David Letterman torches CBS in final ‘Late Show With Stephen Colbert' appearance

David Letterman returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater on Thursday night for one last appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, and he didn’t leave quietly.

The legendary host originated The Late Show in 1993 and helmed it for 23 seasons before handing the reins to Colbert in 2015.

He capped his segment with a sharp send off aimed at CBS, “In the words of the great Ed Murrow, good night and good luck, motherf---ers!”

Letterman spent the episode poking fun at the network that canceled the show.

He joked that a CBS staffer had “fired” him backstage.

He reminded the audience of his role in building the theater’s legacy, “You folks wouldn’t be at this theater if it weren’t for me, and Stephen wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me. We built this theater and then Stephen came in here and, look at this, it’s like the Bellagio.”

True to form, Letterman staged some classic antics.

He and Colbert tossed furniture, melons, and even a cake off the roof onto a CBS logo below, echoing the host’s long running tradition of dropping objects from great heights.

The appearance was bittersweet, marking Letterman’s final visit before Colbert’s last episode airs May 21.

CBS announced last year that it would retire The Late Show franchise entirely, citing financial losses estimated at $40 million annually.