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Best of Late Night
David Letterman Reclaims His Desk at ‘The Late Show’
Eight years after retiring from the CBS show, the former late-night host sat down with his successor, Stephen Colbert.
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night’s highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.
Better Late Than Never
David Letterman returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater on Monday night for the first time in eight years.
“My guest tonight certainly needs no introduction,” Stephen Colbert said before bringing Letterman out. The former “Late Show” host received extended cheers and enthusiastic chants of “Da-vid!” from the crowd.
“I will say this is the most enthusiastic audience I have been near since the night I announced I was quitting,” Letterman said.
Colbert asked Letterman if there was anything he missed, and the former host answered, “everything.”
“Mostly, it’s fun. Very few things in life provide one the opportunity — and I can’t speak for you on this topic — but for me, if you muck one up, 24 hours later, you get to try again. And that’s a pretty good device.” — DAVID LETTERMAN
They both recalled a meeting before Letterman handed over the reins to Colbert in 2015, and the former “Late Show” host shared his admiration for Colbert and his team’s tenure thus far, saying they made the job look easy.
“I will pass that on to the entire staff, but you and I both know it’s really the host,” Colbert joked.
At the end of the interview, Letterman asked if he could take a photo behind the old desk, and Colbert acquiesced before snapping a selfie of the two, who shared both a handshake and a hug by the end.
“By the way, in my day, I never would have let this happen,” Letterman said, assuming his former seat. “I’m sorry. Thank you.”
The Punchiest Punchlines (HBD, President Biden Edition)
“President Biden turned 81 today despite his campaign staff specifically advising him not to.” — SETH MEYERS
“Every time Joe Biden has a birthday, it feels like a — like a political misstep. It’s like, why would you do that? You’re old enough!” — JIMMY KIMMEL
“That’s right, President Biden today celebrated his 81st birthday, but not as much as Republicans did.” — SETH MEYERS
“Joe Biden’s 60th birthday is now old enough to drink.” — JIMMY KIMMEL
“There were so many candles on his cake, I thought it was another Canadian wildfire.” — DULCÉ SLOAN, guest host of “The Daily Show”
The Bits Worth Watching
The security-guard-turned-sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez took on the red carpet and the racetrack at the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix for a segment on Monday’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
What We’re Excited About on Tuesday Night
The fashion designer and “Real Housewives of New York” star Jenna Lyons will appear on Tuesday’s “Tonight Show.”
Also, Check This Out
“The Color Purple” star Danielle Brooks and the comedian Sam Jay discussed impostor syndrome and women in comedy for T: The New York Times Style Magazine.
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