TBS Brings Back Letterman's 'Stupid Pet Tricks' As Its Own Sarah Silverman Show
Fans of David Letterman's "Stupid Pet Tricks", wag your tails, because the late-night staple is being revived as its own TV show. Comedian Sarah Silverman will host 10 half-hour episodes for TBS, with production beginning in Los Angeles later this year.
Cute Critters Doing Stupid Tricks
According to Variety, each episode will feature numerous pets performing tricks on a studio stage for a live audience. The series will crown one pet parent and their furry (or feathered, or scaly) friend with the "Stupidest Trick of the Week" award. The series will also feature comedic bits, games, and surprise celebrity guests.
Letterman hosted the segment for more than 30 years on NBC's Late Night and CBS' Late Show. Over the years, the tricks ranged from the ridiculous to the truly impressive. Some of the performers included a Border Collie mix who could double-dutch jumprope, a Pit Bull who bowled a strike, and a Yorkie who could say "Obama." Dogs have been the most frequent stupid pet tricks guests, but the segment also featured cats, horses, rabbits, birds, ferrets, and an iguana.
"Stupid Pet Tricks" aired on late night for decades, amassing 130 segments that showcased roughly 390 different tricks. While YouTube and TikTok have plenty of videos of pets doing wacky things, there hasn't been structured pet trick entertainment since Letterman left television in 2015.
On Selecting Silverman
Brett Weitz, general manager of TBS, TNT and truTV, told Variety:
"Continuing our strategic commitment to a bold unscripted slate that Corie Henson and her team have implemented and building off the incredible successes of Go-Big Show and Wipeout, we knew we had to elevate our roster by looking at the greats of television history and learning from their innovation. David Letterman is an entertainment legend who changed the face of broadcast history with three simple words 'Stupid Pet Tricks'. Not just anyone could carry on that legacy, except the wickedly brilliant, Sarah Silverman. I have no doubt that her brand of comedy will bring heart and raw humor in a way that will capture the original heritage of Stupid Pet Tricks and provide hilarious moments for a new generation yearning to seek truth and laugh till they cry."
I'm not sure about all of that "yearning to seek truth" stuff, but I'm interested in seeing some of our four-legged friends doing silly tricks. Silverman had a characteristically sarcastic soundbite when asked about hosting the series.
"The rule in show business is, 'never work with animals or children' but I choose to work with David Letterman anyway," she joked to Variety.
There's no word yet on whether they will revive Letterman's other "stupid" segment, "Stupid Human Tricks." Shows like X-Factor and America's Got Talent might have the monopoly on that. For now, just get your pets in peak condition, because this might be their chance to shine.