Watch Conan O'Brien's heartfelt tribute to David Letterman

An appreciative Conan O'Brien spent a good chunk of his show Wednesday night giving thanks to David Letterman, calling him "the North Star for me and every comic of my generation" and saying "we will not see a man of his talents and comedic integrity again in our lifetime." O'Brien shared that after he took over Late Night in 1993, ratings were terrible and the critics hated it, but that all turned around when Letterman sent over a message saying he'd like to be a guest. "He was the biggest thing on TV," O'Brien said. "It was like The Beatles asking Maury Povich if they could stop by and sing a couple of tunes." Conan credits the visit with turning the show — and his career — around. "If you've ever liked any silly or stupid thing I've done on television," he said, "it probably never would have happened if it weren't for Dave." Watch the video below. —Catherine Garcia

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