Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Kitchen & Dining Tech Style & Beauty Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Amazon Prime Day Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeCultureCelebrityTelevisionCombing Canada's tastiest television archivesBruno Gerussi brought his familiar charm to a cooking format for Celebrity CooksLast updated 36 minutes ago You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Bruno Gerussi starred in Beachcombers as well as Celebrity Cooks, which aired on the CBC and Global in the 1970s and 80s. SunMediaWe independently select everything we recommend. Buying through us may earn us a commission, which supports our work.David Letterman knows how to get the yuks.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThat’s both from the audience and in the case of his 1977 appearance on Celebrity Cooks with Bruno Gerussi, from the pot of admittedly “inedible” half-inch-thick pasta he made before their very “easily amused” eyes. Yuck.There isn’t a whole lot of the series left on go-to portals such as YouTube, but what’s there suggests it could sport one of those fashionable “this program is presented as it was originally created” disclaimers should it someday appear on Prime, as all things seem to (Murder, She Wrote … Say it ain’t so, Angela Lansbury). Across a largely unscripted series that ran for 478 episodes in the 1970 and ’80s on the CBC and then Global, some eyebrow-raising material is bound to be found. Draw your own conclusions.Gerussi, who was born in Medicine Hat, Alta., of course is best known as Nick Adonidas of The Beachcombers but Canadians of a certain vintage will almost certainly also remember him on the cooking show and as the host of CBC Radio’s Gerussi!Other notable guests on the series, which also produced more than two-dozen prime time episodes and was syndicated in the 1990s in Canada and the United States, included Margaret Trudeau and Montreal Canadiens great Jean Beliveau.Landing Letterman back then wouldn’t have been quite the coup in 1977 as it would in 2026. Long before he grew a beard that could put him in the running for Santa Claus, the longtime late-night host was anything but. Introduced as one of television’s “most accomplished writers” with Jimmy Walker among his employers, Letterman quipped to Gerussi that he’d recently appeared on an episode of a celebrity game show and nobody recognized him.This, again, was at a time when McDonald’s breakfast was so new, it was fresh enough to merit a punchline.If only Letterman’s timing in the kitchen were as promising. For this episode at least, there wasn’t much celebrity or cooking to be found. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.