Before he evolved into the wise, gray-bearded guru of the last few decades, Bob Weir was a starry-eyed youngster with a noticeable wild streak. In fact, he often didn’t even look the part of a rock star—or a member of the Grateful Dead—sporting relatively short hair, polo shirts, and his now-legendary short shorts.
It’s easy to see why he earned the nickname “Bob Weird,” and in these three appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman, Weir—alongside Jerry Garcia—reveals a sharp, self-aware comedic side. It’s a version of the Dead we rarely got to see onstage, even during one of their famed Madison Square Garden runs, and from 1982 in between tour stops. Check out the stellar take on “I Second That Emotion,” from the 1989 clip featuring a very healthy-looking Jerry.
