Yesterday, we learned that David Letterman plans to retire from Late Show with David Letterman in 2015 when his contract expires at the long-running late night talk show. The video above has Letterman and Paul Shaffer talking about how much time they've spent working together and doing this show.
Letterman builds up to the part about retiring, first telling a funny story involving bird identification, and then finally led into his discussion with CBS head Les Moonves about his future. Letterman says he approached Moonves before the show and said, "It's been great, you've been great, the network has been great, but I'm retiring." After thanking the viewers and everyone else, he went on to announce (joke) that now Paul and he can be married.
The timing for the retirement isn't entirely set, but it'll be happening in 2015. We'll miss you, David Letterman!
Via Deadline, there have been some notable reactions to Letterman's announcement, including one from the President, who Tweeted his fondness for Letterman along with a photo...
Seth Meyers called Letterman's retirement "heartbreaking news" and discusses watching Letterman when he was growing up.
"If it wasn't for David Letterman, this show wouldn't exist," Meyers said. "And if it wasn't for David Letterman, I wouldn't be here. And if I wasn't here, you would just be an audience full of people watching nobody."
Good point!
And here's Arsenio Hall joking that late night talk show hosts are dropping like flies...
"My plan is working perfectly! Hahahaha"
It doesn't look like Jimmy Fallon addressed the news on The Tonight Show, but it's possible the show was taped before that news was announced. Oddly though, Letterman's show was addressed during Fallon's monologue, but it had nothing to do with his retirement:
