How long does letterman taping last

Satellite trucks, national news outlets and bloggers were lined up in droves interviewing everyone. Literally everyone. We were literally the three last people let in to the last show. Because we were standby, we missed the usual theme-park-style litany of dos and don'ts.

No announcements, no hand stamps, just seats. When we were seated at the theatre, the energy was something to behold. I've seen the taping a few times throughout the past 10 years or so. Usually I found the taping to be an incredibly well-oiled, if not formulaic, to a fault. This taping was completely different. Pre-show, Dave entered and said a few thank you's, clearly trying to keep hold of collective emotion of the theatre at large.

The audience knew they were there for something special and historic. He took a few questions from the audience, then headed back for the start of the show.

From the moment he entered for the start of the actual taping, the audience was ready. The standing ovation at his first entrance lasted an eternity. The next 80 minutes or so were full of the usual schtick, zany video packages and some really terrific throw-back montages to epic "Late Show" moments.

The show began to close with a heartfelt list of thank you's to the staff at large, Paul Shaffer, and his wife and son. The rest of the finale played out pretty much as you saw it on television. The commercial breaks were punctuated by the peppy band, which stuck to uptempo classics one of their last songs was the hit Expressway to Your Heart , and Dave would momentarily go backstage only to reappear again. While the clip packages played including the montage of his interaction with kids and the classic Taco Bell remote , Dave stuck to his desk, watching the monitor in front of him, no doubt reflecting on the past 33 years.

But perhaps the most telling moment of the taping took place after the all-star top 10 list, featuring some of the greatest comedic minds of all time, who also happened to be Late Show regulars Jim Carrey, Steve Martin and Bill Murray to name a few.

As the segment ended and they cut to commercial, everyone walked away with the exception of Carrey and Chris Rock. They both seemed to linger, not wanting to leave just yet, especially Rock who started dancing to a funky number the band was playing, savouring his last few minutes on the Late Show stage with Letterman at the helm.

The comedian spruced up in a sharp suit for his last show on Wednesday night, pictured here doing a final monologue. He attached a camera to a monkey's back, tossed watermelons off a roof and wore a suit of Alka-Seltzer to plunge into a tank of water. Celebrities used to being fawned over either clicked with his prickly personality or didn't, and when Cher called him a more profane version of jerk, it became a memorable moment. Here come the VIPs: Earlier that day Jessica and Jerry Seinfeld shared a snap on Instagram of themselves headed to the studios; Letterman presents his final show tonight after a 33 year career in late-night television broadcast entertainment.

The tricks subsided as Letterman mellowed with age and fatherhood. His audience welcomed him back after a heart bypass, listened as he became the first late-night host back on the air after the terrorist attacks and saw him acknowledge to inappropriately having sex with a subordinate. As retirement neared, Letterman joked about second thoughts. He also opened his heart: ending a segment with Oprah Winfrey last week, the microphone picked him up saying 'I love you' as the two hugged.

He shared a lingering last kiss onstage with Julia Roberts. Argos AO. Headlines U. Privacy Policy Feedback. A retired David Letterman lets loose as he hits afterparty following the taping of his final show By Dailymail. Share or comment on this article: David Letterman hits afterparty following the taping of last Late Show e-mail Bing Site Web Enter search term: Search. How one supermarket is keeping pace with surge in demand for plant-based food Ad Feature Advertisement.

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