Colbert’s final Late Show episode also marked the tip of the franchise launched by former host David Letterman in 1993. Letterman, who himself weighed in on the Late Show cancellation, calling it “pure cowardice” on CBS’ part, previously stopped by Colbert’s show as a guest in 2023 in his first time on The Late Show since he retired in 2015. During their conversation, they compared notes on their respective experiences hosting the CBS late night program. And Colbert recalled how he’d asked for Letterman’s advice, which led to the present host’s desk being on the opposite side of the stage, and made a particular request.
“I asked if there was a spot to cover … from my producers,” Colbert said. “You said, ‘Yes … it’s great since it’s close enough you possibly can hear the producers calling for you, they usually won’t know where you’re.”
“They’ve never found me,” Colbert continued. “However the secret could be they’re not looking. They may not care if I show up.”
“My problem was I couldn’t hide from anybody, and it shortened my life” Letterman said. “I don’t find out about you but I couldn’t leave the constructing until it was dark — and really, really dark. I’d be so embarrassed.”
Letterman also marveled at how nice the theater, which was renovated before Colbert took over, had change into.
“Ladies and gentlemen, that is television of the long run,” Letterman said. “I feel it’s delightful. I used to be within the dressing room — and by the way in which, the dressing room is nicer than the nicest hotel I’ve ever stayed in in my life. I’ll be here through Christmas. … They’ve snacks within the dressing room — and a menu.”
“We’ve fixed it up a bit,” Colbert said.
Letterman, who’s recently lashed out at CBS execs, calling them “lying weasels,” for his or her decision to cancel The Late Show, returned per week before Colbert’s final episode aired, where the 2 threw some set furniture off of the roof and onto the CBS eye logo on the road below.
Throughout the interview segment, Letterman again complimented Colbert’s revamp of the studio, likening it to “the Bellagio.”
“I’ll say, and I even have every right to be pissed off, so I’ll pissed off here just a little bit, because this theater, you folks wouldn’t be on this theater if it weren’t for me, and Stephen wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me, and we rebuilt this theater, after which Stephen got here in and take a look at this, it’s just like the Bellagio,” Letterman said. “As all of us understand, you possibly can take a person’s show, you possibly can’t take a person’s voice, in order that’s the excellent news on this.”