It was a night of surprise returns on late-night Monday (February 10), as not only did John Oliver make a surprise appearance on The Daily Show, but talk show legend David Letterman returned to The Tonight Show.
Letterman made his shocking appearance during host Jimmy Fallon‘s opening monologue, leaving viewers at home and those in the studio audience completely gobsmacked.
Fallon was riffing with Paul Shaffer and the World’s Most Dangerous Band, Letterman’s longtime sidekick and band from his time hosting CBS’ Late Show from 1982 to 2015 — Shaffer and co were filling in for Fallon’s regular house band, The Roots, who are rehearsing for the upcoming Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary concert.
During the monologue, the band started playing Letterman’s old theme song as a confused-looking Letterman emerged from behind the curtain. He was met with rapturous applause as he took his position on stage beside Fallon.
“Is this the 23rd hour of The Today Show?” he quipped before Fallon told him he was on The Tonight Show.
“Jimmy!” he exclaimed before turning to Schaffer. “Paul? What are you doing here?”
“You know, it’s a funny story,” Shaffer replied. “Have you ever taken too much Ambien, and then you wake up somewhere with no clue how the hell you got there?”
“Wow, you’ve been reading my diary,” Letterman retorted.
Fallon then asked Letterman if he wanted to tell some jokes, and a staff member with cue cards shuffled onto the stage. Letterman looked through the cards before deciding none of the jokes were good enough. “I’m good, thanks,” he said, shooing the card holder away.
When Fallon asked what the legendary host was doing now he’s retired, he quipped, “TikTok… I made an enormous deal with the Chinese government.”
Fallon suggested they should make some TikTok videos together, including the “handshake challenge.” Letterman didn’t look impressed, though, and had another viral video in mind, telling Fallon, “What I really want to do is hit you in the face with a tortilla.”
Letterman proceeded to slap Fallon across the face with tortillas, even letting Shaffer get in on the action. Fallon also got in a shot of his own, with the Emmy-winning host responding, “I think you cracked a crown.”
As he left, Letterman could be heard backstage yelling, “I’ll see you in a court!”
Letterman last appeared on The Tonight Show in 1992, the year Johnny Carson retired as host. At the time, many fans, including Carson himself, believed that Letterman would become the new host of The Tonight Show. NBC instead gave the job to Jay Leno, and Letterman left the network to host his own late-night show on CBS.
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Weeknights, 11:35/10:35c, NBC
This story originally appeared on TV Insider
