Paul's Eyewear Passion
Why David Letterman's sidekick, Paul Shaffer, makes eyewear part of his signature style
By Marcy Bruch

Paul Shaffer shows off his latest eyewear on the set of Late Show with David Letterman

For more than 20 years, Paul Shaffer has been the guy David Letterman depends on to score a punch line or to banter with as Dave spins out his own quirky views on events of the day. While being the straight man to Dave's nightly comic relief is definitely part of his gig, it's music that got Shaffer where he is. As musical director of Late Show with David Letterman on CBS, Shaffer has the opportunity to jam with some of the musical legends who inspired his career.

In fact, it's because of one famous piano man that Shaffer decided to have fun with his prescription eyewear. "I've always admired Elton John," he says. "And wearing over-the-top eyewear is an integral part of his act. I figured if it worked for him, why not make it work for me?"

Still, he didn't always feel that way. Shaffer found out he needed to wear glasses and grudgingly obliged while still in high school in Toronto, Canada. He got his first break as musical director for a Toronto production of Godspell in 1972. From there, he went on to play the piano in The Magic Show on Broadway in 1974. He spent the next five years with the original Saturday Night Live (SNL) cast, for whom he played keyboards, composed special musical material, and even performed in sketches.

When the show was cancelled, Shaffer returned to SNL. "I continued to wear those big white glasses on SNL as my personal homage to Elton," he says. "But I also realized those glasses got me attention."

With that in mind, the next time he went out to buy new prescription glasses, he bought two pairs instead of one. "I couldn't find anything that I thought was really great, so I bought two styles that I thought were ok."

With the beginnings of an eyewear wardrobe, Shaffer realized the accessory potential his glasses had in terms of completing his sometimes outrageous on-stage outfits.

A WARDROBE IS BORN

By the time Shaffer joined David Letterman's team, his eyewear wardrobe had become a part of his persona. Now, Shaffer owns anywhere from 10 to 20 frames. "Whenever my prescription changes, I retire older styles, giving me an excuse to buy a few more new frames," he says.

	Tinted lenses keep Shaffer's eyewear looking unique

With so many pairs of glasses, the entertainer maintains his eyewear wardrobe just like the pros. "Ruth Domber, owner of 10/10 Optics in New York City, provided me with one of her old caseline drawers," Shaffer says.

Some of his current favorites include tinted lenses. "If I've had a late night and I have to tape a show, they help camouflage under-eye bags," he says. "Besides, tints make my eyewear look more individualized." Currently, he favors a black and gray plastic frame with gradient gray lenses. But, he also wears seasonally suited eyewear--Shaffer wore red plastic shades in a recent holiday commercial for Gap.

When it comes to comfort versus style in eyewear, for Shaffer it's the frame style that motivates him. "As Billy Crystal used to say on SNL, it's much better to look good than to feel good, and if I'm only wearing eyewear for a show taping that lasts an hour, I don't care how they feel, as long as they make me look great."

Would Shaffer consider partnering with a frame manufacturer to license an eyewear collection under his name? "Definitely. I've picked out enough glasses in my lifetime to know exactly what I want. If I licensed a collection, it would have to mirror the kind of eyewear that I would actually wear. The line would be perfect for anyone who feels they're really a rock star at heart."