Remembering David Letterman's Fondness For Colorado

DENVER (CBS4) - It has been a long and very funny 33 years of late night television. Later in May, David Letterman is retiring from The Late Show.

Colorado played a big part in Letterman's show through the years, a place he always loved.

There was the time in 1997 when he flew an entire audience to New York for a special Denver show.

Or the time two guys from Grand Junction played their stupid human trick live on TV.

Peyton Manning also came on the show after becoming a Denver Bronco.

Now, the man who actually gave CBS a late night is stepping away after 22 years on CBS, and another 12 on NBC.

In a way, what caught up with Dave and The Late Show was time -- time and changing tastes. Late night is changing, comedy is changing, satire is changing, and you just plain run out, Critic at Large Greg Moody said.

"We have no more creative flex -- we're on fumes," Letterman joked in an interview 18 years ago with Moody.

It wasn't true then, and fans aren't sure if it's true now. But Letterman may feel it, and it's his choice to go -- a rare thing in network TV.

So with a last show later this month, Dave departs. And all Moody can think is, "Thanks for the laughs Dave -- and stupid human tricks, stupid pet tricks, Rupert, Mujibur, and the interviews and the top ten lists. And everything. Thanks for everything, Dave."

CBS remembers some of Dave's best moments from The Late Show on Monday night at 8:30 p.m. on CBS4. David Letterman: A Life In Television, hosted by Ray Romano, will be a journey through Letterman's long, illustrious, and hilarious career.