NEW YORK - Calvert DeForest, the white-haired, bespectacled nebbish who gained cult status as the oddball Larry "Bud" Melman on David Letterman's late night television shows, has died after a long illness. The Brooklyn-born DeForest, who was 85, died Monday at a hospital on Long Island, Letterman's "Late Show" announced Wednesday.

http://enews.earthlink.net/article/ent?guid=20070321/4600bbd0_3421_1334520070321 -709855678

Simply made the old Letterman shows that much more enjoyable. The handing out wet towels at the Port Authority (bus terminal) was classic!

I expect a tribute tonight, (assuming Letterman is back from his flu), and will confirm just after 9:35 pacific, for those who might want to stay up for it.

Hmmm...nothing in the first half hour...perhaps this show was recorded on earlier date. No mention of Melman, and no mention of Adam Sandler filling in Tue. night. That's one of the things about Letterman, they do a lot of advance taping.

The only Larrybudmalman I knew of, was a poster here on pdx radio!
Is he still alive?? All this time I thought Larrybudmelman was a reference to marijuana!

Relatable to radio?- maybe.. A once key and beloved member of the show dies, and it is not mentioned the day it happened, because the show has been in the can for days. The equivlent of VT'ing. That "Immediacy" is gone. Now, when they do mention it, the news will be days old. All you VT fans out there- think about this one. let it be a lesson.

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/1803/calvertdeforestforgivemiq4.jpg

LBM once hailed a cab in an ill fited bunny outfit among others. I'll miss him. Those NBC shows were tops.I wonder what kind of life he had before this stardom? Dave's show I like still but it's funny in in a less outrageous way. For instance there are a lot more news people on and politicians ect. I like Dave with Paul's banter. Dave has the DJ style and adlib. Paul has the best band for that type of show.I Like when they do covers of oldies and old soul tunes. Larry Bud Rest in Peace.

larry bud was a file clerk for a stubstance abuse program (or something like that) before he was discovered by a staffer on Letterman's show.

I hope they put the Dancing Waters next to his stone and a Box o' Laffs over it. One of the true originals that Dave has brought to light over the years. I think Chris Elliott and Harvey Pekar were great highlights from that time too.

In a way, it is a shame the show grew up and moved on, but on the other hand, seeing Bill O'Reilly turn that color was priceless. I am sure that Calvert (Larry) and God are giving high fives about that show right about now.