David Letterman Makes Surprise Cameo on The Tonight Show

New York, NY — David Letterman made a surprise appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Monday night, marking his first time on the show since Fallon took over in 2014.

Letterman’s cameo at 30 Rockefeller Plaza was not just a nostalgic trip; it also served as a reunion with former bandleader Paul Shaffer, who is filling in for The Roots this week while they rehearse.

“We used to do a show pretty much exactly like this,” Letterman remarked during the interview, but quickly added, “we didn’t do the Chuck E. Cheese crap,” referring to some of Fallon’s comedic style.

During the broadcast, Fallon invited Letterman to take over the monologue, a tradition for Letterman’s longtime rival, Jay Leno, but Letterman humorously declined. After feigning preparation to read cue cards, he claimed, “There are no jokes worth telling.”

In a testament to how late-night television has evolved, Letterman eventually agreed to record a viral segment with Fallon, cementing his participation in Fallon’s ongoing embrace of Gen-Z trends. Letterman ended the segment by asking the audience if anyone had tortillas, which he then used to humorously smack Fallon in the face.

Letterman’s appearance is particularly significant as it was before a live audience, a rarity since his retirement from The Late Show in 2015. Prior to this, he had only appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, The Late Late Show With James Corden, and Late Night With Seth Meyers since stepping back from the spotlight.

At the height of the turmoil surrounding The Tonight Show in 2010, Letterman’s recognition of Fallon was minimal, famously misnaming him “Lonny Donagan” during a segment about the late-night chaos of the time.

Fans and commentators have begun to speculate about this surprise convergence. Some voiced hope that Letterman might inject some life back into The Tonight Show amid criticisms of Fallon’s tenure. One commenter lamented, “I stopped watching years ago,” while others rallied support for Letterman’s comedic legacy.

View the laugh-filled segment showcasing Letterman’s shockingly fresh return to late-night television above, and feel free to engage in the comments section with your reactions and thoughts.