David Letterman may have been the host of Late Night, but in one of his final episodes, Oprah Winfrey turned the tables. Comedian Norm Macdonald also gave a stand-up performance, which got quite emotional as it went on.
Winfrey, who also famously walked away from television, asked Letterman a few questions about his office. Letterman said he’s already cleaned his out, which was quite easy.
“How was that?” Winfrey asked.
“Easy,” Letterman said. “‘Cause I started four or five years ago... I saw the writing on the wall!”
Letterman also told Winfrey that the only thing he will keep from that office is the rubber stopper and chain that went to his bathroom sink.
Macdonald then gave his final Late Show stand-up performance, but it was clear that he was getting emotional as he continued.
“We all know that David Letterman is the greatest talk show host who ever lived, but I remember Dave differently because the first time I saw him, I was 13 years old,” Macdonald said. “I was living Toronto, Canada and I went to a talk show they had there and David Letterman was the stand-up they had on the show.”
Letterman told a great joke on that show, which Macdonald says he has told everyone and is his favorite standup joke ever. Here it is:
“I was on the street the other day and I saw a garbage truck and on the back of the garbage truck, there was a small sign that said ‘Do not follow too closely.’ Another of life’s simple pleasures ruined by meddling bureaucracy, ladies and gentlemen! Remember the old days, when dad would pile the kids in the station wagon and we’d all go and follow the garbage truck?”
Letterman’s final show is on Wednesday. His last guests include Tom Hanks on Monday and Bill Murray on Tuesday.
screenshot from Late Show with David Letterman YouTube video