David Letterman Slams CBS Over 'Late Show' Cancellation, Strips Stage of Furniture During Colbert Interview

David Letterman, the 22-year host and creator of The Late Show, expressed his frustration over the cancellation of the program during a live interview with Stephen Colbert on Thursday evening. Letterman, who appeared likely for the final time, did not hold back his emotions.

"I have every right to be pissed off, so I’ll just be pissed off here a little bit," Letterman told Colbert at the start of their sit-down. "Because this theater, you folks, wouldn’t be in this theater if it weren’t for me. And Stephen wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me. We rebuilt this theater, and then Stephen came in, and, look at this, it’s like the Bellagio."

Letterman continued, emphasizing the significance of his contributions: "You can take a man’s show, you can’t take a man’s voice."

As the conversation progressed, Letterman joked about his concerns for the Emmy Awards, which are colloquially referred to as "the Jimmys." He asked Colbert, "Are they going to be all right?" Colbert responded with humor, replying, "We’ve got a plan to put them in a captive breeding program."

Letterman then questioned whether this visit marked the last show, asking, "I was told it was the last show." Colbert clarified, "It is the last show of this week. Next week is the last show."

After suggesting he return for the final episode, Letterman eyed Colbert’s furniture and remarked on its quality: "Yeah, this is nice. Would be a shame if something happened to it." He then instructed helpers to clear the stage of the furniture. With no seating left, Letterman and Colbert moved into the audience to interact with attendees.

In January, CBS announced the final air date for The Late Show as May 21. This decision followed CBS’ summer announcement that the program would conclude shortly after Colbert mocked Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump, calling it a "big fat bribe." However, CBS executives insisted the cancellation was purely financial.

Letterman has since criticized his former employer, referring to CBS as "lying weasels" in a May interview with The New York Times. He disputed the network’s financial reasoning, stating:

"TV may not be the money machine it once was. On the other hand, what about the humanity for Stephen and the humanity of people who love him and the humanity for people who still enjoyed that 11:30 respite?"