We just heard about David Letterman's retirement last week, and already we've got an announcement of who his replacement will be. And it'll be an all-American hero.
Stephen Colbert will be taking over The Late Show and go head-to-head with NBC's Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. IGN has the report:
"In the past week, Colbert was said to be the frontrunner for the job. He has signed a five-year deal with CBS for the new series, which will debut at some point in 2015, after Letterman determines exactly when Late Show with David Letterman will conclude.
"'Stephen Colbert is one of the most inventive and respected forces on television,' said Leslie Moonves, President and CEO, CBS Corporation, in a statement. 'David Letterman's legacy and accomplishments are an incredible source of pride for all of us here, and today's announcement speaks to our commitment of upholding what he established for CBS in late night.'"
Colbert's move to CBS will almost definitely kill his hit Comedy Central show The Colbert Report, which has been a staple on the network since October of 2005. Since Comedy Central is owned by Viacom, Colbert remaining on both shows likely won't be able to be worked into the contract, although nothing was officially announced on that front.
Colbert of course injected some humor into the CBS press release:
"Simply being a guest on David Letterman's show has been a highlight of my career. I never dreamed that I would follow in his footsteps, though everyone in late night follows Dave's lead."
"I'm thrilled and grateful that CBS chose me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go grind a gap in my front teeth."
We've still got a little while before Colbert takes over Letterman's chair and coffee cup, but what do you think of the replacement choice for the late night legend?