Latenight host David Letterman will wrap up his 33 years of late night TV when he signs off from CBS's Late Show tonight. 

The longest-serving nighttime talk show host in US TV with more than 6,000 shows to his name, 68-year-old Letterman has been honored with tributes in US media, and by a host of celebrities.

Last week, his "Late Show" parade of A-list guests included Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Adam Sandler, Al Pacino and Bill Clinton. 

"I'm naked and afraid," Letterman told CBS Sunday, half seriously, half joking. "Any enormous uprooting change in my life has petrified me," he said. But once through the other side "the reward has been unimaginable."

Letterman got his first comedy show on NBC in 1982, before defecting to CBS in 1993 to host the "Late Show" after the biggest career disappointment of his career -- losing out to Jay Leno as host of the "Tonight" show.

"They didn't push me out," Letterman told The New York Times.

"I'm 68. If I was 38, I'd probably still be wanting to do the show. When Jay was on... I thought, this is still viable -- an older guy in a suit. And then he left, and I suddenly was surrounded by the Jimmys."

Letterman who announced his intention to retire last year, will be replaced on September 8 by Stephen Colbert.

H/T Yahoo