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NEW YORK, May 21 (UPI) -- It's the end of an era. Comedy trailblazer David Letterman has officially retired from late-night television. The 68-year-old interviewer and entertainer wrapped his nearly 22-year run as the star of Late Show on CBS Wednesday. He previously hosted NBC's Late Night for more than a decade.
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Old friends such as Ray Romano, Tom Hanks, Bill Murray, Julia Roberts and Michael Keaton, as well as Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and even music icon Bob Dylan have turned up on the show in recent weeks to pay tribute to the outgoing funny man.
His final broadcast included highlights from over the years, a behind-the-scenes look at a typical day at the Late Show and a performance by Foo Fighters.
Murray, Alec Baldwin, Barbara Walters, Steve Martin, Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Carrey, Chris Rock, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Peyton Manning and Tina Fey also stopped by to help read the Top Ten List of Things I've Always Wanted to Say to Dave.
"Thank you very much. Please be seated. ... See, now what happens, we do't have time for the giving gifts to the audience segment," he kicked off his last monologue after a lengthy standing ovation. "Thank you very much, ladies and gentleman. Welcome to The Late Show. I want to tell you one thing: It's beginning to look like I'm not going to get The Tonight Show."
Joking about how people keep asking him what he is going to do now that he is retired, he quipped, "By God, I hope to become the new face of Scientology."
The biggest drawback about not having his show anymore? "When I screw up now and, Lord knows, I'll be screwing up, I have to go on somebody else's show to apologize."
Letterman also said he is "very excited" Stephen Colbert is taking over the show Sept. 8.
"I think he is going to do a wonderful job and I wish Stephen and his staff and crew nothing but the greatest success," he said.
Before the show came to a close, Letterman acknowledged: "The last six weeks, it's been crazy. People have been saying lovely things about us and it's really been over-the-top. I can't tell you how flattering, embarrassing and gratifying it has all been... We've done over 6,000 shows and I was here for most of them and I can tell you a pretty high percentage of those shows just absolutely sucked and, also, in light of all of this praise -- merited or not -- do me a favor, save a little for my funeral. I'd appreciate it."
