David Letterman’s announcement last week that he will be leaving the late-night game hit some people pretty hard, especially those who look to him as mentor and idol. Over the weekend, a few of those people used their space on TV to pay homage to Letterman and all he’s contributed to the medium over the years.

“The Simpsons,” which often uses its signature couch gags to honor an artist or pop culture brand, used it this weekend to bow down to the host of TV’s longest-running late-night show. The “Letterman Couch Gag,” above, shows the Simpsons family rushing through New York to get to the “Late Show’s” set, only to be greeted by an unimpressed Letterman before Paul Shaffer plays them out with “The Simpsons” theme. Its closing tagline makes it clear the couch gag was meant as a sad goodbye to their hero. According to Slate, many “Simpsons” writers had worked for Letterman prior to the show and some consider him to be an inspiration for the animated show.

Fallon also took some time on Friday’s “Tonight Show” to pay tribute to Letterman, who Fallon says “is one in a million and a Hall of Famer,” adding: “It’s hard to imagine late night TV without him, because he revolutionized it. He made it what it is today.”

He then goes on to present his very own Top 10 list, made up of reasons why he thinks Letterman is retiring. At the top of the list? “Jay Leno needs a partner for next season’s ‘Amazing Race’” and “Jimmy Fallon is stealing his bits.”

[Image courtesy of Animation Domination]

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