‘Pardon The Interruption’ is the only show David Letterman can’t miss

You can take away his former late-night show on CBS, but please don’t take Pardon The Interruption away from David Letterman.

Letterman made his first appearance on a recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast. And during the interview, Simmons mentioned how older generations grew up watching the same shows, which made them more apt to understand the same jokes and references. But with content being more scattered now, there aren’t as many shows that cut through as must-see TV for younger generations, and they might not have that same shared experience.

Despite the seemingly deep thought from Simmons, Letterman has no answer as to whether that’s a good or bad thing, because he rarely watches television. In fact, there’s only one show he watches religiously.

“Do you want to know the show that I do watch?” Letterman asked. “And I get a little edgy if I miss it or if it’s preempted or something. It’s on ESPN, and it’s Pardon The Interruption.”

“I find something pleasant and welcoming, they’re both avuncular,” Letterman said of Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon. “Tony Kornheiser looks like my new dog, so I have that connection. But that’s about it.”

Letterman wondered whether it’s the format or the hosts that sports fans fell in love with. And while he admittedly likes the format, noting he gets grumpy as the rundown nears an end, there would be copycat versions of PTI if their success were based solely on the format. Letterman further proved that PTI’s success belongs to Wilbon and Kornheiser by saying it’s “discouraging” whenever he turns on the TV at 5:30 p.m. to find a guest host.

Which means, as much as Letterman loves the show, he probably has no interest in being a guest host on PTI himself. Aside from being a bit of a recluse who limits his media appearances, Letterman doesn’t want to be that same source of discouragement for other viewers that PTI guest hosts are for him.

Letterman agreed with Simmons that there’s something nice about knowing PTI is always there. And the familiarity surrounding the show might be the most endearing aspect of Pardon The Interruption. Sure, Wilbon and Kornheiser are great, but PTI has become a familiar sound for sports fans. Whether you’re home, at a restaurant, airport, doctor’s office, or just about any other public setting with a TV, when 5:30 p.m. rolls around, Wilbon and Kornheiser are probably coming on. They’ve become more than just a sports show; Wilbon and Kornheiser have been an inherent soundtrack to many of our lives.

The Late Show he once hosted for CBS is sadly coming to an end, but the good news for Letterman is that Wilbon and Kornheiser are signed with ESPN to continue Pardon the Interruption into 2028. And if ESPN wants to avoid seeing a grumpy Letterman, they should start thinking about their next PTI extension.