Former Talk Show Host Seen Bagging Groceries at an Iowa Hy-Vee

A popular face in media for more than five decades was in Iowa this weekend, and countless Hy-Vee employees and shoppers were treated to some of his shenanigans.

Iconic former talk show host David Letterman was in Des Moines, IA for this weekend's Hy-Vee IndyCar Race at Iowa Speedway. Letterman co-owns the race car driven by Christian Lundgaard (No. 45), which is also sponsored by Hy-Vee through the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team, per The Des Moines Register.

The late-night legend made a pitstop at the Hy-Vee in Grimes where he was "hired" as a grocery clerk and bagger. He hung out at the supermarket for over an hour, stocking shelves, cleaning up messes, bagging groceries, and getting shoppers' attention by claiming that celery was free for the entire day.

Letterman arrived at the Hy-Vee after hopping off a flight at the Des Moines International Airport. A compilation video of the antics that ensued at the Grimes Hy-Vee was later uploaded to his Letterman YouTube channel (embedded above).

Some may be surprised to know that Letterman, a Midwestern kid who grew up in Indiana, spent years working at a grocery store when he was younger, so the experience wasn't too far removed from his reality at one point:

I spent a considerable amount of my life at a grocery store in Indianapolis, and it was the last of the singular independent-owned grocery stores. I loved it, and if I could give something back to the marketing community, I would like to do that. But I don't have all day, of course!

Letterman worked with Hy-Vee employees to film a series of skits. At one point, he opened a can of Campbell's soup and fed it to himself. He also took it upon himself to help bag groceries and even speak with the staff about an eye-catching gumball machine located inside the store.

David Letterman is a national treasure. Since retiring from the Late Show with David Letterman on CBS in 2015 after a more-than-6,000 episode run, the 76-year-old comedian has still been admirably active on the entertainment circuit. He presently hosts a Netflix talk show called My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (what a phenomenal title I'll add too).

Despite all the jokes and barbs, Letterman told the Des Moines Register that he was quite taken by the Grimes Hy-Vee location:

This is my first time in a Hy-Vee store. We don’t have them where I live and I’ve known of them through the racing team, but what I’ve known of them is the tip of the iceberg. So I walk in here and it’s the world of the future.

Read more about David Letterman's stint at Hy-Vee this weekend on The Des Moines Register's website and watch the YouTube video here!