Tony Mendez, long an on-air fixture handling the cue cards for David Letterman on The Late Show, took the wrong cue this week, assaulting staff writer Bill Scheft, a 15-time Emmy nominee, and getting himself fired, the New York Post reported.
Mendez, 69, who had been with Letterman for 21 years, got into a verbal altercation with Scheft and Letterman over changes in cue cards, went home overnight and stewed about perceived slights from Scheft over a long period. When Mendez came back the next day, he grabbed Scheft by his shirt and pushed him against a wall, the Post reported.
Mendez was kicked out of the theater, and notified Monday that he had been officially terminated from the show, which Stephen Colbert will take over next year when Letterman retires. Mendez was also told the show would pay his salary and benefits through Letterman’s departure.
A representative for Letterman’s Worldwide Pants, which produces The Late Show, said the company cannot comment on a confidential personnel matter.
Cameras frequently cut to Mendez during the show’s broadcasts as he handled Letterman’s cue cards. Mendez previously handled cue cards for Saturday Night Live and The Hollywood Palace.
Interesting. I remember them cutting to Mendez a lot back when I used to watch Dave, years ago.
Let’s keep in mind, though, that just because Bill S. is a “15-time Emmy nominee” doesn’t mean he’s not a massive asshole. Maybe he had a nice wall-throw coming his way for years now?
HAHAHA YES
Unless Bill S was physically abusive, he didn’t have a wall throw coming his way. No one deserves that. I have a feeling that lots of tempers are beginning to fray as Dave heads down the stretch.
I disagree. If people in the work place are going to say stuff that ultimately brings others into the realm of physically assaulting them, they should refrain from saying such things or be prepared for a physical altercation. You don’t get a free pass to be emotionally abusive ad nauseum, without impunity. You may get taught that pc nonsense when you’re a kid, but that isn’t reality. Someone, somewhere, will hold you accountable for those words. Life isn’t the internet.
FACT.
-especially a man that’s been handling the order of dialog for so many years with the cue cards .
Seems Mr. S. didn’t evaluate the gentleman with the regard he deserved .
…really, to create the atmosphere around this man to tempt him to loose his TENURE.
What person harrasses the cue card man _
business design … advertisement ? Good for googly time these commenting.
what were the slights scheft did to mendez?
mendez is 69 so eligible for ss. plsu he is getting paid until letterman finishes so he is getting paid and not working.
he will be ok.
Keep your hands off your co-workers.
Getting paid and benefits for the duration is more than Mendez deserves.
I hope he realizes he could be in jail instead.
Yeah just keep taking crap from people who are begging for a beating.f.u.
Haha ‘murica, jail for grabbing someone by the collar.
Sad way to go, bro.
Will Dave mention this on Monday? I wouldn’t be shocked if he does.
I doubt it. Will be interesting to see, either way.
Really? It will be interesting if it’s completely glossed over and never mentioned in any way?
You must enjoy the most interested life on earth. ;-)
Since Worldwide Pants has said they don’t comment on personnel situations, I doubt Dave will say anything on the air.
They’re off next week, which is probably why the story is coming out now. Whenever there’s a situation such as this, it usually comes out right before the show has a week of reruns.
Poor Inky :(
This happened the last time Dave slept with a staffer, as well.
This would have been much funnier if he slammed Dave up against the wall.
Cue card guy is a very nice guy. Can’t say the same for those he worked with. I guess they had it coming. I also imagine some frayed nerves and tension as this particularly gravy train comes to an end and everyone either retires or is forced to return to the real world, or both.
They use manual cue cards still?
A lot of live shows still use manual cue cards because they’re easier to change seconds before you go on-air (i.e., if you put one joke on each card, you can quickly shuffle the “deck,” make additions and deletions, etc.).
Would like to hear the other side of the story. Assault is never acceptable unless self defense but long-time-employee-goes-sideways deserves his side to be heard.
His side has been heard. Everything being reported today is based on his account to the NY Post.
Didn’t Mendez do something like this before? Or am I thinking of a bit?
I hope Mendez can get his job back or at least get hired by Jimmy Fallon’s crew. He could probably do a lot of damage to The Late Show by giving up their secrets to NBC. This could be sweet revenge for the peacock network for when CBS lured Jack Benny away.
“…sweet revenge for the the peacock network when CBS lured Jack Benny away.” Good God Man, let it go.
That made me LOL
Needed that laugh.. Too funny!
Secrets? Are you serious? It’s a late night talk show, not the CIA. And why would Fallon, who is already kicking Dave’s ass in the ratings, need any help from Dave’s old cue card guy?
Who’s Jack Benny?
Who’s Rochester?
I believe he was fired several years ago, then brought back 2 weeks later. No details were released at that time.
yea, I think he’s been off the payroll for a while…..and they took his stapler
It’s been a few years, but does anyone remember that New Yorker profile of Tony? It was one of those short essays at the front of the magazine. Tony was always a big deal to Letterman because of a previous television show he had worked on and Letterman was quite effusive in his praise. Tough way to end the relationship, but good to know he still gets paid. Would love to know the rest of the story.
Assault? Sounds like the most minor of scuffles. Shame on Scheft for getting the old guy fired when a milder administrative solution most likely would have sufficed. Maybe they could have had Mendez polish Scheft’s Emmys? They are probably paying him off in full because their case is paper thin, not out of corporate generosity.
What emmys, the douchbag is always a bridesmaid, and never a bride. LOL
Are youvtrying to say being a sexist bride
objectified female is the same as winning
some kind of award???????
And an unobjectified female maid to the bride is a loser ??????
If the Tony guy were me I probably as well as hundreds of others had the same response the first week of working with mouthy creative types. Just saying. Always have enjoyed the goofs Tony and Dave play on the show skits. I’m really going to miss this show and all the fun. Really quite clever always and original. Congrats on being longterm. Xox to all of yas.
Another case of a head writer acting like a dick. Now the cue card calligraphy job is all his and he can collect residual checks from SAGAFTRA while nursing a bad case of writer’s cramp.
Tune in tomorrow for “Top Ten Things You Shouldn’t Say To The Head Writer.”
This sure sounds like a story 60 Minutes should be jumping on if the History Channel isn’t already planning a 3-night special program.
Water Cooler, you are very funny!! You made my day!!
Yeah, it’s not like ideas are born out of boredom..or anything like that.
Bill is toast when Dave leaves. The only reason he still has a job is bc of Dave’s loyalty. There has always been Bill vs the rest of the writing staff thing happening over there. In May, he’ll see how cold it is out there. 57 and unemployed…ouch.
The article says he’s 69 if so he can collect Social Security, and I’m sure after 21 years with Dave Letterman he has something saved up. It’s not like he’s 35.
Yes that could very well be true. But exactly how long will that money last? And it’s not like he can just transfer to some other show (or maybe he could). We all know it’s a young person’s business. A 69 yr old cue card holder isn’t gonna hold up against the 20 somethings coming into the business now. Its just a cold hard fact of the business.
I thought the credits listed cue cards as a separate vendor. Maybe Mendez was really a subcontractor, still getting paid by WWP. It’s decent enough for Letterman to pay the guy’s salary and benefits through the end of theshow’s run, though.
Sounds like Mendez needs his meds fixed. Can’t believe they gave him such a generous sendoff. He should have been fired…out of a cannon.
Were you there? Do you know what Scheft said? How long he’s been saying it? Do you know anything about this? No. Doesn’t stop you from declaring who’s wrong, does it?
What’s the deal with keeping him on the payroll? That’s some consideration for 21 years with the show.
Many on the Late Show staff have an inflated view of their own self-worth. The reckoning will come when Letterman retires and certain people discover no one is clamoring for them. Then they’ll expect to be treated with the courtesies they can’t be bothered with dispensing now.
Maybe it’s just another Letterman-Mendez skit thought up by a network publicist to hype the show as Letterman prepares to walk off into the sunset. A fake controversy to spike ratings.
Well if Mendez is 67 that makes him a senior
citizen, then the abuse becomes senior
abuse ….. A Criminal Offense…!!!!!