David Letterman, 77, Says 'Retirement Is Nonsense': 'I’m Surprised That I’m Still Doing It at My Age'

Mar. 15, 2025

David Letterman, May 2016.Photo:Randy Brooke/WireImage

Randy Brooke/WireImage

David Lettermandoesn’t have plans of retiring anytime soon.

Speaking toGQin an interview published Wednesday, Dec. 11, the 77-year-old former talk show host denied he would be slowing down his career.

David Letterman, 1984.R. M. Lewis jr./NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

R. M. Lewis jr./NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

Letterman’sLate Night with David Lettermanaired on NBC in 1982, before moving toTheLate Show with David Lettermanon CBS in 1993.

In May 2015, he stepped down from his job as the host ofThe Late Show, wrapping up his late night hosting careerafter 33 years.

However, during his interview withGQ, when asked if he considered himself “semi-retired, not retired at all [or] retired,” Letterman didn’t hesitate to clarify.

“Retirement is a myth. Retirement is nonsense. You won’t retire. The human mechanism will not allow you to retire,” he told the outlet.

After agreeing that generally, people do retire at some point, Letterman further detailed his point of view.

“But you know what I’m saying. As long as you are healthy, you still want to produce. And you will find ways to, once I stopped doing the show, it took me a couple of years to figure out that, oh, this is a completely different rhythm,” he said.

David Letterman, Seth Meyers — February 2022.Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

“And without the rhythm that you’re accustomed to, largely unsatisfying. So you got to find something that’s important to you.”

Though the funnyman may no longer have his own late night television show anymore, it hasn’t stopped him from making appearances in the past.

While speaking with Meyers, 50, aboutThe David Letterman Show, he recalled how things didn’t necessarily go smoothly on the morning comedy show that ran for 90 episodes in 1980.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and guest David Letterman.Scott Kowalchyk/CBS

Scott Kowalchyk/CBS

“In show business, if you screw something up — like, blowing up a network’s daytime schedule — you know, it could be a while before they call your number again,” he continued. “But eventually, we came back.”

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The following year,Letterman returned toThe Late Showeight years after he left as the host.

During the November 2023 sitdown withStephen Colbert, Letterman was asked what he “missed” about hosting “after all those 4,000 shows.”

“I miss everything,” Letterman said.

But Letterman hasn’t left the world of talk. Since 2018, he’s hostedMy Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Lettermanon Netflix.

source: people.com