Watch Jon Stewart thank Letterman for an old favor, some sage advice

David Letterman had some great advice for Jon Stewart 20 years ago
(Image credit: The Daily Show)

The Daily Show is on break this week, so Jon Stewart said his on-air goodbyes to David Letterman last week. And like many of his peers in late-night TV, Stewart had his own Letterman story, and a hat-tip to the mentor. Letterman "was, for me — and I think many comics of my generation — an incredible epiphany," expanding the bounds of possibility for late-night comedy and entertainment, he said. "To be an innovator with longevity is, I mean, damn — the list is, I think, Dave."

Letterman was not just a gracious host, but also a generous guest, Stewart said, recalling that when the short-lived Jon Stewart Show was axed, Letterman agreed to be the final guest. "He singlehandedly turned what was a funereal atmosphere into a celebration, just by his presence," Stewart said. "He lifted all of our spirits, and he said to me — I'll never forget — 'Do not confuse cancelation with failure.'" After thanking Letterman for the great TV and the "wonderful piece of advice," and before showing a clip from that final show, Stewart brought it home: "So cheers to ya — Godspeed, young man." Watch below. —Peter Weber

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Continue reading for free

We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.

Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.

Peter Weber

Peter Weber is a senior editor at TheWeek.com, and has handled the editorial night shift since the website launched in 2008. A graduate of Northwestern University, Peter has worked at Facts on File and The New York Times Magazine. He speaks Spanish and Italian and plays bass and rhythm cello in an Austin rock band. Follow him on Twitter.