David Letterman Wiki: Net Worth, TV Show, Netflix Show & Facts To Know

David Michael Letterman is an American television host, writer, producer, and comedian who was born in 1942. He hosted a late night television talk show for 33 years. The show was first aired in 1982 on NBC as 'Late Night with David Letterman.' Its last episode was aired on May 20, 2015, as 'Late Show with David Letterman' on CBS. Letterman has hosted a total of 6028 episodes of the Late Night and the Late Show. Letterman has broken the record of his friend and mentor Johny Carson as the longest-serving late night talk show host in American television history. Letterman got the 45th rank on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time in the year 1996. Apart from being a talk show host, Letterman is also a television and film producer. His company, 'Worldwide Pants' produced his show as well as the 'The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson' and also some prime-time comedies. The most successful production of his company was 'Everybody Loves Raymond' which is now in syndication. There are many late-night TV Show hosts who have cited Letterman's influence in hosting their own shows like Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Seth Meyers. David Letterman's photo with a beard once went viral in 2016 with many people wondering the reason for his new look. According to his friend, Paul Shaffer, Letterman grew that beard after much thought and has no intention of getting rid of it. The comedian will soon be seen in a Netflix show to be premiered on January 12, 2018. The Netflix show will have Obama as his first guest. Former President Obama had also appeared once in 2009 on the 'Late Show with David Letterman.'

David Letterman has married twice. He was first married to wife Michelle Cook and his current wife is Regina Lasko. In 2009, Letterman once revealed on his show that he had been a victim of blackmail. Someone threatened to reveal Letterman's affairs with several employees if he did not pay him $2 million. Letterman confirmed that the allegations were true. The blackmailer was identified as Robert J. Halderman who was a producer of the CBS true crime journalism show 48 hours. Letterman has had an affair with his personal assistant Stephanie Birkitt and with a former CBS employee, Holly Hester. Letterman later dedicated a segment of his show on one particular episode to his wife and staff, offering apologies and showing his gratitude for having them in his life. Letterman and his wife had started dating in the year 1986. At that time, he was still living with his ex-girlfriend Merrill Markoe. Lasko had a son in 2003, Harry Joseph, who is named after Letterman's father. In 2009, Regina Lasko and Letterman married in a small ceremony at a courthouse in Montana. Letterman has a net worth of a whopping $400 million. He has earned his large net worth with his successful career on television. His salary is $20 million a year. In the past years, Letterman has earned $50 million in a year according to some reports. He and his wife also have a 108-acre estate in North Salem, New York.

In June 1980, Letterman got his first own morning comedy show on NBC, 'The David Letterman Show.' It started with 90 minutes and was then shortened to 60 minutes. The show was a huge success and it won two Emmy Awards. It got canceled in October 1980. NBC later tried Letterman in a different time slot. The TV Show, 'Late Night with David Letterman' debuted in 1982 and the first guest on the show was Bill Murray who later became Letterman's most recurrent guest. The last episode of the 'Late Night with David Letterman' was aired on May 20, 2015. The show was popular for being edgy and unpredictable. He was seen as an acerbic interviewer and had many verbal sparring matches with Cher, Shirley MacLaine, Madonna, and Charles Grodin. His show also had some comedy segments in a typical 50s and 60s style. The comedian, Letterman had an irreverent sense of humor on this show. In 1992, after the retirement of Johny Carson, many people believed that Letterman would now host 'The Tonight Show.' But the show was given to Jay Leno by NBC and hence Letterman departed NBC to host his own late-night show on CBS called the 'Late Show with David Letterman.' It was aired just opposite to 'The Tonight Show' at 11.30 p.m. This new show which started on August 30, 1993, made CBS sign a lucrative three-year contract with Letterman and also renovate the studio. His salary was also double the 'Late Night Show' salary. This 'Late Show with David Letterman' was not an exact replica of his Late Night show and in fact was more in a formal mood.

The witty comedian with a sharp tongue and a way with words may have made some serious mistakes in his life, but he came out with it rather bravely and won everyone's hearts back. His life journey so far has definitely been that of a life well lived!