Locals look back on doing The Late Show with David Letterman

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?  As the old saying goes-- practice. 

How do you make it on the Late Show with David Letterman?  According to Appleton singer and songwriter Cory Chisel, who you know helps too. \"I ran into the executive producer at a party, and he said he heard my music. I hear that a lot, I just thought he was saying that to be polite. But a few minutes later he's like 'no, I really like your stuff it's on my iPod.' And I was like 'cool, well get me on your show' and he did.\"

Chisel has played plenty of big gigs like Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien and the Bonnarroo festival, but says Letterman was special. Despite a small case of mistaken identity when he and his band got to the Ed Sullivan Theater.\"The crew, we were loading all the gear, they were sort of bossing us around, not in a mean way, asked why were we doing things all wrong, and then they asked 'when does the band get here?' They thought we were our roadies, not knowing we don't have roadies,\" Chisel said.

For Waukesha Comedian Johnny Beehner, New York City is a long way from his first paid job. \"The first time I got paid to do comedy, I was at Marquette, when I think they had little sibs weekend, or parents weekend, or something like that, and they had me be the entertainment for one of the shows at the union. And I got a check, and I was like, 'Ugh, I have arrived! I am being paid to tell my jokes,\" Beehner said

Beehner says he was more nervous for Letterman than his wedding day.  \"Letterman. No contest,\" he said.

It's hard to blame him.  Anticipation of that moment, the break, the biggest moment of your career.  What went through Beehner's mind?  \"I was pretty calm, and then they went to commercial break, and they're like, 'Alright, you're on next. Let's go downstairs.' And that's when I was like, 'Oh, okay, it's happening,'\" Beehner said, \"I even told the stage hand, 'I just need you to give me a little push because I don't know if I'm going to hear him when he announces me. 'He goes, don't worry, I'll give you a push.'\" 

Both Chisel and Beehner say their sets went by in a flash, but doing the Late Show is something they'll not soon forget. 

\"Those moments are few and far between, but when you look back, those are big moments,\" Chisel said.

\"You see it on TV and it just looks so different. And it's just like I can't believe this is where I've seen so many iconic TV moments take place and I'm on this stage,\" Beehner said.