After 33 years, it was finally time to say goodbye to David Letterman as he ended his talk show reign on Wednesday leaving his legion of famous fans and friends sad to see the host go. In one final farewell gesture, stars paid tribute to the 68-year-old on the final Late Show and social media.
Jennifer Lawrence was among the A-Listers who sent a message to David, sharing a photo of herself holding up a handwritten note on Facebook urging him not to leave the Late Show. "Don't do this!" reads the handwritten note. "No one is sick of you it's all in your head."
Reese Witherspoon also told David he would be missed and shared a photo of herself blowing a kiss at her dressing room door from an appearance on the show.
The talk show host even earned praise from President Barack Obama, who tweeted a photo from an interview done on the show, writing, "TV won't be the same without Dave."
Meanwhile Jessica Alba took to Instagram to share a series of clips of her appearances on the program throughout her career including when she was pregnant with daughter Honor.
"My very first time on @letterman," she captioned one video. "I will never forget how comfortable you made me feel – I was SOOOOOOO nervous!! #thanksdave for all of the amazing memories and laughs!"
Kim Kardashian is one of many celebrity guests to appear on the Late Show in recent years, and she told Dave he will be "greatly missed" in an Instagram post on Wednesday night.
To show his immense power in the television world, four presidents participated in a video to send Dave off into retirement. Starting with a famous clip of President Gerald Ford declaring, after the resignation of President Richard Nixon, that "our long national nightmare is over," both President Bushes and President Clinton repeated the remark before President Obama closed the sequence with "Letterman is retiring."
Tina Fey, Steve Martin and Jim Carrey all participated in Wednesday's show, which overran by some 15 minutes. Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin, his pregnant wife Hilaria and their daughter Carmen were all seen arriving to the television studio.
Alec and his wife Hilaria attended Dave's final show Photo: Getty Images
For Dave's final Top Ten list, stars from Steve Martin to Tina Fey delivered a list of "things I've always wanted to say to Dave." Julia Louis-Dreyfus, joked, "Thanks for letting me take part in another hugely disappointing series finale." Jim Carrey said, "Honestly, Dave, I've always found you to be bit of an over-actor." To round out the list, Bill Murray concluded, "Dave, I'll never have the money I owe you."
The show closed with one final performance from Foo Fighters, Dave's favorite band. They tweeted a picture of themselves on set, writing: "Final time on this stage…#ThanksDave @Letterman."
It was then the Late Show host's turn to say goodbye. He took five minutes to lend his thanks to every person in the studio before thanking his wife Regina and son Harry, who were in the audience, saying, "Thank you for being my family, and really, nothing else matters, does it?"
Dave thanked every member of his staff Photo: CBS
But, the comedian had to throw in another joke despite being in the middle of a sentimental moment saying when he asked his mother to appear on the show she replied, "You have a show?"
Stephen Colbert will take over this fall, with the first episode airing on Sept. 8.
