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Dec 12 (Reuters) – U.S. talk show host David Letterman has given many interviews in his lifetime – but never this one.
In October, the evening host traveled to Kyiv to interview Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the safest part of the city, a subway platform 300 feet (90 meters) underground.
A small audience watched in the semi-darkness as the subway trains rumbled past. At one point a siren went off. Letterman looked alarmed, but no one else reacted. What does this show, he asked?
“Unfortunately, this means that war has become a habit,” Zelensky said. “A lot of Ukrainians are used to it… To me, sirens are an indicator that the war is not over… it’s a reminder that somewhere someone is giving their life for yours.”
In February, Russia sent troops into Ukraine in what it called a “special operation” to degrade its southern neighbor’s military capacity and root out what it calls dangerous nationalists. Ukraine and the West claim the war was an unprovoked act of aggression.
Letterman also spoke with the head of the Ukrainian railways – vital to the war effort – and visited a comedy club. He discussed with Zelensky, a former comedian, the importance of humor in dark times and talked to him about his family.
Only by talking to his wife and children could he breathe, the Ukrainian leader said.
“Children know much more about war than we do. My son is 9 years old. He knows the names of all weapons… Each of us sacrifices for our country. Our children sacrificed their childhood,” he said.
Letterman’s Netflix show “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction” has featured conversations with former President Barack Obama, rapper Jay-Z and singer Billie Eilish in previous episodes.
Netflix is spending heavily to produce and acquire content as it races to dominate streaming TV and beat out traditional media competition.
“My Next Guest…with David Letterman and Volodymyr Zelensky” airs on Netflix starting Monday. (Written by Lisa Shoemaker, edited by Rosalba O’Brien)
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