--- title: George Clooney Handcuffs David Letterman description: Bravo, George canonical: https://time.com/3860266/george-clooney-david-letterman-handcuff/ author: Melissa Locker article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-05-15T16:41:59.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:47:36.016Z og:title: Watch George Clooney Handcuff Himself to David Letterman og:description: Bravo, George og:url: https://time.com/3860266/george-clooney-david-letterman-handcuff/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Watch George Clooney Handcuff Himself to David Letterman twitter:description: Bravo, George twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Watch George Clooney Handcuff Himself to David Letterman by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker May 15, 2015 4:41 PM UTC by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker May 15, 2015 4:41 PM UTC Last night, George Clooney did his part to make sure that David Letterman doesn’t leave late night any time soon. As the date of Letterman’s impending retirement approaches, the stars have come out to pay tribute to the beloved _Late Show_ host. [Adam Sandler](http://time.com/3857020/adam-sandler-david-letterman/) serenaded him, Julia Roberts planted one on him and [Tina Fey stripped down](http://time.com/3851589/tina-fey-goodbye-letterman/) to her skivvies (sort of) to bid him farewell. Clooney, however, decided to take matters into his own hands to stop the beloved host from leaving the show at all. “Let me see your wrist,” he requested after taking a seat. Letterman obliged, and Clooney promptly slapped a pair of handcuffs on the host, gleefully telling him, “You’re not going anywhere, David Letterman.” Mission accomplished. Despite Clooney’s best efforts, Letterman is leaving _The Late Show_ next Wednesday, May 20\. His final guests will be Tom Hanks, Eddie Vedder and [Bill Murray](http://time.com/3860153/david-letterman-bill-murray/). Stephen Colbert will take over as host in the fall. [_Jimmy Kimmel: Watching David Letterman ‘Was More Important Than Sleep’_](http://time.com/3858014/david-letterman-jimmy-kimmel-tribute/) ### Photos: David Letterman’s Early Career  One of David Letterman's earliest roles before he made it as a television host was as a guest star on Mork & Mindy. CBS/Getty Images  Before he received his own show, Letterman was a regular guest host for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Above, he is seen interviewing Betty White. Paul Drinkwater—NBC/Getty Images  In 1980, Letterman finally got his own morning comedy show, The David Letterman Show. Above, he is seen interviewing Truman Capote. Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  After the cancellation of his morning show, Letterman was given a new show and time slot, Late Night With David Letterman which immediately followed The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. The first version of the Late Night franchise, debuted on February 1, 1982 and would eventually be succeeded by Conan O’Brien, seen above. Al Levine—NBC/Getty Images  Letterman left NBC for CBS to start the Late Show with David Letterman when NBC gave the reigns of The Tonight Show to Jay Leno instead of him after Johnny Carson's retirement. The first show debuted on August 30, 1993, with Letterman's retirement announced for 2015. 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