Letterman returns from heart surgery, taping show to air Monday

NEW YORK (AP) -- David Letterman returned to work Friday, taping his first "Late Show" since undergoing heart surgery a month ago.<br><br>The "Late Show with David Letterman" taped Friday airs on CBS on

Friday, February 18th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) -- David Letterman returned to work Friday, taping his first "Late Show" since undergoing heart surgery a month ago.

The "Late Show with David Letterman" taped Friday airs on CBS on Monday. The guests include Jerry Seinfeld and Robin Williams.

The taping was closed to the media. Audience members who braved cold temperatures and rain to be among the first to welcome
Letterman back said the comedian was in fine form.

"He didn't look sick, he looked great," said Donna Mecca, 43, of Stamford, Conn. "In his monologue he said, `How many of you
came here to see if I was going to drop dead?' It was hysterical."

Letterman gave the audience white T-shirts with a red scar running down the chest and the date of his surgery on the sleeve. He underwent an emergency quintuple bypass operation on Jan. 14.

"It was awesome. He looked great, looks like he lost a little weight," said Johnny Jones, 36, of Manhattan.

"He's thin, he went through something very taxing," Jones said. "He's back, he's in rare form."

Letterman brought out some of the doctors and nurses who took care of him during his hospital stay, and almost came to tears when
talking about them, Jones said.

The comedian will be pacing his return at first. He will also work Wednesday, but Bill Cosby and Kathie Lee Gifford will also be guest hosts next week -- the first time Letterman has let someone else take over.

Regis Philbin, who was originally supposed to be a guest host instead of Gifford, is one of Letterman's guests on his first night back. Philbin was Letterman's on-air conversation partner when he revealed his health problems.

Philbin was forced to back out as substitute host due to increased demands from "Who Wants to be a Millionaire," the hit ABC game show he emcees.