Even David Letterman gets called in for jury duty.
On Monday, Letterman was in a Lower Manhattan courthouse doing his civic duty—and turning the jury selection process into a quip-filled exchange that would have been right at home on any one of his former late-night shows.
Letterman (or “Juror 16,” as Judge P. Kevin Castel referred to him) fielded questions as he was considered for placement on a jury that would handle a criminal trial involving cryptocurrency fraud, according to the Associated Press.
“Where do you live?” Judge Castel asked the host.
“Hartford,” Letterman replied in jest. “No, it’s a joke.”
“Nice try,” the judge answered.
Letterman had previously been spotted heading into the courthouse on Monday afternoon.
By the AP’s count, Letterman and Castel had “nearly three dozen exchanges” in this final round of consideration. Among the highlights:
When asked what he does for a living, Letterman replied, “Working for a company called Netflix.”
“Spouse or significant other?,” the judge asked at one point.
“I’ve had both,” said Letterman. “Currently I just have the spouse.”
When asked how he obtains his news, Letterman took a moment to explain the internet to the judge. “Every morning I used to pick up the paper off the front porch,” he answered. “Now, I turn on the computer and it’s an aggregation of news sources from all over the United States and around the world.”
After answering other questions about his favorite sports, hobbies, and family, the former Late Night and Late Show host seemed to seal his fate when the judge asked if he’d ever been called as a juror before.
“Been called many times. Just couldn’t make it happen,” Letterman answered.
“You know, this may be the charm,” replied Castel.
“It would be a pleasure,” said Letterman.
Alas, the five-time Emmy winner didn’t make the final cut, as a prosecutor chose to exercise a strike against him, eliminating him from consideration.
Years ago, Letterman recapped another experience of being rejected for jury duty on his Late Show.
“Now this really irritates me, and I’m trying desperately hard not to take it personally,” he said after that rejection—his second time not making the cut. “If you know anything about me, you know that I believe in my heart that everybody’s guilty,” he added.
The host shared a similar sentiment back in 2000 when he devoted a Top Ten list to “Tips for Being a Good Juror.”
“Remember: everyone’s guilty,” read the number one tip. “Wait for quiet moment, then loudly make sound of electric chair” was another.
