Retirement isn't all sunshine and leisure for David Letterman — especially when his favorite ESPN show gets preempted. The late-night legend, who stepped away from hosting The Late Show in 2015, recently confessed that missing Pardon The Interruption puts him in a foul mood.
“Do you want to know the show that I do watch?” Letterman said on The Bill Simmons Podcast. “And I get a little edgy if I miss it or if it’s preempted or something. It’s on ESPN, and it’s Pardon The Interruption.”
The 79-year-old icon isn't exactly glued to the tube these days, but he makes an exception for the daily sports debate show hosted by Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon. Letterman even offered a quirky compliment: “Tony Kornheiser looks like my new dog, so I have that connection. But that’s about it.”
Letterman's devotion to PTI is a testament to the show's enduring appeal. Since premiering in 2001, the program has outlasted countless imitators and remains a staple of ESPN's lineup. While the network recently canceled Around the Horn, PTI is going strong, with both Wilbon and Kornheiser signing extensions through 2028.
Letterman credits the show's success not to its signature timer gimmick, but to the chemistry between its hosts. “I find something pleasant and welcoming. They’re both avuncular,” he said. That rapport has kept viewers like Letterman hooked for over two decades.
As Letterman prepares to appear on the final episode of The Late Show on May 21, he can at least take comfort in knowing PTI isn't going anywhere. The show's half-hour format, Letterman argues, is perfect — it doesn't overstay its welcome.
Letterman's cranky confession echoes the sentiments of many sports fans who feel the same way about their own must-watch shows. For those who can't relate to NFL streaming changes, Letterman's ritual might seem quaint. But for a generation of viewers who grew up with PTI, it's a familiar feeling.
In the end, Letterman's edginess over a missed episode proves that even legends have their non-negotiables. For him, it's not about the timer or the topics — it's about the company of two old friends who happen to argue about sports for a living.
