The BEST episodes of Late Show with David Letterman season 12

Every episode of Late Show with David Letterman season 12, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Late Show with David Letterman season 12!

An hour-long weeknight comedy and talk show broadcast by CBS from the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway in New York City and is produced and hosted by David Letterman. The show's music director and bandleader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is Paul Shaffer. The head writers are brothers Justin Stangel and Eric Stangel. The announcer is Alan Kalter, who replaced Bill Wendell as announcer in 1995. The show airs at night, but is recorded the afternoon of the broadcast.

Last Updated: 11/19/2024Network: CBSStatus: Ended
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#1 - Show #2348

Season 12 - Episode 129 - Aired 4/13/2005

One day after his 58th birthday, waffles are hucked at the audience. Quote Dave: "Why do I need joke writers when I have waffles?" Also, the Late Show recreates testimony from the Michael Jackson trial in which the "King of Pop" (Gerard) makes an ass of himself; the new Miss USA Chelsea Cooley delivers the Top Ten; David Duchovny promotes House Of D.; Ray Lamontagne performs.

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#2 - Show #2337

Season 12 - Episode 118 - Aired 3/22/2005

Jessica Alba plugs Sin City and performs a lasso demonstration with Dave; staffer Susan Hum is reluctant to explain string theory; Queens of the Stone Age perform "Little Sister."

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#3 - Show #2338

Season 12 - Episode 119 - Aired 3/23/2005

"On Sale Now" (a variation on "New Products") includes room-temperature sushi and flammable curtains; Pat and Kenny read a transcript of an interview between Oprah and Kirstie Alley; Dave closes the show by promoting Japanese gum.

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#4 - Show #2339

Season 12 - Episode 120 - Aired 3/28/2005

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#5 - Show #2340

Season 12 - Episode 121 - Aired 3/29/2005

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#6 - Show #2341

Season 12 - Episode 122 - Aired 3/30/2005

Penelope Cruz tells about her near death-experience and how she was freaking out while her friend Salma Hayek kept it together during an emergency landing.

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#7 - Show #2342

Season 12 - Episode 123 - Aired 3/31/2005

An audience member walks on her hands, wrap her legs around Dave, and pulls herself up; Dave shows a clip from the NBC soap "Passions"; Denzel Washington discusses sailing and drinking large amounts of water.

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#8 - Show #2343

Season 12 - Episode 124 - Aired 4/1/2005

Roof problems at the theater results in rainwater onstage; Dave worries over Dengue fever; "Will It Float?" hits a snag when a bucket of gumdrops topples over; matchmaking cabbie Ahmed Ibrahim brags about his abilities as an interceder.

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#9 - Show #2344

Season 12 - Episode 125 - Aired 4/5/2005

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#10 - Show #2345

Season 12 - Episode 126 - Aired 4/6/2005

Dave explains how he cut his finger with a cheese grater, then confesses to having a great admiration for lesbians; in her first appearance on the show in 19 years, Jane Fonda discusses her marriage to Ted Turner and her infamous visit to Vietnam; Bloc Party performs "Banquet."

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#11 - Show #2346

Season 12 - Episode 127 - Aired 4/11/2005

Dave and Paul are quizzed about tax exemptions; a bearded Robin Williams discusses everything from Dave's jury duty to welding; Martha Wainwright (sister of Rufus) performs "When The Day Is Short."

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#12 - Show #2347

Season 12 - Episode 128 - Aired 4/12/2005

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#13 - Show #2336

Season 12 - Episode 117 - Aired 3/21/2005

Dave thanks the FBI and the Montana police for their efforts following a botched kidnapping involving his son last week; Pat Farmer celebrates "March Madness" by trying to duplicate his 90 foot drop shot into a goal on 53rd Street; Sandra Bullock doesn't talk about boyfriend Jesse James, but does plug Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous; "Alan Kalter's Are You ****ing Kidding Me?" takes a look at the Robert Blake verdict; Gwen Stefani discusses high school and performs "Hollaback Girl" with a drumline and sits down for a chat.

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#14 - Show #2349

Season 12 - Episode 130 - Aired 4/14/2005

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#15 - Show #2350

Season 12 - Episode 131 - Aired 4/15/2005

A lucky motorist wins $100 worth of free gasoline, which is spent up in less than five seconds; Alan has another hissy fit, this time in a Michael Jackson costume; singer-actress Kristen Chenoweth discusses painkillers.

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#16 - Show #2351

Season 12 - Episode 132 - Aired 4/25/2005

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#17 - Show #2352

Season 12 - Episode 133 - Aired 4/26/2005

Tonight's clip from the NBC serial "Passions" features a monkey comforting a middle-aged woman; Dave meets the employees of Angelo's Pizza; Spamalot star Hank Azaria admits to Dave that he's a lousy dancer; author Jeff MacGregor discusses his year-long observational tour of the NASCAR circuit, and his subsequent book, Sunday Money.

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#18 - Show #2353

Season 12 - Episode 134 - Aired 4/27/2005

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#19 - Show #2354

Season 12 - Episode 135 - Aired 4/28/2005

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#20 - Show #2355

Season 12 - Episode 136 - Aired 4/29/2005

Cold opening: Dave runs into a nude (yet blurred) Teri Hatcher who's locked out of her dressing room; "Late Show Week In Review" with Vinnie Favale as Elvis, a SWAT team kitty and Alan with a bevy of hookers; "Will It Float?" (a bag of fertilizer...no); Teri talks about swimming with a whale; Harry Hill performs standup.

Directors: Jerry Foley
Show #2356
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#21 - Show #2356

Season 12 - Episode 137 - Aired 5/2/2005

Throughout the night, wax figures of celebrities that refuse to appear on the show are rolled onstage. One stagehand accidentally cops a feel on the Oprah statue, while Regis storms onstage to complain about his wax likeness.

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#22 - Jennifer Lopez

Season 12 - Episode 138 - Aired 5/3/2005

Dave checks in on J. Lo's home life with Marc Anthony.

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#23 - Show #2358

Season 12 - Episode 139 - Aired 5/4/2005

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#24 - Show #2359

Season 12 - Episode 140 - Aired 5/5/2005

Live via satellite, Dorothy Letterman performs the Top Ten; in honor of Cinco De Mayo, a city bus crashes into a giant pinata; Kasabian performs "Club Foot."

Directors: Jerry Foley
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#25 - Show #2325

Season 12 - Episode 106 - Aired 2/23/2005

Giant rats attack Christo's Gates; Dave comes up with a number of synonyms for inhaling marijuana; Alan editorializes on President Bush, only to float toward promoting a bootleg sex tape he made in 1989.

Directors: Jerry Foley