David Letterman believes the end of \u201cThe Late Show\u201d on CBS is a \u201chuge mistake\u201d and a loss for American culture.<\/p>\n
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The legendary former \u201cLate Show\u201d host shared his take with \u201cTODAY\u201d co-anchor Craig Melvin on the cancellation of the CBS late-night program after 33 years on the air. The final episode with host Stephen Colbert airs Thursday.<\/p>\n
Letterman, 79, who hosted the show from its inception in 1993 until 2015, spoke with Melvin from the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway in his native Indiana.<\/p>\n
\u201cKind of makes me sad,\u201d Letterman said. \u201cWe always relied on, you would read the newspaper in the morning, and at night you would see Johnny Carson. And Johnny would give you a perspective whether you agreed with it or not, but it was always funny.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd without that, I think we\u2019re losing a valuable perspective. I think it\u2019s very, very important to the American culture.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Stephen](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/140423-colbert-selfie-430a-ef12f2.jpg\")
Stephen Colbert poses with David Letterman on “The Late Show” in 2014. Jeffrey R. Staab \/ CBS via Getty Images file<\/p>\n
Colbert, who took over for Letterman in 2015, announced in July 2025 that CBS was canceling the show<\/a>. The heads of Paramount Global and CBS released a statement, saying their \u201cagonizing decision\u201d was \u201cpurely a financial\u201d one and is \u201cnot related in any way to the show\u2019s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.\u201d<\/p>\n News of the cancellation came just days after Colbert called CBS\u2019 $16 million settlement with the White House<\/a> over a \u201c60 Minutes\u201d interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris a \u201cbig, fat bribe\u201d on \u201cThe Late Show.\u201d<\/p>\n The show is being replaced with \u201cComics Unleashed,\u201d hosted by Byron Allen.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s too bad that Stephen is gone,\u201d Letterman told Melvin. \u201cI think it\u2019s a huge mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n Letterman also appeared on \u201cThe Late Show\u201d with Colbert<\/a> on April 15 and talked about the cancellation.<\/p>\n \u201cAs we all understand, you can take a man\u2019s show, you can\u2019t take a man\u2019s voice, so that\u2019s the good news,\u201d he told Colbert.<\/p>\n Melvin spoke with Letterman at Indianapolis Motor Speedway because it\u2019s tied to a cause close to Letterman\u2019s heart. The diehard racing fan, who co-owns Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing with legendary Indianapolis 500 champion Bobby Rahal and businessman Mike Lanigan, has joined a campaign to urge racing fans to get screened to avoid heart valve failure.<\/p>\n RLL Racing has partnered with Edwards Lifesciences for the \u201cStay In the Race\u201d campaign<\/a> to set up heart valve screening booths at races around the country, emphasizing the importance of early detection and timely referral among adults 65 and older.<\/p>\n Letterman, Rahal and Lanigan have all survived serious heart scares.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel great,\u201d Letterman said about his health. \u201cI love the topic of this, and I love heart maintenance in particular.\u201d<\/p>\n Letterman had quintuple bypass surgery in 2000, Rahal has had quadruple bypass surgery and Lanigan has undergone triple bypass surgery.<\/p>\n