uh very similar are the things that I communicate um to clients about retirement things and and all that kind of stuff. So we're we're we're tangentally connected in the same in the same industry. Um so uh you've been in finance for a long time as well.

Yes. Exactly. Exactly.

You enjoy it?

I enjoy it. In the beginning it was a little rough, but now um as I moved on to it, um I've been pretty well adjusted to a lot of things. So it's just the layoff part sometimes a little tricky because sometimes the outsourcing and everything. But other than that, the new company that I've been working for for the past 10 years has been BNY. So, it's been a great experience working there.

Oh, that's fantastic. Yeah, the industry has sure changed for me as well uh for where we are up here in Canada. I the the part of it that I love um you know, it's you make you can make a decent living at it, of course, you know, in financial services, but but for me, the thing that I love about it is dealing with clients. Like, like that's my I'm a relationship guy, which is why I think I I I can uh I'm passable at this podcasting thing is because I I enjoy the relationship in life and and things like that. And if I can show people how to get to a better spot, teach them a little bit of how money works and get that light bulb moment and stuff, I enjoy it a lot. Um, I think it's one of the reasons why Arty and I connected so well. He is very much a relationship guy, wouldn't you say?

Oh, definitely. And his work history, it kind of show it. It'll show it why he led up to getting the job at World Pants because Worldwide Pants and because he's same same thing, relationship guy.

Yeah. definitely want to help. The client is always first. That was his first priority. Making sure that he took care of people that he supposed to take care of.

Yeah,

that was the thing about that.

Where does your sister lie? So, your is your sister in between the two of you?

Uh, yes. She's the middle child.

She's the middle child. Okay, there we go. There we go. Um, I I just I guess I want to get to uh let's get to when when he got to work there. Let's let's let's go right kind of to there. you've done a good job kind of showing the background a little bit and I'm glad that you guys were close. I'm glad he gave you that crash course in life. Um, I think there'll be people listening to this who knew already who would would would smile really big at that. That the idea that he helped take care of his younger brother. Uh, what does your sister do?

My sister, she actually works um she was working at um Chase Bank for a while and

Oh, finance as well. Okay. Yeah.

Exactly. And she was working there for a while and then um she's actually semi-retired. She's retired a little early, but she works also she's, you know, has social security also. She works like a part-time job. And she's actually in North Carolina. She wanted to be a part of this, but, you know, it was a little difficult for her, too.

Absolutely. Let's uh let's let's shout her out and and and and obviously the condolences to everybody and not just to the family, but also friends. Um people are here's the crazy thing about this. People are still finding out. I've had two or three messages in the last two weeks of people saying, "Is this real?" Like, like like, "Is he really gone?" And and and so, um, it's funny. Uh, my my my father passed away a few months ago as well. And and and I still get I still get messages from people who just heard, um, and it's it's it's just one of those things in life where, you know, as we get older, we're getting to that age where people around us are starting to to go. It's it's never not a shock. Um um but at the end of the day, I I I very very much want to shout out on behalf of any of the fandom.

I've had a lot of fans of of of uh the David Letterman's um production uh reach out and and and express they knew, you know, either I loved Marty or Arty, I should say, or that they really loved what he did and he was just they just it it was shocking. In fact, Late Nighter did a story about it and I was very happy to see that that that that there are people out there who really were impacted with what Arthur did and uh and so all always the condolences from all of us on behalf of if I'm the guy who can kind of speak for a segment anyway of the fandom uh or the enthusiasts as we like to say of David Letterman's Productions uh we just want to say to you the family we are very very very empathetic um and and sorry we miss him. I miss him. I miss him. I miss the phone calls very much with him. I miss his enthusiasm. I think he and I had a similar uh somewhat energy, sometimes misunderstood energy perhaps even. Um and we would have wonderful phone calls. I missed them very very much.

So on behalf of all of us, we just want to give uh condolences um for all of you. Uh how was the service and um how are you and your sister doing?

The service was was good. Matter of fact, Mike, believe it or not, and my sister's doing well. Believe it or not, during the service, guess whose name popped up during the service?

Dave.

Your name popped up in the service. He had a best friend um going back to when he I think he was in the second and third grade. And what happened? His friend stood up in front of everybody and told the story about the jacket that you have on. and he was saying how touched that he was when he saw that video and that how he was impressed with the interview that you gave him and everything. So he spoke very highly of you and this and this guy is very quiet. His friend John Glover very quiet guy but he

Oh, he's mentioned John. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

Yes. and and he that's one of the first stories that he told was about you and that's the reason why I had to reach out to you during the time when this happened because it was like it was like family to him and now you're like family to us and because you really touched my brother. uh for you to recognize him, to talk to him about what he was doing meant a lot to him, probably more than you ever know, but definitely meant a lot because he definitely talked about you a lot. And I said, I have to reach out to you some way somehow to let you know what happened.

Um that's u that's very sweet and I appreciate you saying that. I didn't I didn't know that. Um

yes.

So, okay, we'll get to how we got there in a second. And by the way, anybody can go back and you can watch um Arty's appearance on this on this show, but also there's another there's another video floating out there. Now, if you ignore me in that video, it's actually really good. It's it was something that it was the original concept of the Letterman podcast. And it was something that um I had just started becoming friendly with a few of the staffers and and um I I knew that I wished that there was something out there where we could talk to some of these people who worked either in front of the camera, behind the scenes, or like Arthur, a combination of both. And so there's a video and it's like I mean again I I'm I'm a little bit embarrassed about it because it's really one of the first times I ever did an interview with anybody or a conversation with somebody on camera.

Um, it was called Tales from the Late Show and and and Arthur was so excited to come and talk to me about it and he told the story of how he came to work there and and and all of this and it was I didn't know what the heck I was doing. I still don't know what the heck I was doing, but he and I that was where our friendship had started shortly before that and and he had told me a whole bunch of behind thes scenes stories and and and I said, "You know what? Some of these stories, some of them are going to stay between us, but some of them I really want to throw out there because other Letterman enthusiasts out there that I know personally where I live in Canada would love to hear this stuff. And so that's what we did. And and and that's where our friendship started. And then we would have phone calls, you know, quite a bit where we would go back and forth on things, not just about the show, but lots of things in life. And um I really wanted to be there.

if it wasn't across the country and all of that. Like that's just it's it's it's hard to get across.

I've only been since I started the show to New York three times and and and but I really really wanted to go out there and be there for the service. I'm glad it I'm glad it went uh you know, my dad's service went well.

Um lots of closure and and and good moments. It sounds like that's what happened there as well.

Yes, it did. It went very well. And um what happened um there was some in one particular intern that did show up that remember my brother and he came all the way from upstate New York came down and he was a tall guy. I mean big tall guy and he spoke like about maybe 45 minutes in reference to my brother. Um he was so happy because what happened during the time when they had internships there at the late show.

Y

they would ask my brother how did you do this? How did you do that? how did you get the job? And he would explain to him and like if he go to lunch, they would take over the switchboard. And

that was a little difficult for them because I didn't realize they said that was like one of the worst jobs you could possibly get in in in in that type of business. But my brother never complained about it. He always he I would say this, Mike, those 15 years was the best years of his life. out of his 67 years of living, those are the best years of his life. Honest to God,

he told me that a lot.

Yeah,

he he told me that a lot. Um and and uh and and it's funny like he we talked about the good and the bad. Like I mean, and there wasn't a lot of bad.

There was very little bad. In fact, I would say that any bad that was there was um

like adjustment period type type stuff where everyone's just trying to figure everybody out and figure out the dynamics of things and setting, you know, boundaries and things like that. very very little bad. Once that was done, it was like full steam ahead. Let's have some fun.

And that was before he got in front of the camera. Like that was the camera didn't come along till a long time after. He loved um

he loved all sorts of stuff about about about working there. I want to go to that now. Let's talk a little bit about that. Like when when he told you cuz he's Goldman Sachs, okay, head hunter, um you know, happening, okay? And suddenly he's going to work for David freaking Letterman,

right? He didn't even realize that. He was the garment industry. And um he matter of fact, Mike, I don't know if he ever told you this. He wasn't going to go on an interview. He was not going to go.

He said, "Uh" he said, "I don't know." He said, "I'm going to go." He wind up going and he said this worldwide pants. He said, "What is this, the garment industry?"

He never realized because the interest was on the side of the Ed Sullivan Theater. Yeah.

He never went in the front.

Yeah. So when he went there and and he interviewed with them and you know looking at his resume, how he's a people's person, how he communicate very well with everyone and he did a lot of um phone calls, customer service and then next thing you know when he went back home that's when they liked what he you know what the interview went and the next they offered him a job. Still I think he wasn't too sure of really who he was going to be working with. And then one day he called me and he said, "You know, Andre, guess who I'm working for?" And I said, "Who?" He said, "David Letterman." So, I'm waiting for a punchline. I'm waiting for something like you're gonna say, "No, this is not the case."

Y,

you know, I got you. I said, and I'm waiting. I said, he said, "No, I'm really working for David Let him in." He said, "Yes."

And because I used to watch him when I was a little kid, of course,

I could only watch him like once a week because it was like maybe Friday. That's the latest I could stay up.

Yep. And then this is when he was on NBC I believe at the time.

Yeah.

And um so you know and then um I remember watching he was always argued with the um a guy named um what's it Harvey Peard.

Yeah. Oh the Harvey Pear episode.

Oh yes. I used to love enjoy watching. So I I was a you know kind of a big fan of the show back in the day. But my brother really didn't realize you know the to the magnitude of who he was going to be work working for and what he was going to be doing. And then when he got there, um, it just seemed like Dave just took to him like like like like a regular staffer. Very nice to him.

My brother never had a problem, you know, as far as I know.

Yeah.

And he always enjoyed talking to him. They would talk about a lot of different things. So, he enjoyed working at that show. I mean, with everybody there just made him feel welcome.

Well, and and and it's funny. I've had people on this show

who worked years, multiple years for Worldwide Pants in the production of whichever David Letterman franchise we're talking about here or they worked for NBC and they never really well the NBC people for the most part most of them had a story where there was a sighting or two uh if they weren't in you know generally uh in the vicinity of Dave working in that as as their daily um means of vocation. But but at the Ed Sullivan Theater on at that in that building, there are a lot of people who worked there for years and never saw Dave. And it's again, this show is not about Dave. It's about it's a celebration of the show and everything, but sometimes obviously his name comes up.

Hardy

saw him every single day.

Multiple times. Every single day. He was the gatekeeper on Dave's floor. And you alluded to it earlier. You talk about skills on the phone. I got skills on the phone. And I learned them when I was a marketing guy for Costco wholesale back in the day. I I you know I learned how to be very effective on the phone. Uh a good listener a good listener for BS. Uh when people were wasting time when they were you know I was the marketing guy and and and and that role on that floor for that amount of time. It's actually quite extraordinary. He was obviously the right guy uh in the right place um at that time. Yeah, Dave would tell me, he'll say, "Arty, you're going to get a lot of phone calls coming up because, you know, whatever happened on that show, they was people's going to be calling in." And um and he handled it very well. You know, he would um take the calls. If it's something that they needed to be handled by somebody else, he would switch them over, but he was always respectful, never rude um to the um to the callers.

And he enjoyed doing that type of work. And um and he just had a like I said, a great experience working there. He made uh he had this ability to make people feel like they were listened to.

Yes.

And and I don't know if that's something he always had if it was outside of the job or if that was just a skill that he learned, but he really um anytime I would say something and you know I get excited when I talk and enthusiasm and all this sort of stuff it comes out. He really always made me feel heard. Is that something that you would say as a characteristic that he had his whole life?

Yes. Uh my brother took a lot of things to heart. So if you talked to him about something, if you were sad about something, you was happy about something, he listened to what you had to say. And it was so many people, not just on even on the show, but outside of that show, people that he might have met on the street, people that um like in in a leasing company that he leased his apartment with, he always took the time out to listen to you and listen to you uh very carefully what you had to say. Yeah. And he and he and he cared about people. Cared about a lot of people. Um he did and I mean you know you you you alluded to the fact of of the v the video of when he when he gave me this jacket. Um what had happened was we had been corresponding and talking for a while. We shot the uh that Tales from the Late Show uh if you want to call it a pilot. It's kind of a pilot for the Letterman podcast I suppose. We shot it and uh he loved it so much and we had talked a few more times or whatever. And then one day he asked for my address, my home address. And I didn't know I was just okay. Yeah. and I gave it to him.

No problem at all. I didn't It didn't even occur to me uh that he was going to send me a a worldwide pants jacket. But um so so and then I got a message from him. He had I had a message from him saying, "Hey, have you received anything?" I said, "No, I haven't received anything. Why? What's going on?" He goes, "Oh, there might be something coming for you." And I think he tried to shoot for around Christmas. It was early January one day. Um I And it was it was funny because when we get our, you know, Canada Post or UPS up here, many times it's at a a depot or a station. Well, one day I literally open my front door and right in front of my front door there's this big cardboard box and um but then I look and it's from Arthur Kelly and my wife who

to her credit like she puts up with a lot Andre with it being married to me. I'm a high energy high energy guy and and she puts up with a lot. She knows I get enthused about um the things I get enthused about I get really enthused about it and apparently it's something she finds charming about me. I don't know. But uh I saw this box and I pulled it in and she happened to be sitting right there and she said, "What is that?" I said, "It's from Arthur Kelly from New York." And immediately my wife was like, she got her phone out and she's like, "I'm going to video this."

Wow.

And I'm like, cuz you know, immediately thinking it's probably something from the show.

And um so I start opening it and I look and see that it's I see that it's a jacket. and he left a note with it. And in the note, one of the one of the sentiments he said was, "Welcome to the family."

Yes. Yes.

And I start, of course, me I'm my where are my emotions on my on my uh you know, worldwide pants jacket laden sleeve. I start crying and I'm I'm like I tear up immediately because growing up all I wanted to be was part of that family. I wanted to be part of it somehow someway. and and and for him to say that to me and it's three or four other people I look up to very much in this worldwide pants family have given me that same sentiment and all of them are special. They're all unique but you never forget your first. He was the first person to tell me welcome to the family. Um and I mean I don't care if I'm a bastard stepchild cousin. Uh that's okay. That's okay. Um cuz Arty, as far as I'm concerned, that dude in my heart, in my head, had so much street cred because those segments made me howl

and and developing a friendship with him.

Um all of the skills that we just talked about, he made me feel heard. He cared about the fact that I cared. He was a helper. If he could help in any way, um he could do it. But it was reciprocal because he loved the enthusiasm I had because he's an enthusiastic guy as well and we just merged it and we had so much fun when we would talk about whatever it was whether it was Letterman stuff or or life in general. We just had so much fun talking and uh so anyway that's the video that you were referring to. Um it was so wonderful to be a part of it handed to you from that guy who was the guy that picked up the phone when the crazy people would call. I'm not one of the crazy people. My crazy is is is restrained at a manageable level. He was the guy that many times the crazy people would get through to.

And he would give them he would give them an ear and many times in my opinion would probably be diffusing situations. Did he ever tell you about any of the crazy people or any of the fringy type stuff he dealt with that come to memory when I asked that? A few times he would tell me about some crazy stuff like that where people would call in and they would just like it would be crazy things. I can't recall some of them offhand, but they were like really off off the cuff. I mean just really crazy stuff.

And then he he would sit there and listen to them. I'm like I would just hang. He said no I can't do that. He said I have to listen to them.

He said and then if it's something that needs to be sent to someone else he said I would send them over to that to that area. And um a matter of fact, I think on one of his pages um and I forgot the lady's name that she was in charge. I think she was in the human resources or someone that was in charge.

Are you talking about Janice Panino?

That's it. Yeah. And she would tell him, she said, "All right, don't waste all your time with these people on the phone, you know. That's it. Janice, that's it. Just um you know, switch them over and stuff like that." But he just wanted to hear them out, you know, so they could have a voice that, you know, to the ear to listen to about what he had to say, what they had to say, and then he would just transfer them over to, you know, where they supposed to go to.

Yeah.

But he did care a lot about, you know, everyone else's phone calls that came in.

Yeah. And, you know, I think he I honestly um and we did talk about this a little bit, too. I don't know if we ever talked about it when he was on the on on the camera was on record the record setting but um you know he would talk about how it was he was part of the team and those were situations that he was diffusing like somebody might call in you know mad as hell about Sarah Palin or something like that or or or you know that's the one that comes to my mind my my mind right away you talking about my memory

there you go yeah that was one in particular but there's a whole bunch of them but that was kind of a higher profile one that people remember Dave pissed Sarah Palin and all the people who uh who who who followed her. Um and and there were times where somebody would call and he would again make them feel listened to and it wouldn't go beyond that. And I thought the sentiment that he gave I thought it was such a beautiful sentiment. It's like that's my part of the team. That's my role is to help take the knuckle ball stuff off of the most important floor in the building to take the knuckle ball stuff away as much as he possibly could. and uh you know he he was you know it's it's ironic that he was coach Mike Singleary talking about you know a sporting uh uh piece of comedy because he really did feel that he was part of the team and it was a team.

Yes. Yes. And matter of fact um there was one segment on Dave when he was on live on air and um and I don't know if you remember Dave used to have that phone right there and he used to call my brother on the phone.

Yes. before he talked to my brother, he would tell him, he's tell the audience, "This guy is like the the front line of the Late Show." And he was telling it to I mean, you talk about millions of people. He didn't have to do it, but he did it because he knew how important that job was, you know, of getting those phone calls coming in every day. It wasn't like five or 10. It could be, who knows, 50 to 60.

Oh, sometimes it was constant. He would say it would just be constant.

Like he would say, "Pick up the phone like this. Pick up the phone like this." So, you know, it was it was a very intense um job, but he was ready for the task and he felt comfortable doing it.

Yeah. Um you talk about interns who would who would take over because that's many times that's what interns would do was they would just cover people's lunches and things like that.

Yes. Exactly.

And and again, you don't that's not an enviable position to somebody who was young and new and they don't have this kind of training to take over for him at that point. Um did he I know he did obviously you and I have talked a little bit about this. Uh, did he talk very much about the tape balls?

Oh, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. He would talk to me a little bit about that and everything. Yes. That was that was that was that was funny.

Like, you know, Dave is loose if he's coming by you every day and he's whipping a tape at you.

Yes. Exactly. He used to do that. And he said, "Hey, A." And he would throw stuff and he said you had to be ready to catch it because he would just throw it like that at you. So,

Letterman whipping by and he's got a tape ball and he's, you know, winging it at you. uh um and and and screaming your name and and and I mean how many people can say that they have seen that not just once but multiple many uh dozens of times if not more. Um for what we're talking about here Dave used to run by Arty with a big tape ball and used to whip it at him and Arty needed to be ready for it because if he wasn't I mean that thing was whizzing at him and he loved it. You can actually see it um on the very last episode of uh Late Show with David Letterman

um May 20th, 2015. They ran uh a documentary that Walter Kim um was the was the producer or the director of and and it actually you can see it really quick. There's actually a clip of it. There's a clip of Dave running by and saying hey Arty and throwing a tape. There's actually I love that that made that little dock that they made that little documentary because it was a part of stuff that of things that happened at the show. It was authentic, you know, and and it was one of those moments. Um, I'm glad we got a chance to talk about that a little bit. So, he's working for the show uh for years.

Mhm.

And then suddenly, yes, you got these segments where Dave's calling and uh, you know, calling his own reception desk and things like that, which is a pure classic Letterman u, you know, out of the Letterman mythos that is a perfectly uh, uh, executed piece that is so uh, so in line with all the things that Dave does. He doesn't just call, you know, the network. He did call the network uh uh you know pages and and receptionists as well. But hey, let's do the one in our building with for our company. Sure. Perfect.

Exactly.

But then suddenly somewhere out of nowhere Arty is imitating a crazy insane Mike Singleary out of anybody. I want to know the family's reaction to Wait, you're going to do what? Like how how was your reaction to that? And uh to this day, I mean, clearly a unique piece of a slice of life of of your life, of your family's life, knowing that. What was the reaction there when that was uh when that came to pass?

I I was surprised because I'm a big football fan. And I explained to him, I said, who Mike Singleary was.

I said I said, Arthur, I said, just keep this in mind. I said, "This guy played for Bailey University and in practice he used to break guys helmets." I said, "He was a ferocious middle linebacker." I said, "Not that tall, but he was a very ferocious middle linebacker." So, he said, "And then when I looked at both of them together and I said, I never put two and two together, but they look alike."

They really did.

Yes. And what happened when Mike Singleary actually became a coach, a head coach, he was doing some zany things.

Yes.

So what happened was when they played off of that, I said, "Oh man, this is funny. The writers and the producers there did an excellent job because my brother with his with him and the producers coming together doing that." Yep.

I mean, they made Mike Singleary just even more, I say, relevant, more livable person that because you didn't, if you didn't really follow football, you didn't really know who Mike Singleary was.

Sure.

But, um, bringing him out there like that and it was very respectful. It wasn't nothing that they was doing anything bad or nothing like that. He was doing something that was really good. It was

It was just nuts.

Nuts. Yes. Nuts.

Yes.

Yeah. Okay. Hey, Mike. How's it going, buddy? Nice to see you. Good to have you with us.

Happy New Year, Jim.

Thank you so much.

And my best to you to you and Denise and the girls.

Thank you. That's very thoughtful of you. Now, coach, uh, your Vikings out of the playoffs. I was sorry to see that happen. You lost to the Packers in the first round. What really? What was the problem there with the Vikings in the first round of the Packers?

I'll tell you what happened.

Uhhuh.

Jim.

Yeah.

It's on me.

Oh, really?

I thought we were playing the Seahawks.

Oh,

wrong film. Wrong game.

Yeah.

Wrong team.

Uhhuh.

It's on me.

Okay, coach. Takes a big man to stand up and take the responsibility. Now, you got four big teams left. NFC, you got the Falcons facing the 49ers. AFC, it's the Patriots and the Ravens. Who wins? Who wins? Who wins?

That's right, Jim. Who does win?

Yeah,

you skinny little stoogge.

U, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, coach. Let me ask you a question. How about your old team, the 49ers? How about the Niners? How about the 49ers? What about the Ners? Huh?

They don't talk to me.

Yeah.

I don't talk to them. Bang. Zoom.

All right.

And that's how a lot of coaches are. A lot of them are like that, you know.

Oh, yeah. Especially that, you know, and um so I couldn't believe it and I was I was so happy. There was I'll tell you that this one incident would happen.

I was watching the show and I asked I said, "Aarth," I said, "Can you do me a favor?" I said, "Do you know when you're going to be on the show?" And he said, "Yeah, they usually let me know maybe 45 minutes to an hour. Let me know they're going to be on the show." I said, "Can you please?" I said, "You have my job number. Call me."

Yeah.

He called me on the phone. He said, "I'm going to be on the show um you know, tonight." I would tell my supervisor, tell everybody, my my aunt, my my mother-in-law, everybody would stay up and watch the show. And they enjoyed it. They enjoyed it. It was so funny. And he didn't he enjoyed it too, but you know he just took it so lightly like oh yeah you know and he was a little embarrassed to watch himself on on TV.

I said I said you look good man. I said you know you're in good shape. I said and you really look like him. And a matter of fact um

Tony Dunie um when he was there was there was Tony Dunie was coming up the stairs

hall of fame coach Tony Dunie. Yep. Yep.

And he said hey coach he told my brother hey coach. And then the time he was talking to Billy Crystal and it was it was just phenomenal. I mean he he took that part and ran with it.

Yeah.

He ran with it. He did such an excellent job and I still look at it today. That's the way

Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Me too. Um you know obviously with a wi with a different lens, but the lens is is far more focused and far more powerful um watching it now. And and and I I laughed earlier because you know, hey, you know, are do you ever get any notice that you're going to be on the show? Oh yeah, about 45 minutes. 45 minutes. Like like

that's the way it was. I was like I said, he said, "Well," he said, "you just have to be prepared. You have to be ready." Y

I said, "Okay." He said, "Soon as that right light come on." He said, "It's action time. I gotta go." I said, "Wow." But he did such a great job. I thought it was rehearsals. And he said, "No." He said, "A lot of times it was right away." Um there was also before he started doing Mike Singleary. Y

um there was a time where he did something with David Letterman with the Olympics. I don't know if you remember this episode, but it was called David called like the speed dial Olympics. And what happened? Retelli Rupert Sadelli was on there.

Brother was at the switchboard.

Who can dial Dave the fastest?

So my brother's sitting there,

you know, Dave said, "Are you ready?" And my brother kept going like this with his hands like that. Ruby, quiet guy, had his phone in his hand. I said, "Maybe he got on speed dial." No.

So, what happened?

Rupert wind up getting in contact with Dave first.

Yeah.

He said, "Uh, you lost." He said, "You know why you lost? Cuz you kept going like that."

And he said, he said, "If you wasn't doing that, you probably would have won." You know, um because this is we're wrapping up the first week of the Olympics out there in Vancouver, Canada, British Columbia. And we thought, well, now what can we do that will maintain the spirit of the Olympics without really encroaching on what they're doing? Because NBC won't let you touch the Olympics. We're here at CBS. We can't get to them. We can't show the video tape. And and and somebody said, "You know what? Let's do they said, let's have our own Olympic events on the Late Show." And I said, "That is a fantastic idea." So, we uh we can't get any of the footage from the Olympics from NBC. We can't get any of the figure skating. We can't get any of the downhill. We can't get any any of it. Can't get any of the hockey. I want to tell you something, ladies and gentlemen. I'm not a vindictive man, but they can't have this footage.

These late show games, these winter late show games, NBC just, you know, go suck it because You're not going to get us first.

Okay. Tonight's 2010 Late Show winter game, Speed Dialing. Here we go. Take it away, boys.

All right. Uh, competing tonight from the Hello Deli, Rupert G. Rupert, are you there? Are you ready to go? How you doing, Rupert? Dave,

you ready? Are you pretty good at using the phone?

Yeah, pretty good.

Uhhuh. How have you been lately? Enjoying the Olympics?

Yes, it's fine.

All right. And uh 12th floor receptionist Art Kelly. Art, are you up there?

Yes, Dave.

You ready to go? And you're you're a pro. I think you would have the distinct advantage because phones are your life. Am I right there, my friend?

I'm ready to go.

Okay. Now, here's how we do this. Each of you, Rupert and Art, have the number for this telephone right here. Each of you have the number. Now, when I say go, we're going to put up the clock and we'll just see who can get through the quickest. Are you ready?

I'm ready.

Okay. Now, remember, no false starts. We'll have to start over. More than three false starts and you'll be discontinued. Do you understand?

Yes.

Okay.

Are you ready?

Yeah, I'm ready.

Are you confident?

Yes.

No.

Are you relaxed?

Rupert, why don't you have an actual phone? What What is that? This

um It's a Uniden.

Yeah, Uniden. They're huge. the unit end people. But but but that that looks like the first uh portable phone. You remember? Hey, look at this.

Yes.

One day they'll be the size of a deck of cards. But that's that's a like a jumbo uh cell phone. Don't don't you have a hardline phone?

No.

Please stop doing that with your hand. I can see you doing that. Please stop doing that. That's highly annoying. You're just I know it's head games with you. I know what you're up to. You're trying to psych me out and I'm not even in the competition. Now, Rupert, do you have a phone that's actually connected to something?

No, I don't.

Well, my friend, you're at a distinct disadvantage.

I I know that.

Yeah.

But I admire the spirit. That's what the Olympics are all about. Doesn't make any difference whether you're going to win. It's the fact that you're here. You're representing your country. You're ready to go. Okay. Are you guys ready? Art, are you ready?

I'm ready.

Okay. Put up the clock, please. And when I Do we have a gun or do I just say go? I'll just say go. All right.

And no, I'm not going to say go.

I'm I'm going to say dial. Dial.

All right. Are you ready?

Yeah.

And dial.

Excuse me. Yes. Hello. Who's calling, please?

This is Rupert, Dave.

Oh, Rupert. Oh, Rupert, congratulations. Hang on a second. Rupert Art, what happened? How could you possibly have lost that?

I trained all day for this.

Yeah, maybe you peaked a little early with your Well, I'm terribly sorry, but congratulations, Rupert. We have the gold medal. Bring it in for Here's Rupert G. Your 2010.

Yeah. Something, I guess. And you know, and then the episode with Bono when they had um YouTube and instead of having

just recorded music, they had YouTube

playing right behind him. My brother put the phone like that and he was very modest about these things. Very modest. You know,

I was going to say that's one thing that I loved and probably um

you know, it's funny we talk about how he got his job there

and and it was one of those things I've had I've had so many people on the show um you know, Chris Shakai is the one that I think about. He was he was involved in the um the music side of of Late Show. Um, and he would talk he was on the stage all the time and he was he was such a big fan of the show and and the whole thing was he described very well when he was on our our show here and many other staffers have said the same thing to me. There were so many people who were just so happy to be there but you almost had to be a little too cool for school. You couldn't kind of revel in the fact that you were working for Letterman and then those are the people who would end up getting spots. uh highlighted spots of of uh you know on camera. It's the people who didn't want it too much or at least they were really good at hiding it. And and the thing about Arty is that he loved it so much, but he never took himself too seriously. He never went asking for it.

He never, you know, okay, yeah, here's a segment where you two is going to be playing the on hold music. you know, he's gonna be doing this while he, you know, he's doing other things and and and

you know, the biggest rock obvious arguably the biggest super group of the Gen X generation.

Exactly.

Sitting there with him and and and again, like I like you say, Billy Crystal or some of these things. Um he didn't take himself too seriously, didn't take it too seriously, but yet at the same time had a ball doing it

and loved doing it. Got so much joy. And it's cool that that joy was able to translate to his family and friends that way. I You must have just gotten such a kick out of it.

Oh yes. I mean I would stay up watch it. I would enjoy every minute of it and it seemed like every segment got better and better as the time moved on. What was really I mean outstanding is when they put music to it and they said yes. That was like like his own segment right here.

Yeah. Yeah. The cold open and all that stuff. Fortnite.

Exactly.

Yep. Yep. you know,

it was it's a bonafideed, you know, it's funny. Um, there are so many uh late night slashlate show, you know, institutions and and and and running running gags as as the show would say or as Dave would say, you know, we're going to we're going to do it once and do it twice and it's going to be oh, really really funny and then we're going to do it as many times as we can and just run it right into the ground. I never thought they ran Coach's Corner into the ground. Probably because it was one of the ones that started later on

um in the Letterman run in the show's run,

right?

Um I don't think they did run it into the ground. But at the end of the day, Arty was a reliable utility player that they could rely on for anything they want kind of any time if they were stuck to the point where uh there was this one time that Arty uh had told me about a couple of times. I actually do think he mentioned it on camera, but it was um you know many of the people who who who were like from Dave down they they took the show very very seriously obviously and the quality was very important and to be to be able to even admit that they had a show of any quality uh was difficult sometimes. And there was this one time where Dave was you know really hard on the show and he came to Arty and he said you saved the show tonight. Your segment saved the show. I'm certain I I I haven't told there's a lot of things where you and I have sort of compared notes in our talk. That's one I didn't really bring up.

Um he he's told you about that obviously.

Yes, he did. He said one day he came up and my brother was was shocked because he came up and he said you know what Audie he said you really shaved the show saved the show today and my brother was so you know just elated that he had said that you know cuz he appreciated you know his feedback. And I explained to my brother, I said, 'Arthur, I said that didn't work. They would never put it back on the air again. I said, 'Th this is big.' I said, 'Th this is not like something where it's a um something that's that's small. This is a very huge, you know, accomplishment. And I said if it didn't work, I said he would never put that back on. I said it kept he put it back on and more and more people started enjoying it. Um, and even when my brother passed away and three articles was written about how they enjoyed watching that, you know, and then that, you know, they say the zany character, how he looked like him and how they how it went from a guy was working on a switchboard to someone doing that type of job, you know. So, um, he did tell me that story and I was like, "Wow." I said, "That's something big, brother." I said, "That's something really big." And I was very happy to hear it. Um, arguably to many, none to me, the greatest broadcaster in history.

Um, you know, the guy who could meld serious and and zany and and as as everyone likes to say, irreverent. Um, you know, coming up to you saying, "You saved the show." Uh, high praise indeed. And of course, he would

he would tell people because of the the magnitude of that, but at the same time still completely humble

and and and I love that about him so much. I really really appreciated that about him. Um I just I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna kind of do a little bit of an aside here. Um because sometimes I'm not sure my footing in this world. Sometimes I don't feel like I have any footing in the world and I'm just representing the fans. Sometimes it's again the welcome to the family stuff.

Um when he passed,

that's weird. I've never admitted this on the show before. another staffer passed a a number of a year and a half ago. Another staffer passed and when he passed um I had a bunch of people reach out to me and tell me about it and whatnot and we gave condolences and we might have given them a little early and and it's one of those things where I I don't know where my footing is completely and and I want to be as respectful as I can um as much as I possibly can. And with Arty, I I wanted very much to do that because um this other person I'd only exchanged D emails with, you know, maybe a dozen times, half a dozen times to a dozen times. Um whereas Arty is my friend. Like I look at Arty and he was he was my flat out he was a good friend. I I I consider him that. Um you know, one of the closest people I I have gotten to on the staff.

And uh so I don't ever want to throw out any disrespect ever. I just need to show you the ton of the tonnage of respect I feel for him, Andre. I I I uh I really really cared for your brother. I loved your brother and I appreciated him so so much. Um when the show finished, one of the things that he and this is something that if if if any of the people who worked with already hear this, uh maybe they get a chuckle out of that. I don't know. And I'd love to hear your your your insights on this. Mhm.

Um, one of the things he did tell me was it never occurred to him, despite the fact he was so good with people, despite the fact that he was clearly he had some charisma to him, uh, but didn't give it to didn't really give it any any any uh, quarter. Um, he had the performer in him awakened because that one day they said, "Well, already kind of looks like Mike Singleary. Maybe we could do this. Let's throw this against the wall. See if it sticks." And suddenly the performer in him um was awakened and and and

yes

he wanted to be a performer like he had that in him and it's because of the show. Uh I I would love to hear your take on that.

Yes. What happened once he um finished the late show? Yep.

That bite as far as that little bug that he had at him became a big bug where he wanted to perform in front of a lot of people. So what happened was and oh let me just backtrack a little bit

during his performances being on the late show allowed him to be a part of the SAG after um union.

Yep.

And um and that helped him a lot. After the show my brother he attempt at doing standup comedy. He did and and that was his first time doing it. And once he came off the stage, people asked, "Oh, how long you been doing this?" He said, "Well, I just started it, you know, as far as in front of a live audience as far as, you know, the standup."

And they said, "Get out of here." And they couldn't believe it. Mhm.

And then he went from that to wind up doing um where he was doing um I would say like say for instance um

positions where you're working in like um extras. That's what I'm trying to say.

Yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah. Absolutely.

You started doing that. He started doing extras and um and he was getting a lot of um roles in that.

And he's got a beautiful head shot too, doesn't he? That's that head shot is

that's what got him in there, you know. That's what got them in there. They got the head shot and then he started so he met a lot of people. He read met Rosie Perez on one of some of the scenes and stuff like that. But he started doing extra

and um he started doing that all the way until you know he got um sick. But um

he did it he did it. He just enjoyed doing it. And um and then he said, "You know what? I'm going to take this on a show too on the road where I'm going to do AI the oneman party."

Yeah. and his best friend John Glover who mentioned you um gave him that name.

Yep.

And he said he said that he said that's a good name. He said do Audi the one man party. Now that was a little weird for me because that was a little way outside David Letterman's um show.

Essentially he's getting really wacky in front of the camera and throwing a whole bunch of stuff out there wearing weird things. Might be weird glasses or weird hats and could be anything. He was trying stuff though. He was he was being he was being goofy trying stuff.

Yep. But you know what, Mike, though, so many people um like that. And then what happened? They really enjoyed it. And there was people that sometimes wrote in to him. They're saying that they were depressed, but when they look at Arty, the one man party, you know, they was laughing and stuff like that because he only made fun of himself. He didn't make fun of anybody else. He used to make fun of himself. like you know like he said one time he said well he said my parents said you know what when he was born they said we know we'll come back and get him 18 years later you know he would tell jokes like that you know and um you know

oh you just gave me goosebumps

yes

I love you already I' he told me that thank you for saying that yeah he used to make he used to make a lot of funny jokes about himself and I think when you can laugh at yourself and you can joke about yourself you know it it it you know and he always said he always asked me a question and I found it to be bizarre but he saidre did you laugh today and I said well what do you mean I laugh today he said well yeah he said laughter is good he said you should try laughing every day as much as possible he said because you know it's a serious world sometimes you need to have that type of laughter and I think that's what he tried to do was try to entertain the world he something that he enjoyed doing like he wanted to perform but he also wanted to made people laugh and I think he enjoyed comedy more than anything else.

Um, it's funny you're melding a couple of things. Yes, he loved to perform and thank you for thank you for speaking to that. I appreciate it. And you just married it to another thing he loved to do which is encourage but also um like did you laugh today? The fact that he would say like that was him. That was that was that was him. He wanted to make somebody's day brighter. Every time his name appeared on my phone and I picked up my day automatically got brighter because when I saw Art Art's name there I was like oh man. Okay. because that was his goal. And we talked about serious I want to talk about another thing that he he he touched me with. And I don't know if you or your sister um ever got into this side of things with him. I imagine that he did. He's calling you up and said, you know, have you laughed today? He's still being your big brother. He's still giving you lessons in life. Um you know, and and I I I adore it.

One of the things that that we talked about was the responsibilities of a man

and and and he would tell me a little bit about the background. He would send me these videos of of of, you know, disenfranchised people from a certain hood or or or which and and the way that certain people act and and react to each other. And he talked about what men needed to be like, what fathers should be like.

And um and the reason that would come up is my wife um my wife and her team are building a a men's mental wellness app or have built it. It's actually in market right now. It's in beta. It's called He Changed It. And the moment he heard about that, he was just he he was he would zero in on

on what it was the problem that my wife and her team are trying to solve.

And and he really had a heart for men being men, men being standup fathers and sons and husbands and brothers. And he really had

um a passion for that in his heart. and and and I don't know if you guys if he had done that with you and your sister if he had talked about that but I just want to let you know that there were many times where

he would ask me how things are going and I would talk about my other podcast that I host which is a men's mental wellness podcast and

and and he would he would riff on that for a long time. He would really rail um in in how men need to step up especially in this day and age and and uh and and I just love that about him. He had a real social heart as well for our culture and and I don't know if that's a surprise to you. I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't a surprise to you, but I just wanted to share that with you as well.

No, and I think the reason why he was very passionate about that, u Mike, is because and I'll I'll tell you this. I'm not embarrassed to tell you this because this is going to give my brother even more praise.

Um, we grew up in a single family household. So because of that he was able to understand what a man really supposed to do. So when I was the youngest and he came along I came along well before me was my sister and then what happened he was very protective of her. He loved my sister so much all the way to the very end and he always wanted the best for her.

So he was a little hard on her. He was very hard on her, but he but he wanted the best for her and and he cared about her and his and my nieces as well.

So, he always cared about her and my and I had and we have a grand nephew. But because of growing up like that and realizing that, hey, you know what?

I want to make sure that young people, young men out here do what they're supposed to do. I believe if he had more time he probably would have went in that direction probably having maybe a podcast or something. Yeah. Probably talking about because I saw a sudden change with him even politically because my brother wasn't like as far as into politics a lot but towards the end of his

of his life he started getting into politics and he started understanding just what was going on cuz we grew up in

um in neighborhoods that were not the best. Yeah. Yeah,

our household was was great, you know, but outside, once you stepped outside of our door, you saw so much crazy stuff.

Yes.

After a while, you get to say, "Hey, you know what? This has to change." And it starts with us. It starts with us as men to be able to take control of our households that if you're going to, you know, have children, take care of your children, you know. So, he was very big on that and he was very passionate about it. And I'm glad you did bring that up because, you know, it kind of also brings uh shed a little bit of light to him as far as not just being u comedic, but just being able to go out there and talk about social issues that need really need to be attacked. So, he had a serious side and he had a comedy side. Well, and aside that um at the end of the day, he liked to take care of things and wanted to take care of people all the way from uh some dude from Canada who just really loved what he did and and and and wanted to maybe um you know, exercise a dream or two in talking about it and getting it out there all the way up to, you know, trying to make someone's day, trying to make his brother's day all the way to, hey, let's change the world. Hey, let's Yeah, let's make the world smile a little bit, but let's also see what's serious about Yes.

He and he we did get into some of these uh political things that he was he would rail he would literally rail against some of these um injustices. He was really it seemed like that was one thing that he really appreciated was justice and if somebody was unjustly treated or somebody was you know got the justice they deserve it seemed to be something that kind of turned his crank.

Right. Exactly. Yes. That's that's what he was. He was definitely a type of person that wanted to make sure that everybody was treated fairly. Um that he didn't discriminate against anyone. Um he just wanted everybody to understand that you know what hey this is a serious world but we can also have fun. We can laugh with each other and we can even also laugh at each other sometimes about certain things.

Yes.

But it doesn't have to be serious 100% all the time.

But when things weren't the things needed to be serious, he, you know, spoke out against it and he wasn't afraid, you know.

Oh, thank you. Oh gosh, thank you so much for saying that, Dre. He wasn't afraid. And I love I love that about him. He had no problem saying what he believed in, right? If even if somebody was going to, you know, how are they going to react? He did not care about that part of it. And and when he thought something wasn't right,

he would stand up for it. And and and there's a few stories that that we're not going to tell here that where where we know about those sto I love people who will stand up for what they believe in and be respectful uh to hear what the other side has to say after they do it. And that's that was him.

Yes. Exactly. One of the many lessons that my brother taught me when I was living with him, you know, growing up, you know, don't be afraid. He said, you know, he said, "Stand up for yourself. You have principles." And he said, "And, you know, and don't ever, you know, um, bend, you know, there's something that you strongly believe in, you know, stick with it, stay with it."

And so, he was always a type of person that wanted me to just be able to be the best that I could possibly be. Same thing with my sister, be the best, you know. Yeah,

I miss him.

Yeah, me too.

I can only imagine. And I mean, that's me. Um, you know, I can only imagine how you guys are. Um, you guys are holding up. Okay. I mean, you just we got to move on, right? We got to move up. We never forget.

Um, and we take what they live left for us. I'm with with my dad right now. And I've lost actually a couple of people this year and and I mean

I I miss I but I miss him. I miss his ability to he could take me if I was having a hard day. you know, we're doing my wife and I are doing a lot of grinding here. You know, we're grinding out for a lot of things um in our life.

And and if I was in a a day grinding, it was almost like the universe, God, whatever you want to call it, would give Arty a little nudge. Hey, reach out to Mike. Because it was almost always him reaching out to me, like it really was at the end there. Um you know, I'm my my schedule is I'm flying around with the different things that I have going on and suddenly my phone and there he is. And I just like, oh, thank you, universe. And that's

that's I miss him. I miss him. I miss not getting those calls. Um, and I I'm really really grateful, Andre. I I'm so grateful that you would think to even reach out to me and and and let me know that. And through that uh now we can let all the fan base of you know and again I hate using that word the the people who who would fancy themselves enthusiasts of the work of David Letterman and company this is the very reason we do this show is because it's not just Dave don't get me wronger as far as I'm concerned that's ever walked the face of the planet but it was the company that made that show so special so iconic he took people like me and made it seem possible that I to be part of that zany uh stationary circus that they were creating. And he brought Arty into that circus. And Arty took that position and did his best to make other people feel a part of it, special, all of that stuff. When the show was on, after the show was over, that was just who he was. Um, and he I'm just going to say this flat out.

I I'm not meaning to be condescending as I say this, but I'm proud that he was able to take that and pass it on to you because that very spirit is why you reached out to me in the first damn place. So, um I I just I you know, as we move to the close, um were there any other stories, anecdotes, um uh uh thoughts that you wanted to get across in this uh tribute this very special tribute episode to Arthur Kelly?

Oh, yes. I I I just want to say Mike, thank you so much so much for everything you've done with my brother when he was with us. Um for interviewing him, for taking the time out to even outside of the interview, talking to him, being his friend, and he really considered you like family. I mean, really did. And um and and and from now on, like I said, we'll be talking to each other. you know, you get,

you know, happy birthdays and and Christmas and everything like that, you know, uh, merry Christmas and all that from me now on going forward. And, um, and I also want to say thank you to the Late Show.

Thank you, David Letterman so much from the bottom of my heart, my family's heart for, you know, just bringing my brother on, treating them like family. Um, and my brother was at the switchboard, you know, when Dave used to bring his son in, he said, "Go say hi to Art." and he would sit down with Art and Bow by the switchboard and talk to him and stuff like that. You know, when they had lunch, hey Art, you want some of this or whatever. Dave treated him like a buddy, like a friend. And they were friends. They were they were great friends. Aie, I'm coming down the elevator. Come with me. You know, and um and that's just how the friendship was. And my brother and I say 15 years of my life. Some people have 15 minutes of fame.

Yeah.

My brother had 15 years of fame being with that show. And it was just a great experience and guys like yourself will always keep his memory alive and I thank you so much for that. Thank you so much for that.

The the there's no thanks necessary whatsoever because again the gratefulness uh goes both ways. So, um, this has been really, uh, special for me and and I'm glad that we took some of the some of the sentiments that, uh, we had sort of poked around over the this last, uh, this last couple months or so, and and we saved it for this, and I'm glad that we did, and I hope that what we're doing here, um, like, don't get me wrong, for everybody who loves the work, uh, you know, by being on the other end of the television set or I guess the telephone these days, um, and seeing these clips and and loving it, that's fantastic. but more so um and so so it should be to the staff. serious to the staff and and and and and if anybody out there um and I know that a bunch of the staff listened to and watched this show. Um Arty loved y'all. I you know after his uh after his first stroke there was a GoFundMe and so many of the staff reached out to him and he still to this always talked about how um how touched he was about that and and uh

so I've started to say it even though I haven't had a stroke. Uh how you doing there Mike? I'm stroking along. I I

Yes. Those are Mike. Those are the jokes that he was telling up on the stage,

you know, and it just Well, and oh, let's talk about him. Okay, so I've done some standup and recently even I've been doing it as well. Not so much because I want to be a standup, but more because I want to get the skill under my belt um locally here. I MC a lot of things and whatnot. And I'd love to have, you know, kind of a solid 8 minutes sitting there honk just in case. But uh um the thing that that that blew me away about Arty is he didn't like Yeah. He had some He had the stroking along joke and and and a few others.

The dude liked to go up there cold and just see what the stream of consciousness would bring out.

Exactly. Exactly.

That takes balls, man. Like that is a

Exactly. That's like going out playing a game or going in a huddle without any type of playbook. You just ab living it. You get to the get to the line of scrimmage and all of a sudden you just start calling audles.

Everything's an audible. Yep.

Exact. Exactly. So, you know,

takes courage. uh takes a special man takes a a special personality to be able to go up and do that. Um that is Arthur Kelly already the oneman party uh host uh of Coach's Corner on Late Show with David Letterman and many other segments. Um thank you Andre. Please give all of our best to your entire family. Um thank you so much for coming on here and and and uh and being so vulnerable and open. It is really appreciated. I give a damn. A lot of people give a damn. It is worth something. It's special and it's great that it's going to be immortalized uh in in these ones and zeros and when the aliens come and look at what we were a million years ago, they will be confused and I love it. So would Arty. Um thank you so much. This has been another episode of the Letterman podcast with Mike Chisum. Coincidentally, I am Mike Chisum. Thank you and good night.

Okay. And one more thing.

Oh, one more thing.

One more thing.

My brother would say when he's getting ready to sign off. Yes.

And your local news starts now.

They don't talk to me.

Yeah.

I don't talk to them. Bang. Zoom.

All right.