David Letterman Makes Surprise Return to The Tonight Show

NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2025 — Late-night television icon David Letterman returned to his former stage at 30 Rockefeller Plaza for a surprise appearance on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon‘ this Monday. His visit marked a notable reunion with former bandleader Paul Shaffer, who is filling in this week while Fallon’s house band, The Roots, prepares for the upcoming ‘Saturday Night Live‘ anniversary broadcasts.

In a conversation filled with nostalgia, Letterman reminisced about their shared history, stating, “We used to do a show pretty much exactly like this,” while playfully critiquing the current trends in late-night comedy. However, he didn’t hesitate to dismiss what he termed “the Chuck E. Cheese crap,” referring to some of the skits often featured on Fallon’s show.

Although Fallon extended an invitation for Letterman to take over the monologue, a tradition among other late-night hosts, the veteran comedian declined. Instead, Letterman humorously claimed, “There are no jokes worth telling,” after teasing the audience about reading cue cards.

In a nod to modern viral trends, Letterman momentarily embraced the spirit of the current wave of humor, participating in a segment that involved Fallon chasing a Gen-Z trend, which visually contrasted with Letterman’s long-standing style. This humorous segment came to a climax when an audience member threw a tortilla at Fallon, which Letterman used to comedic effect by smacking Fallon in the face.

This marks the first time Letterman has appeared opposite Fallon on either ‘Late Night’ or ‘The Tonight Show.’ Since his retirement from ‘The Late Show’ in 2015, Letterman has made guest appearances on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live,’ ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,’ ‘The Late Late Show with James Corden,’ and ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers.’ Intriguingly, back in 2010 during the tumultuous period surrounding the Tonight Show changes, Letterman had humorously referenced Fallon, mistakenly calling him ‘Lonny Donagan.’

As the landscape of late-night television continues to shift, Letterman’s surprise cameo raises questions about the ongoing evolution of comedic styles and audience expectations. Viewers are encouraged to share their reactions to this unexpected reunion online.