Rupert Jee

(Redirected from Hello Deli)

Rupert Jee (born July 16, 1956) is an American entrepreneur and television celebrity who gained fame from his frequent appearances on Late Show with David Letterman, on which he sometimes used the alter ego Kenny.[1] He first appeared on the Late Show during a "Meet the Neighbors" segment on September 20, 1993,[2][3] and was a frequent accomplice of host David Letterman during the show's many comedic segments.[4] He appeared on the show over 400 times.[5]

Rupert Jee
Jee in October 2004
Born (1956-07-16) July 16, 1956 (age 68)
Alma materCity University of New York
OccupationBusinessman
Known forHello Deli
Exterior of the "Hello Deli"

Jee holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the City University of New York.[citation needed]

He made an appearance on the January 7, 2016, episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,[6] marking his first and (as of 2024) only appearance on The Late Show following the retirement of David Letterman in 2015.

Hello Deli

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With May Chin, Jee co-owns Hello Deli, which is located at 213 W 53rd St, adjacent to the Ed Sullivan Theatre where the Late Show is taped. His deli is one of the neighborhood's last remaining small businesses.[7] On the day Colbert's team moved into the theatre, he renamed one of the deli's sandwiches in Colbert's honor,[8][9] but as of 2022 the sandwich returned to its former name.[10]

Hello Deli marked thirty years in business on January 31, 2022.[11] In 2023, Jee and Chin announced their desire to retire and sell.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "CBS, Late Show with David Letterman". CBS. 2007-09-30. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  2. ^ "Joy And Tears As David Letterman Presents Last 'Late Show'". CBS. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  3. ^ Hauser, Tom (2002). Inside the Ropes with Jesse Ventura. U of Minnesota Press. p. 113. ISBN 9780816641871. Retrieved 28 March 2019. Rupert Jee.
  4. ^ Brunner, Jeryl (20 May 2015). "Rupert Jee Picks His Favorite Late Show with David Letterman Moments". Parade. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  5. ^ a b Haring, Bruce (2023-04-08). "'Hello Deli' Owner, Made Famous By 'Late Show With David Letterman,' Is Retiring And Seeking A Buyer". Retrieved 2023-05-08.
  6. ^ "Stephen Colbert Brings Back Old Letterman Gag On 'The Late Show'". The Huffington Post. January 8, 2016. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  7. ^ Kilgannon, Corey (2015-05-15). "Jokes Aside, David Letterman Leaves Behind a Costlier Neighborhood". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  8. ^ "'Late Show'-Famous Deli Replaces the "Letterman" Sandwich With the "Colbert"". 2015-08-06. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  9. ^ Levy, Nicole (2016-01-08). "Colbert Clashes With Letterman's BFF Sandwich Maker Over Missing Tomatoes". Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  10. ^ "Rupert Jee's Hello Deli Sandwich Menu". www.hello-deli.com. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
  11. ^ "City Life Org - Hello Deli, Made Famous by The Late Show, Celebrates 30 Years in Business". 2022-02-14. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
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