As celebrities are making their final rounds on the "Late Show with David Letterman," Adam Sandler stopped by the show to send him off with one of his musical renditions: “There is no better man than David Letterman.”

It’s probably one of the greatest bits Sandler’s done in a while.

Among the highlights:

"He'll finally have time to take Jay Leno out for coffee and then secretly pee in his cup." 

"Both Jimmys [Kimmel and Fallon] should get on their knees and blow ... you kisses." 

 “When you say goodbye and take your final drive, in your Ferrari full of stolen office supplies, and we watch you go with eyes full of tears, I hope the cops pull you over and drag you back here for 30 more years."

Check it out below:

SEE ALSO: Tina Fey gave David Letterman an incredible sendoff

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Attending the taping of a late-night TV show is not a comfortable experience. First, you’ll stand in line on a city sidewalk for hours—chilled by wind, or baked by sun—being herded like a fatted calf to an abattoir. Upon arriving at the head of this line, you’re often tagged with a wristband and instructed to return in an hour so you can stand in a different line. When you finally enter the building, you’ll be squeezed into a musty back hallway or a barren anteroom. Here, you’ll cool your heels for a second eternity, pondering whether the free tickets these shows all hand out are somehow far too pricey.

SEE ALSO: 45 new TV shows that just got picked up by networks

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This week we pay tribute to David Letterman’s last Late Show on May 20, 2015, with our own top 10 list: the top 10 keys for stocks. Mr. Letterman has had quite a long and successful run as a late night TV host on two networks. Late Night with David Letterman debuted on NBC on February 1, 1982 (when the S&P 500 closed at a mere 117.78), followed by Late Show with David Letterman that debuted on August 30, 1993 (S&P 500 closed at 461.90). With earnings season largely behind us, here is our list of 10 keys for the stock market over the next several months.

TOP 10 KEYS FOR STOCKS

Drum roll please!

10) Greece. After making its latest payment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the coast may be clear for a few weeks in terms of the potential for Greece’s financial troubles to cause a hiccup in the global financial markets. The next big payment, due to creditors in mid-June 2015, has the potential to drive increased global stock and bond market volatility, due to the uncertainty created by a possible default and departure from the Eurozone (though not our expectation). One member potentially leaving the Eurozone may spark speculation of other possible departures.

9) Seasonality. We are not big believers in the “sell in May” adage, but May has historically marked the end of a favorable period for the S&P 500, based on many decades of historical return data. Strong seasonal patterns can also be observed for certain segments of the market, such as consumer discretionary, which has historically performed very well during the first five months of the year before falling off beginning in June, and energy, which has historically benefited from strong gasoline demand ahead of the start of the summer driving season.

8) Oil prices. We believe oil is another key for the broad stock market, at least in the near term, although lower prices bring both positives and negatives. Negatives include lower energy sector profits, reduced demand for crude oil transport for rails and trucks, and reduced capital spending, which is a drag on industrials sector profits. But lower fuel costs put more cash in consumers’ pockets (see our Weekly Economic Commentary, “Consumer Consistency,” on May 4, 2015) and reduce transportation costs for businesses. We believe stable or gradually rising oil prices — our expectation — may be the best scenario.

7) U.S. dollar. A strong and rising U.S. dollar, as we have seen much of the past year until very recently, has many implications. Profits earned overseas by U.S. multinational corporations are reduced. Returns for U.S. investors in international investments are reduced. U.S. exports become more expensive to overseas buyers. Import prices fall, contributing to lower inflation. And a strong dollar puts downward pressure on commodity prices that are priced in dollars for buyers globally. We do not expect a rallying dollar, should it continue, to prevent the stock market from going higher. Historically the S&P 500 has performed well in dollar bull markets (see our March 16, 2015, Weekly Market Commentary, “Dollar Strength Is a Symptom, Not a Cause”), but we believe a stable dollar would be most welcomed by investors.

6) Geopolitics. In the world we live in today, geopolitics should probably have a permanent place on the list of things stock investors should be watching. Headlines in Russia have died down and we all know the U.S. is not as dependent on Middle Eastern oil, but geopolitics and terrorism no doubt have the potential to cause a stock market pullback at any time.

5) China. We have become more positive on China and emerging markets (EM) as an investment in recent months. Three interest rate cuts by the People’s Bank of China, the new Hong Kong–Shanghai trading link, low oil prices, attractive valuations, and our technical analysis all support our positive view. We acknowledge China is at risk of a more pronounced slowdown in economic growth. But if that occurs, we would not expect it to be anytime soon, as the Chinese government would likely enact additional stimulus to prolong acceptable growth as long as possible.

4) Affordable Care Act Supreme Court decision. Though still likely a month away, the upcoming Supreme Court ruling regarding the legality of tax subsidies for the federal exchanges under the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) is a big deal for the healthcare sector and may impact the broader market, depending on Washington’s potential response to an unfavorable ruling. We would be buyers on healthcare sector weakness in anticipation of a rework that keeps the main structure of the law in place.

3) Interest rates. A gradual rise in rates may be good for stocks. When rising interest rates are driven by higher economic growth expectations, those rates tend to bring expectations of higher corporate profits and rising stock prices. But as we witnessed during the “taper tantrum” in 2013, stock investors do not like sharp and swift increases in interest rates. Stable or gradually rising interest rates, backed by firming economic growth expectations, is likely the best scenario for stocks, especially considering interest rates are still low enough to make stocks relatively attractive compared with bonds.

2) Federal Reserve (Fed) timetable. We agree with the fed fund futures market, which suggests that the Fed’s first rate hike is unlikely to come until at least September 2015, while October or December 2015 remain within the range of the market’s expectations. Should investors be surprised by an earlier or bigger than expected rise in rates, stocks would likely pull back. Historically, stocks have dipped right around the first rate hike of an economic cycle (based on the past nine occurrences since 1950), although stocks have done well over intermediate periods (6 – 12 months) following those first hikes.

1) U.S. economic snapback. After depressed U.S. growth during the first quarter, a potential snapback in the U.S. economy over the next couple quarters will go a long way toward determining whether this summer is a rewarding one for stock investors. Better economic growth is needed to help drive a rebound from the sluggish S&P 500 earnings growth in the first quarter of 2.0% year over year.

CONCLUSION

There you have it, our stock market top 10 list tribute to David Letterman. Look for updates on these key issues and others in future weekly publications and our upcoming Midyear Outlook due in mid-June.

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Tonight is David Letterman's last night hosting "The Late Show."

After starting on NBC's "Late Night," Letterman's first "Late Show" appearance on CBS was August 30, 1993. 

Ahead of his debut, Letterman appeared on local St. Louis network KMOV asking fans to tune in to his first show.

Before Letterman's last show this evening, check out the clip below.

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Jimmy Kimmel has had a lifelong obsession with David Letterman.

In honor of Letterman's final show airing Wednesday night, Kimmel took the opportunity to address his idol's departure during his Tuesday night monologue.

Usually full of jokes, Kimmel got serious as began to explain what Letterman means to him.

"I wanted to be an artist when I was a kid, I loved to draw. And every night after my parents went to bed, I would sit at my desk in my room and I would draw until it was very late," Kimmel explained. "And while I was doing that, I would watch a television show that is very important to me, it was called 'Late Night with David Letterman.'"

Kimmel continued: "And even though it looked like every other talk show, it wasn't, it was weird. It was totally original, primarily because the host of the show — who a lot of the time seemed embarrassed to even be there, he did not seem like he was a part of show business — he was uncomfortable, he never pretended to be excited, and his way of saying things was so subtle that a lot of the times people he was saying things to didn't know he was joking."

"I started drawing pictures of Dave on my textbooks in school. When I turned 16, my mother baked me a 'Late Night with David Letterman cake,'" said Kimmel. "You can see I'm wearing a David Letterman letterman jacket."

"My first car, I went to the DMV and got a 'L8 Nite' vanity plate."

"We had no VCR so I'd have 'Late Night' viewing parties at my house. My friends, who also loved the show, would come over at midnight while my parents were asleep. They would bring soda and we would watch the show."

"Looking back," he joked, "I now realize why none of the girls in school wanted to have sex with me."

"I watched the show every night and little did I know that many years and many pounds later that watching the show was a great education for me," Kimmel explained while getting emotional.

"I learned almost nothing in college, but watching 'Late Night,' not only did I learn how to do everything from Dave, the reason I have this show is because the executives at ABC saw me when I was a guest on Dave's show and hired me to host this show. So I want to thank Dave, and his writers, and producers."

"Tomorrow night is Letterman's farewell show and I'd like it if you watched that instead of our show," urged Kimmel. "We are going to have a show on tomorrow night, but please do not watch it, especially if you're a young person who doesn't understand what all the fuss is about."

"Dave is the best and you should see him," Kimmel said while tearing up.

Kimmel then explained that he wanted to show his audience "one of my favorite segments of the show," which was "a parody of the after school specials they would run in the 70s and 80s."

Kimmel then ran an old "Late Night" clip in which Letterman very ironically comforts a little boy named Jimmy about the end of the show.

"Jimmy, I've been looking all over for you," Letterman says in the old video bit. "I know how you feel, hurt at first, but believe me, you're going to get over it. Jimmy, just because the show is canceled doesn't mean it goes away forever. It can live on through re-runs and syndication."

The irony was not lost on Kimmel, who told his audience, "I think this sums up how I feel this week, almost supernaturally well."

Check out the full tribute below, it's worth a watch:

SEE ALSO: David Letterman says viral videos by Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon drove him out of late-night TV

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NOW WATCH: Jimmy Fallon's new lip sync show looks hilarious

On Wednesday, David Letterman will host the "Late Show" for the very last time.

Out of respect for his idol, Jimmy Kimmel will air a rerun of his competing late-night show.

"I have too much respect for Dave to do anything that would distract viewers from watching his final show," Kimmel recently told The New York Times. "Plus, I’ll probably be crying all day, which makes it hard to work."

Indeed, Kimmel did shed a few tears during his tribute to the veteran late-night host on Tuesday. But Kimmel's obsession with Letterman goes way back.

Kimmel, 47, has idolized Letterman, 68, since the younger late-night host was a quirky kid growing up in Vegas.

"His show was just so weird and different," Kimmel told Rolling Stone back in 2013. "I'd never seen anything like it. I didn't know anyone who had a sense of humor like that."

Kimmel has often joked that the only reason he went into show business was to be friends with Letterman — and wondered why anyone would watch his show instead of Letterman’s.

So when Kimmel was coming off four years as cohost of Comedy Central’s “The Man Show” and about to debut "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on ABC in 2002, naturally he reached out to Letterman to be a guest on the show’s premiere episode.

Letterman’s typed response — on personal stationery — today sits framed on Kimmel’s desk in his studio office, alongside a photo of his late grandparents and a picture of himself covered in whipped cream after popping a fictional zit on Jon Stewart’s forehead.

This is what the letter said. It's from September 23, 2002, and was uncovered by New York Magazine.

Dear Jimmy,

Thanks for asking me to appear on your premiere. Unfortunately, I will be out of the country on business. I’m sure the program will be a success regardless.

Sincerely,

Dave

"His response is hilarious," Kimmel told New York Magazine. "He’s not out of the country on business. He knows you know he’s not out of the country on business and just the words 'on business' — it really makes it a perfect letter for me."

Eleven years later, the two aren’t exactly best buddies. But Letterman did appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" for the first time in 2012, when the LA-based show broadcast out of Brooklyn after Hurricane Sandy.

Letterman's appearance gave Kimmel his biggest Wednesday audience in the show's history — about 2.4 million viewers.

Leading up to the visit, Kimmel said he was "terrified" to interview Letterman and tried to justify it by saying, "I’m sure for him it’s nothing more than a nuisance, that he’s just doing it to be nice."

But Letterman was a gracious guest as Kimmel showed him photos of his "Late Night"-themed 18th-birthday cake:

And "L8 Nite" license plate on his first car.

Letterman responded by telling his No. 1 fan, "I’ll be honest with you, it was troubling. I kept saying to people, 'Why is he sucking up to me?' ... When I was persuaded that there was some measure of stability here, then I really realized that it was genuine and I couldn’t appreciate it more."

Letterman added, "In show business, one of the precepts is you're not really supposed to be nice to people, especially if you have the same occupation as another person. Jimmy has broken that precept and has been nothing but generous and courteous and kind to me."

Kimmel told Rolling Stone that, as a kid, he felt like Letterman was doing his show "specifically for [him]." And now, to return the favor, Kimmel won't do his show on Wednesday, specifically for Letterman.

Watch Letterman's ratings-raising 2012 appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

On Tuesday, Kimmel gave an emotional farewell tribute to Letterman, urging viewers to watch Dave's final show on Wednesday instead of his own.

Through tears, Kimmel explained: "Dave is the best and you should see him."

SEE ALSO: Jimmy Kimmel gave the best, teary tribute to his idol David Letterman

MORE: David Letterman says viral videos by Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon drove him out of late-night TV

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This evening, President Obama tweeted a tribute to David Letterman as he was finishing up taping on his final night as host of CBS’s Late Show, wrapping a record-setting 33-year career as a broadcast TV late-night host.

Earlier in the month, in his third and final visit to Late Show With David Letterman as POTUS, Obama suggested when they’re both gone from their current gigs they “play some dominoes together – go to the local Starbuck and swap stories.”

Letterman shot back: “I play dominoes. I’m pretty good. I know you think I’m not good at dominoes.” During a commercial break, Letterman said, Obama had told him that when he leaves office he plans to take a month off. “Are you kidding me? After eight years of this, you’re only taking  a month off?!” Letterman marveled.

“I plan to teach law at Columbia,” Letterman said that night, of his retirement, which starts tomorrow.

“I’d be interested in sitting in on that class,” Obama joked. “That would be a hoot.”

Obama’s visits to the show have been “particularly meaningful to me,” Letterman said, “Like most Americans, we feel we got to know you (and) I can only wish you all the best.”

Obama returned the sentiment: “We’ve grown up with you, this country. And after … coming home from work, knowing you’ve been there to give us a little bit of joy, a little bit of laughter. It has meant so much. … You’ve given us a great gift, and we love you.”

SEE ALSO: David Letterman sent this witty rejection letter to Jimmy Kimmel in 2002

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On Wednesday, David Letterman hosted his last "Late Show."

Tons of celebrities came out to celebrate the occasion and help Letterman with his final "Top 10" list.

Check out the final list below, with who said what:

Top 10 Things I've Always Wanted to Say to Dave

10. Alec Baldwin:"Of all the talk shows, yours is the most geographically convenient to my home."

9. Barbara Walters:"Did you know you wear the same cologne as Moammar Gadhafi?"

8. Steve Martin:"Your extensive plastic surgery was necessary and a mistake."

7. Jerry Seinfeld:"I have no idea what I'll do when you go off the air. You know, I just thought of something: I'll be fine."

6. Jim Carrey:"Honestly, Dave, I've always found you to be a bit of an overactor."

5. Chris Rock:"I'm just glad your show is being given to another white guy."

4. Julia Louis-Dreyfus:"Thanks for letting me take part in another hugely disappointing series finale."

3. Peyton Manning:"Dave, you are to comedy what I am to comedy."

2. Tina Fey:"Thanks for finally proving men can be funny."

1. Bill Murray:"Dave, I'll never have the money I owe you."

Murray was Letterman's first-ever guest in 1982.

Watch the full, final "Top 10" below:

SEE ALSO: David Letterman cracks self-deprecating jokes in last monologue

MORE: Jimmy Kimmel gave the best, teary tribute to his idol David Letterman

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David Letterman hosted his final "Late Show" Wednesday night.

After entering the stage to a standing ovation, Letterman urged people to "please be seated" so he could deliver his last monologue.

He opened by joking: "I’ll be honest with you -- it’s beginning to look like I’m not gonna get 'The Tonight Show.'"

Letterman then said it has been annoying to constantly be asked what he's going to do now that he's retired.

"Want to know what I'm going to do? By god, I hope to become the new face of Scientology," Letterman quipped.

"Don't kid yourselves, emotions are running high in this building," he continued. "Here's a video of the goodbye statement to staff that took place earlier today,"he said before showing a clip of himself blowing a kiss to staffers via hologram.

"Paul and I have been doing this show for 33 years, that's 6,028 shows," Letterman said on a seemingly serious note, before joking: Earlier today we got a call from Stephen Hawking, he ran the numbers because he's a genius. He said it makes out to be about eight minutes of laughter."

Letterman continued with the jokes. "Time gets away from you," he said. "When we started this program the hottest show on television was 'Keeping Up with the Gabors.'

The worst thing about not having his own show? "When I screw up now I have to go on somebody else's show to apologize."

"Do you remember Elian Gonzalez?" Letterman continued. "The kid is 21-years-old and yesterday he announced that he wants to come back to America. Now my question to you is, should I take this personally?"

Letterman later called bandleader Paul Schaefer his best friend, but told fans not to worry because the two aren't done in the entertainment 'biz just yet.

"We are going to continue on in show business. Next month in June, Paul and I will be debuting our new act with white tigers," he joked.

Letterman also showed two video tributes from Fox’s "The Simpsons" and later "Wheel of Fortune."

Watch the full monologue below:

SEE ALSO: Tina Fey, Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Murray, and more read Letterman's final 'Top 10' list

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After 33 years on the air, David Letterman said his final farewell last night to the "Late Show."

Throughout the day, many actors, athletes, comedians, and politicians took to social media to post their memories with the veteran late night host.

Check out some of the tributes below:

Kelly Ripa:"Thanks Dave........for everything. ❤️💔"

Lena Dunham:"Dear Dave- you really know how to make a gal feel like a trillion bucks. Thank you for it all. Love- Lena"

Kim Kardashian:"Thank you for so many laughs! You will be greatly missed @Letterman."

Sarah Silverman:"Gonna miss this man something awful. #DAVE"

"Last time I was on #DAVE I wrote him this note ."

Chris Rock:"And the new host of the late show is."

Mindy Kaling:"Thank you, Dave. Love you. ❤️"

Olivia Munn:"You weren't so scary after all. 💙 #latenight #letterman #finalshow"

Mandy Moore:"It's grainy but all I could find of my first appearance on #Letterman. What an honor. We'll miss you, Dave but thanks for it all."

Debra Messing:"OH DAVE....NO ONE has ever made me more giddy than you. Thank you for your kindness, your playfulness, your singular wit. There has never been and will never be, anyone like you."

Sean Hayes:"We'll miss you in Late Night, Dave. Thanks for being a comedic hero to me. #ThanksDave @Letterman."

Jessica Alba: "My very first time on @letterman - I will never forget how comfortable you made me feel - I was SOOOOOOO nervous!!! #thanksdave for all of the amazing memories and laughs! #davidletterman #darkangel."

"Can't believe I was pregnant w Honor in this one #thanksdave - we will miss you @letterman"

"Last one ...#thanksdave for all the laughs, memories and support throughout the years - we are really going to miss you @letterman" 

Many also tweeted their final farewells:

And some even took to Facebook:

Even Letterman's competition posted tributes:

SEE ALSO: Tina Fey, Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Murray, and more read Letterman's final 'Top 10' list

MORE: David Letterman cracks self-deprecating jokes in last monologue

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David Letterman's farewell from late night on Wednesday evening earned him the biggest audience in close to 21 years.

Nielsen reports that 13.76 million people watched the episode, which is the largest audience for the show since Feb. 25, 1994, which had the help of CBS's Winter Olympics coverage as a lead-in.

Additionally, the "Late Show" earned a rating of 4.1 with its target audience demographic, Adults aged 25 to 54 years old. It also rated a 3.1 with the advertiser-coveted Adults 18 to 49-year-old audience. Both demo ratings are the show's highest numbers since Dec. 1, 2005, the night Oprah Winfrey (who Letterman had been publicly feuding with) guested.

As if those numbers weren't enough for CBS to call it a half day, they're probably popping champagne over the boost Letterman gave to "The Late Late Show With James Corden."

Corden attracted 4.01 million total viewers, its largest audience ever and the largest audience for any host of the "Late Late Show." As for the key demos, the show earned a 1.4 with Adults 25-54 and a 1.1 in Adults 18-49, both representing his highest ratings of the show's run.

A big number was to be expected after seeing early numbers Thursday morning, which showed the goodbye episode earned a huge 9.3/24 in local ratings. That's the highest early ratings since the Winfrey appearance on Dec. 1, 2005.

To give you an idea about how big that is for Letterman, last night's early numbers represent a 127% increase over Monday's episode (4.1/11) with guests Tom Hanks — appearing for the 60th time on the show — and rocker Eddie Vedder.

Additionally, "Late Show's" finale beat all primetime shows on Wednesday.

"The Late, Late Show with James Corden" also got a bump from its lead-in. Its early ratings, 2.5/10, are a new all-time high for the program. That represents a 79% increase over last week (1.4/05) and 150% increase from last year (1.0/03).

Letterman's finale episode showed a mix of favorite segments like Top Ten Lists and memorable moments. The highlight of the night was the star-studded reading of the final Top Ten List with guests Chris Rock, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Peyton Manning and Tina Fey, among others.

SEE ALSO: Tons of celebrities posted memories with David Letterman on social media last night

MORE: David Letterman cracks self-deprecating jokes in last monologue

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On David Letterman's farewell to CBS's "Late Show" on Wednesday, the 33-year late-night veteran joked that he would devote the rest of his life to "social media."

As late-night TV depends more and more on creating viral moments, Letterman has said that that was one of the reasons he knew it was time to leave the "Late Show."

The lack of ability to create viral videos is "a weakness of the show," Letterman said in May's Rolling Stone cover interview. "I hear about things going viral and I think, 'How do you do that?' I think I'm the blockage in the plumbing."

Letterman wasn't just being highly critical of himself. There are actual numbers to prove it.

Amobee Brand Intelligence — a company that provides marketing insight and measures real-time content consumption across the internet, social media, and mobile — looked at digital consumption around all the late-night hosts for a year starting April 2014 to April 2015.

The results confirmed that the changing landscape for late-night formats and viral video creation wasn't moving in Letterman's favor.

Despite a high level of awareness that the last year was Letterman’s swan song year, Fallon, Kimmel, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert all had more consumption than the departing CBS host. In fact, Letterman generated only 29% as much digital consumption as Fallon.

With less and less people watching late-night talk shows live, the shows have moved toward bits that can get shared online the next day.

Younger hosts are doing the literal song and dance to create viral moments, which isn't Letterman's style.

Amobee offers up the following example: When Letterman announced he would be leaving late-night in April 2014, he only generated 52% of the digital consumption Stewart's decision to leave Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" received two months earlier.

"If you look around at the other people doing it and look at me, it's almost like a pair of shoes you haven't worn in a hundred years," he told Rolling Stone. "'Gee, I think we can probably get rid of these.' I still enjoy what I'm doing, but I think what I'm doing is not what you want at 11:30 anymore."

Letterman certainly had his own success with innovative sketches gone viral. We've all clicked on a video of Letterman's "Stupid Pet Tricks" and "Top Ten Lists," among other great segments. But, he's probably right about not fitting the variety-show-like model late-night programs have moved toward.

With all that behind Letterman now, Colbert will have to step up to the viral video competition when he takes over the "Late Show" on Sept. 8.

SEE ALSO: David Letterman sent this witty rejection letter to Jimmy Kimmel in 2002

MORE: Adam Sandler performed a hilariously touching musical tribute to David Letterman

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NOW WATCH: Jimmy Fallon's new lip sync show looks hilarious

David Letterman's final episode of "The Late Show" aired Wednesday evening.  

Perhaps Letterman's greatest late-night show legacy is his nightly Top 10 lists. Celebrities from Tiny Fey and Jerry Seinfeld to Jim Carrey and Bill Murray showed up to read the final one: "Top 10 Things I've Always Wanted to Say to Dave."

In honor of his departure, we've rounded up the Top 10 Letterman Top 10 lists.

To compile the ranked list, we took into consideration top-viewed lists from YouTube and talked-about lists across the Internet. We also looked at prior anniversary lists from Letterman himself.

We also turned to CBS' archives of top 10 lists dating back to 2001. Not all of our selections have video.

Without further ado, these are the lists that had us laughing the hardest:

10. Top Ten Reasons I'm glad to be named Justin Bieber 

Air date: November 3, 2010

A man from Jacksonville, Florida named Justin Bieber came on the show to present. 

9. Top Ten Things I Have Learned Working For "The Late Show"

Air date: August 28, 2003

10. "Most of audience -- prison inmates"
(Line Producer, Kathy Mavrikakis)

9. "That moron couldn't remember his name if it wasn't on cue cards"
(Cue Cards, Tony Mendez)

8. "I have utterly and completely wasted my life"
(Associate Producer, Nancy Agostini)

7. "Jennifer Lopez is a hellcat in bed"
(Film Coordinator, Rick Scheckman)

6. "The hours may be long, but the money sucks"
(Make Up Artist, Michele O'Callaghan)

5. "We really are a family, and Dave is the crazy uncle everyone is hoping will be put in a home"
(Writer, Gerard Mulligan)

4. "You don't need good looks or talent to get your own show"
(Stage Manager, Biff Henderson)

3. "When Regis calls, Dave's in a meeting"
(Executive Assistant to David Letterman, Laurie Diamond)

2. "All kidding aside, Dave really is an ass****"
(Executive Producer, Jude Brennan)

1. "It's much easier if I just tell people I work for Leno"
(Musical Director, Paul Shaffer)

8. Ricky Gervais shares the Top Ten Stupid Things Americans Say To Brits

Air date: November 3, 2008 

"Do you know the Queen?"

7. Robert De Niro and Al Pacino's Top Ten Reasons I Like Being An Actor

Air date: September 2008

6. Top Ten Ways The Show Has Changed Since 1993.

Air date: August 28, 2009

10. Now do the bulk of my drinking after the show

9. People used to pretend to like me. Now they pretend to tolerate me

8. Global warming has raised theater temperature to 38 degrees

7. I lost 280 pounds with Deal-a-Meal

6. Crazy lady we used to piss off: Madonna. Now crazy lady we piss off: Sarah Palin

5. Audience is here to see if I drop dead on stage

4. Dwindling amount of hate mail; burgeoning amount of hate e-mail

3. Every ten minutes someone is dropping a flashlight

2. Used to talk with sexiest women in the world. Now I interview Artie Lange

1. Emmy Awards replaced with Fire Dave rallies

5. Top Ten President Obama Excuses

Air date: October 4, 2012

10. "I haven't slept an hour since 2008"

9. "Romney's hair is mesmerizing"

8. "Didn't want to wake Jim Lehrer"

7. "Haven't been the same since I quit smoking"

6. "Honestly, I thought the debate was next week"

5. "I live with my mother-in-law, what do you want from me?"

4. "Kept blanking on what percentage of the country Mitt's written off"

3. "Skipped rehearsal, just like Letterman"

2. "Why don't you ask Bin Laden how I did?"

1. "It's Bush's fault"

4. Top Ten Things Never Before Said on "The Sopranos" as presented by the cast.

Air date: n/a

"You don't have the money? That's cool."

3. Barack Obama delivers his Top Ten Campaign Promises

Air date: January 2008

2. Top Ten List of Top 10 Favorite California Names

Air date: May 7, 1996

To present this, Letterman had the actual California residents read off their name and show their licenses to prove it. This is great because as the names get worse and worse, Letterman's crew continues to cut to a woman in the audience clearly bothered by the vulgarities. 

1. Top 10 George Bush Moments

Air date: n/a

SEE ALSO: Watch Tina Fey, Jerry Seinfeld, and more read Letterman's final "Top 10" list

Join the conversation about this story »

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Conan O'Brien paid tribute to David Letterman on Tuesday night ahead of the veteran host's final show on Wednesday.

O'Brien said Letterman has "been the north star for me and every comic of my generation" and told a fascinating personal story about how Dave once saved his career.

"What I wanted to talk about tonight, briefly, is something incredible that Dave did for me almost 22 years ago," O'Brien began. "Something that had a profound impact on my life."

"Some of you may be too young to know this, but way back in 1993, I took over David Letterman's iconic 'Late Night' television show."

"I was a complete unknown, with absolutely no experience performing on television. I was utterly and totally unprepared for that enormous job," O'Brien explains. "I don't even think anything like that could happen today. We can check people out on YouTube today, but then, I was a complete unknown and totally unprepared."

"After going on the air in September 1993, I got the s--- kicked out me," he continued. "Critics despised me; the ratings were bad; my skin broke out — which it hadn't done since high school and then again at this crucial time. And my network started to make it clear that I probably wouldn't be around for very long. I honestly have no ill will about that time, because by and large people were right. I'm serious; I was in way over my head."

"The conventional wisdom was that everybody thought I should be cancelled. And then something miraculous happened," says the now 52-year-old. "After four dreary months, out of the blue, we got a message at the show that David Letterman wanted to come on the program as a guest."

"Now understand, Dave wasn't just the biggest late-night star at the time, he was the biggest thing on television. He didn't go on other people's shows. It was like The Beatles asking Maury Povich if they could stop by and sing a couple of tunes."

"It was that absurd! And at the time, I was convinced it was a prank. I didn't think it could be real," said O'Brien.

"But on February 28, 1994, David Letterman walked onto my set and blew the doors off the place. It’s easily one of the happiest nights of my professional life."

"True story, after that one night, that one appearance, everything turned around for me," claims O'Brien, who now has his own TBS late-night show.

"The morale of the staff shot through the ceiling; my producer, writers, Andy, we all thought that if David Letterman can come on our show and say a few kind words, then maybe, just maybe, we can earn the right to be here."

"And we survived."

"So, the point behind all of this is that I just want you to know, that if you have ever liked any silly or stupid thing I’ve done on television over the past 20 years, you must know that it probably never would have happened if it weren’t for Dave."

"At one of the lowest points of my life, when I was a 30-year-old national punch line, Dave, for reasons I still don’t really understand — completely rescued me."

"I still believe that that simple act of kindness turned everything around and made all the difference."

Watch Conan's full farewell tribute below:

SEE ALSO: David Letterman sent this witty rejection letter to Jimmy Kimmel in 2002

MORE: Jimmy Kimmel gave the best, teary tribute to his idol David Letterman

Join the conversation about this story »

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With all due respect to "Mad Men" and the marketing mavens at AMC, Wednesday's departure of David Letterman from late night actually is the end of an era in television.

No other host — not even Johnny Carson — has hosted a late-night show as long as he will have when he ends his 33-year career. His creative impact on the medium is undeniable (as has been documented by several recent stories here on Vulture). But Letterman was hugely influential on the business side of television as well. Sure, peer and often nemesis Jay Leno generally drew bigger ratings and probably made more money for his bosses.

Leno, however, was a caretaker figure: After Carson reluctantly passed him the torch, his job was to keep NBC’s late-night flame burning, to preserve the status quo. Save for a few bumpy years, Leno did exactly that, and exceedingly well. By contrast, Letterman was a disruptive force.  Here’s why:

He turned late night into a multi-network game.

Before Letterman launched "Late Show" in 1993, NBC pretty much had late night to itself.

Sure, others had tried to tackle the decades-long dominance of the Peacock’s "The Tonight Show." Joey Bishop, Dick Cavett, and Merv Griffin all went up against Johnny Carson in the 1960s and ’70s, while Pat Sajak, Joan Rivers, Alan Thicke, Chevy Chase, and others gave it a go in the 1980s and ’90s. They all pretty much failed. Arsenio Hall famously did not fail: His syndicated show was red-hot for a few years in the early 1990s, stealing away some young viewers during the end of Carson’s reign (and the beginning of Jay Leno’s).

But while Hall lasted over 1,000 episodes and shook things up, he didn’t create an enduring franchise. Letterman did.

Before "Late Show," CBS’s weeknight late-night historically had been home to repeats of either movies ("The CBS Late Movie"), reruns, and original episodes of cop shows ("Crimetime After Primetime") or news ("Nightwatch"). In other words, filler. Letterman changed all that, creating a show that, at its peak not long after it premiered in 1993, managed to draw more viewers than "Tonight." No other late-night talk show had ever done that (at least not on a regular basis).

It’s true that the Leno-hosted "Tonight" eventually pulled back into the lead, and that under Jimmy Fallon, NBC’s storied franchise has pulled even further ahead of its rivals. But "Late Show" has survived for nearly a quarter-century now, making far more in profits than CBS ever did in the era of 11:30 p.m. reruns. Just as important, it will continue after Letterman. Assuming Stephen Colbert doesn’t crash and burn, it seems likely that Letterman will have created a late-night staple on par with "Tonight" and "Saturday Night Live."

What’s more, by proving "Tonight" was not invincible, Letterman inspired other networks to get into the game.

ABC, having previously focused on news with "Nightline" and news-comedy hybrid "Politically Incorrect," followed the path blazed by Letterman with its 2003 premiere of "Jimmy Kimmel Live." Comedy Central, which birthed "Politically Incorrect" before it moved to ABC, saw Letterman’s success and upped its game with the introduction of "The Daily Show" in 1996 (followed by "The Colbert Report" in 2005).

When Conan O’Brien got squeezed out of the broadcast game in 2010, late night was strong enough to support the move of his brand to cable — to TBS, where his show is scheduled to run through at least 2018.

It’s possible, of course, that many of these shows would have existed had Letterman simply decided to stay put as host of "Late Night" after NBC chose Leno to replace Carson on "Tonight." The explosion of original cable programming in the 2000s probably would’ve spread to late night no matter what. But Letterman proved that "The Tonight Show" need not be a monolith, and that there was big money to be made in late night by networks not named NBC. That’s the stuff of legacies.

He used his show to create viral moments long before the age of YouTube. 

In an exit interview with Rolling Stone, Letterman noted that unlike his more recent rivals, his "Late Show" hasn’t been successful at generating those viral-video moments that now seem as much a part of the late-night formula as a desk and band.

But here’s the thing: Even if Letterman isn’t a big player in that game right now, he was actually far ahead of the curve in using his show to create Big Moments that lived on beyond their initial broadcast. His run on NBC’s "Late Night" saw the creation of all sorts of signature segments that evolved late night away from the sketch-based comedy for which Carson was known.

Before we all wasted hours staring at cat videos on YouTube, Letterman had his “Stupid Pet Tricks” (a segment that actually began on his short-lived NBC morning show) and “Stupid Human Tricks.” Dave dropping crap from the top of tall buildings? His suit of Velcro? Elevator races? All would have gone viral had the internet been widely available in the 1980s.

Instead, those of us who were fans of Dave back in the day talked about these segments between classes or work shifts and shared fuzzy VHS tapes of his best bits. And when Letterman moved to CBS (and 11:30 p.m.), one of his iconic segments — the Top Ten list — became so popular, radio stations paid for the right to rebroadcast them via a syndicated package sold by Westwood One. 

He used his power to create TV franchises beyond late night.  

Jimmy Fallon’s “Lip Sync Battle” sketch this spring spawned a successful spinoff show on Spike, a not insignificant achievement.

But that’s nothing compared to the way Letterman has used his "Late Show" platform (and production banner Worldwide Pants) to create programming elsewhere on television.

Most notable, he and his producers signed a promising young stand-up comic who’d appeared on the show to a development deal — and the result was Ray Romano’s "Everybody Loves Raymond," one of the most successful sitcoms of the past two decades. Worldwide Pants also controlled the 12:35 a.m. CBS time slot behind "Late Show" for decades, giving Craig Kilborn and Craig Ferguson big career boosts and providing established late-night icon Tom Snyder one more moment in the network sun.

Longtime "Letterman" producers Jon Beckman and Rob Burnett used Pants to create NBC’s critically loved cult dramedy "Ed," which ran four seasons. The duo also gave Sofia Vergara a break before "Modern Family," casting her in their 2007 ABC sitcom "The Knights of Prosperity." And Letterman’s cachet allowed his friend, comic Bonnie Hunt, the chance to star in two short-lived network sitcoms.

To be sure, Letterman didn’t pioneer the notion of a late-night host expanding his empire to prime time. Mentor Johnny Carson used his production company to co-create NBC’s TV’s "Bloopers & Practical Jokes" series and the sitcom "Amen." But no late-night host has wielded that power as successfully as Letterman did.

SEE ALSO: The Top 10 David Letterman 'Top 10' lists

Join the conversation about this story »

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On Wednesday, David Letterman hosted the "Late Show" for the very last time.

Out of respect for his idol, Jimmy Kimmel aired a rerun of his competing late-night show.

"I have too much respect for Dave to do anything that would distract viewers from watching his final show," Kimmel recently told The New York Times. "Plus, I’ll probably be crying all day, which makes it hard to work."

Indeed, Kimmel did shed a few tears during his tribute to the veteran late-night host on Tuesday. But Kimmel's obsession with Letterman goes way back.

Kimmel, 47, has idolized Letterman, 68, since the younger late-night host was a quirky kid growing up in Vegas.

"His show was just so weird and different," Kimmel told Rolling Stone back in 2013. "I'd never seen anything like it. I didn't know anyone who had a sense of humor like that."

Kimmel has often joked that the only reason he went into show business was to be friends with Letterman — and wondered why anyone would watch his show instead of Letterman’s.

So when Kimmel was coming off four years as cohost of Comedy Central’s “The Man Show” and about to debut "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on ABC in 2002, naturally he reached out to Letterman to be a guest on the show’s premiere episode.

Letterman’s typed response — on personal stationery — today sits framed on Kimmel’s desk in his studio office, alongside a photo of his late grandparents and a picture of himself covered in whipped cream after popping a fictional zit on Jon Stewart’s forehead.

This is what the letter said. It's from September 23, 2002, and was uncovered by New York Magazine.

Dear Jimmy,

Thanks for asking me to appear on your premiere. Unfortunately, I will be out of the country on business. I’m sure the program will be a success regardless.

Sincerely,

Dave

"His response is hilarious," Kimmel told New York Magazine. "He’s not out of the country on business. He knows you know he’s not out of the country on business and just the words 'on business' — it really makes it a perfect letter for me."

Eleven years later, the two aren’t exactly best buddies. But Letterman did appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" for the first time in 2012, when the LA-based show broadcast out of Brooklyn after Hurricane Sandy.

Letterman's appearance gave Kimmel his biggest Wednesday audience in the show's history — about 2.4 million viewers.

Leading up to the visit, Kimmel said he was "terrified" to interview Letterman and tried to justify it by saying, "I’m sure for him it’s nothing more than a nuisance, that he’s just doing it to be nice."

But Letterman was a gracious guest as Kimmel showed him photos of his "Late Night"-themed 18th-birthday cake:

And "L8 Nite" license plate on his first car.

Letterman responded by telling his No. 1 fan, "I’ll be honest with you, it was troubling. I kept saying to people, 'Why is he sucking up to me?' ... When I was persuaded that there was some measure of stability here, then I really realized that it was genuine and I couldn’t appreciate it more."

Letterman added, "In show business, one of the precepts is you're not really supposed to be nice to people, especially if you have the same occupation as another person. Jimmy has broken that precept and has been nothing but generous and courteous and kind to me."

Kimmel told Rolling Stone that, as a kid, he felt like Letterman was doing his show "specifically for [him]." And now, to return the favor, Kimmel won't do his show on Wednesday, specifically for Letterman.

Watch Letterman's ratings-raising 2012 appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

On Tuesday, Kimmel gave an emotional farewell tribute to Letterman, urging viewers to watch Dave's final show on Wednesday instead of his own.

Through tears, Kimmel explained: "Dave is the best and you should see him."

SEE ALSO: Jimmy Kimmel gave the best, teary tribute to his idol David Letterman

MORE: The incredible story of how David Letterman saved Conan O'Brien's career in 1993

Join the conversation about this story »

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Conan O'Brien paid tribute to David Letterman on Tuesday night ahead of the veteran host's final show on Wednesday.

O'Brien said Letterman has "been the north star for me and every comic of my generation" and told a fascinating personal story about how Dave once saved his career.

"What I wanted to talk about tonight, briefly, is something incredible that Dave did for me almost 22 years ago," O'Brien began. "Something that had a profound impact on my life."

"Some of you may be too young to know this, but way back in 1993, I took over David Letterman's iconic 'Late Night' television show."

"I was a complete unknown, with absolutely no experience performing on television. I was utterly and totally unprepared for that enormous job," O'Brien explains. "I don't even think anything like that could happen today. We can check people out on YouTube today, but then, I was a complete unknown and totally unprepared."

"After going on the air in September 1993, I got the s--- kicked out me," he continued. "Critics despised me; the ratings were bad; my skin broke out — which it hadn't done since high school and then again at this crucial time. And my network started to make it clear that I probably wouldn't be around for very long. I honestly have no ill will about that time, because by and large people were right. I'm serious; I was in way over my head."

"The conventional wisdom was that everybody thought I should be cancelled. And then something miraculous happened," says the now 52-year-old. "After four dreary months, out of the blue, we got a message at the show that David Letterman wanted to come on the program as a guest."

"Now understand, Dave wasn't just the biggest late-night star at the time, he was the biggest thing on television. He didn't go on other people's shows. It was like The Beatles asking Maury Povich if they could stop by and sing a couple of tunes."

"It was that absurd! And at the time, I was convinced it was a prank. I didn't think it could be real," said O'Brien.

"But on February 28, 1994, David Letterman walked onto my set and blew the doors off the place. It’s easily one of the happiest nights of my professional life."

"True story, after that one night, that one appearance, everything turned around for me," claims O'Brien, who now has his own TBS late-night show.

"The morale of the staff shot through the ceiling; my producer, writers, Andy, we all thought that if David Letterman can come on our show and say a few kind words, then maybe, just maybe, we can earn the right to be here."

"And we survived."

"So, the point behind all of this is that I just want you to know, that if you have ever liked any silly or stupid thing I’ve done on television over the past 20 years, you must know that it probably never would have happened if it weren’t for Dave."

"At one of the lowest points of my life, when I was a 30-year-old national punch line, Dave, for reasons I still don’t really understand — completely rescued me."

"I still believe that that simple act of kindness turned everything around and made all the difference."

Watch Conan's full farewell tribute below:

SEE ALSO: David Letterman sent this witty rejection letter to Jimmy Kimmel in 2002

MORE: Jimmy Kimmel gave the best, teary tribute to his idol David Letterman

Join the conversation about this story »

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David Letterman is living a much simpler life after saying goodbye to his late-night show last month. But that doesn't mean that getting accustomed to normal life has been a smooth transition.

The former host and Indiana native gave his first post-retirement interview to Indianapolis Monthly.

In the interview, he revealed that two of his assistants had stayed on with him for good reason.

"As it turns out, after all these years of having someone make my calls for me, I can no longer operate a telephone," he told the magazine after explaining that his manager long ago insisted that he get an assistant to answer his phones.

That's not the only thing that takes getting used to for the 68-year-old comedian.

"I don't know what to do with my hair, either," he said. "But I'll never wear makeup again, so that's no problem."

That said, Letterman is nothing if not reflective. He knows what he sounds like and welcomes the ribbing.

"It’s stunning what you find out about yourself when everything you've done for 33 years changes," he said. "It's like ice melting out from under you. I know that regular, responsible people probably hear me whining like this and think, 'Oh, brother.' But I'm trying to rehabilitate myself, so keep me in your thoughts and prayers."

On the bright side, he does seem to keep track of life around town and gets to spend more time with his 11-year-old son, something he had said he wanted to do more of after retirement.

"I love fishing with my son, " he said. "Any kind of trout fishing where you can stand in the river is just delightful. I don't know what I'm doing, but I can stand in the river. I'm pretty good at that. And isn't that 90% of it?"

SEE ALSO: David Letterman cracks self-deprecating jokes in last monologue

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Since leaving his "Late Show" hosting duties nearly a month ago, David Letterman has opened up about his new life as a retiree and is reflecting on his late-night experiences in a new interview with Indianapolis Monthly. 

In the article, Letterman revealed that he had a particularly tough time interviewing two guests: singer-songwriter Warren Zevon and former President Bill Clinton. 

Letterman said he was "anxious" to interview Zevon because he wasn't sure how to address the singer's terminal illness.

"Warren Zevon was on years ago, and we all knew he was dying," Letterman said in the interview. "I was at a loss because I couldn’t think of an entry point for a conversation with a dying man on a television show that’s supposed to be silly. 'How are you doing? You look great!' doesn’t exactly work. I was really dissatisfied with my part of that conversation. I was ill-equipped to connect with a friend who was going through something like that."

Zevon died in 2003 due to an inoperable form of mesothelioma, and his appearance on Letterman in 2002 ended up being his last interview and final public performance. 

Interviewing Bill Clinton for the first time, however, Letterman said he was "anxious for totally different reasons."

"Of course, what I learned about Bill was that you don’t even need to be in the studio for that interview. He’ll take care of it," Letterman said about the famous orator and former president.

Clinton would go on to make nine other appearances on Letterman's show. Their tenth and final interview took place during Letterman's penultimate week as host of "The Late Show," where Clinton joked that there's a 100% chance he'll move back to the White House if his wife, Hillary Clinton, wins the presidential election.

SEE ALSO: David Letterman kept his assistants after 'Late Show': 'I can no longer operate a telephone'

MORE: Tina Fey, Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Murray, and more read Letterman's final 'Top 10' list

Join the conversation about this story »

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