Jimmy Kimmel is honoring his idol David Letterman by not competing with him. Kimmel will reportedly air a repeat of his own show on May 20, when Letterman wraps up his Late Show run, according to the New York Times.
“I have too much respect for Dave to do anything that would distract viewers from watching his final show,” Kimmel said in an email to the Times. He added: “Plus, I’ll probably be crying all day, which makes it hard to work.”
For more proof of Kimmel’s adoration of Letterman, watch his tribute to the host at the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors. “When I turned 16 I blew out the candles on a Late Night with David Letterman cake that my mom made me,” Kimmel explained. “My first car had a Late Night vanity plate. I drew pictures of Dave on the covers of all my textbooks. I started a Late Night with David Letterman club in high school.”
The Times reported that both Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show and Conan are airing new episodes on May 20.
Photos: David Letterman’s Early Career
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com