David Letterman is weighing in on Donald Trump’s most recent attack on Seth Meyers—and the Late Night creator is firmly in Meyers’ corner.
In a new video released on his YouTube channel (below), Letterman opened by sending “a shout out to our friend Seth Meyers,” noting with amusement that “the president of the United States now wants to fire Seth Meyers.”
“And I thought, this is just delightful,” Letterman said. “How do you think that’s going to go? Anyway, I’ve never been more proud of Seth Meyers. That’s our old show, as a matter of fact. He does a magical job.”
Letterman’s remarks came after Trump blasted Meyers on Truth Social last week, calling the Late Night host talentless, accusing him of “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” and urging NBC to “fire him immediately.” As LateNighter has reported, the outburst appeared to stem from a repeat broadcast of a Late Night episode that had already provoked Trump weeks earlier — one in which Meyers joked about Trump’s fixation on aircraft-carrier catapults.
Meyers responded to Trump’s renewed attack on Nov. 18, joking that he was thrilled to hear Newsmax anchors say his name “on TV before midnight,” and spending several minutes unpacking Trump’s Victorian-novel phrasing (“He was viewed last night in an uncontrollable rage”).
Letterman, for his part, saved his sharpest words for Trump himself. Later in the video, he described the president as “just a wonder of idiocy,” adding: “It knows no bounds. It’s never ending. He’s our current… he’s our dictator. He’s not going anywhere.”
With nearly four decades of late-night history between them, Meyers and Letterman have largely operated in separate eras. Letterman created NBC’s Late Night franchise in 1982 and hosted the show for 11 years before departing for CBS, where he remained a late-night fixture for more than two decades. Meyers is only the third host to inherit the franchise, following Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Fallon.
I despise Trump so I’m all for anything Meyers or any late night host does that irritates him.
But I can guarantee you that Letterman has seen about as much of Seth’s (or Kimmel’s or Fallon’s or Cobert’s) show as I have… some clips. Enough to know that they’re not for me.
Late Night died with Letterman and Conan.
I’d be shocked if Letterman has ever watched one entire episode of Meyers’ show. The Letterman today and the Letterman on NBC are two totally different species. CBS Letterman was absolute garbage, and post-CBS Letterman is…I don’t know…whatever is weaker than garbage.
Is this ADonald J. Trump? Seems to me you might be…
If you dislike modern late night SO MUCH, then why do you even bother reading this newsletter, much less wet fart in the comments?
Laughter is good medicine! Maybe check out a rising star like Josh Johnson? Very bright, deep and a hellacious storyteller.
I appreciate the various eras in comedy too. I can shed a tear over vintage Robin Williams videos (thank you YouTube) and classic George Carlin. As a kid there was so much comedy on TV. Did we ‘get’ all of it? Who cares? It’s a beautiful sound.
Seth is a treasure.
He rewards those who (self-punishingly?) keep up with the news and enjoy wordplay.
He’s charming, has an appreciation for sublime nonsense and is aging well.
I’m looking forward to watching his terrific family in a few hours. His Mom is a goddess! After so many years they are like favorite relatives too.
If he ever makes a celebrity booze, it should be “Wry Rye”©️.
Who doesn’t love a guy who can giggle with glee when guests make a funny? It’s generous, modest and delightful. Everything that pus-bag in DC will never be…
Thank you Seth Meyers & Company !
You are good company!