David Letterman goes off at CBS at Stephen Colbert's finale show.
David Letterman Leaves CBS With a Vulgar Parting Shot on Colbert’s Final Show
May 15 2026, Published 12:11 p.m. ET
David Letterman used one of his last appearances on CBS’ The Late Show to deliver a straightforward farewell to the network. He ended a segment with Stephen Colbert by directing a vulgar message at the company retiring the franchise he launched over thirty years ago.
Letterman, 79, appeared on Thursday’s episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, just one week before Colbert’s final broadcast on May 21. The former host wrapped up part of his appearance by referencing the famous CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow.
David Letterman gives CBS a parting shot in Colbert's finale.
“To the folks at CBS, in the words of the great Ed Murrow, good night and good luck, motherf---ers,” Letterman said, standing next to Colbert.
This twist on Murrow’s well-known signoff, “Good night, and good luck,” came during an episode filled with jokes at CBS’ expense. Letterman, who created The Late Show in 1993 and hosted it until 2015, returned to support Colbert as the show approaches its end.
CBS announced in July 2025 that it would finish The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and retire the franchise in May 2026. The network stated that this decision was purely financial and not related to the show’s performance or content issues at Paramount.
Letterman did not accept that explanation. Earlier this month, he told The New York Times that CBS executives were “lying” about the reason for the cancellation and added, “They’re lying weasels,” according to Entertainment Weekly.
During Thursday’s show, Letterman joked that someone backstage claimed to be from CBS and then “fired” him. He also told Colbert he had every right to be upset about the show’s end.
“I have every right to be pissed off, so I’ll be pissed off here a little bit,” Letterman said. “You folks wouldn’t be at this theater if it weren’t for me, and Stephen wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me.”
Letterman and Colbert also used the appearance to destroy CBS-owned set pieces. After Colbert said CBS owned the studio furniture, Letterman quipped, “It would be a shame if something happened to it.” Crew members then removed chairs from the stage.
They later moved to the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater, where Letterman and Colbert threw chairs, melons, and a cake at a target featuring the CBS logo. Letterman had made rooftop stunts a regular part of his late-night run.
Letterman pays respect to Colbert for carrying on his legacy.
Colbert has stated that the final episode marks the end of The Late Show on CBS and not a transition to another host. “I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away,” he said during his on-air discussion of the cancellation.
Letterman’s return came during a final stretch that has included appearances from several late-night hosts. Earlier in the week, Colbert reunited with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver, his co-hosts from the 2023 strike-era podcast Strike Force Five.
Letterman also used his appearance to raise questions about the future of other late-night shows, asking, “What will become of the Jimmys?” Colbert joked that Fallon and Kimmel would be placed in “a captive breeding program.”
The final episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert is scheduled to air on May 21 on CBS. Letterman’s signoff provided the network with one last reminder of the comic voice that built its late-night franchise and the ongoing anger surrounding its conclusion.