Final Words On Late Night Transcript

Final Words On Late Night

(Coming back from commercial there is a bumper shot of a store with "Going out of Business" signs in the window)

LETTERMAN: Now, that was great.

SHAFFER: Man!

LETTERMAN: I enjoyed it. You guys were great. By the way, Dave Sanborn, nice job on the tambourine.

SHAFFER: That's what Clarence played on the original. That's exactly what Clarence played.

LETTERMAN: By the way, Bruce and I, after the program, we're drivin' down to the
Jersey Shore, and we're just gonna fight!

(Audience laughs)

SHAFFER: All right!

(Dave makes boxing hand gestures, sits down)

LETTERMAN: But if you think about it, Paul, in the eleven and a half years we've had wonderful, wonderful guests, but I think for me this was the only person we always really wanted to have on, but could never work it out until now.

SHAFFER: Tried to get him all these years.

LETTERMAN: And it just makes me feel great that he could come by on our last show.

SHAFFER: He was fabulous.

LETTERMAN: So, um, this is our 1,809th and final show for NBC. We began the program on a cold day in February of 1982, and here we are in the middle of June, a lovely summer evening in '93, nearly eleven and a half years and we're wrapping it up.

I want to thank the folks at home who have watched us all those years. It seems unlikely that we would get together and do this every day if you folks weren't at home watching.

(Dave laughs)

You know…. But you folks have been terrific, and one of the really nice things about it, is knowing that you were there to take a look at what we were up to each and every night. Obviously, the staff and the crew, all of the people who worked with us up on the 14th floor, everybody who works down here on the 6th floor, everybody who works through the building, to help us do this program every night -- when you folks at home tonight, as we roll the final credits, just do me a small favor and take a look at the credits as they roll by, and know that the success of this program over the years first and foremost is due to the hard work, efforts and loyalty of the names of the men and women that you'll see roll by tonight.

(Dave looks up to the audience)

And you folks, all of you have my thanks, and my friendship, and I couldn't express that to you enough.

Paul Shaffer, I've said this from the very beginning. I hope you people at home understand just how good Paul is. Paul and his band are, without a doubt, the best in the business.

(Audience applauds)

SHAFFER: How 'bout that band! That's nice of you. Thank you.

LETTERMAN: And early on, I noticed that the nicest thing for me, coming to work each day, and the most exciting part of any show we've ever done has always been your music, and I mean that absolutely. And I would do this all over, but I sure as hell wouldn't do it over without you guys. Thank you very much.

SHAFFER: Thank you. Well, you have been fabulous to work for all these years.
It's been a thrill every night and it's been new and different every night.
Thanks a lot.

LETTERMAN: Like to see you wear a tie at the new place.

(Audience chuckles)

SHAFFER: Well, I'll work on it.

(Audience laughs)

LETTERMAN: Also, I began a relationship with NBC in the late '70s, in roughly 1978, I was a guest on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and it was, I think, the most exciting moment of my life in big-time television. And I've had an association with NBC ever since. And through all of those years, I've never been anything but completely proud of my relationship with this network, and I hope in some small measure they took some pride in our accomplishments. For me, it's just been terrific.

The gentleman who will take over this program is Conan O'Brien. I've met him a couple of times; the only thing I know about Conan for sure is that he's been in prison.

(Audience laughs)

That's all I know. I know he killed a guy, but I don't --

(Audience laughs)

And he's been on the show, and as I said to him when he was a guest on our program, I hope for Conan and his staff all of the success and the happiness that we here have been able to achieve, and I sincerely mean that for him and his folks.

Also, I hope that he finds it in his heart, sometime down the road, to invite me back here from time to time. I would get a kick out of that.

So, that's it. I want to thank Bruce Springsteen for being here -- what an evening. And of course Tom Hanks -- STOP BENDIN' THE SHAFTS!

(Audience applauds)

The next time we see you folks, it will be Monday night, August 30th at 11:30.

Have a good night. Thank you. Goodbye, everybody.

(Audience cheers and applauds very loudly)

THE END

Late Show With David Letterman Webpage>

Final Words On
Late Night

June 25th 1993

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