Tom: (dryly) I'm surprised that they caught it.

Interview:
Letterman reels off a list of films Waits had been in up to that point, but can't remember one. When he asks Tom which movie it was, Waits replies "Ben Hur".
Waits talked about his folks who are teachers and about his children. Letterman asked how old his kids were, and Waits says "My boy is older than I am."
Letterman asked Waits which place he likes living better - New York or LA. Waits sort of ducked the question, but said that NYC is like a great ship sinking in the ocean, and the ocean's on fire.
Waits says that the cover photo of Raindogs was taken in Hamburg and he told the names of the two people in the picture. One was supposedly Rosicrucia.

Closing Song:
He ended the show with "Time" as the credits rolled. Tom was trying to tune his guitar, but soon decided to just play the song with his guitar still a good deal out of tune.

Ian: 'You're over her [in England] to plug your new album aren't you?'
Tom: [mumbling] 'That's right, I am over here to promote some new work, and ... [mumble,mumble]...'

Ian: [interrupts in a determinedly jovial way] 'Perhaps you'd like to plug it a bit louder?'
Tom: [Stops talking and looks at Ian] '...Hm?'

Ian: 'Our microphones are having trouble picking you up-perhaps you'd like to plug it a bit louder?'
Tom: [Looks at Ian, wide-eyed...looks at other guests...looks at camera crew... looks at Ian...looks at camera crew...looks at Ian...long embarassing silence...] 'I'll plug it in my OWN damn way'...

Ian was given a Tom Waits doll (an action man dressed up as Tom) with a string at the back, which, when pulled, replays Tom saying 'I'll plug it in my OWN damn way' (not available in stores)

Martin Mull asks him about whether he's checked out the restaurants in Fernwood and he says "Yeah, I went to last night, and they had a buffet special. I believe it was all you can stand for a dollar... I looked at my plate and I didn't know whether to eat it or give it a ride home..."

When talking about his music, he stated "Got a new song, 'Breakfast In Jail'. it's actually a dance number 'Do The Breakfast In Jail'!" and claimed that his new album was an opus entitled 'Music To Seduce A Divorced Waitress By'.

He also borrowed $20 from one of the interviewers ("But I had to leave the four-year-old as collateral").

If I'm not mistaken, Tom is the only guest on the history of Fernwood Tonight (and its successor America Tonight) that actually appeared as him/herself. All other guests were actors playing roles.

After performing a live version of "Step Right Up" (TW playing a National Cash Register), Tom joined the other guests in the semi-circle. A bizarre mix of people, to say the least! Also present were the reigning Miss Universe (crown and all), William F. Buckley (yes, the one and only), and Cindy Williams (of Laverne and Shirley fame). Cindy sat right next to Tom, and seemed to genuinely enjoy his presence. He sat forward on his chair, and rocked front-to-back as he spoke. She kept rubbing his back with her hand (affectionately!)

While sitting between Dinah and Buckley, as I recall Dinah was discussing college w/Buckley and asked Tom if he went to school and he said "yeah, that's where I learned to smoke (as he puffed on a Lucky).

Dinah asked him where he stayed when he was on the road. In retrospect, this was probably a scripted query. His answer: "I stay in a place called 'Rooms'... There's a whole chain of them."

Tom also decided not to help Dinah with a cooking demonstration?