5x131 - Jason Alexander, Isabella Rossellini, Steve Earle

April 22, 1998

The Guy Not on Fire appears in his first paid ad (for Elite Computers); a chat with Jason Alexander is interrupted by another inane special report by Alan Richardson; Steve Earle and the Dukes perform ""I Still Carry You Around.""

5x132 - Ricki Lake, Vaughn Cordle, Rita Wilson

April 23, 1998

""Know Your Current Events"" is interrupted so that The Man Not on Fire can pitch the Biore® self-heating mask. Later in the show, Dave admits that he's on a guilt trip for bumping an audience member for the shameless plug.

5x133 - Jennifer Aniston, Jerry Springer, Al Green

April 24, 1998

Amongst the festivities of ""Chicago Night"": Jerry Springer's bouncers stand on opposite sides of the stage; The Man Not on Fire appears in an ad for Gold Coast Drugs; the Top Ten home office is temporarily moved to nearby Schaumberg, Illinois; local blues singer (and frequent guest) Taj Mahal presents the Top Ten; Bob Borden goes on a frantic pursuit through the Windy City attempting to get an interview with Oprah.

5x134 - Marisa Tomei, Ryan Leaf, Alana Davis

April 27, 1998

Dave persuades an audience member named Gary to shave off his beard; The man who was on fire, then wasn't and is now on fire again promotes Kraus Chiropractic in Iowa; Gary orders a sandwich at Hello Deli; Dave and recent NFL draft pick Ryan Leaf throw footballs at a manhole.

5x135 - Jack Hanna, Ray Allen, Dave Matthews Band

April 28, 1998

Willie ""Blue Moon"" Watts sits in on pedal guitar; Dave announces that there have been some technical difficulties they may prevent Johnny Depp from appearing on the 1000th show later in the week; The Man on Fire sings the praises of Feline Pine kitty litter.

5x136 - Patrick Swayze, Hugh Hefner

April 29, 1998

The latest roll call suggests that The Guy on Fire has officially sold out when he runs across the stage (in flames, of course) holding a sign for Highland Metals, Inc.

5x137 - Gena Lee Nolan, Mark Wahlberg, Brian Regan

April 30, 1998

A monkey assumes power in the control room, while the Top Ten is interrupted by Antoine's Po' Boys and Deli spokesperson The Man on Fire.

5x138 - Stupid Human Tricks, Norm MacDonald, Pearl Jam

May 1, 1998

Tonight's ""Stupid Human Tricks"": Richard Anthony of Ontario reaches back over his shoulder and gives himself a wedgie; John Rites of Nebraska fits three McDonald's burgers into his mouth; and Mike Garcia and Craig Love of Milwaukee do an impression of a helicopter as one spins on the other's head; Gene Siskel makes his first public appearance since undergoing brain surgery that April; Dave announces Johnny Depp cancelled due to the technical difficulties from earlier in the week, and Paul goes on a tirade about it.

5x139 - Elle MacPherson, Jon Favreau, Usher

May 4, 1998

Maynard Ferguson sits in again; Paul runs the Kentucky Derby; Dave shows a microphone plaque he got from the staff.

5x140 - Donald Trump, Jayson Williams, Cast of Home Coming, Trisha Yearwood

May 5, 1998

The cast of the faux musical ""Homecoming"" performs a show-stopping number. Also, Trisha Yearwood performs ""Never Let You Go Again.""

5x141 - Sally Field, Philip Bigler, Lyle Lovett

May 6, 1998

Biff tries out tobacco juice spin art; Dave shows a clip from last night's show in which he mixed up ""Viagra"" with ""Niagara""; Biff teaches Sally Field how to spit tobacco juice.

5x142 - Matt Lauer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Green Day

May 7, 1998

Dave promotes his new talk show summer camp, while Green Day performs ""King for a Day.""

5x143 - Marilu Henner, Jim Lovell

May 8, 1998

Biff goes to Texas to learn to be a cowboy, and to make tonight's audience (residents of Houston) feel more at home, Lyle Lovett shows up to sing an old Hank Williams song, with Biff riding his horse onstage.

5x144 - Fran Drescher, Bob Berman, Faith Hill

May 11, 1998

Dave visits a group of sailors on the audience, and one of them does a push-up onstage; Dave shows the audience today's (bogus) edition of The Family Circus; Faith Hill performs ""This Kiss.""

5x145 - Christopher Reeve, Hanson

May 12, 1998

Dave shows another bogus ""Family Circus"" cartoon; Paul is discovered cheering on Hanson with a small army of teenyboppers outside.

5x146 - Warren Beatty, Wayne Knight, Bonnie Raitt

May 13, 1998

Dave notices the standby audience really has nothing to do, so makes them do a jigsaw puzzle. When they finish it at the end of the show, we see that it's an image of Al Chez.

5x147 - Jim Breuer, Tara Lipinski, Foo Fighters

May 14, 1998

Dave gripes about the eight-minute late start for the show tonight due to golf coverage. Rapidly becoming despondent, he picks up a bottle of tequila and tosses back a few at the desk. Also, Dave mentions that the CBS program Diagnosis Murder had the unfortunate distinction of airing a brand new episode up against the Seinfeld finale, and shows a clip that proves that they were phoning it in.

5x148 - Richard Simmons, Beau Jaques and the Zydeco Highrollers

May 15, 1998

Continuing a sweeps period trend of having the audience represent a different city, Dave greets 700+ residents of New Orleans, Louisiana. Keeping up with the theme, Mayor Mark Morial presents Paul with a key to the city, Na'lens native John Goodman presents the Top Ten, and Biff visits Bourbon Street.

5x149 - Matthew Broderick, David Wells, Natalie Merchant

May 18, 1998

The outside cam peers through the window of Dave's office to show the world a very hideous billboard promoting the sitcom Friends. Matthew Perry drops by to vandalize the advertisement.

5x150 - Sandra Bullock, Jeff Foxworthy, Cast of One Small Step

May 19, 1998

The outside cam returns to the Friends ad that Matthew Perry wrecked last night, and Dave explains why he shouldn't be sued; Rob Burnett draws another doodle of Dave's lawyers; the Top Ten list is interrupted by the office manager in Wahoo, Nebraska (voice of Charles Grodin).

5x151 - Drew Carey, Scarlett Johannson, Soul Asylum

May 20, 1998

Biff reports from a Bulls-Pacers playoff game; teen actress Scarlett Johansson promotes The Horse Whisperer; Rob Burnett is dressed to the nines tonight, so Dave asks him to host the last twenty minutes of the show.

5x152 - Ted Danson, Mae Whitman, The Flatlanders

May 21, 1998

A hairstylist that appeared in tonight's ""Know Your Current Events"" cuts Dave's hair for twenty bucks. He later gives her a tip.

5x153 - Harry Connick, Jr., Hank Azaria

May 22, 1998

A parody of VH-1's ""Behind the Music"" features Paul Shaffer's rise and fall and rise again, with testimonials from Kris Kristofferson, Eddie Vedder, Sting, Erik Estrada (who replaced Paul as bandleader), Lou Reed, and WCBS-TV's local news anchor Dana Tyler (see recap).

5x154 - John Goodman, Esther Canadas, Sarah McLachlan

June 1, 1998

Dave updates his map of the various locales in which he has received speeding tickets; Dave mentions that the son of Dave Dorsett was selected in today's MLB draft; Biff promotes his new culinary program ""Cookin' Naked with Biff""; Art Garfunkel shoots free throws, and then goes one-on-one with a lookalike staffer named Gary.

5x155 - Norm MacDonald, Jacques Villeneuve, Randy Travis

June 2, 1998

All night long, animals lick the camera lens. Included are a pot-bellied pig, lemur, a skunk, a miniature horse, and a guy dressed as a cat (Film Coordinator Rick ""Shecky"" Scheckman). Also, Dave announces his new catchphrase: ""Holy crap!""

5x156 - Sarah Jessica Parker, Bill Bradley, Chase Butrell

June 3, 1998

Sarah Jessica Parker promotes her new HBO comedy Sex and the City, while ""Paul Shaffer's Chair of Mystery"" reveals the uglier side of Julia Roberts (played by Kenny Rogers).

5x157 - Evander Holyfield, Laura Linney, Fastball

June 4, 1998

After being bumped the last two nights, Late Show intern Jeremy Weiner finally gets his moment in the sun in ""Dave Hangs with Interns,"" a segment that lasts around five seconds.

5x158 - George Carlin, Bob Saget, Emmylou Harris, Indigo Girls, Luscious Jackson, Rebekah

June 5, 1998

Live via satellite at the Beverly Hills Hotel in sunny Southern California, Walter Matthau gets a haircut. Also, Luscious Jackson, Emmylou Harris, and the Indigo Girls perfrom together to promote Lilith Fair '98.

5x159 - Whoopi Goldberg, Janeane Garofalo

June 8, 1998

Tonight's remote: Delivery guys deliver stuff to Dave's ""apartment"" in Flushing Meadows; items include a tree, a clown, beer, a sofa, a TV, and a singing telegram.

5x160 - Bill Cosby, Andy Dick

June 9, 1998

Dave tries to call Merv Griffin, but ends up chatting with his clueless receptionist; Dave shows a subpoena caddy he claims Martha Stewart made for President Clinton; Bill Cosby performs stand-up in a chair.

5x161 - Bob Newhart, Nicole Sullivan, Wendy Liebman

June 10, 1998

5x162 - Harrison Ford, Dane Cook

June 11, 1998

A Starbucks is opened inside the band section, while actor-comedian Dane Cook makes his television stand-up debut.

5x163 - Charles Grodin, Paul Rodriguez

June 12, 1998

Dave obsesses over some new words in the Merriam Webster Dictionary, and then reads definitions from an advance copy to the audience.

5x164 - Naomi Campbell, Luke Buchheit, Sinead O'Connor

June 15, 1998

Live from the Beverly Hills Hilton, Casey Kasem arm wrestles bellhops; Dave and Tony look for the best steak restaurant in NYC; Dave chats with a boy from Jersey who had seven prom dates.

5x165 - David Duchovny, Stevie Nicks

June 16, 1998

The outside cam reveals the long line of people waiting with anticipation to see the next ""Charts and Graphs"" segment on June 30. Also, Dave is started to find that tonight's Top Ten has no title, but counts down anyway.

5x166 - Ellen Barkin, Jeff Altman, Sonic Youth

June 17, 1998

An audience member walks out in disgust when Dave reminds everyone that the next ""Charts & Graphs"" segment in not for another two weeks. Also, Tony forgets a cue card and Dave gives him considerable grief.

5x167 - Sam Donaldson, Gloria Reuben, Babyface & Des'ree

June 18, 1998

Dave promotes the overhauled Late Show site, while Tony Randall brags about having a baby (his second) at age 78 with his own Top Ten list.

5x168 - Anthony Edwards, George Miller, Sean Lennon

June 19, 1998

Overexcited soccer commentator Andres Cantor presents the Top Ten; Sean Lennon performs ""Home.""

5x169 - Piedmont Bird Callers, George Clooney, Steve Yzerman

June 22, 1998

The Piedmont Bird Callers, once a favored act on Johnny Carson's show, make their third-ever appearance on Letterman. Also, Dave chats with Steve Yzerman, captain of the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings.

5x170 - John McEnroe, The Pretenders

June 23, 1998

Al Norwood stirs Dave's coffee with the boom mike; Biff attempts to play the sax; Dave shows a clip of his supposed cameo in the ""X-Files"" movie.

5x171 - Jennifer Lopez, Chris Eigeman, Largo

June 24, 1998

Tony gives Dave the finger, while up-and-coming singer/actress Jennifer Lopez promotes Out of Sight.

5x172 - Dennis Quaid, Chloe Sevigny, Grant Lee Buffalo

June 25, 1998

Inspired by watching an episode of Wall Street Week where the panelists sit at a coffee table, Dave asks Biff to ""host"" the guests in the green room.

5x173 - Mary Tyler Moore, Ron Eldard

June 26, 1998

Mailbag: Paul goes to desperate measures in order to get a raise, while Mujibur and Sirajul go on a wild goose chase for one of Dave's blue cards.

5x174 - Lisa Kudrow, Mike Piazza, Billy Bragg & Wilco

June 29, 1998

Throughout the night, Pat and Kenny throw stuff off the roof, including two 5-gallon water jugs, a pinball machine, twenty gallons of paint, and a TV/VCR set playing a Jerry Springer tape.

5x175 - Martha Anne Godwin, Kristen Johnston, Lucinda Williams

June 30, 1998

After several weeks of hype, hoopla, and anticipation, Dave finally does a ""Charts and Graphs"" segment; Dave claims that there's a webcam of him on the CBS site; child hollerin' champion Martha Anne Goodwin attempts to shatter Dave's eardrums.

5x176 - Tom Brokaw, Steve Zahn, The Hummingbirds with Stevie Wonder & Paul Simon

July 1, 1998

Thinking that it's robbing him of half of his audience, Dave shows phony clips of the X-Games competition being aired on cable; The Dixie Hummingbirds (featuring Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon) perform ""Loves Me like a Rock.""

5x177 - Ben Stiller, Hatty Jones, Spice Girls

July 2, 1998

In honor of Independence Day, Biff does a report from Colonial Williamsburg; Ben Stiller promotes There's Something About Mary; The Spice Girls make their first television appearance since the departure of Geri ""Ginger"" Halliwell.

5x178 - The Beltway Bunch, Stupid Pet Tricks, Bob Dole

July 3, 1998

During Mailbag, various staffers show the audience their baby pictures; Dave introduces a musical comedy troupe called ""The Beltway Bunch"" (a rip-off of The Capital Steps), and Tony runs them offstage; just before introducing tonight's ""Stupid Pet Tricks,"" Dave thanks Merrill Markoe (who underwent surgery earlier in the day) for giving him the idea to do this segment.

5x179 - Don Rickles, Matt Drudge, Cherry Poppin' Daddies

July 13, 1998

Dave points out an audience member that resembles Rupert; Dave gives a little league baseball team a pep talk; Cherry Poppin' Daddies perform ""Here Comes the Snake.""

5x180 - Matt Dillon, Daniel Boulud, Arj Barker

July 14, 1998

Soul singer Chuck Jackson sits in; Dave shows the audience what a laugh track looks like; the audience is forced to sit through another edition of ""Please Stop Calling Me Chief.""

5x182 - Anthony Hopkins, Cowboy Junkies

July 16, 1998

Know Your Current Events: the husband of one of tonight's contestants volunteers to be put to sleep by hypnotist Dr. Neil Cavey. Feeling anxious due to all the attention, he never falls asleep.

5x183 - Gabriel Byrne, John Witherspoon, Tricky & P.J. Harvey

July 17, 1998

The ""Top Ten Cool Ways the Government Could Spend Billion"" is followed by an investigation by WCBS reporter David Diaz, who scrutinizes the lack of effort put into the long-running comedy piece. Interviews with Gerard, Biff, Richard Jewell and FBI Agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) leave the mystery unsolved.

5x184 - James Caan, Buck O'Neil, Lenny Kravitz

July 20, 1998

Live out on the street, we see the traffic ""congestion"" created by New York hosting the Goodwill Games; Dave changes his tie midway through the show; James Caan shaves his mustache.

5x185 - Janet Jackson, Scott Farrell, Nanci Griffith

July 21, 1998

In the latest roll call, Dave signs ""Zorro"" (Anton), an audience member with an enormous cold sore, and ""Lynette the Late Show Opera Singer"" off the checklist.

5x186 - Tony Danza, Peter Farrelly, Brian Wilson

July 22, 1998

Biff stands on the sidewalk in 95 degree heat as he tries to determine once again whether a Popsicle® or a Fudgesicle® will melt faster; around the corner from the theater, Dave hoses down passerby; The Farrelly Brothers promote the sleeper hit of 1998, There's Something About Mary, while they strut their ""knowledge"" of sumo wrestling.

5x187 - Marilu Henner, Gloria Estefan

July 23, 1998

Biff visits Branson, Missouri, while Marilu Henner unsuccessfully tries to persuade Dave into doing some calisthenics.

5x188 - Pauly Shore, Pam Grier, Natalie Imbruglia

July 24, 1998

A new feature debuts, as Dave announces #3 on the Top Ten List at the start of the show; Mujibur and Sirajul lose their virginity on an internet webcam, and later they hop in bed with Pauly Shore; Natalie Imbruglia performs ""Smoke.""

5x189 - Jenny McCarthy, Adam Arkin, Tori Amos

July 27, 1998

Dave has a lengthy discourse on an article he read in Martha Stewart Living; ""Late Show Meteorologist"" Skip Hopson reports from 53rd Street; Tori Amos performs ""Spark.""

5x190 - Kids with animals, Gary Sinise, Goo Goo Dolls

July 28, 1998

A softball game between Late Show staffers and the cast of Miss Saigon is rigged by Dave; Anton goes into ""Buddy Rich, Jr."" mode and performs drums solos throughout the night; The Goo Goo Dolls perform ""Iris.""

5x191 - Yasmine Bleeth, David Brenner, Barenaked Ladies

July 29, 1998

Dave shows a personal ad from the Washington Post that looks like it was written by President Clinton; Alan fantasizes about waffles; Paul serenades Yasmine Bleeth.

5x192 - Samuel L. Jackson, Jenni, Smashing Pumpkins

July 30, 1998

Dave chats with Jennifer Ringley, the Seattle-based college student best known for operating the voyeuristic website JenniCAM.

5x193 - Jamie Lee Curtis, George Freestone

July 31, 1998

Dave points out an audience member who looks like Kenny Rogers; during ""Late Show en espanol,"" Tony walks out in a suit and bad wig and does a Letterman-type monologue; Dave chats with George Firestone, America's oldest living Boy Scout.

5x194 - Drew Barrymore, Dee Dee Meyers, The Verve

August 3, 1998

During a segment in which he shows real and doctored Clinton and Gore news articles, Dave announces that his pants are too tight.

5x195 - Noyz Boyz, Nathan Lane, Boy George & Culture Club

August 4, 1998

Paul and Anton Fig participate in a game called ""Average Television Viewer vs. Late Show Television Viewer.""

5x196 - Penn & Teller, French Stewart, Wynton Marsalis

August 5, 1998

During the annual ""New for Summer"" segment, Mujibur and Sirajul are declared ""Late Show Prom King and Queen."" Later, Penn and Teller perform their new magic act.

5x197 - Jerry Seinfeld, Hunter Scott

August 6, 1998

Dave feels highly suspect of the audience's intelligence during ""Know Your Current Events""; John Popper sits in with the band; Dave chats with Hunter Scott, a 13-year-old WW II history buff.

5x198 - Tom Arnold, Doris Roberts, Blues Traveler

August 7, 1998

John Popper is still sitting in with the band, while Doris Roberts promotes ""Everybody Loves Raymond.""

5x199 - Leslie Nielsen, David Roth, Teresa Witherspoon

August 10, 1998

Biff goes outside to annoy people with a bullhorn. Later, Dave meets David Roth, a noted coin magician.

5x200 - Kevin Spacey, Bobby Rahal, Harvey Danger

August 11, 1998

Throughout the show, stockbrokers jump out of a fifth-story window.

5x201 - Ray Liotta, Sela Ward, Liz Phair

August 12, 1998

""Riverdance"" performs live via telephone from Cincinnati. Later, Liz Phair promotes her new album, ""WhiteChocolateSpaceEgg.""

5x202 - Angela Basset, Pete Townshend

August 13, 1998

Paul and somebody named ""Mary Beth"" host a spoof of ""Regis & Kathie Lee"" with Inky Mendez playing Gelman. Regis suddenly pops out of the audience, heckles them, and gets thrown out of the theater.

5x203 - Wesley Snipes, Robert Klein

August 14, 1998

Wesley Snipes promotes the movie ""Spawn.""