David Letterman and Stephen Colbert get revenge on CBS as furniture is tossed off rooftop during stunt

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Stephen Colbert’s final week hosting ‘The Late Show’ took a chaotic turn when David Letterman joined him for a rooftop stunt involving CBS furniture at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

The moment aired during the May 14 episode, when Colbert welcomed his predecessor back to the iconic late-night stage ahead of the end of his 11-year run. 

David Letterman jokes CBS fired him again during Stephen Colbert reunion

Letterman entered to a standing ovation and a dramatic ‘Seven Nation Army’ intro before launching into jokes about 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 said.

He then reflected on the theater and Colbert’s legacy inside it.

“I have every right to be pissed off, so I’ll be pissed off here a little bit,” Letterman said. “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.”

He added, “But, listen… as we all understand, you can take a man’s show, you can’t take a man’s voice.”

Stephen Colbert and David Letterman escalate CBS rooftop furniture stunt

The bit escalated when Letterman asked whether CBS owned the furniture on set, and Colbert confirmed it did.

Stagehands then began clearing pieces from the stage as part of the ongoing gag.

The show later moved to the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater, where the segment turned into what was described as “wanton destruction of CBS property.”

Couches, chairs, and props were thrown off the roof onto a CBS logo below, followed by watermelons and a wedding cake.

At one point, Letterman joked about other late-night hosts.

“What I’m really worried about is: What will become of the Jimmys? Are they going to be alright?” he said, referring to Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon.

“We’ve got a plan to put them in a captive breeding program,” Colbert replied.

Stephen Colbert’s final week builds toward farewell episode

Colbert’s appearance with Letterman came during his final stretch hosting ‘The Late Show’, which ends on May 21.

The final week has featured multiple high-profile guests across entertainment and politics as Colbert wraps his 11-year run.

Names including Barack Obama, Tom Hanks, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver have appeared during the farewell run.

Letterman’s return carried added weight due to his long association with the Ed Sullivan Theater and CBS late-night history, making the segment both a comedic set piece and a symbolic handoff moment.

As the show nears its finale, Colbert continues to blend nostalgia with high-energy guest appearances, marking the end of an era for CBS late-night television.