How Rupert did those skits with a straight face I’ll never know

This was so ahead of it's time. Dave was truly one of a kind and a complete visionary. Rupert was always hilarious and a great sport. I'm amazed no-one thumped him during these skits 😂

Wandered into the Deli a few years back and there he was. Just a quiet unassuming guy. Bought an OJ and told him I always enjoyed his sketches - he seemed super genuine and gracious.

I met Rupert 2 years ago when I visited New York. Such a great generous man. I loved Rupert’s appearances on Letterman

I went to two tapings of the Late Show and stopped in to see Rupert both times.....I bought a T-Shirt from him (which he signed) as well as got a sandwich both times. He was the nicest guy ever! I heard he just retired....good for him!

I met Rupert's mother in '99 in the deli, She was lovely.

The Late Show with David Letterman blazed the way for every late night show that followed, and no small part of the show's genius were the bits. Rupert was an amazing find, a terrific bit, and Dave saw the potential such an idea could have, so everyone gets to know how funny Dave is, how chill Rupert is, and how awesome New York City is!

Imagine you’re trying to run your busy business in Manhattan and you have Dave Letterman bothering you all the time? It was amazing. Who didn’t love Rupert Jee?

I miss Dave so much. He was part of my routine…

I met Rupert in 2013 when I went to NYC for a vacation.

Rupert was amazing the way he would instantly deliver his lines in a convincing way. He was a good actor.

I hope he made millions. What a good sport.

I remember after going to see Dave, I went and got picture with Rupert. He was really just as nice as he was on the show. 😊

Rupert was great. I watched letterman from when it started airing in Sweden say mid nineties or so. big big part of my teens love all these clips of the guys and girls that made the show so special

Fun fact: Rupert sold (and maybe still sells) "LSwDL" merch not as the "Hello Deli," but as "Worldwide Meats, Inc."

I can't tell you how many times I've watched the dave and rupert clips. Tears when he had him stick his finger in the lady's drink 😂

I met Rupert the day I went to a Late Show taping. He couldn't have been nicer!

I love me some Rupert Jee.

Rupert: someone pulled a knife on "us"

My only trip to NYC was in the Summer of ‘95. I went to the Hello Deli and we chatted for a few minutes. I asked him about his adventures out and about with you talking in his ear. He said he enjoyed doing it, and that it showed him how patient people were. I bought a t-shirt and I wore it a LOT!

Rupert and Dave were an AWESOME team with this!

Well done Rupert. Brilliant.

One of the Greats.

One of the best late night skits ever. Of course I also loved the throwing of watermelons off a 5 story building lol

I always loved when Dave had Rupert on during a segment. Such memories!

He nearly got Rupert killed

What a legend 🖤

Rupert was awesome and such a great sport. Thanks Dave!

I know Rupert (I was on the show with him) he got emotional when Dave asked him if he was going to miss us.

Took a picture with him on my first visit to NYC with the slurpee machine. Personally my favorite late night segment. Perfect late night content. Please post the videos with the slurpees!!!! It’s slurpalitious!

I was a HUGE Letterman fan from the very beginning & Rupert was a true star on that show. The guy was unflappable, which is saying a lot since he had to work around the funniest guy in TV. Very, very rarely was there a time when he would break during a skit. After 31 years in business, Rupert retired, surprisingly without finding a buyer for his deli. Therefore, as of now, the fate of the physical location of "Hello Deli" remains uncertain, and it has not been transformed into a new establishment​. I sure am hoping that someone steps up & grabs that little gem. It is a legendary location & has a history like no other. A real, tried & true, N.Y. deli. God bless both of these guys!

Thank you, Rupert! ❤

Band plays "Hello Dolly". Nice job Mr Shaffer.

Basically, Dave and Rupert invented Impractical Jokers.

Good ol' Rupert. Running his deli and getting a bunch of good exposure thanks to Dave. Announced his retirement at the same time Phantom of the Opera announced the end of their Broadway run.

OMG, I haven't laughed that hard since Dave retired!!!

Y'all need a part 2 of this!!

You say goodbye, I say Hello Deli.

Damn, Dave was brutal! 🤣Impractical Jokers wasn't this vicious.

Please tell me Rupert is OK.

I was really hoping Colbert would pick up where Dave left off and include Rupert in the new show, at least here and there.

Wow these still hold up 😂 loved this bit as a kid ❤

An integral part of this show.

The one where Rupert puts his thumb in the water just kills me.

I've been to NY once and Hello Deli twice. :) He was so great.

There was nothing better on late night tv than David Letterman...Rupert was great too.

Haha! I loved these. I kind of wish they showed the one where the guy pulled a knife, but I'm guessing there are legal reasons why they can't. Maybe they could have blurred his face.

happy retirement, Rupert!

All good wishes to you and your family, Rupert. Will never forget visiting the Hello Deli.

LEGENDARY

I miss Dave 😢

I miss this so bad!

Rupert G.. ..legend of late night gags

Thank you for the shirt Rupert!

Did any of those customers ever see themselves on the repeat episodes and realize that Letterman put poor Rupert up to it? What a laugh they should have had 😅

It's sad to think Hello Deli is closed now, but I wish Rupert a very long and happy retirement. I met him a few years ago and he couldn't be nicer.

The best!

I sure do miss you….David(as ur momma always called u❤️)

Rupert is great, I had no idea they went all the way back to 1994? Wow.

Rupert for President!

Legends!

I MISS this show!

I have finally solved my dilemma of what to call my Golden Retriever pup...

The original Impractical Jokers 😅

We’re just playing grab-ass in the kitchen!

Rupert G might be the coolest guy on the planet

Good times 😊

❤😂 Only Dave❤😂😊

Omg I thought he passed away! I'm glad this was regarding the show.

I met Rupert in 1996!

Omg, this was awesome. So, the knife incident, did they air any of it?

You couldn't do this today. Someone would have called the cops, put it on social media and pulled a gun all at the same time.

rupert you were fun

The original idea which became, 'Impractical Jokers'

Met Rupert in 2018 buyin LSwDL merch and visitin the deli while around the corner from the Ed. I swear to God he must hv got sick of so many tourists goin 'omg Rupert Jee' 'what's Dave like' etc. I got a diet red bull and sht tonne of Dave merch. He seemed underwhelmed, done it a million times before, but nice enough. Kinda like he was on tv.

The graphics intern: "go ahead and just cover Rupert Jee with a big, blue bar. No one needs to see him."

This is awesome! Hopefully we can get a collage of videos from the Omaha Steaks guy. His name is escaping me, but back in the 80's, my brother and I video taped Dave dialing his number, which we took note of, and CALLED HIM. My older brother pretended to be someone with Late Night, and was pretending to arrange to have him as a guest on the show with Dave! (I think it's been long enough now were they won't lock us up for this little prank!). I miss Dave on late night so badly. It's just not the same without him. I'd love to see him doing some weekly interviews on here some day. I need my Letterman fill for god's sakes. :) -Matt

Man.. do i miss this era of comedy. Whole thing gone

❤️😊

Oh no is he ok ?

Did they find a buyer for the deli? They'd announced they were retiring a while back.

Good old days - miss that deli. Also first comment

I would love to find that lady Rupert was messin with at the cafe..i wonder if she now thinks it was funny or is still gonna be an uptight Martha Stewart lol..that would be interesting to find her.

😂

I know they were retiring and selling the place earlier this year. Does anyone know if they were able to sell? An EST with no LSSC couldn't have been great these last few months.

Already saw this on Don's great channel. Thanks Don.

Did Rupert het paid for all these skids?

-------------------------- walkie-talkie was large enough to reach neal Armstrong on the moon mission .....thanks4sharing .....good skit.....its neck n neck next to boy scout on Manshow ....he was a handful.....as was Rupert's character

I feel like doing some deep knee bends for some reason

I still remember that first time they talked to Rupert. It was genius. I used to see him a lot at the deli and also used to stop by Mujibur and Sirajul's old merch store.

Ellen stole this bit for her show

The serious lady Rupert aggrevated the hell out of was your blade welding victim huh?😅

Those women should have pulled a knife.

Oh, I thought this was about the “prettiest” royals. Never mind!

IS RUPERT OK???

Sad how far Late Night has fallen today with the Jimmy's, Colbert & Meyers... unwatchable.

This causes a sympathetic embarrassment.

Rupert was very unappreciative.

Thank you very Very funny your Channels my Data finished And finished money 💰 to pay my recharge from the Store . See you later all members of Community guidelines .

Ah, the good old days when Dave was actually funny and before he became an obnoxious super lefty….