David Letterman hosted 6,028 episodes of “Late Night” (NBC) and “The Late Show” (CBS) over 33 years, so what’s another six for the small screen?
A big deal, says Netflix.
“The yet-to-be-named series has Letterman combining two interests for which he is renowned: in-depth conversations with extraordinary people, and in-the-field segments expressing his curiosity and humor,” says Netflix.
Letterman, 70, will quiz a guest and explore topics on his own, away from the studio in the series set to premiere in 2018.
“I feel excited and lucky to be working on this project for Netflix,” Letterman says. “Here’s what I have learned: If you retire to spend more time with your family, check with your family first. Thanks for watching, drive safely.”
Ted Sarandos, Netflix chief content officer, said: “Just meeting David Letterman was a thrill; imagine how exciting it is for me to announce that we will be working together.
Calling Letterman a true TV icon, Sarandos said: “I can’t wait to see him out in the wild, out from behind the desk and interviewing the people he finds most interesting. We’ll have to see if he keeps the beard.”
Rolling Stone added: “Although Letterman went into retirement, spending time with his wife and son, he has continued to pop up here and there on television. Two months after the final show, he gave a Trump-themed Top Ten list during one of Martin Short and Steve Martin’s stage show.
“He appeared in a Darlene Love video. He appeared in National Geographic’s climate-change series Years of Living Dangerously. He inducted Pearl Jam into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And he accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.”
Early reaction:
David Letterman coming to @Netflix with no network broadcast restrictions is the good news we’ve desperately needed all year.
— Charles Clymer????️???? (@cmclymer) August 8, 2017