30 most shocking moments in late night history
By Jeremy Dick
22. David Letterman pulls a fiery prank on Richard Simmons
Richard Simmons has always seemed like a fun guy, but could also be considered highly annoying for some people. His eccentric, flamboyant personality and high energy just might be too much for some to handle. One person in particular who obviously can’t handle being around Simmons would be late night talk show host David Letterman, at least that’s the way it always seemed when Simmons would appear on the show.
When Simmons would go on Letterman’s show in 2006, he was there to promote a food steamer. With an uncomfortable tension in the air, Simmons tries to tell Letterman about the product, with the host basically ragging on the fitness guru the whole time. But it was what happened later in the interview which would prove most shocking.
Simmons was demonstrating how the steamer works when he hit the power button, causing it to start bellowing out smoke. Seconds later, the steamer burst into flames, causing Simmons to shriek and run from his chair in terror. Letterman, however, only sat there and laughed, as he saw it coming— it was all part of a prank set up by the late night host himself.
Next: 21. Heidi Klum's wardrobe malfunction