Tonight at 11:35p on CBS, David Letterman is saying goodbye to late night after 33 years, a third of a century. Not only has he influenced many people, he has been a big part of all of the remaining talk show hosts’ lives. Jimmy Kimmel was obsessed with him since he was a teenager. Conan O’Brien would still not be on the air had Letterman not come on to Late Night to save it. Ellen DeGeneres and Jimmy Fallon were guests on his show when they were starting out. Finally, Seth Meyers wouldn’t have a show if Jay Leno didn’t screw Letterman out of The Tonight Show.
So in the last few days, all of the above took time out of their shows to rightfully salute their hero. So watch them pay tribute to the man who they all have to thank for their jobs. Without him Kimmel would still be doing radio, Conan would be writing for The Simpsons, Fallon would be doing unwatchable movies, Ellen would have another sitcom and Meyers would still be on Saturday Night Live. Come to think of it… Joking, they are all better when they are!