Ottawa shock comedian Tom Green appeared on The Late Show and there was nary a dead animal or Vaseline hairball in sight.

Best known for his off-the-wall stunts, Green, 27, appeared on Letterman quiet and unusually reserved.

"We (Tom's parents Richard and Mary Jane Green) were debating which way he would go," said Green's dad.

"I thought he'd come out all covered in shaving cream and throw himself on David Letterman."

Unfortunately for Green's hometown fans that or any other crazy prank didn't happen. The comedian successfully hid all traces of his on-air persona while talking with Letterman.

What Green did do was throw, too early, to a clip of one of the pranks he pulled on his father -- causing him to be stung by Letterman's rapier wit.

"I just don't want to screw this up,"said Green sheepishly.

"It's too late for that," Letterman retorted back.

The skit in question was the "slutmobile" where Green painted the hood of his father's car with a pornographic photo and followed him to the community bus stop.

"I kind of thought that was the clip they'd use," laughed Green's father, the victim in the bit.

"It was the one that generated the most laughter."

Green's parents stayed up to watch their son's Letterman debut and were pleased with his performance.

"I'm certainly becoming a believer," said Green's father.

When Letterman questioned Green on his dad's reaction to the stunt he quickly commented, "They were not amused."

Green joked with Letterman about the hard time his parents gave him when he was first starting out on Rogers Community and eventually took his self-titled show to The Comedy Network in Canada.

"My parents were always saying, 'Get a job, you gotta get a job,' " said Green, while waving to his folks at home.

"Luckily I was able to turn this little silly thing I was doing, that they really didn't like me doing, into a job."

During the segment Green and Letterman talked about Ottawa, his start-up in the business and they swapped old stories of gags gone askew.

Letterman confessed that videographer-style clips were cut from the Late Show after a number of disturbing incidents.

"Somebody was nearly killed one too many times," said Letterman half joking.

"After a while people in New York City don't think your little game is all that funny."

While Green's first appearance on The Late Show was not as shocking as fans would have liked, it was the first time Green has been interviewed by his long-time idol.

Green's producer Merilyn Read says another appearance on Letterman is in the works and next week he'll be in the studio taping a segment with Live's morning talk show duo -- Regis & Kathie Lee.

Perhaps with Live's playful hosts and the show's open format, Green will be given the freedom to get a little crazy and possibly shock them all.