The Late Show Transcript

David Letterman Interviewing Katie Holmes

LETTERMAN: Our next guest stars on the very popular television series Dawson’s Creek and in a new film entitled, The Gift currently in theatres. Here’s the lovely Katie Holmes.

(Katie comes out, shakes Dave’s hand, then sits down)

LETTERMAN: Well, you look terrific.

HOLMES: Thank you.

LETTERMAN: You just look great. You’re like all grown up and stuff.

HOLMES: Well, I have to tell you a story.

LETTERMAN: Yeah, a story.

HOLMES: Well, the last time I was on, I had this little yellow dress on and you called me little lemon sorbet.

(Audience laughs)

LETTERMAN: Really? I called you little lemon sorbet?

HOLMES: Yeah!

LETTERMAN: Was I drunk? What was I –

(Audience laughs)

HOLMES: I thought it was endearing and sweet…but, um, when I went back to Wilmington, I went to my dressing room and they had replaced my name with “Our Little Lemon Sorbet”.

LETTERMAN: Well, isn’t that cute. That’s very lovely.

HOLMES: And so it kind of set me apart. So I was wondering what I am tonight?

LETTERMAN: Well, you are an elegant young woman. An elegant young woman…yes.

HOLMES: Ha! I am?

LETTERMAN: Yes, lovely.

HOLMES: That’s the best. Thanks.

LETTERAMN: The epitome of sophisticated womanhood. Don’t you think Paul?

SHAFFER: (imitating Marv Albert) Absolutely. YES!

(Audience laughs)

HOLMES: Wow! I’m getting nervous.

LETTERMAN: Now, now…do you mind if I ask you a personal question? The first time you and I met on the show -- what was it three/four years ago -- how old were you then?

HOLMES: Uh, 19.

LETTERAMN: You were 19 then. So you’re a -- like early twenties now.

(Audience laughs)

LETTERMAN: You…you couldn’t look lovelier for heaven’s sakes.

HOLMES: Well thank you. You look very nice yourself.

LETTERMAN: Aw, come on forget it. Uh, should we talk about the big show tonight?

HOLMES: OK.

LETTERMAN: Tell the people what happened tonight on The Creek. Do we call it The Creek? Or is it…

HOLMES: The Creek is fine.

LETTERMAN: We call it DC? What do we call it?

HOLMES: Yeah, DC is good. Yeah, it’s fine. Uh, tonight is a very big episode. Joey and Pacey take their relationship to the next step.

LETTERMAN: And what does that mean? Dairy Queen?

(Audience and Katie laugh)

HOLMES: No that would be my world!

LETTERMAN: Oh.

HOLMES: No they…(she says quietly)…they have sex.

LETTERMAN: Wow! Oh well! (David puts both his hands up in the air.) Now, uh, uh, and…and… for your character…

HOLMES: (nods her head) They would be their first time.

LETTERMAN: Holy Cow! (He rubs his forehead with his hand).

HOLMES: Yeah.

LETTERMAN: And, and can you do that on television? Can you see --

HOLMES: Well, you can’t see it. But it leads up…

LETTERMAN: How could they suggest -- well, what do we see on the show? What happens?

HOLMES: There’s a beautiful fire, and you know, we’re in a cabin, and I take off his shirt.

LETTERMAN: Yeah.

HOLMES: Well, I thought I would do that for all the little girls watching.

(Dave laughs)

HOLMES: And it was kinda funny, cause that day we were shooting on the stage, and it’s supposed to be very romantic so the DP put, um, this fog in the air. And all of a sudden after a couple of takes, Josh and I are like coughing. So there’s stuff in our lungs and we’re saying you know, “I love you, I wanna do this”

(Katie motions and makes a clearing the throat coughing noise)

“excuse me”…you know…so that was kind a --

LETTERMAN: Like chest cold, I’m sorry.

HOLMES: Yeah.

LETTERMAN: I have a hacking cough but --

HOLMES: Yeah. And, uh, thanks for the Chinese at lunch…that really helped too.

(Audience laughs)

LETTERMAN: So at anytime during the production of this pivotal episode. This watermark episode, this landmark episode --

HOLMES: Yes --

LETTERMAN: Was there nudity at anytime…total nudity?

(Katie looks at him shocked)

Were you naked at anytime on the set?

(Katie turns her head and looks at Paul and laughs)

HOLMES: Dave…this is a teen show!

LETTERMAN: I know it’s a teen show, but in the production…I know we don’t see nudity on the show, but was it like you come out -- and you have -- uh you and Kenny --

HOLMES: Kenny.

(Katie starts laughing again and nods her head)

LETTERMAN: You each have a bath-robe on or something? Is that what this was or not?

HOLMES: No. No, No. Not at all.

LETTERMAN: Are you undressed to any degree whatsoever?

(Katie laughs)

HOLMES: No. I’m fully dressed.

LETTERMAN: Fully dressed. Right. And the scene is handled tenderly and with great feeling?

HOLMES: It’s very romantic.

LETTERMAN: How...how did your family feel about this when you told them “Oh, guess what’s happening tonight Mom and Dad…”?

(Audience laughs)

HOLMES: Well...they’re struggling, but um, when I went home for -- we shot that right before Christmas…so I went home, and I was hanging out at my sister Holly’s house and her husband’s right there and we were just watching TV…and I go, “Oh, I forgot to tell you I lost my virginity on my birthday” cause we filmed it on my birthday. And all of a sudden my sister’s like

(she makes it look like she’s bracing herself)

…you know, and her husband, whom I’ve know since I was about ten was just like ‘so this is a girl moment

(she acts out how they would look)

and why did she just bring this up?’ and…I was like why are they…?

(she makes the face like it just dawns on her)

…on the show. With Pacey! And they were like ‘Oh, God, Thanks. Don’t tell mom and dad.’ You know…

(Dave stutters something and tries to say it and he motions with his hands)

(Katie brings both her hands to cover her mouth)

LETTERMAN: You know what I mean Paul?

SHAFFER: Course I know. Boy do I know what you mean.

(Audience laughs)

LETTERMAN: But I can’t --and it just seems like the obvious thing, but I can’t even…so never mind.

HOLMES: What?

LETTERMAN: Just never mind. Just never mind. Let’s talk about other things.

HOLMES: OK. Are you getting uncomfortable?

LETTERMAN: No, no, no, no. I’m really getting interested.

(Katie’s mouth goes wide and she turns her head and then covers her mouth with her hand. The crowd is erupting with laughter)

HOLMES: My mom’s here.

(Katie points to the floor)

LETTERMAN: Is your mom here today?

HOLMES: Yes.

LETTERMAN: Oh, then…oh…ok. But I just wondered, in the world of speculation, now, hypothetically speaking, um…a character on a television show portraying that tender loving scene and I’m thinking to myself ‘Gosh I wonder if it was like anything like…what life was like for that character in the real world?’ If it was…not even you…if there was another character here who had gone through that. You know what I’m saying?

(Katie laughs)

HOLMES: Well, I hope so. I hope I gave a realistic portrayal.

LETTERMAN: Right. Right. I’ll bet.

HOLMES: (she spreads her arms) I don’t know. I don’t know. Well, you can be the judge.

LETTERMAN: Yeah. Well, not entirely I guess.

(Katie laughs and brings her hands to her face)

HOLMES: No. No, I didn’t –

(Katie shakes her head)

HOLMES: (pointing a finger to David) You always do this to me.

LETTERMAN: From your lips to God’s ears --

HOLMES: Ohhhhhh….Well you can film in Toledo, Ohio.

LETTERMAN: Well, yeah, you know. It just sets -- I start wondering and I’ll just let it go at that. Cause what you do in your real life is none of my business. Honestly. And frankly I don’t wanna know…I don’t wanna know…I have a pretty good idea, but I don’t want to know.

HOLMES: I think you’re presuming.

LETTERMAN: Well, maybe I am and maybe I’m not…but again…live and let live.

HOLMES: OK.

LETTERMAN: Uh, well, it’s great to have you with us again.

HOLMES: Thank you.

LETTERMAN: And congratulations on the show. You just get lovelier every time I see you.

HOLMES: As do you.

LETTERMAN: Well, thank you very much.

HOLMES: Thank you very much.

(They shake hands)

LETTERMAN: Katie Holmes, ladies and gentlemen.

(Katie waves to the crowd)

THE END

Late Show With David Letterman Webpage>

Katie Holmes
The Late Show

February 7th 2001

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