David Letterman made his first late night appearance since the sign-off of The Late Show with David Letterman two years ago, sitting down last night for a featured interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, which is broadcasting this week from the Brooklyn Academy of Music. In it, he discusses (briefly) his upcoming Netflix show, whether he misses doing Late Night (“No, I don’t. I miss wearing makeup”), and an ill-advised prank against his (short-lived) Tonight Show competitor Conan O’Brien – and enjoys a reunion with his longtime band-leader and second banana Paul Schaffer, who is pulling the same duty for Kimmel in Brooklyn this week.
The 16-minute chat is an enlightening glimpse of a more laid-back and affable version of Mr. Letterman, who collects the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center Sunday. But he’s still capable of first-rate shade, telling Kimmel, “For the purpose of this conversation I have nothing but the highest regard for all of the talk show men and women – even Jimmy Fallon. I’ll include him.”
Take a look:
PBS will air the Twain Prize ceremony on November 20.