David Letterman

A few days ago I started to write about the whole Letterman retiring thing.

I took the position that as you grow older there are so many things to remind you that you are growing older.

Like Letterman retiring.

It was lame and self absorbed.

Fortunately when I write, many times I go on line and read a lot of articles that pertain to whatever is occupying my diseased brain. This gives me perspective and raw information.

I came across a great article written by Bill Simmons on the website Grantland that gave me the perspective that I needed.

I needed to get tougher. I originally said that Letterman and Leno were the King-like successors to Johnny Carson, the greatest talk show host who ever lived.

That was a lie. Letterman was the man. Leno was the poseur. Letterman has an edge to him, an unpredictability, an aura. Leno is Mr. Clean.

Wholesomeness is never interesting.

First of all, the way Letterman announced his retirement was pure him. He backed into it, eased into it and surprised everybody.

Apparently even Paul Shafer.

It was fantastic.

Simmons pointed out that Letterman had that thing that I see in Bill Maher and saw in George Carlin, which is disdain for his audience when appropriate.

That's pretty ballsy.

He even shows disdain for his guests from time to time, which is something Maher does as well.

That is a man who is secure in his talent and intelligence.

Very impressive.

Letterman assumed he would succeed Carson but he got screwed over and Leno got the gig.

What a letdown. Originally Letterman kicked Leno's ass in the ratings. Eventually Leno began to beat Dave regularly.

This is because American audiences need their hands held; they are not intelligent enough or tough enough to appreciate a mind like Letterman's. They do not want to be challenged, they do not have the capacity to think.

So Letterman told this meandering story and nobody suspected where he was going with it. Until he talked about calling his boss, Les Moonves, and said "I'm retiring."

There were several seconds of silence in the studio. Paul Shafer even said: "This is - you actually did this?"

Letterman sat there with his trademark goofy grin. It was perfect.

Simmons: "He's the only late-night host who elicits the same respect from guests that Carson did."

True. It was so obvious that his guests respected him and loved verbally sparring with him, or even just dug being around him. The very close relationships were so obvious. So easy going.

Bill Murray, Regis Philbin, Johnny Depp and so many more. These are the people who could make Letterman laugh, and that says a lot.

Please note: Johnny Carson was a recluse after he retired. But he made a guest appearance on The Late Show. Carson was King. He didn't go on other people's shows.

This was considered to be Letterman's ultimate vindication. Letterman revered Carson; this was the biggest moment of Dave's career. He handled it superbly and insiders believed he had been blessed by the pope.

So David Letterman is retiring in 2015.

It is indeed the end of an era. Now you got Fallon and Kimmel and O'Brien and Ferguson and Colbert. Colbert probably being the edgiest and brightest among them.

That's the way life works. You have these young guys appealing to a young audience and that is just the way it has to be.

But David Letterman carried Johnny Carson's torch and he did it well.

He did it in his own way, in his own style, but he still commanded respect and had that King of late night TV aura about him.

We will never see that again.

I missed Johnny Carson's final show. I have always regretted that. I have seen it taped but that is not the same.

I should have seen it live.

I will not miss David Letterman's final show.

It will be unique, it will be surprising and it will bring tears to my eyes.

It is a concrete sign that I am getting older, no doubt.

More importantly, it will signal the end. The end of what late night TV used to be.

It will signal the end of the delicate balancing act between substance and entertainment.

David Letterman could not quite fill the void left by Johnny Carson but he gave it one hell of a ride.

Nobody will fill the void left when Letterman retires.

Nobody will even come close.