David Letterman
Awards & Honours
20
Awards Won
5
Honours
3
Rankings
3
Covers
3
Records
David Letterman stands as a titan of American television, holding a record 14 Primetime Emmy Awards for his work in late-night programming. His induction into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2007 cemented his status as a cultural icon. He was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century in 1999. His unique blend of irony and sincerity reshaped the genre, influencing everyone from Conan O'Brien to Jon Stewart. The sheer volume of his output, over 6,000 episodes, remains unmatched in the history of the format.
Awards
Honours & Distinctions
Television Academy Hall of Fame Induction
Inducted for outstanding contributions to television
Time 100 Most Influential People
Named one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century
Honorary Doctorate
Awarded honorary doctorate in humane letters
Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Key to the City
Awarded the key to the city of Indianapolis
Rankings & Lists
The 50 Greatest Talk Show Hosts of All Time
100 Greatest TV Icons
Time 100
Magazine Covers
Time
1999-12-20
The Man Who Changed Late Night
Rolling Stone
1993-05-06
Letterman Takes Over
Vanity Fair
2015-05-01
The End of an Era
Records & Feats
Longest-Serving Late-Night Talk Show Host
Surpassed Johnny Carson with 33 years of hosting Late Night and The Late Show
Most Primetime Emmy Wins for a Talk Show Host
Won 14 Primetime Emmy Awards for his talk show work
Highest Paid Talk Show Host
Became the highest-paid talk show host in history upon moving to CBS in 1993