Letterman's Carson tribute gathers eyeballs

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on February 2nd, 2005

Hollywood Reporter reports:

David Letterman’s Monday night tribute to his mentor Johnny Carson was his highest-rated show in almost two years, according to preliminary data released by Nielsen Media Research.

CBS’ Late Show With David Letterman delivered a 6.0 household rating/15 share Monday night. The show featured Letterman’s remarks — and jokes secretly written for him by Carson before his Jan. 23 death — and guests Peter Lassally, a longtime producer of NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Doc Severinsen, Carson’s bandleader.

Letterman’s tribute came a week later than The Tonight Show With Jay Leno because Letterman’s show wasn’t in production last week. Usual late-night leader Tonight Show delivered a 4.9/12 on Monday. Last week, Leno chalked up near-record ratings with his Jan. 24 Carson tribute episode, which pulled in an 11.2/26 share.