4/10/14 Update: It has been recently confirmed that “The Colbert Report” host Stephen Colbert will be the new host of the “Late Show” upon Letterman’s retirement. This means that “The Colbert Report” will be ending later this year. While Colbert may be hilarious within the confines of his own show, that comedy is based off of a persona he has created. If CBS allows the persona to come over to late night television, then all is well. Only time will tell if Colbert’s stint on the “Late Show” can revive the show’s ratings, and on the day he takes the reins from Letterman, all eyes will be on him. 
One week ago, “Late Show with David Letterman” host David Letterman announced he will retire in 2015. The Internet quickly voiced its opinion toward the news with a mixture of sadness and apathy.
Letterman is the godfather of late night entertainment. He paved the way for talk show hosts for years to come. However, even a legacy the caliber of Letterman’s has to end.
Letterman has hosted late night television shows for 34 years and the “Late Show” for 21 of those years. He has earned 52 Emmy nominations so far and had a building named after him at his alma mater, Ball State University. The list of accomplishments for Letterman tells a story in itself, and with a résumé that extensive, his decision to retire makes perfect sense.
Letterman has spent almost half his life standing in front of a camera and entertaining the masses night in and night out. With the face of late night television changing thanks to Jimmy Fallon, Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Kimmel, Letterman recognizes it is time for him to hang his hat and pass the reins of the “Late Show” to someone else.
The ratings of the “Late Show” have struggled in recent years, and Letterman must have recognized. The retirement episode earned the show its highest rating since October 2012. Similar to Saturday Night Live, the “Late Show” has entered a rough patch of missed jokes and lackluster guests. The only way to keep the show from falling too far behind its competitors is to introduce a new host.
Our generation has grown up knowing two late night television names, Letterman being one and Jay Leno the other. After Leno’s retirement earlier this year, the changing of the late night guards became apparent.
The rumors have already begun flying around the Internet as to who will take Letterman’s place. Leading the possibilities are Neil Patrick Harris, Stephen Colbert and Chelsea Handler. Choosing the future host will make or break the “Late Show.” The thought of Chelsea Handler becoming the host of the “Late Show” is cringe-worthy. Colbert is a favorite for talk show fans, but his character on Comedy Central would not transfer well onto the CBS airwaves.
While it is unlikely the new host will be revealed this year, the buzz surrounding the replacement host shows the effect the “Late Show” has had on its viewers.
Letterman will not host the “Late Show,” but he will still be involved. He owns Worldwide Pants, the company that produces the “Late Show” and the “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.” His presence will still be felt without his on-air appearance.
Fans of the “Late Show with David Letterman” have a minimum of eight months left to view the Indiana native in his natural element under huge lights, behind a desk and in front of a studio audience. Late night television may not be for everyone, but the accomplishments of Letterman can’t be denied.
New life is being breathed into late night television programs. Letterman is the last man to pass the torch to the new generation. Will the “Late Show” ever be the same after his departure? Probably not. This is a fact that everyone must accept. However, the concern behind the show’s status may be what leads to its rise in ratings.
The man who was inspired by Johnny Carson and has inspired a new generation of late night hosts is stepping down. He changed the format of late night television for the better. Letterman broke the fourth wall, reminding the audience that he is reading off cue cards and the show isn’t rehearsed. He forced his audience to be intelligent instead of dumbing subjects down for them.
Letterman became the prototype for how late night television is supposed to be done. Thank you, David Letterman. Thank you.