The BEST episodes of Late Show with David Letterman

Every episode of Late Show with David Letterman ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Late Show with David Letterman!

An hour-long weeknight comedy and talk show broadcast by CBS from the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway in New York City and is produced and hosted by David Letterman. The show's music director and bandleader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is Paul Shaffer. The head writers are brothers Justin Stangel and Eric Stangel. The announcer is Alan Kalter, who replaced Bill Wendell as announcer in 1995. The show airs at night, but is recorded the afternoon of the broadcast.

Last Updated: 6/6/2025Network: CBSStatus: Ended
Natalie Portman, Jay Pharoah
star
10.00
1 votes

#1 - Natalie Portman, Jay Pharoah

Season 17 - Episode 234 - Aired 11/22/2010

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Gerard Butler; Elizabeth Cook
star
10.00
1 votes

#2 - Gerard Butler; Elizabeth Cook

Season 20 - Episode 40 - Aired 3/14/2013

From "Olympus Has Fallen", actor Gerard Butler; musical guest Elizabeth Cook

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Seth Meyers; Demetri Martin; Dropkick Murphys
star
10.00
1 votes

#3 - Seth Meyers; Demetri Martin; Dropkick Murphys

Season 20 - Episode 41 - Aired 3/15/2013

From "Saturday Night Live", comedian & writer Seth Meyers; comic Demetri Martin; musical guests Dropkick Murphys.

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Bill Cosby; Mikaela Shiffrin; Garbage
star
10.00
1 votes

#4 - Bill Cosby; Mikaela Shiffrin; Garbage

Season 20 - Episode 43 - Aired 3/19/2013

Comic Bill Cosby; U.S. skier Mikaela Shiffrin; musical guests Garbage.

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Eva Mendes; Andy Hendrickson; The Airborne Toxic Event
star
10.00
1 votes

#5 - Eva Mendes; Andy Hendrickson; The Airborne Toxic Event

Season 20 - Episode 44 - Aired 3/20/2013

Actress Eva Mendes; a Top Ten List presented by IndyCar driver Graham Rahal; comic Andy Hendrickson; musical guests The Airborne Toxic Event.

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James Franco; Andrew Borracchini; Ed Sheeran
star
10.00
1 votes

#6 - James Franco; Andrew Borracchini; Ed Sheeran

Season 20 - Episode 45 - Aired 3/25/2013

From "Oz the Great and Powerful" and "Spring Breakers", actor James Franco; national grocery bagging champion Andrew Borracchini; music by Ed Sheeran.

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Michael J. Fox; Lorde
star
10.00
1 votes

#7 - Michael J. Fox; Lorde

Season 20 - Episode 158 - Aired 11/12/2013

From "The Michael J. Fox Show", actor Michael J. Fox; musical guest Lorde.

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Alec Baldwin, Jay Thomas, Darlene Love
star
10.00
27 votes

#8 - Alec Baldwin, Jay Thomas, Darlene Love

Season 17 - Episode 65 - Aired 12/23/2009

Alec Baldwin gets intimidated by an acting legend. Also: Jay Thomas returns and Darlene Love sings "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).

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The Final Late Show with David Letterman
star
9.80
108 votes

#9 - The Final Late Show with David Letterman

Season 22 - Episode 138 - Aired 5/20/2015

6,028th broadcast

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Howard Stern, Don Rickles
star
9.00
27 votes

#10 - Howard Stern, Don Rickles

Season 22 - Episode 131 - Aired 5/11/2015

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Martin Short, Norah Jones
star
9.00
27 votes

#11 - Martin Short, Norah Jones

Season 22 - Episode 128 - Aired 5/6/2015

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Jessica Chastain, Lenny Marcus, Foo Fighters
star
9.00
27 votes

#12 - Jessica Chastain, Lenny Marcus, Foo Fighters

Season 22 - Episode 29 - Aired 10/17/2014

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Howard Stern; Adrienne Iapalucci
star
9.00
2 votes

#13 - Howard Stern; Adrienne Iapalucci

Season 20 - Episode 166 - Aired 11/22/2013

Radio talk show host Howard Stern; stand-up comedy by Adrienne Iapalucci.

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President Barack Obama
star
9.00
27 votes

#14 - President Barack Obama

Season 19 - Episode 124 - Aired 9/18/2012

President Barack Obama discusses the comments made by Mitt Romney in a recently released video. Dave wants to keep the vacant chair vacant . . . . just in case the President wants to speak to it. Dave and the President talked about the Conventions, the deficit, jobs, the divisiveness in politics, beer in the White House, the Romney tape, and the troubles in Libya, Egypt, and the Middle East.

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Rachel Maddow, Rose Byrne, Gavin Harrison
star
9.00
27 votes

#15 - Rachel Maddow, Rose Byrne, Gavin Harrison

Season 18 - Episode 115 - Aired 8/23/2011

Dave welcomes talk show host Rachel Maddow and actress Rose Byrne also a drum solo by Gavin Harrison.

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Jennifer Lawrence; Taraji P. Henson
star
9.00
3 votes

#16 - Jennifer Lawrence; Taraji P. Henson

Season 20 - Episode 164 - Aired 11/20/2013

From "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire", actress Jennifer Lawrence; from "Person of Interest", actress Taraji P. Henson.

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star
9.00
1 votes

#17 - Show #0002

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/31/1993

Dave's worst moment on last night's debut: his fake tooth fell out (the video is repeated several times in slow motion); a four-year-old geography expert and cheese lover names states on a U.S. map.

Directors: Hal Gurnee
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Julia Roberts, Paul Shaffer, Ryan Adams
star
8.50
54 votes

#18 - Julia Roberts, Paul Shaffer, Ryan Adams

Season 22 - Episode 133 - Aired 5/13/2015

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Al Pacino, George Clooney, Tom Waits
star
8.50
54 votes

#19 - Al Pacino, George Clooney, Tom Waits

Season 22 - Episode 134 - Aired 5/14/2015

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Lindsay Lohan; Pete Lee; Gary Clark Jr.
star
8.33
3 votes

#20 - Lindsay Lohan; Pete Lee; Gary Clark Jr.

Season 20 - Episode 53 - Aired 4/9/2013

From "Scary Movie 5", actress Lindsay Lohan; comic Pete Lee; musical guest Gary Clark Jr.

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Tom Hanks, Eddie Vedder
star
8.30
81 votes

#21 - Tom Hanks, Eddie Vedder

Season 22 - Episode 136 - Aired 5/18/2015

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star
8.10
27 votes

#22 - Luke Wilson, Julie Chen, Lee Brice

Season 22 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/2/2014

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Jon Stewart, Shawn Mendes
star
8.00
27 votes

#23 - Jon Stewart, Shawn Mendes

Season 22 - Episode 42 - Aired 11/13/2014

New Holiday Toys, Anna Kendrick, Charli XCX
star
8.00
27 votes

#24 - New Holiday Toys, Anna Kendrick, Charli XCX

Season 22 - Episode 58 - Aired 12/16/2014

Jay Thomas, Josh Brolin, Darlene Love
star
8.00
27 votes

#25 - Jay Thomas, Josh Brolin, Darlene Love

Season 22 - Episode 61 - Aired 12/19/2014