May 20, 2015 –
Dave said his final goodnight when Late Night With David Letterman aired the last new episode (episode no. 4,261 – the 6,028th episode on late night television,) on this date. The episode was a mix of comedy, nostalgia, and reverence, perfectly capping off Letterman’s influential 33-year run in late night television.
For weeks, just about every writer on staff prepped for what would be said by 10 different celebrities, delivering one line a piece about “Things I’ve Always Wanted to Say to Dave.” One writer explained the origins behind a joke in which Letterman’s son Harry keeps asking, “Why does Daddy have to go to prison?” The segment producers had to work extensively to make sure Peyton Manning’s schedule was entirely cleared, they had to rewrite a joke for Julia Louis-Dreyfus at the last minute, and agonized over whether Tina Fey, who previously joked she’d never have to wear a dress again on a talk show, would actually wear a dress to the finale.
The Haus of Dcaligari 