Watch David Letterman Make Final 'Late Show' Entrance

By Marisa Guthrie

After more than 6,000 broadcasts and 33 years in late night television, David Lettermantook the stage at the Ed Sullivan Theater for the final time on Wednesday.

The venue, which has been Letterman’s home since 1993 when CBS bought it for $4.5 million, was packed with stars, many of whom have been regular guests on the show, including Chris Rock, Steve Martin and Jerry Seinfeld.

The weeks leading up to his departure have included a parade of the famous who have made the trip to midtown for a final session with Letterman: Tom Hanks, George Clooney,President Obama, Tom Waits, Oprah Winfrey, Billy Crystal, Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, Al Pacino, John Travolta, Julia Roberts (who astutely observed: “I think stupid people annoy you”) and Bill Murray, who on the penultimate show popped out of a cake and proceeded to give Letterman a bear hug covering him with frosting.

Letterman has been reticent about discussing future plans. It’s clear that he is ready to let go of the daily grind of late-night TV in part so that he can spend more time with his 10-year-old sonHarry. But he also has betrayed conflicted emotions about giving up his day job. In an interview with Jane Pauley on CBS Sunday Morning, he allowed that returning to the Ed Sullivan Theater, where Stephen Colbert will take over as Late Show host in September, would be too hard.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be back in this building again. Honestly,” Letterman told Pauley.. “I think it would just be too difficult for me…emotionally…because I just don’t want to come back and see others living our lives.”