US Presidents Address the Nation About David Letterman's Retirement: "Our Nightmare Is Over"

David Letterman must have been feeling red, white, and little blue during his star-studded final episode of the Late Show on Wednesday. David, who has hosted the show since 1993, got a not-so-patriotic surprise from a handful of US presidents when they opened the show with a hilarious message. In the 42-second clip, Presidents George Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama quote Gerald Ford's 1974 Inaugural speech, saying, "Our long national nightmare is over," referring to David's retirement. David then made his way to the stage where the audience greeted him with prolonged applause and cheering.

David, who gave an expectedly lighthearted final monologue on May 20, has gotten heartwarming tributes from some of Hollywood's biggest stars leading up to his final show. Bill Murray, who was David's first-ever Late Show guest in 1982, returned this week and jumped out of a cake to bid David farewell. Jimmy Kimmel also delivered an emotional tribute to his idol and fellow late-night host. Watch the funny clip above, then check out nine things you definitely didn't know about David.