Stephen Colbert: 'Late Show' advice, leaving his character

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Stephen Colbert's preparation for taking over The Late Show included asking the late night legend himself, David Letterman, what to expect when the show returns September 8.

Speaking at the Television Critics Association press tour on Monday, Colbert revealed that just ten days before Letterman's exit he asked if he could come up to the show to experience it for himself.

"We talked for an hour about how he approached every day for production and what the relationship with the audience was," Colbert said.

Other tips included the best position for the host desk and how to run the studio's freight elevator to get on set each night.

Colbert will be taking David's advice with him as he transitions into being himself on TV.

When he takes over The Late Show it will not be as the character Colbert played for nine years on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report -- a prospect the 51-year-old comedian is excited about.

"You want to know who the real Stephen Colbert is?" he began. "There's a supercut online of me laughing, me breaking character the entire time. That's me. I'm laughing at our jokes." He continued, "That guy who can't stop laughing, that's the real Stephen Colbert. I can't wait for him to be the only guy you see."

Colbert further elaborated that it was time to drop the character as he felt he had done everything he could do with him and with his older show. Now as himself, Colbert is free to take The Late Show in his own direction.

The Late Show returns September 8 on CBS.