File Name: DLS_046_02.

wmv
Show Number: DLS_046
Airdate: 08-25
Transcribed by: Frances Galanza
Episode Length: 00:15:13
DAVID LETTERMAN : Hello! Goodmorning and welcome to the David
Letterman Show. Were coming to you live this morning from New York
City. My name is David Letterman.
Today is Monday, August the twenty-fifth and I am just finishing my
second cup of sodium penathol.
AhhComing up at this half hour Dr. Lawrence J. Hatterer will be here.
Hes written a book about pleasure addiction. And also, the debut, the
premiere, the absolute first time, ha ha ha, of ahh, a new feature here
on the show, Coffee Cup Theater.
So join us then if you can. Until then, drive safely. Good night!
Got a head full of wet felt this morning, ladies and gentlemen.
What we do on Mondays is we make a bad phone call. If you have a
phone call you dont wanna make, Id be happy to make it for you.
Arlene or Im sorry, Ariene Geason? Is that correct pronunciation of
your name Ariene? Stand up and walk towards the microphone if you
will.
LADY 1 : Arlene Glason.
DAVID LETTERMAN : Well, close enough for NBC then. Uhmm We
have Ariene Geason.
ARLENE GLASON : Someone doesnt know how to spell.
DAVID LETTERMAN : We dont have Ls on our drivers license. Dri. Ls
on our drivers license?
The word I was looking for was typewriters.
I dont know...I
Im awfully sorry Arlene. Well put the Ls in now.
Ahh...

So this is an old joke. Is this what happens when you get the Ls
knocked out of it. I dont know. Arlene Gleason.
ARLENE GLAZA : No. Glaza.
DAVID LETTERMAN : Hahaha
Okay. Lets just changed it to Smith, shall we Arlene?
ARLENE GLAZA: Good. Hahaha.
DAVID LETTERMAN : Arlene, where are from?
ARLENE GLAZA : Commeck Long Island.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Commeck Long Island. Where were you.ahh
Who would you like me to call and why?
ARLENE GLAZA : My job. Ahh I took off today sick and they dont
know it. But I think they know it now if theyre watching.
DAVID LETTERMAN: I think maybe they do know it.
What line of work are you in?
ARLENE GLAZA : Im a secretary.
DAVID LETTERMAN: And for for what kind of company?
ARLENE GLAZA : Pilgrim Psychiatric Center.
David : Why, thats a confidence builder isnt it.
AhhSo you would like to me to call your job and tell them wont be
here.
Right. Because youre ill huh?
ARLENE GLAZA : Sick.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Sick Okay. Okay.
Okay Arlene. Have a seat well ponder that and get back to you.
Is Connie Golden with us this morning. Hello Connie, she will uhh.
Thank you very much. You would like me to call whom Connie?
CONNIE GOLDEN : UhhMy assistant superintendent.

DAVID LETTERMAN : What is that?

CONNIE GOLDEN : He is the guy in charge or personel work.
DAVID LETTERMAN : Oh. Where do you work?
CONNIE GOLDEN: UhmmI shouldnt say. A school district in Long
Island.
DAVID LETTERMAN : Oh. So as the superintendent of schools
CONNIE GOLDEN : Hes been in Japan. Like for a month, Ive been
trying to call him.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Uh-huh.
CONNIE GOLDEN: To find out if I have a full time job.
DAVID LETTERMAN : Mmhmm
CONNIE GOLDEN : I get laid off all the time.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Uh-huh. Why is that? Is it
CONNIE GOLDEN: Well, teaching is not a very good, ps, job these days.
Coz youre, way the end of the line
DAVID LETTERMAN: Uh-huh
CONNIE GOLDEN : And ahh Ive been laid off, you know, almost every
summer for about seven years.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Yeah. Oh. Heavens.
CONNIE GOLDEN: So. In August, you know, I sweat out looking for
uhmm, what job Im gonna have. If Im gonna teach this, this or this.
So I dont have time right now. Ive been trying to call him to find out if
Im going to have a full time job
DAVID LETTERMAN : Hmmhmm
CONNIE GOLDEN : Coz Im first in line to be rehired.
But hes been in Japan. And I havent been able to call him

DAVID LETTERMAN : Okay. So you want me to call to him to find out if

youre working for the next nine months.
CONNIE GOLDEN : Yes coz I either have to block for kindergarten or
social science which is sixth grade.
DAVID LETTERMAN : Okay. You know if this doesnt work out, there may
be an opening where Arlene used to work. Well call over there. Alright
Connie, come on down here. Im gonna call this gentleman for you.
Connie Golden. See if she has a job.
Where.Where are we calling by the way Connie? Port Washington? Is
that near here?
CONNIE GOLDEN : Well the subway is a little bit slow.
DAVID LETTERMAN: In the upper part of the state
CONNIE GOLDEN : Ahh no. Well I dont know. You look just like him too.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Oh he does looks just like me?
CONNIE GOLDEN: Lean and mean
DAVID LETTERMAN: Lean and mean? Okay. Calling Jack Bierwirth?
CONNIE GOLDEN: Bierwirth. The third.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Bierwirth. The third. You mean there were two
previous Jack Bierwirth?
LADY IN PHONE: Hello.
DAVID LETTERMAN : Hello is Dr. Jack Bierwirth III in there please?
What does that mean? Theyre knocking what was.
DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III : Jack Bierwirth
DAVID LETTERMAN : Ohh Mr Bierwirth, Dr. Bierwirth. Hello Mr. Bierwirth.
DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III: Yes?
DAVID LETTERMAN : This is David Letterman. Im calling in from New
York City. How are you this morning sir?

DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III : Im fine thank you

DAVID LETTERMAN: How how was the orient?
DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III : Wonderful.
DAVID LETTERMAN: What did you do there in japan?
DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III :Ahh went hiking and I went to Hong kong and
Thailand and uhh Malaysia and Singapore as well.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Oh boy its a full trip for you huh?
DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III : Yes sir.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Did you go by yourself?
DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III : Nope. Im with a friend.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Friend? And ahh How about the family? Did you
take the family?
DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III : No.
CONNIE GOLDEN: He didnt take his wife?
DAVID LETTERMAN: What happened to your wife Jack? Did your wife
make the trip?
DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III : Ahh no no. She didnt
DAVID LETTERMAN: Okay Jack.
CONNIE GOLDEN: Im in trouble.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Jack, welcome back to the united states and ahh.
Ahh I, you know a lady named Connie Golden?
DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III : I do.
DAVID LETTERMAN :And how would you describe your relationship with
Connie.
CONNIE GOLDEN: Dont say that.

DAVID LETTERMAN : I mean business wise?

DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III : Very good, very good.
DAVID LETTERMAN : Very good? And ahhshe works for you as sort of
a ahha fill in employee. Part time, half time
DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III: No. Shes taking over when other teachers
have uhh has taken a leave of absence.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Uh-huh. Ahhhave you ever thought about hiring
her full time?
DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III: Sure.
DAVID LETTERMAN : Ahhuhmm do you think maybe she is ready for
a full time status?
DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III : Ahh, she would be if we had a job for her.
CONNIE GOLDEN : I dont believe this.
DAVID LETTERMAN : Oh no.
CONNIE GOLDEN : It looks like
DAVID LETTERMAN : Yeah. What do we send some guys out there to rip
him up.
CONNIE GOLDEN : No, no hes so nice. I told you. Hes just like you.
DAVID LETTERMAN : Ahh Connies right here Jack and she wanted me
to call and find out if you had an opening for her this year.
DR. JACK BIERWIRTH III: Ahh just for a half time slot.
CONNIE GOLDEN : Thats okay. Im gonna have that job.
DAVID LETTERMAN : Thats alright? Okay. Well take it Jack.
You hang though. Heres Connie.
Ahhh, coming up next, Dr. Lawrence J. Hatterer will be here.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK
DAVID LETTERMAN: Hi.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Frank Cowen ladies and gentlemen and the symphony orchestra. Have
you ever
Thats alright. Have you ever thought you
Have you ever thought you might be indulging in too much of a good
thing. Well, my next guest has written a book called The Pleasure
Addicts. In which he explores habits and addictions. Ladies and
gentlemen, please welcome, Dr. Lawrence J. Hatterer .
Hey doctor.
Now as I told you before the show, I was mislead by the title of this
book, the pleasure of Addicts. The addictive process, food, sex, drugs,
alcohol, work and more, I had a feeling that this book was about
society in the united being hedonistic, therefore, were all out seeking
to fulfill this desires for pleasure and then get getting addicted.
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER : Alright.
Now the book is about addiction. Which is an age old disease. I mean
mankind struggled with addiction through out centuries.
And it is a disease in which people use pleasure in a dysfunctional
way. In other words, what happens to them, is that they have to
repetitively compulsively almost automatically look for a high.
Not only do they look for a high sometimes, a rush or a turn on and
they do that to cope with lifes problems that they cant cope with
DAVID LETTERMAN : What kind of things are most people addicted to?
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER: Well, I would probably say, food, and
smoking and alcohol. Those are the hard addictions.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Hmm-hmm
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER: I mean those are the ones that people
struggle with everyday.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Right.
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER: People have to have what we call
tolerance, that is the more they do it, the less satisfaction, they also

get withdrawal. These are things that make it different from the habit
or just plain excess.
DAVID LETTERMAN : But ahh these are things that certainly in case of
food which everybody needs, and we operate on a system that if you
work hard. During the weekends, you should unwind.
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER : Right but if the person uses the food just
not for nutrition but for occasion or relaxation.
But uses it to cope, to cop out or to cover up, or to do things that food
shouldnt be used for. Then they become obese.
And you know obesity, people die anywhere from five to ten years
earlier .
DAVID LETTERMAN : Yeah.
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER: And obesity is one of major killers just like
alcohol is a killer and smoking we know that people get emphysema ,
cancer and also addiction has another thing. Addiction has byproducts.
We call them hangovers or withdrawals symptoms. The by-product
being is that it is destructive to the human being.
Its a way of using pleasure. That really in the long run uhmm
eventually backfires.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Uh-huh.
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER : Its the dysfunctional use.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Now what causes this kind of behavior because,
seeking pleasure and having to fulfill is certainly okay, isnt it?
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER: Absolutely. And in fact, what we found out
and I think after a decade of research we now know, that people
become addicted to , theres a chemical component, in other words, a
person gets that high or that rush or that something within the brain.
We produce a thing called endorphins.
But the way that we can approach addictions in terms of really helping
people is that we know that addictions are produced very often in the
home.

That is if you have two addictive parents, 80% of the chance of you
becoming addicted is much, much greater.
We also know that there is peer pressure. People live in situations
where they cant cope and kids turn other kids on. And make what we
see of the 10% of the highschool population America is on Marijuana
everyday.
Well from that group of people, were gonna have many, many
youngsters, who will develop what we call a motivational syndrome.
That is that they will not be able to function because theyre using
Marijuana because they cant face the day, they cant face the
competition.
They cant face the things that are all happening to them in society.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Is that more of a circumstance of a personality
type or
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER : No. No. One of the things I try to make a
distinction in pleasure addicts is that there is a difference between a
process and a personality type.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Hmmhmm
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER: Unfor
DAVID LETTERMAN: What is the
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER: Unfortunately, the differences is that
theyre interactive.
See, what were finding out is, for example, a working addict, can have
a wife who is a spending addict and one can keep the other going.
In other words, addiction is interactive. They happen between people.
People can come become addicted, not only to substances which is
what we knew for centuries. But also to acts and interactions people,
can have addicition to people which can be very destructive.
For example in alcoholism. There are situations where the people, keep
the alcoholic drinking.
And they dont know it. I call that the addictive complementing.

That is somebody who has a vested interest in keeping that person

addicted. And one of the major problems that were facing in America
today, is that because of the disease of pleasure, whats happening, is
that were seeing a great deal of denial.
People are unable to face, because not only because its happened
for centuries. But now, I think were in some sort of an epidemic
culture.
I was on the road to 15 cities. You wouldnt believe the number of
people, campdrivers, people that I met on programs. People who are
doing radio shows.
How many of them said, that their main problems in addiction was,
they couldnt identify it, or they were afraid they had it. Or if they knew
somebody who had it, they were afraid to confront them.
Because people get angry when you take away some aspect of the
pleasurable part of their life. Even though its destructive.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Were all aware that people are addicted to alcohol
and certain drugs and people do over-eat. Are there other forms of
pleasure.
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER: Yes. See, this is what happened in the
past decade.
Originally, it was all just a substance. Now we see that it is behavior.
People become addicted to work, to sex, to gambling, or even fighting.
Example, the people become addicted to running. They fulfill the same
requirements.
DAVID LETTERMAN: But isnt that okay though, I mean
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER: Anything that is gonna destroy human
being. Some aspect of their mind, or body or somebody elses mind or
body thats not okay because, its a disease.
DAVID LETTERMAN: But how can be addicted to running, and Im not
convinced thatIs it and addiction
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER: If it fulfills the requirements. And I had a
friend for example.

His addiction to running interfered with his sex life.

Literally, I mean. He was too tired.
And not only that; When we went out with him, he was obsessed; he
compulsively talked about the running.
He ran with this guy every morning, he was exhausted the rest of the
day
So if it interferes with your functioning, any aspect of your functioning,
whether to your love life to your family, anything of that sort. That
means it is destroying some part of you.
And by the way, alcohol addiction is really one of the big killers in our
country.
55% of the automobiles killing accidents take place, because people
have been drunk-driving. And they have refused to admit that they had
the addiction.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Why do you go back to being addicted to running
or to sex . AhhNormally
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER: You think you cant too much of addiction.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Exactly.
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER : Well, what you find in sexual addicts is
the same thing.
The person is using sex, not for fun , not for affection not for love, not
for abandonment. They use the sex, purely on a masturbatory level.
To get that pleasure set going. And they use it for things not having to
do with pleasure real intrinsic pleasure.
They sometimes have dissolving problems of anger, in dissolving all
sorts of other things. And its essentially, when you talk to a sex addict,
its essentially removed and detached to after a while.
To the end stages, they would say that theyre really not enjoying it.
And add a destruction to the body which we find in America today is
that there is 5% increase of venereal disease.

And thats taking place because people are sexually addicted. They
have hundreds of orgasms and everybody is not that fantastic.
But they also get a lot of diseases.
DAVID LETTERMAN : Hmm And it interferes with their running too.
Ahh This is to me mind boggling like, could ahh golf. Could it
become addicted to golf?
DR. LAWRENCE J. HATTERER : Well, I think it is not good, unless
somebody really finds that activity is in a way destructive to them. You
cant use it tumultuously.
I have never had a golf addict. My father loves golf by the way, but
hes not an addict.
He is healthy. He enjoys it. Im sure he gets a little high from it but
DAVID LETTERMAN: Well
The book is called The Pleasure Addicts and Dr. Lawrence J. Hatterer.
Well be right back folks.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
DAVID LETTERMAN: Thank you Frank.
Well, its kind of a special time on the David Letterman Show. Now its
time to relax in the middle of our busy schedules whenever we want to
do what we want, whether we put our feet back, sit up with a nice, hot
cup of steaming coffee and enjoy a brand new feature on the show.
A feature we like to call, Coffee Cup Theatre, so we do.
The first in many installments of a fine and classic film. Our film today,
Suicide Squad.
Lets take a look now, at the first of many installments.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Well, if there are any reactions here in the studio audience, weve got a
solid hit on her hands.

Ladies and Gentlemen, as the first installment of Coffee Cup Theatre

and todays feature of course is Suicide Squad starring Norman
Foster and Joyce Copland and wow, those kids act up a storm huh?
Okay, tomorrow well go into installment number two. Ahh we have
to pause now for a commercial but well be right back with a NBC news
update when we get right back after you take a look at this.
[End of film]