Letterman and Colbert Smash Giant CBS Logo in Studio Rooftop Revenge Stunt

The Late Show host Stephen Colbert and predecessor David Letterman, his guest on Thursday, took “true joy” in the “wanton destruction of CBS property” as they tossed furniture from the rooftop of the Ed Sullivan Theater to smash a giant CBS logo just one week before the show’s finale.

CBS pulled the plug on the show on May 21 after announcing its cancellation last year. The network said that it was ending the show’s multi-decade run for financial reasons — although critics have pointed out that the cancellation came after Colbert criticized parent company Paramount’s $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump, which it finalized while seeking federal approval for a merger.

Before taking things outside, Colbert welcomed Letterman, who came out to raucous applause and cheers from the audience.

Admitting that the moment made him a little “teary,” the former Late Show host launched straight into an attack on the show’s cancellation and mocked CBS.

“Well, you know what happened backstage? I’m standing backstage, a guy comes over, he says he’s from CBS, and he fires me. What is going on over there?!” Letterman joked.

“I’m sorry,” Colbert returned. “You caught a stray!”

The veteran host then struck a sharper note, telling the crowd: “I have every right to be pissed off, so I’ll be pissed off here a little bit.”

He continued: “Because this theater, you folks wouldn’t be in this theater if it weren’t for me, and Stephen wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me. And we rebuilt this theater, and then Stephen came in, and look at this? It’s like the Bellagio. But, listen, as we all understand, you can take a man’s show, you can’t take a man’s voice, so that’s the good news from me.”

Letterman then aimed for the uncertain future of late-night TV under shifting corporate ownership, quipping: “What I’m really worried about is: What will become of the Jimmys? Are they going to be all right?”

“I don’t know,” Colbert quipped. “We’ve got a plan to put them in a captive breeding program,” Colbert replied, referencing rival late-night hosts — but also friends — Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon.

Later in the interview, the pair discussed the desk chairs they’d sat on while interviewing guests over the years, with Colbert explaining the brand of his chair.

“Who owns it?” Letterman asked.

“CBS owns everything,” the host replied.

His guest quipped: “Oh, this is CBS property.”

“This all belongs to the Paramount CBS Corporation,” Colbert said.

“Now, wait a minute. Are they affiliated with Skydance?” Letterman asked in a pointed hit at the merger that Colbert had joked about before his cancellation.

“Yes, I believe we are all Sky Dancers now,” Colbert cracked.

Letterman mused: “Yeah, this is nice. It’d be a shame if something happened to this.”

The audience laughed as the pair later escalated the bit with stagehands carrying couches onto the theater roof, where Letterman and Colbert watched them crash onto a giant CBS eye logo on the street below.

Chairs, watermelons, and a wedding cake soon followed.

With the logo structure and furniture thoroughly smashed, Colbert turned to Letterman: “Thanks so much for creating The Late Show 33 years ago. It’s been a pleasure having you back to destroy some stuff.”

“The pleasure is all mine. I enjoy destroying stuff. It’s great, great fun,” Letterman replied. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for our country.”

Watch above via CBS.

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