Warren Zevon: "Excitable" Dave (Letterman)

During his final appearance and public performance on The Late Show With David Letterman in 2002, Warren Zevon told him he was "the best friend my music's ever had."

So it's no surprise that Letterman is disappointed, but not surprised that Zevon wasn't elected for induction this week into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

He said on his YouTube show, "I'm not angry because I would have been surprised had it gone the other way. I think to be angry would have been like 30 years ago when he should have been inducted."

Zevon first became eligible for a nomination in 1995.

Letterman also joked about his friend, Hall of Fame Foundation chairman John Sykes, saying he "owns the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame" and that it does "focus groups" on the nominees. And the "feedback" on Zevon was that his "music was difficult to dance to" and "that many of the teens were frightened by Warren and his music," and that his music "was not poppy enough." 

Sykes saw the video and tells us it "funny," adding that Letterman "made it all up," including baseball great Pete Rose being a surprise inductee on the night of the ceremony, November 3rd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Rose has been banned from induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Zevon appeared on Letterman's show numerous times, even filling in for musical director Paul Shaffer on a few occasions.

Billy Joel lobbied hard on Zevon's behalf but has not responded to our request for a comment on his being snubbed.

Zevon died of lung cancer on September 7th, 2003. He was 56.


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