I do think David Letterman is bullish about Filipinos...and he loves us!
By eileenleyva
@eileenleyva (27562)
Philippines
August 29, 2011 5:15am CST
The Late Night Show with David Letterman, that is probably one of the good American talk shows that ever penetrated Philippine television. And in it, we see old Dave really lambasting whoever is crazy enough to make himself a laughing stock to good ol' Dave, including George "Dubya" Bush.
There was one episode though, a long time ago, when I heard Dave complain about a toothache. And Dave was so sore because his dentist, a Filipino, had to go on his sabbatical leave, all the way back to his islands in the Far East, the Philippines. Of all times, when the toothache was unbearable...
Inevitably, the Filipinos are making their presence known, and Dave has to enumerate top ten things about the Filipinos that would never make the Filipino president of the United States. I think this dates back to as far as four years ago but here are his negations:
Top 10 Reasons Why There Couldn't Be a Filipino-American US President
By David Letterman
10. The White House is not big enough for in-laws and extended relatives.
9. There are not enough parking spaces at the White House for 2 Honda Civics, 2 Toyota Land Cruisers, 3 Toyota Corollas, a Mercedes Benz, a BMW , and an MPV (My Pinoy Van).
8. Dignitaries generally are intimidated by eating with their fingers at State dinners.
7. There are too many dining rooms in the White House - where will they put the picture of the Last Supper?
6. The White House walls are not big enough to hold a pair of giant wooden spoon and fork
5. Secret Service staff won't respond to psst... psst or hoy hoy hoy.
4. Secret Service staff will not be comfortable driving the presidential car with a Holy Rosary hanging on the rear view mirror, or the statue of the Santo Nino on the dashboard.
3. No budget allocation to purchase a Karaoke music-machine for every room in the White House.
2. State dinners do not allow Take Home.
AND THE #1 REASON WHY THERE COULDN'T BE A FILIPINO-AMERICAN U.S.PRESIDENT IS...
1. Air Force One does not allow overweight Balikbayan boxes!
These reasons speak so much about how Filipinos are, and others would perceive these silly or funny. But these are very Filipino, and I think Dave, no matter how silly these are to him, really thinks the Filipino is capable of any task given him.
3 people like this
15 responses
@ybong007 (6643)
• Philippines
30 Aug 11
I came across the same article and my first reaction was "oh no not again" since I was expecting that it's going to be the same as how what Jay Leno portrayed us when the Philippine government decided on the withdrawal of our troops in the the middle east. When I read Letterman's description I can't help but laugh at is description since he hit the nail right in the head and I wonder how was be able to describe all those traits, to think that he came up with ten of them unless he has someone close to him whom he talks with every so often. So it's his dentist after all. 
1 person likes this
@eileenleyva (27562)
• Philippines
31 Aug 11
In that case, his jaw is just about right for a Pacman upper cut. Did he apologize? Hmmm, I can be cruel to people who are cruel, too. That wasn't funny at all.
@stanley777 (9402)
• Philippines
29 Aug 11
I'm laughing while reading the top ten you have enumerated.These are really the words that Dave thought about Filipinos.What he said was the truth, others may consider it funny but this is the traits of a true Filipino. 
@eileenleyva (27562)
• Philippines
30 Aug 11
And if someone likes us for who we are, why is it we are ashamed of our own?
@stanley777 (9402)
• Philippines
31 Aug 11
Yes, we should be proud of ourselves.Imagine even foreigners likes us the way we are.Rich with cultures of a true Filipino, the only sad thing is our co Filipinos sometimes are the ones who pull us down because of envy.
@allen0187 (58438)
• Philippines
29 Aug 11
hi eileen!
this is the first time that i've read about david letterman making fun about filipinos! quite funny and very true!
david lettermen has always been a favorite of mine and this bit makes me like him more. the guy is clearly a genius! i'm going to youtube and find a clip of this episode.
items number 7 and 5 are my favorite!
thanks for sharing this one! 
david lettermen has always been a favorite of mine and this bit makes me like him more. the guy is clearly a genius! i'm going to youtube and find a clip of this episode.
items number 7 and 5 are my favorite!
thanks for sharing this one! 1 person likes this
@allen0187 (58438)
• Philippines
31 Aug 11
hi eileen!
do you have a link to a video clip of this or perhaps the date of the show when dave pulled this off?
appreciate it a lot.
cheers!!!
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
31 Aug 11
From what i can remember, this was only said one an email but never considered part of the show. i have also received this message but it was just a Chain Mail and never seen it on the show..anyways, i love David letterman better than BIG JOE Leno
.anyways, i love David letterman better than BIG JOE Leno1 person likes this
@eileenleyva (27562)
• Philippines
31 Aug 11
I am sure I saw a photo of Dave flashing the Top Ten list about this.
@Cutie18f (9551)
• Philippines
30 Aug 11
Cute. Did he really say those? Wow, we're popular! LOL. Anyways, how does he know that much about us? Did he marry a Filipina? Those intimate details about wooden spoons and forks, the last supper, Karaoke in every room, etc. he must have gathered from someone close to him. Yes, sometimes I get to watch his show because it follows Jay Leno which follows "The Talk." So I am actually proud of the fact that Mr. Letterman knows so much about our culture, and are we really worth all the airtime by mentioning all those? How nice of him.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
29 Aug 11
very true eileen, maybe I should watch he's show one of these days, I think everything he said is very true regarding us as a people without being insulting or offensive, very funny.
, maybe I should watch he's show one of these days, I think everything he said is very true regarding us as a people without being insulting or offensive, very funny.1 person likes this
@allen0187 (58438)
• Philippines
29 Aug 11
agree with your thoughts louievill!
i didn't find the list insulting at all.
david letterman speaks the truth!
@totallyundecided (3190)
• Philippines
29 Aug 11
To be able to cite those Filipino traits, Dave must have been attracted to our culture. It was just 10 out of the thousand Filipino traits and he made it really clear that it is a possibility why there can be no Fil-American US President. LOL.
1 person likes this
@eileenleyva (27562)
• Philippines
30 Aug 11
He feels somehow, with the Filipinos' innate ingenuity, this little brown man will rule the earth inevitably.
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
29 Aug 11
funny... and i salute the staff who research to put up a top 10 like this. lucky he did not put tricycle on the parking. or anything about bayong har har har. yes this are all true and i am proud of it. this is our culture and this are the reasons why we Filipinos are intact. we all love our relatives and we know how to lingon sa pinagalingan. i have the loudest laugh about the balikbayan box. when i was at japan one of our staff asked me, why you Filipino people always love to bring home big boxes with a lot of stuff inside from here and i answered "i can not bring my family to japan so i want to bring japan to my family" i want them to taste a little of what i had experience here....
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
1 Sep 11
Honestly, I don't know a lot about the Phillipino customs because I've only had the honor of knowing a couple of people that are Phillipino. With that said, I honestly think that the top ten list that you've given is pretty darned funny. I also don't think that David Letterman would have given that list if it was going to hurt people because there are a lot of viewers of his show that are of Phillipino descent. Thanks so much for sharing.
1 person likes this
@danitykane (3183)
• Philippines
29 Aug 11
Hi ms. eileen,
wow! I haven't heard about this before until I run on your topic. That's very interesting! I want to search that episode on youtube. haha! I think it is funny and he is very funny guy.
I want to search that episode on youtube. haha! I think it is funny and he is very funny guy.1 person likes this
@cerebellum (3863)
• United States
29 Aug 11
Letterman is my favorite talk show host. I always like the top ten list. Sometimes they are so dumb they are funny. I know nothing about the Filipino customes, but I still found some of the things amusing.
@eileenleyva (27562)
• Philippines
30 Aug 11
Dave picks on the ordinary, and that is why his jokes are funny. In a way, the audience are laughing at themselves... they see their ordinariness and that is amusing.
Filipinos, what can I say, we really are an extraordinary lot, we pride in the superlative... like for example, we have the deepest deep, the longest shore (islands combined), the tiniest volcano, the smallest primate, the tiniest fish, and the biggest dome and largest shoe
in the world. We don't pass a day without singing or dancing.... hay! But in spite of all the negativism that had been attached to our image, we are truly a sincere and natural people... Wait for the jokes we make, I think Dave ran into some and he couldn't stop laughing.
in the world. We don't pass a day without singing or dancing.... hay! But in spite of all the negativism that had been attached to our image, we are truly a sincere and natural people... Wait for the jokes we make, I think Dave ran into some and he couldn't stop laughing.
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32507)
• Calgary, Alberta
30 Aug 11
I just hope some oversensitive fellow Filipinos will not take these jokes seriously. I actually found it brilliant and it's actually a bit accurate in a funny way. I have a feeling that this Top 10 is written by the Filipino. Because only Filipinos knew about the last supper stereotype. I don't really get myself offended by racist jokes because it's only a joke and it will never be a fact and our comedy shows have their fair share of racist jokes.
1 person likes this
@eileenleyva (27562)
• Philippines
30 Aug 11
It takes a Filipino to make fun of our own and laugh about it. Dave has Filipino influence, and he couldn't ignore the Filipinos around him, his dentist, for one.
@miadsoriano (884)
• Philippines
2 Sep 11
Hahaha! This is so funny! I do not find it at all offensive because it is all true. I'm rolling on the floor from laughter! Thanks for posting this here. I'll make sure to forward it to family and friends. :D
1 person likes this
@toniobacasno (233)
• Philippines
30 Aug 11
Sad to say that while other countries see the great potentials of Filipinos, our government tends to ignore it. No wonder we have a brain-drain problem in the country. I would really love to help the country, but instead of me working there, using my God-given talents to benefit our country, I am here in abroad, away from my family, working, so that they can have at least a decent living condition. Instead of the country utilizing the skills of its local people, it's the other countries instead who are benefiting from it.
@eileenleyva (27562)
• Philippines
30 Aug 11
The brain drain is taking another course. It is coming back. The migrants are coming home. And the second/third generation expats are really intrigued by the islands their old folks had left. These young mixed breeds are in every island we have here now.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
30 Aug 11
David is speaking of truth in most Filipinos but of course not all Filipinos do have those traits. Not all Filipinos are Catholics so not all are hanging rosaries in the rear view mirror nor a Sto. Nino statue on the dashboard.(I am not Catholic so I am one of those who don't.) The giant wooden pork and spoon is not found in most modern houses either. Filipinos do know table etiquette so even if we do enjoy eating with hands in picnics or informal dinners with families and friends, we won't do that during formal dinners. And I don't think I am the only one Filipino who is not really entertained by Karaoke music-machine. In fact I find it disturbing in most cases. So to those Filipinos who don't really match David's description (although he carried it with humor and wit), I think it would be still offensive. Nevertheless, I wonder why this David knew that much about Filipinos. It's either he had Filipino ex-wife or he has a Filipino friend who exposed him to Filipino culture.Actually if a fellow Filipino would speak about these things in front of fellow Filipinos then it will not at all offend but would elicit laughter instead. But if a foreigner makes fun of our culture in an international program then it could be offensive to Filipinos. Of course no Filipinos would want those traits to lead other nations to ridicule us or make fun of us. I have never really watched that show so I have yet to see how he handled the humor though.
