The man who broke the rules of live television

Entertainment · Published 19 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before he was a late-night icon, he was a band member who made history on Saturday Night Live. From a life-changing trip to Las Vegas to becoming the musical backbone of David Letterman’s legendary career, discover the versatile journey of Paul Shaffer.

Born in 1949 in Toronto, Paul Shaffer’s path to stardom was set during a childhood trip to Las Vegas, where seeing Nat King Cole profoundly influenced his decision to become a performer. After studying sociology at the University of Toronto, Shaffer’s career moved through the Canadian jazz and musical scenes, eventually leading him to the NBC house band for Saturday Night Live between 1975 and 1980.

During his tenure at SNL, Shaffer achieved a unique distinction: he was the first and only band member to be named a cast member. He also became a central figure in television history when, during a 1980 sketch, he accidentally uttered the word "fuck"—a slip that bypassed censors and remained in syndication for years. His time with the show was marked by both high-profile collaborations, such as playing for Bill Murray’s lounge singer, and professional friction, including being dropped from a Blues Brothers film project by John Belushi.

Shaffer is perhaps most widely recognized for his decades-long partnership with David Letterman. Serving as musical director for both Late Night (1982–1993) and the Late Show (1993–2015), he led 'The World's Most Dangerous Band' and later the CBS Orchestra. Beyond the late-night desk, his fingerprints are on diverse cultural moments, from composing the theme for Letterman's Netflix series to providing the voice of Hermes in Disney's Hercules.

His versatility extends to songwriting and session work, including co-writing the hit 'It's Raining Men' and playing keyboards for Robert Plant's Honeydrippers. Despite the massive scale of his career, Shaffer has remained connected to his roots, serving as a spokesperson for Epilepsy Canada since 2002 and contributing to his alma mater, Lakehead University.

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