Julia Roberts diagnoses Letterman's early mean streak: 'Stupid people annoy you'

Julia Roberts plays head doctor to David Letterman
(Image credit: Late Show)

On Wednesday, Julia Roberts made her 26th and final appearance on a David Letterman talk show, and she recalled how nervous she was during her first visit, back in 1988, to promote Mystic Pizza on Letterman's Late Night. She also explained why: "I had seen you absolutely dismember young actresses of my, kind of, peer group." So, she said, she assumed that Letterman would size up her intelligence and, "like a samurai, sort of Benihana me into pieces and I'll be left for dead and forgotten."

He didn't. But on Wednesday's Late Show, he also didn't dispute Roberts' characterization of his cutting interview style at the time. But he had a question: "What do you suppose was wrong with me? Why would I behave that way?" Roberts had an answer: "Because, I think, stupid people annoy you." That had everyone laughing, but Letterman has the perfect, self-deprecatory response that, frankly, cuts probably as close to the truth: "Well, that answers my problem of self-loathing." Watch below. —Peter Weber

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.