NEW YORK – David Letterman ended his late-night television career on Wednesday with a heartfelt “goodnight and goodbye” to viewers.
Letterman taped his farewell episode of “The Late Show” on Wednesday afternoon, then walked backstage as the Foo Fighters closed out the show with a performance of “Everlong.”
There were no tears from Letterman, but the moment was emotional, especially for his longtime staffers and the lucky fans who were inside the Ed Sullivan Theater for the finale.
The episode contained a number of montages, according to members of the studio audience.
There was also a star-studded top ten list of the “final things I would like to say to David Letterman.” Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Steve Martin, Barbara Walters, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Jim Carrey, Peyton Manning, and Bill Murray all contributed.
Four former presidents and President Obama also appeared via videotape, according to an audience member, with the joke being that “our long national nightmare is over.”
Letterman’s wife Regina and son Harry were in the audience for the comedian’s closing monologue. The lights in the theater came up to acknowledge their presence.
Wednesday’s show came after 6,028 broadcasts and more than 4,600 Top Ten lists over 33 years in late night.
The Foo Fighters, a sentimental favorite for Letterman. When the band played on the show last year, Letterman told an emotional story about how the band’s song “Miracle” had been added to a video of him and his son, Harry, skiing together.
Foo Fighters were also there for another emotional moment in Letterman’s career and life — the night the host returned from heart surgery. In that performance, the band played “Everlong” which Letterman said was his “favorite song.”
The Wednesday night broadcast marked the end of a big and historic week that saw some of Letterman’s most beloved guests return to the “Late Show” to bid the host farewell.
On Monday, Tom Hanks took a picture with Letterman using a Selfie Stick while Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder blasted the Ed Sullivan Theater with the classic song, “Better Man.”
On Tuesday Letterman’s first ever guest, Bill Murray, bookended the host’s career as Letterman’s last sit-down guest by popping out of a cake.
This was followed by Bob Dylan serenading Letterman with the smooth standard, “The Night We Called It a Day.”
All of it led up to Wednesday night’s last show — a significant moment in television history and the completion of an era in late night.
