YouTubeFor many of David Letterman's younger fans, there was never a time when he wasn't on CBS hosting the Late Show
But back when 12:30 a.m. was way too late for you to stay up, the gap-toothed funnyman presided over Late Night on NBC (Late Night wars, anyone?), following The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson, from 1982 until 1993.
So with Letterman's final Late Show airing Wednesday, with guests and surprises galore TBD (Bill Murray tumbling out of the cake was last night, so we're really not sure what more there is, but presumably they'll figure out something), the current host of Late Night, Seth Meyers, paid special tribute to Dave on Tuesday by opening his show with an homage to the original Late Night opening.
The pan across the New York City skyline, set to the theme music composed by Paul Shaffer, who's been Dave's right-hand music man since those days, remains oh-so-'80s. But instead of Letterman's picture lighting up a taxi cab or plastered along the sidewalk, it's Meyers' smiling mug, and it's the show's current name chalked on the sidewalk.
"From New York, where fashion meets finance meets construction meets garbage, it's Late Night With Seth Meyers," Ron McClary kicks off the introductions. Then he reads the guest list and closes with, "and now, a man who knows that it's Letterman's show and he's just borrowing it, Seth Meyers!"
"The thing we realized is the biggest difference between 1982 New York City and now, today New York City, so many fewer pornography theaters," Meyers began in his monologue. "And it's so sad because people still bring families here for vacation, and I don't know where they go anymore. I guess the M&M store. Just seems like a different trip, I don't know."
It will certainly be a different trip, indeed.