Conan O'Brien thanks David Letterman: He 'completely rescued me'

Conan O’Brien bid farewell to David Letterman on his show Conan on Wednesday night, with a heartfelt tribute to the late night television giant.

“There are no words that can encapsulate the sheer magnitude of what Dave has achieved,” he said. “He’s been the North Star for me and for every comic of my generation.”

O’Brien also thanked Letterman for helping the younger comic out when his show was bombing in 1993. It seemed like he was on the verge of being canceled, but then, in what O’Brien called one of the happiest days of his life, Letterman came on the show as a guest.

“When I was a 30-year-old national punchline, Dave, for reasons I don’t understand, completely rescued me,” O’Brien said. “That simple act of kindness turned everything around and made all the difference.”