BASKETBALL HALL OF FAMERS MAGIC JOHNSON AND LARRY BIRD TALK ABOUT THEIR UNIQUE FRIENDSHIP ON CBS’ “LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN” TONIGHT

NBA Hall of Famers Magic Johnson and Larry Bird talk about their storied basketball rivalry and their unique friendship off the court on the LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN, Wednesday, April 11.  

 

“Magic, were you inclined early on to become friends with this guy, because you were drawn to him because of his basketball abilities?” Letterman asked regarding the start of their long-standing association, when Bird played for Indiana State and Johnson played for Michigan State.  “Did you want to be friends with him from the beginning?”  “From the beginning I wanted to be friends,” Johnson replied, “but Larry didn’t want none of that…And so I said, ‘Okay, if that’s how it’s going to be, then we have to be like that there,’ you know, so I started disliking him… But you know, he told me that, you know, I smiled all the time and he knew that I will smile at you but I want to cut your heart at the same time, so he knew that that was part of my strategy is to get him, lure him in as my friend.”

 

“So he didn’t want to demonstrate any weakness by becoming your friend.  Now, did you feel…his advances to being a friend and you just rejected them?  You were not interested?  You didn’t like him?  I mean, what was your side of that?” Letterman asked Bird.  “It’s not like one of my old girlfriends, you know, I mean,” Bird joked as Letterman, Johnson and the audience laughed.  “When you say advances, I get a little scared, but,” Bird joked, “uh, you know, my thing was when you compete, you’re really not friends, you want to keep an edge, and I was like that through high school and through college, but Earvin’s an outgoing guy.  He loves everybody, he wants to high-five, and, you know, he’s got that big smile.  My goal was to try and take three of them teeth home with me after the game,” Bird continued as Johnson roared with laughter.  Later in the interview, Letterman made a unique comparison with Johnson and Bird’s friendship, commenting, “I know what you’re thinking at home, you’re thinking to yourself, ‘Jeez, it’s just like Dave and Leno,’” which drew laughs from Johnson, Bird and the audience.

 

Johnson and Bird’s entire interview can be seen on the LATE SHOW tonight (11:35 PM-12:37 AM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

 

This marks Los Angeles Lakers legend Johnson’s sixth visit to the LATE SHOW, while this is Boston Celtics icon Bird’s first appearance on Letterman’s late night talk show.  Their joint LATE SHOW appearance takes place the same night as the official Broadway premiere of “Magic/Bird,” a play based on their fabled basketball rivalry and their long-standing friendship off the court.

 

Also visiting the LATE SHOW tonight are comedian Jim Gaffigan and musical guests Kaiser Chiefs.

 

The LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN is a production of Worldwide Pants Incorporated.  Barbara Gaines, Matt Roberts, Jude Brennan, Maria Pope, Eric Stangel, Justin Stangel and Rob Burnett are the executive producers.

 

 

RATING: TV-PG (Rating may change on day of broadcast due to specific subject matter.)

 

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