David Letterman is reportedly retiring

[malice]

God, how I hope he doesn't fuck this up by trying to dumb down his routine...



CBS moved quickly to replace David Letterman after the late-night host announced his retirement last week. Confirming speculation, Stephen Colbert, of Comedy Central's Colbert Report, will take over the Late Show sometime next year.

Colbert, whose current contract expires at year end, signed a five-year deal to host the show, which will begin when Letterman decides to step down when his contract expires in August 2015, though he could choose to leave earlier next year.

"Simply being a guest on David Letterman's show has been a highlight of my career," Colbert said in a statement. "I never dreamed that I would follow in his footsteps, though everyone in late night follows Dave's lead. I'm thrilled and grateful that CBS chose me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go grind a gap in my front teeth."

Colbert, 49, was an early favorite to succeed Letterman, 66, who last week announced plans to step down next year after a 33-year career in late night, including the last 11 on CBS, which he joined after losing to Jay Leno in his quest to replace another legend, Johnny Carson.

Colbert introduced his mock-conservative blowhard persona as a correspondent on The Daily Show, with Stewart's predecessor Craig Kilborn. He got his own show (produced by Stewart) in 2005, which competes with Letterman at 11:30 ET/PT four nights a week but has a much higher concentration of the younger viewers that advertisers and networks seek. CBS isn't talking yet about location, producer or "specific creative elements" of the new show, but Colbert is extremely likely to shed that persona, which would be difficult to sustain in an hour-long network talk show.

The Colbert Report will remain on the air through December, as the cable network seeks a replacement. "Comedy Central is proud that the incredibly talented Stephen Colbert has been part of our family for nearly two decades," a spokesman said in a statement. "We look forward to the next eight months of the ground-breaking Colbert Report and wish Stephen the very best."

The Daily Show has spawned successful careers for several of its correspondents, including Steve Carell, Ed Helms and John Oliver, who filled in for Stewart last summer, was approached by CBS last fall but signed a deal with HBO for a weekly show, Last Week Tonight, that premieres April 27. Ironically, he would have been a logical candidate to replace Colbert but left, he says, because "there's no space" at Comedy Central, he said Monday. "They already have three shows back to back."

"Stephen Colbert is one of the most inventive and respected forces on television," said CBS CEO Leslie Moonves. "David Letterman's legacy and accomplishments are an incredible source of pride for all of us here, and today's announcement speaks to our commitment of upholding what he established for CBS in late night."

[southp]

Yep, it's Colbert.

Yeah, it's official. I think it's a good choice.
While I like Ferguson, he just wouldn't do well at 11:30.

[Norah]

I think Colbert will do well. And I'm very happy Ferguson is staying put.

[epilogue]

[Jorge]

It'll be very interesting to see Colbert operate without the shtick. I've seen some interviews where he's "out of character" and he's such a laid-back, soft-spoken dude. Nothing like Letterman's smarmy dickishness (which I love).

[malice]

#cancelcolbert seems to have worked finally :/

[BurtReynolds]

I think he'll still be a dick, he just won't bring the schtick.

[Jorge]

#cancelcolbert seems to have worked finally :/

Did you know that Stephen Colbert is one of us?



#cancelcostello

[@SkitchP]

#cancelcolbert seems to have worked finally :/

boy, what a neat joke.

[McParadigm]

It'll be very interesting to see Colbert operate without the shtick.

I don't think a single one of these late night "make the rounds, you have a movie coming out!" shows has ever been "interesting to see." Even at their weirdest and most risk-taking, they're at best the equivalent of Saturday Night Live...something you're better off not watching at all, and if something really good accidentally happens it'll be all over the internet anyway.

Bummer that Colbert would go for it.

[malice]

#cancelcolbert seems to have worked finally :/

boy, what a neat joke.

i live only for other people's approval @skitch

[Jorge]

It'll be very interesting to see Colbert operate without the shtick.

I don't think a single one of these late night "make the rounds, you have a movie coming out!" shows has ever been "interesting to see." Even at their weirdest and most risk-taking, they're at best the equivalent of Saturday Night Live...something you're better off not watching at all, and if something really good accidentally happens it'll be all over the internet anyway.

Bummer that Colbert would go for it.

ok

[Jorge]

#cancelcolbert seems to have worked finally :/

boy, what a neat joke.

i live only for other people's approval @skitch

I think he might be accusing you of plagiarism

[McParadigm]

It'll be very interesting to see Colbert operate without the shtick.

I don't think a single one of these late night "make the rounds, you have a movie coming out!" shows has ever been "interesting to see." Even at their weirdest and most risk-taking, they're at best the equivalent of Saturday Night Live...something you're better off not watching at all, and if something really good accidentally happens it'll be all over the internet anyway.

Bummer that Colbert would go for it.

ok

acknowledged

[BurtReynolds]

It'll be very interesting to see Colbert operate without the shtick.

I don't think a single one of these late night "make the rounds, you have a movie coming out!" shows has ever been "interesting to see." Even at their weirdest and most risk-taking, they're at best the equivalent of Saturday Night Live...something you're better off not watching at all, and if something really good accidentally happens it'll be all over the internet anyway.

Bummer that Colbert would go for it.

ok

acknowledged

confirmed

[malice]

#cancelcolbert seems to have worked finally :/

boy, what a neat joke.

i live only for other people's approval @skitch

I think he might be accusing you of plagiarism

that's what he always accuses me of. just for the record, i haven't even been paying much attention to twitter lately so it would appear my original quips are actually entirely derivative. oh, well.

[malice]

#cancelcolbert seems to have worked finally :/

Did you know that Stephen Colbert is one of us?



#cancelcostello

this is a good clip

[McParadigm]

It'll be very interesting to see Colbert operate without the shtick.

I don't think a single one of these late night "make the rounds, you have a movie coming out!" shows has ever been "interesting to see." Even at their weirdest and most risk-taking, they're at best the equivalent of Saturday Night Live...something you're better off not watching at all, and if something really good accidentally happens it'll be all over the internet anyway.

Bummer that Colbert would go for it.

ok

acknowledged

confirmed

confirmation received

[given2trade]

bummed about this...i guess he thinks his schtick has run it's course

[Dev]

Letterman was the best. I would say Conan was a little better at interviews. But Letterman was better at everything else. Conan is terrible in skits anymore. and Late Night tv. is great. what are you on this time, mcparry?

honestly tho, I'm not sure Colbert will be very good at this at all… how can we even gauge that. this comes out of nowhere