Wednesday 20th May 2015 transformed into a national event: David Letterman aired his final broadcast of The Late Show. The audience and orchestra (directed by Paul Shaffer) of the Ed Sullivan Theatre saluted the great CBS host after 33 years, six thousand episodes and 19,932 guests.
More than three decades of television history are tough to summarize, through the chameleonic and caustic humour of Letterman. Innumerable are the memorable moments on his show, as his flirts (like the 1995 interview with Drew Barrymore), or his nasty feuds who saw celebrities tangled in Dave’s sharp tongue (like the 16 year altercation with Oprah Winfrey). He displayed great comedic charisma, but was just as effective in reporting hard news, as attested by the emotional speech he delivered on his first show after 9/11. He could be friendly or grill his interviewees, as he did with Paris Hilton asking her about her permanence in jail, or when he gave a rough time to prima-donnas such as Madonna or Joaquin Phoenix. He had moments of bravery, when he admitted to adultery with women of his staff, or when he gave details of an extortion attempt against him.
The last show was truly heartfelt by the whole nation and the entire world. Celebrities (Alec Baldwin, Barbara Walters, Steve Martin, Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Carrey, Chris Rock, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Peyton Manning, Tina Fey, Bill Murray) featured in the “Top 10 Things I've always wanted to say to Dave” list; and President Barack Obama summed up the US sentiment in one tweet.
David’s last show was undoubtably an eventful one, drenched with bittersweet farewells, prickly humor, and many heartwarming moments. David passes on the baton to Stephen Colbert, whose skilled satire will have a high benchmark to compete with.
David Letterman is by now a New York landmark: whoever strolls in the Theater District, and bumps into 1697-1699 Broadway between West 53rd and West 54th, breathes in the vibe of a New Yorker who adores his city and has tributed it with utmost professional skills. He once said “If you didn't believe it before - and it's easy to understand how you might have been skeptical on this point - if you didn't believe it before, you can absolutely believe it now: New York City is the greatest city in the world.”
- David Letterman's Final Show Entrance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5XZunwreYo
- Top 10 Most Memorable David Letterman Moments:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K22baZRNQKc
- Things celebrities have always wanted to say to Dave Letterman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD-OS9icT_E
Top Ten Things I've Always Wanted to Say To Dave:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBf8MyGaEk4
David Letterman's Final Thank You and Good Night: