When they sent Liddy to the first Federal Penitentiary as soon as he was in population he picked a fight and beat the daylights out of biggest guy in the place. When he got out of solitary confinement, he would lay in his bunk and at the top of his lungs he would sing German Marching Songs. Everyone was scared to death of him.
Gordon bragged about training himself to withstand torture, so I tuned in when I heard the then 70-something was going to be on Fear Factor. He won easily, blithely enduring an isolation tank full of maggots among other tasks. He was crazy but unique.
@@jnadle1 I thought the isolation tank was the final stunt but I'll take your word for it. I remember the other contestants freaking out and giving up and Liddy being very serene.
@@jnadle1......I believe that final stunt had to do with driving a car through an obstacle course. He lost that event, but he excelled in every other event. G Gordon Liddy was a hero to me. RIP G Man
In the book Silent Coup the caption under his photo during the Nixon Admin : " G Gordon Liddy a loaded gun waiting to be pointed and shot. " Lol His radio program was top shelf and very thoughtful.
The man was a total nutcase. In the mid nineties I used to lifsten to his radio show.Not by choice mind you but because the owner of my gym had it on the sound system playing throughout the building. And what a treat that was!
Liddy was the most interesting person to come out of Watergate, excepting Nixon himself. A big part of me admires his decision to keep his mouth shut and take responsibility for his actions.
I saw Liddy speak solo and also debate Leary and he certainly knew how to become an entertainer. His debate with Leary was unique and the both of them seemed very friendly with each other and having a good time.
Oh, this is sad. I only knew of him decades after Watergate. But he was such a boss on Celebrity Fear Factor. I would totally recommend everyone watch that episode. Its uploaded here on TH-cam. He was in his late 70s, and he was doing all those crazy stunts and challenges like a boss, while people less than half his age were too scared, and freaking out to do them. RIP G.
I attended one of those Liddy/Leary debates. Kind of a snoozefest. Leary tried to keep it lively, Liddy was pretty much like he is here, calm, methodical, low key. What struck me most was how short Liddy was. Not an imposing figure at all. He learned how to be intimidating. A practiced but effective dead eyed stare. His mouth may smile, his eyes do not.
Colorful guy. Another of his childhood fear stories is being afraid of lightening and having his brother tie him high in a tree at the start of an electrical storm so as to get over his fear of lightening.
Don Giller - our host - bravo! I love watching these. Letterman - as an everyman - trying to make it - struck my heart growing up and his early years still do. I do love his current Netflix series also. What an amazing human being even when he is being himself.
He was right on the money about Watergate because it really seems like no big deal nowadays compared to what's been going on in American politics since then .
He's selling himself short on his own importance to history, though. Without Liddy, Watergate would not have happened, and without Watergate, Nixon would have finished his second term and every presidency after would have different.
David is Funny Ha Ha. A Talk show host. I watched and enjoyed much of his stuff. 82' to 2002. But watching Liddy, very unlike other guests. This guy is calculated, has been deep in Govn. in a huge situation [That makes Richard Nixon look like a Sunday school child in 'Offense' by today's Standard] that he actually PAID for as the Pollie's today don't seem to ever have a Threat of any Prison time for doing Unspeakable things that we don't even always hear about and this guy is Fearless and Brilliant and real. Wow. I have to say that I did catch him on Miami Vice, even though Crockett & Tubbs did not. Tubbs was my Favorite on that show BTW.
A fascinating character, but it's still rather terrifying that a guy this weird was employed by the White House. And 50 years later it seems he was quite wrong about Watergate becoming just a footnote in history. If anything, events of the last couple of years have only confirmed how relevant it continues to be.
I don't think I've ever seen Dave that reserved with a controversial guest. There were a lot of openings to razz GGL. However, he didn't seem to know how to take him.
I was struck by how polite the audience was and how Letterman was reserved. Imagine if this same interview were to happen last fall. What possessed him to call out the NBC execs like that? And the Letterman just brushed it off. It was an attempt to get a rise out of Letterman but - no swing at that one. Let him stand on his own without Letterman being pulled into a verbal thing. He said, (I'm paraphrasing) ''You bring up the anniversary of the attempt when we were caught - not the other two times when we were not. It is not that it was wrong it is that they were not caught.' He didn't seem to relax much. Always on guard or on the offense. I don't get it.
Liddy certainly did his duty as he saw it and had plenty of nerve, but his disciplined rigidity seems rather harsh and punitive, especially to himself. I did appreciate his dry humor and honesty. His crack about winding up as worm food is a chilling reality few care to contemplate, but it was a surprisingly prescient comment that is increasingly being endorsed by the environmentally mindful folks in the form of "green" burials...
I don't remember where I read this, could have been his book "Will". But I believe he was at least somewhat popular in prison because he was very helpful to other prisoners as a lawyer and he would help the other prisoners with the law. His problems arose with the prison administrators who did not like that he was a good lawyer and did not like him. I do not generally like David Letterman but I thought he was more than fair and did a good interview here. My all time favorite interview though has to be Joaquin Phoenix. LMAO!
I'm struck by two things -- it reminds me how lightly the subject of drugs was taken at the time, the talk about the NBC executives, and I'm also struck that he's treated civilly, by Letterman and the audience. The normal thing was to be willing to hear what somebody had to say. Understand that Colbert took over this show
He talk and sounds like an gangster! The way he said how he look, and feel when he had to go to the penitentiary. 🤔 He knew what time it was. And sounds like he was ready.
I just finished the HBO Max series “The White House Plumbers,” and boy, is the real-life and tv version of Liddy identical! Three words I would use to describe him: Smart, Driven, and Methodical!
@Don Giller this interview is fascinating but longer than I expected. We’re many of Letterman’s early interviews (82, 83) this length or was this unique? Thanks
@@dongiller Don, thank you for this killer interview! Can you please tell your source for these vintage TV shows? Not trying to steal your thunder, but I missed so much media from 80's- present and want to catch up now in my 50's. I appreciate your help.
Gaslit is very obviously full of made-up scenes in order to villianize John Mitchell and Gordon Liddy further. They were already villians, but the producers extreme embellishments made them, especially Liddy, into caricatures, to the detriment of the story. Some of the scenes strained credulity to say the least.
I saw an interview with John Dean where he said he didn't think anyone at the White House during Watergate was actually evil...except one person - Gordon Liddy.
It was so fascinating to watch this interview. Liddy was so unique.. I would even say a bit feminine in his behavior. What I like, is what he said about fear, and he didn’t want to feel fear and what he did to overcome his fear. It’s too bad that he just couldn’t have evolved more.:. That would’ve been more interesting.
Liddy: If you ever go to the Watergate hotel never order scotch. Letterman: Go good with rat, wouldn't it?😜. That's the Letterman's style. That's why he was the best talk show host.
There's a mention here of Liddy debating Timothy Leary. I'd like to just offer one thought, that neither Liddy nor Leary have anything to do with ordinary, basic American common sense.
1:53-2:03 It’s very ironic that in our weird post-2020 pandemic world, if a Gen Z’er heard this description of each man they would think that G Gordon Liddy is the Democrat liberal and Timothy Leary must be the conservative!
I didn’t agree with him on many things but this was the era of intelligent conservatism - acceptance of others ideas without hatred and, of course, acceptance of science. He was an intelligent man - I listened to him too on the radio. RIP G-man.
"Intelligent conservatism"? Hello!!?? Planning to kill a journalist and the other f-ed up things he proposed known as Operation Gemstone is "acceptance of others without hatred"? Are you high or otherwise delusional?
Gordon had a personalized license plate, H20GATE on a black Volvo that I saw in Washington, I guess Gordon had a twisted sense of humor? Rest In Peace, you thought you were serving President Nixon in a good way, but you weren't IMO.
G Gorden appears to be highly intelligent combined with a biting sense of humor. Appearances can be deceiving for while being a stand up guy I perceive he could also be quite dangerous if provoked.
When they sent Liddy to the first Federal Penitentiary as soon as he was in population he picked a fight and beat the daylights out of biggest guy in the place. When he got out of solitary confinement, he would lay in his bunk and at the top of his lungs he would sing German Marching Songs. Everyone was scared to death of him.
That really happened?
If HE WASN’T part of it E. HOWARD HUNT Certainly WAS #JUSTICEforJFK The coup d’état that was 1963 LBJ you suck
Don't look now but someone has written the word "gullible" on the ceiling
@@davidrice3337 well, Liddy himself claimed he sung the Nazi Party Anthem Horst Wessel Song as he arrived for court.
Gordon bragged about training himself to withstand torture, so I tuned in when I heard the then 70-something was going to be on Fear Factor. He won easily, blithely enduring an isolation tank full of maggots among other tasks. He was crazy but unique.
But he lost in the final stunt to Leif Garrett.
@@jnadle1 I thought the isolation tank was the final stunt but I'll take your word for it. I remember the other contestants freaking out and giving up and Liddy being very serene.
@@jnadle1......I believe that final stunt had to do with driving a car through an obstacle course. He lost that event, but he excelled in every other event. G Gordon Liddy was a hero to me. RIP G Man
@@bodhi789
A hero, wow. Who else were your heroes? Heinrich Himmler? Reinhard Heydrich?
@@keefriff99 the dude wasn't slaughtering jews, relax 🙄 weird0
In the book Silent Coup the caption under his photo during the Nixon Admin : " G Gordon Liddy a loaded gun waiting to be pointed and shot. " Lol
His radio program was top shelf and very thoughtful.
The man was a total nutcase. In the mid nineties I used to lifsten to his radio show.Not by choice mind you but because the owner of my gym had it on the sound system playing throughout the building. And what a treat that was!
His face arouses the Dabney Coleman in me :)
Both total dudes.
🎯
That's who he looks like!
Liddy was the most interesting person to come out of Watergate, excepting Nixon himself. A big part of me admires his decision to keep his mouth shut and take responsibility for his actions.
Absolute maniac. I used to think Leary was the maniac, now I realise he was the sane one.
I take it your kids did not die in Vietnam.
He fell on his sword and wouldn't squeal like that ratfink John Dean who implicated the POTUS to save his own hide.
They don't make em like G Gordon Liddy anymore he's a real bad ass 👍
Thank you for uploading this.
This aired the day I graduated high school. And later got to meet the G-Man several times over the years. Life sure does have strange twists & turns!
That is an interesting connection! 👍
Care to share a story or two?
Insane interview. One of the most interesting ones I have ever seen. So perplexing! Thank you sm for the upload
I saw Liddy speak solo and also debate Leary and he certainly knew how to become an entertainer. His debate with Leary was unique and the both of them seemed very friendly with each other and having a good time.
I miss the 80s so much!
“It is I, the G-Man!”
Love him or hate him he was brilliant
He's very pleasant. It's terrifying.
He's very terrifying. It's pleasant.
He's physically very rigid and tense. It's to be expected.
Superficial charm is a hallmark of narcissist and sociopaths.
Awesome. Thank you.
Loved listening to the G-Man’s radio show in the 90’s. RIP Mr. Liddy.
pro trick : you can watch series on flixzone. I've been using them for watching all kinds of movies during the lockdown.
@Lennox Dakari Definitely, I have been using Flixzone} for since december myself :)
@@rubenbrixton620 You two goofs post this exact same thing all over youtube. Lol. Goofs.
He should have still been in prison
@@lipby his original term would have been finished long ago, Einstein
This is a musical?! Priceless.
He did a great talk radio show.
And it is I, the G Man!
@@BigDogCountry You can find a video of him doing his whole radio show on the C-SPAN website.
That says a lot about you…none of it good.
@@keefriff99 more like the worst possible. liddy was a fuckin nazi but hey, murikkka loves those
Yes, he did I listened to many of them.
Great segment.
Did he just call Dave a rat?!
This was back in the golden Letterman era when he was both funny and respectful towards his guests.
This is amazing!
Oh, this is sad. I only knew of him decades after Watergate. But he was such a boss on Celebrity Fear Factor. I would totally recommend everyone watch that episode. Its uploaded here on TH-cam. He was in his late 70s, and he was doing all those crazy stunts and challenges like a boss, while people less than half his age were too scared, and freaking out to do them. RIP G.
Government psychopath
Can you please post the link? I've been searching and cannot find it.
I attended one of those Liddy/Leary debates. Kind of a snoozefest. Leary tried to keep it lively, Liddy was pretty much like he is here, calm, methodical, low key. What struck me most was how short Liddy was. Not an imposing figure at all. He learned how to be intimidating. A practiced but effective dead eyed stare. His mouth may smile, his eyes do not.
That's kind of interesting. Given Liddy's history and story you always think of him as kind of a physically imposing man. Weird that he's short.
@evanstein3011 a schrimp. And a very tame debater. Mr. LsD said things just to piss Liddy off but he wouldn't take the bait.
@evanstein3011 doesn't mean he wouldn't kill you with a pencil or an ice cycle. Still scary, just not very big, which is why he made himself scary.
Colorful guy. Another of his childhood fear stories is being afraid of lightening and having his brother tie him high in a tree at the start of an electrical storm so as to get over his fear of lightening.
Afraid of "lightening"? Why didn't he stay in the dark? More like "lie-tning" because that story is made up.
They keep sending him to different federal prison because he was helping prisoners with their cases.
He knew you dont snitch. The G stands for Gangsta.
I'd go with 'Godawful'.
Don Giller - our host - bravo! I love watching these. Letterman - as an everyman - trying to make it - struck my heart growing up and his early years still do. I do love his current Netflix series also. What an amazing human being even when he is being himself.
What a great guest.
He was right on the money about Watergate because it really seems like no big deal nowadays compared to what's been going on in American politics since then .
He's selling himself short on his own importance to history, though. Without Liddy, Watergate would not have happened, and without Watergate, Nixon would have finished his second term and every presidency after would have different.
who else has conducted a break and enter?
No big deal? You are clearly grotesquely ignorant.
@@kentallard8852 We only hear about the ones that get busted.
Wow,. We will all be a "Diet for the worms"
David is Funny Ha Ha. A Talk show host. I watched and enjoyed much of his stuff. 82' to 2002. But watching Liddy, very unlike other guests. This guy is calculated, has been deep in Govn. in a huge situation [That makes Richard Nixon look like a Sunday school child in 'Offense' by today's Standard] that he actually PAID for as the Pollie's today don't seem to ever have a Threat of any Prison time for doing Unspeakable things that we don't even always hear about and this guy is Fearless and Brilliant and real. Wow. I have to say that I did catch him on Miami Vice, even though Crockett & Tubbs did not. Tubbs was my Favorite on that show BTW.
A fascinating character, but it's still rather terrifying that a guy this weird was employed by the White House. And 50 years later it seems he was quite wrong about Watergate becoming just a footnote in history. If anything, events of the last couple of years have only confirmed how relevant it continues to be.
And so is the JFK assassination conspiracy - Until that is re-investigated, and justice applied, the corruption will cotinue.
Liddy is James bond on steriods
I don't think I've ever seen Dave that reserved with a controversial guest. There were a lot of openings to razz GGL. However, he didn't seem to know how to take him.
I was struck by how polite the audience was and how Letterman was reserved. Imagine if this same interview were to happen last fall. What possessed him to call out the NBC execs like that? And the Letterman just brushed it off. It was an attempt to get a rise out of Letterman but - no swing at that one. Let him stand on his own without Letterman being pulled into a verbal thing. He said, (I'm paraphrasing) ''You bring up the anniversary of the attempt when we were caught - not the other two times when we were not. It is not that it was wrong it is that they were not caught.' He didn't seem to relax much. Always on guard or on the offense. I don't get it.
His appearances on Howard Stern were brilliant
Who else came here after watching Gaslit?
Legend
Liddy certainly did his duty as he saw it and had plenty of nerve, but his disciplined rigidity seems rather harsh and punitive, especially to himself. I did appreciate his dry humor and honesty. His crack about winding up as worm food is a chilling reality few care to contemplate, but it was a surprisingly prescient comment that is increasingly being endorsed by the environmentally mindful folks in the form of "green" burials...
I miss this David Letterman.
R.I.P. Mr Liddy.
So long G Man. See you at the next challenge.
what a document
I don't remember where I read this, could have been his book "Will". But I believe he was at least somewhat popular in prison because he was very helpful to other prisoners as a lawyer and he would help the other prisoners with the law. His problems arose with the prison administrators who did not like that he was a good lawyer and did not like him. I do not generally like David Letterman but I thought he was more than fair and did a good interview here. My all time favorite interview though has to be Joaquin Phoenix. LMAO!
Check out the Crispin Glover interview then
I'm struck by two things -- it reminds me how lightly the subject of drugs was taken at the time, the talk about the NBC executives, and I'm also struck that he's treated civilly, by Letterman and the audience. The normal thing was to be willing to hear what somebody had to say. Understand that Colbert took over this show
Colbert succeeded Dave on CBS’s Late Show. This was Late Night on NBC.
People with differences actually use to talk back then.
Dave is funny. Colbert isn’t and he’s very unlikeable
Two people (Liddy and Leary) diametrically opposed on politics managed to debate civilly and be friends. What a concept.
If I ever spoke to lettermen I would ask him his thoughts on Gordon Liddy and the vibes.
I’d like to see those debates between Leary and Liddy
I didn't agree with him on all that much, but what an interesting guy. I even listened to his am radio show in the 90's
While in Federal prison , I listened to his radio show every night. It was a very interesting show.
“Tried to warn ya about Chino & Daddy G”
(My Old School-Steely Dan)
What a “G”
George.
@@oldhippie81 I was saying what a “G” he is. Like as in what a Gangster.
"The place for everybody in the Grand scheme of things, is that we shall provide a diet for the worms".
That's something Nietzsche would say.
Dabney Coleman should have played him, they look like twins.
True but too tall
A character out of Bizarro world. RIP Mr. Liddy.
crook
He talk and sounds like an gangster! The way he said how he look, and feel when he had to go to the penitentiary. 🤔 He knew what time it was. And sounds like he was ready.
I just finished the HBO Max series “The White House Plumbers,” and boy, is the real-life and tv version of Liddy identical! Three words I would use to describe him: Smart, Driven, and Methodical!
you forgot to add crazy.
And fourth: he was completely nuts.
@Don Giller this interview is fascinating but longer than I expected. We’re many of Letterman’s early interviews (82, 83) this length or was this unique? Thanks
Some were. Paul Simon comes to mind - th-cam.com/video/HmJJZVXOeKA/w-d-xo.html
@@dongiller Don, thank you for this killer interview!
Can you please tell your source for these vintage TV shows?
Not trying to steal your thunder, but I missed so much media from 80's- present and want to catch up now in my 50's. I appreciate your help.
@@NickNicometi I’m not clear for what you’re asking my help.
This is hilarious!
After watching Gaslit, that wasn't the rat story I expected.
Gaslit is very obviously full of made-up scenes in order to villianize John Mitchell and Gordon Liddy further. They were already villians, but the producers extreme embellishments made them, especially Liddy, into caricatures, to the detriment of the story. Some of the scenes strained credulity to say the least.
G Gordon is my hero.
one of his best friends was Robert Conrad,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I'm recalling his "diet for the worms" comment that grossed out so many!
Nice beard
@@raynabozny6309 He looks like modern-day Dave Letterman.
@@ThamiumOne it’s a really awesome beard
40 today
congrats it's all downhill from there
@@christopherallen9580 40 years since the interview
I saw an interview with John Dean where he said he didn't think anyone at the White House during Watergate was actually evil...except one person - Gordon Liddy.
Haha! Liddy had some insightful things to say about Dean as well.
@@MrTruckerf They are/were both jews.
Liddy is a loyal man , never snitch !!
Yeah, trump always demands loyalty from his flying monkeys too.
Great memories.. his name though is Liddy not Libby.
Typo fixed.
@@dongiller I have really enjoyed your videos very much thank you!
What an exceptional individual. The man's man.
Nazi criminals are real men to you? Pretty low bar.
@@Kevin-tz2lv shhhhh....
@@Kevin-tz2lv He was a better person than the loads of excrement inside the beltway now. ....which is a pretty low bar....
For all you youngsters out there, this is the man who gave you Donald Trump.
Thank you Mr. Liddy .
How so? Nothing like Trump.
Explain.
RIP Mr Liddy 🙏
When did G Gordon Liddy die.
@@howardcrowe6743 March 2021
I believe G. Gordon Liddy just saw too many James Bond movies.
It was so fascinating to watch this interview. Liddy was so unique.. I would even say a bit feminine in his behavior. What I like, is what he said about fear, and he didn’t want to feel fear and what he did to overcome his fear. It’s too bad that he just couldn’t have evolved more.:. That would’ve been more interesting.
His book is "Will" like Triumph of the Will. He was fascinated with Nazism.
Like him or hate him, he was a badass, and he wasn’t a Fn’ Rat.
Liddy was the man, never rat out your pals
Liddy: If you ever go to the Watergate hotel never order scotch.
Letterman: Go good with rat, wouldn't it?😜.
That's the Letterman's style.
That's why he was the best talk show host.
16:09 great perspective
Fun videos
The don and Mike show
Great show
There's a mention here of Liddy debating Timothy Leary. I'd like to just offer one thought, that neither Liddy nor Leary have anything to do with ordinary, basic American common sense.
I found him amusing, but his desire to imprison a guy who has a joint in his pocket for 10 years was ridiculous.
It was learys daughters joint and he took the rap. Anybody else would have gotten probation at most.
Such a strange, strange man.
Not strange at all. He's a performer with a fake personality. Dime a dozen.
Gordon is one of those right wingers with quick wit and charm.
Hey Don Giller -- was Tim Leary ever on Letterman?
Nope; no appearances.
@@dongiller I didn't think so. I bet Letterman didn't like him & thought him overexposed. Just guessing though.
1:53-2:03 It’s very ironic that in our weird post-2020 pandemic world, if a Gen Z’er heard this description of each man they would think that G Gordon Liddy is the Democrat liberal and Timothy Leary must be the conservative!
I didn’t agree with him on many things but this was the era of intelligent conservatism - acceptance of others ideas without hatred and, of course, acceptance of science. He was an intelligent man - I listened to him too on the radio. RIP G-man.
"Intelligent conservatism"? Hello!!?? Planning to kill a journalist and the other f-ed up things he proposed known as Operation Gemstone is "acceptance of others without hatred"? Are you high or otherwise delusional?
He was a fascist and admirer of Hitler. What the hell is wrong with you?
4 and a half years is all that liar did in prison
For burglary? What did you want, a hanging?
That’s the most of any watergate criminal.
RIP,Mr.Liddy.
Gordon had a personalized license plate, H20GATE on a black Volvo that I saw in Washington, I guess Gordon had a twisted sense of humor? Rest In Peace, you thought you were serving President Nixon in a good way, but you weren't IMO.
Twisted sense of humour was putting it lightly. Lindy was certainly a character.
Rest In Peace
He celebrates the water gates he didn't get caught doing lol 😆😂🤣
Dewd!
Provide a diet for the worms 🪱
A cold calculated mind that had no moral compass.
A sociopath as entertainment,why not ? We treat politicians as if they are honest.
G. Gordon Liddy under my table table table!!!
He and late actor Keene Curtis, best known as Walter Gaines, the owner ot the restaurant above Cheers.
Anyone who would eat a squirrel would eat a rat.
😱
What a loon. Letterman politely led him around like a show dog.
If nothing else, he was an extremely handsome man
Dabney Coleman is your taste.
Maybe it's the stach.
G Gordon. How bad could his first name be if he'd rather be known as Gordon. :(
George. Perfectly fine manly name.
But his 2nd middle name was "Battle" (true)
@@joeybaseball7352 Liddy was always curious. George seems better than Gordon. George G. Liddy
@@ThamiumOne Two middle names? When one is never enough.
G Gorden appears to be highly intelligent combined with a biting sense of humor.
Appearances can be deceiving for while being a stand up guy I perceive he could also be quite dangerous if provoked.
May I add. You got to respect this man.
No, you don’t.
The trick is.not mindingnesc