As 'The Daily Show' will not air next week, Jon used Thursday, May 14's episode to pay tribute to the outgoing 'Late Show' host who will be ending his run next Wednesday.
- May 16, 2015
AceShowbiz - Jon Stewart paid tribute to David Letterman, who will be ending his run as "Late Show" host on May 20, during a segment on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" on Thursday night, May 14. Jon began, "We're off all next week and so we will miss on Wednesday night a young man named David Letterman signing off from his program."
He said of David, "He was for me, and I think for many comics of my generation, an incredible epiphany of how a talk show or entertainment, or how television - for god sake! The man put a camera on a monkey! It seems so simple now, but back then, it was mind blowing. And I used to watch that show since the early '80s and just fell in love with the joy that they had and that they brought."
"There are so few people who can innovate that format, and then...to be an innovator with longevity, I mean, damn. The list is Dave," Jon went on. "On a personal note I had a show very similar to his that did not have either the innovation part, or certainly the longevity part and David Letterman was kind enough to come to our final broadcast and be the final guest, and single-handedly turned what was a funeral atmosphere into a celebration, just by his presence."
"He lifted all of our spirits, and he said to me - I'll never forget - 'Do not confuse cancellation with failure.' And I thank him for all the amazing years of television and for that wonderful piece of advice. He said to me, I'll never forget, 'Do not confuse cancellation with failure.' And I thank him for all the amazing years of television, and for that wonderful piece of advice," he added.
Jon then aired a "Moment of Zen" clip from David's appearance on the final episode of "The Jon Stewart Show".
