Top 10 list

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For other uses, see Top Ten.

A top 10 list is a generic term used to indicate a list of items, usually ten in number, which are considered to be best, worst, or notable in some other way, typically a record chart. Often, the lists are written or announced in reverse order starting with Number 10 and finishing with ...and the number 1....

1 The Late Show with David Letterman
2 See also
3 External links

[edit] The Late Show with David Letterman

Top 10 lists are a regular segment of the television program The Late Show with David Letterman, as they were on Letterman's NBC show Late Night. On September 18, 1985, the very first list, "The Top Ten Things That Almost Rhyme With Peas" was broadcast. Contrary to popular belief, the list is compiled by the show's writing staff, and not Letterman himself.

The lists are usually given humorous topics such as Top Ten Signs Your Kid Had A Bad First Day At Schoolor Top Ten Rejected James Bond Gadgets.

[edit] Background and origin

A cover from one of the compilations of Top Ten lists from Late Night with David Letterman.

The Top Ten List was not originally a regular segment of Late Night, but was added as a way of mocking People magazine, which routinely featured such lists (as well as 'Worst 10' lists). Letterman had once made an off-hand remark on the show that he found the People lists to be annoying, and began his own lists as a way of ridiculing what had by then become an increasingly recurring trend in other periodicals and magazines. Ironically, the satirical Letterman Top Ten List had become so popular that it became a signature feature of the show, and at one point a series of compilations were released for sale in bookstores.

[edit] The switch from NBC to CBS

Before Letterman's departure for CBS, NBC had insisted that the "Top Ten List" was the intellectual property of the network, and demanded that it not be used on his new show. A loose compromise was reached where it would be renamed the "Late Show Top Ten List," although Letterman would soon simply refer to it once again as the "Top Ten List," with no repercussions.

The only significant modification in the Late Show years has been the addition of a computer-animated introduction and closing as well as background graphics. The list topics are also more frequently inspired by current, topical news and entertainment items, and have taken on less of the absurdist, random nature of its Late Night incarnation. This is a likely a contributing factor in the show's gradual discontinuation of the compilation books.

[edit] Presentation

The entries are read by Letterman in reverse, countdown order, and are accompanied by a drum roll performed by CBS Orchestra drummer Anton Fig. The conclusion of the list is then followed by a brief performance by the band, usually a pop song relating to the topic of the list in some way (a common example being Michael Jackson's "Bad" being played after a list such as "Top Ten Signs You've Hired a Bad Accountant"). Sometimes the song chosen by bandleader Paul Shaffer relates to the list in such an obscure manner that Letterman will inquire about it.

Letterman makes no effort to hide any displeasure when reading a subpar list, usually provoked by tepid audience response. He will often tease the audience by threatening to not complete the list, but is often rebuked by playful protests from the audience and Shaffer.

Occasionally the list is given by a guest presenter (such as John Malkovich reading "Ten Things That Sound Creepy When Said by John Malkovich"). At times the list has also been given by a series of presenters, with each providing one entry (such as the 2000 list for "Ten Things I've Always Wanted to Say to Dave", presented by a group that included Rudolph Guiliani, Cindy Crawford, and Dave's mom).

A common source of confusion regarding the Top Ten List is why the #1 entry is usually seen as the least funniest. This even inspired the Late Show to run a pre-taped bit in 1998, humorously exploring the apparent mystery. The most sensical explanation is merely that because upon its completion, the list is followed by audience applause and the band performing, so any significant laughter provoked by a particularly funny #1 entry would essentially be cancelled out.

Perhaps to break the monotony of daily list, the show will occasionally add a twist to the presentation, usually in the form of guest presenters, but sometimes by altering the nature of the list itself. One notable example occurred on November 27, 2001. Introduced as "Top Ten Ways Osama bin Laden Can Improve His Image," the list consisted of only one entry: "#10: There's no way he can improve his image. He's a murdering, soul-less ass****"