Additional Coverage:
Stephen Colbert and David Letterman teamed up for a memorable moment on The Late Show, engaging in some symbolic destruction of a CBS logo from the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater.
During Letterman’s appearance on May 14, just days before Colbert’s final week as host, the two shared candid reflections on the show’s legacy. Letterman, 79, who created and hosted The Late Show for 22 years before passing the torch to Colbert, 62, did not hold back.
“I have every right to be pissed off, so I’ll just be pissed off here a little bit,” Letterman remarked, emphasizing his foundational role: “You folks wouldn’t be in this theater if it weren’t for me. And Stephen wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me.
We rebuilt this theater, and then Stephen came in… it’s like the Bellagio now. You can take a man’s show, you can’t take a man’s voice.”
The conversation took a playful turn when Letterman joked about the finality of the show, quipping, “I was told it was the last show,” to which Colbert replied, “It is the last show of this week. Next week is the last show.” Eyeing the on-set furniture, Letterman hinted at a bit of mischief: “Would be a shame if something happened to it.”
True to his word, the two were later seen on the theater’s roof discussing “wanton destruction of CBS property” as they tossed furniture onto the CBS logo displayed on the sidewalk below. Letterman concluded the segment with a pointed farewell: “Good night and good luck, motherf——.”
The Late Show’s final episode is scheduled for May 21, following CBS’s announcement last summer that the program would end. Letterman did not shy away from criticizing the network, previously labeling CBS executives as “lying weasels” in a candid interview. He expressed frustration over the decision, highlighting the impact on both Colbert and longtime viewers who valued the late-night respite.
“They dumped him because the people selling the network to Skydance said, ‘There’s not going to be any trouble with that guy. We’re going to take care of the show,’” Letterman said. “I’m just going on record as saying: They’re lying… They’re lying weasels.”
As The Late Show approaches its final curtain, this reunion between two late-night icons serves as a reminder of the show’s enduring influence and the deep ties behind the scenes.