CBS’ Late Show with David Letterman returned to the airwaves on Monday night — without the usual bells and whistles.
David Letterman started the show – not with his usual stand-up, but with a somber, behind-the-desk tribute to New York’s police, firefighters and Mayor Giuliani.
“If you didn’t know how to behave, all you had to do at any moment was watch the mayor,” said Letterman. “Rudolph Giuliani is the personification of courage.”
CBS news anchor, Dan Rather was a guest on the Letterman show, at one point breaking down while describing the area of what is now being called “ground zero,” and holding hands with the talk show host.
On ABC’s “Politically Incorrect,” host Bill Maher also started the show with a serious tone. “Things have changed in America, so we’re going to change our show a little bit,” he said. “It’s going to be a little more serious. I think that’s OK.”
Producers for the show kept one of the four guest chairs empty, in honor of a frequent guest to the show, Barbara Olson, who was on one of the hijacked planes used in last week’s attack.
However, Maher also stressed the necessity of humor at this time of sadness and grief. “We’ve lived through shock, anger, grief, fear. We’re going to live through some more of it. But you know what? We need a release too,” he said.
