David Letterman’s Unexpected Second Act

Still Going Strong After Retirement

David Letterman is no stranger to change. After 22 years of hosting “The Late Show,” he stepped away in 2015, seemingly ready for a restful retirement.

“Retirement is a myth,” he told GQ in a recent interview.

He clearly isn’t one to idly lounge about. Letterman added, “Retirement isn’t going to happen. The human mechanism will not allow you to retire.”

Of course, Letterman isn’t entirely opposed to relaxing. “I’m surprised that I’m still doing it at my age,” he admitted, reflecting on his Netflix talk show, “My Next Alex Reed Needs No Introduction.”

but he clearly enjoys the challenge of creating new content.

From Late Night to Long-Form Conversations

Letterman’s Netflix interview show is a departure from his late-night format. Instead of quick quips and celebrity anecdotes, he dives into extended conversations with figures like Barack Obama, Kim Kardashian, and Miley Cyrus. This new rhythm suits him.

He explained the transition: “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. And without the rhythm that you’re accustomed to, largely unsatisfying. So you gotta find something important to you.