Trivia / The Late Shift

• Actor Allusion: Bob Balaban plays NBC executive Warren Littlefield, who served as the partial inspiration for Balaban's character Russell Dalrymple on Seinfeld a few years previously.
• Creator Backlash: While he’s never disowned the film, John Michael Higgins (Letterman) has said that if he’d had the luxury of being more selective, he probably wouldn’t have chosen a project so controversial. However, he was in desperate need of work at the time and was in no position to be choosey.
• Disowned Adaptation: David Letterman made no secret of his disdain for the film adaptation, calling it “the biggest waste of film since my wedding photos” and likening John Michael Higgins’ portrayal of himself to that of a “psychotic chimp.” He even infamously invited Higgins onto The Late Show, only to leave him dangling in the green room all night as he was continuously bumped. Higgins, for his part, understood Letterman’s feelings on the matter, given Letterman is a private person who didn’t want his personal life depicted in any fashion.