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Before David Letterman's last top 10: The top 10 reasons we'll miss him

Before we say so long to the host who's brought us so many laughs, let's look back at what we'll miss so much.
/ Source: TODAY

It's almost over! After 33 years in late-night TV, David Letterman will take his last bow on Wednesday's "Late Show."

Late Show host David Letterman on the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show host David Letterman on the Late Show with David Letterman, Friday May 15, 2015 on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS ©2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights ReservedJeffrey R. Staab / CBS

But before we say so long to the host who's brought us so many laughs, let's look back at what we'll miss so much when he's gone.

Here's a list of 10 Letterman staples we're sad to see go — and in honor of the man who really knows how to deliver a top 10 list, we'll save the best for last.

10. Smart gags about 'stupid' tricks

As Letterman leaves late-night TV, so go the now-classic Stupid Pet Tricks (and the equally entertaining Stupid Human Tricks) he introduced us to so long ago.

9. Entertaining our inner kids

Some of Letterman's best bits were the simplest ones; we loved the child-like joy he took (and gave) in watching random objects get smashed after being dropped off the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater building.

8. The revealing antics

There was just something about Letterman that inspired certain stars to flash more than a smile. Drew Barrymore kicked off the trend when she lifted up her shirt in 1995. Since then, others have stripped down, but none have done it to more laughs than Tina Fey.

7. The man behind the music

Of course, one of the reasons we'll miss Letterman is that when he goes, another fixture is leaving — his song man and sidekick, Paul Shaffer.

6. Getting serious

He could always bring a smile to our faces, but we also appreciated the way Letterman talked to us during the tough times.

"He's always just there when you need him," "Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon recently explained. "I remember after 9/11, we needed somebody. The city was in shock. We're all looking for answers. We wanted to see what Dave had to say."

5. Getting personal

And it wasn't just national tragedies that brought out his serious side. Letterman also got personal with his audience, whether talking about his 2000 heart surgery or the 2009 extortion attempt he faced.

4. Those wonderful, weird interviews

He's long been recognized for his ability to engage Hollywood stars and D.C. politicians with equal ease, but it's how Letterman handled the not-so-easy interviews — like his awkward 2009 sit-down with Joaquin Phoenix — that really impressed.

3. The flirtatious fun

But our favorite interviews had to be the fun flirtatious ones, and Letterman was always at his flirtiest when pal Julia Roberts was around.

2. The Top 10s

No 2. on our list is Letterman's long tradition of Top 10s of his own.

1. The old-school laughs

Letterman's exit marks the end of a late-night era. He got his start during Johnny Carson's prime, and he's leaving during the heyday of "the Jimmys." He crafted his own brand of humor in between it all, and we'll miss those laughs most of all.

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