Letterman countdown: Dave puts his best face forward

Editor's note: Indianapolis native David Letterman will end his 33-year run as a late-night talk show host on May 20. This is a recap of the May 5 episode of "Late Show with David Letterman."

No one will rush a screener of Tuesday's episode to the Paley Center for Media, but it's noteworthy simply by being one of the last shows David Letterman hosts.

Guests Reese Witherspoon, Nathan Lane and Mumford & Sons turned the proceedings into a run-of-the-mill affair, leaving Letterman to make the most of some Kim Kardashian bashing.

During Tuesday's monologue, Letterman noted that Kardashian's coffee-table selfie book just arrived in stores. "That solves the problem of the Kim Kardashian photo shortage," he said. He also appropriately mocked the modern usage of "dropped" that's associated with the release of a book, album or other media.

And while the title of Kardashian's book, "Selfish," seems like a joke devised by "Late Show" writers, it's simply a joke that writes itself. Following the night's first commercial break, Letterman sat at his desk and made his own selfie using a phone handsomely wrapped in leather.

"This will be in my book," he said.

Wednesday's guests on "Late Show," airing at 11:35 p.m. on WTTV-4, are Martin Short and Norah Jones.

Ten highlights of Tuesday's episode:

1. Letterman's latest comment on life after "Late Show": "Between the psychiatrist and the daytime drinking, I'll be fine."

2. Paul Shaffer delivered one of his stronger (yet whispered) answers to one of Letterman's seemingly rhetorical questions. "Ever been to Hooters?" "I believe so," offered Paul, always trying to help.

3. Show announcer Alan Kalter could never be described as a strength of the "Late Show" stable, but he uncorked a decent nonsequitur before a commercial break: "I wish CPR dummies looked more like people whose lives I'd want to save."

4. Let's acknowledge two entries from the night's list of Top 10 Signs You're at a Bad Cinco de Mayo Party: "Only beverage option: Taco-tinis" and "It's harder to leave than Scientology."

5. As part of an ongoing series of archival gems, Letterman shared a 1997 video bit in which he pranked delivery men using the intercom system of a Manhattan apartment. He asked a pizza courier to take the pepperoni off and leave it on the sidewalk. And to a singing-telegram performer, Letterman portrayed a jilted lover who had been "drinking for 72 hours." After the tape rolled, the host who abandoned remote bits years ago commented, "Those were the days."

6. Witherspoon gave no indication that it was her last visit to "Late Show" or that Letterman is retiring. Making the rounds to promote buddy film "Hot Pursuit," she talked about the way men become flustered in the presence of co-star Sofia Vergara. In contrast, Witherspoon said, "People hug me and say, 'You're my best friend and don't even know it.' And people hand me their kids a lot."

7. Letterman wondered if Witherspoon's production company, responsible for esteemed films "Wild" and "Gone Girl," had anything to do with the "Girls Gone Wild" series.

8. Broadway star Lane unleashed a string of one-liners during his interview segment, topped by this comment on Letterman's "premature" retirement: "This is a very sad time in show business, and not just because Netflix is bringing back 'Full House.'"

9. Lane unveiled an original song he co-wrote with Marc Shaiman and Scott Witmann. "Dead Inside" aimed for gallows humor, with Lane singing, "I'm just like you, Dave. I'm dead inside." Lane claimed to enjoy a cola when everyone else worried about Ebola, and that things looked up for him when Letterman battled a diagnosis of shingles in January. Lane also mentioned that he's OK with visiting Letterman's "Late Show" successor, Stephen Colbert. The comedic aspect of "Dead Inside" would have been aided by more audible laughs in the studio audience.

10. Musical guest Mumford & Sons showed off the band's new electric (and banjo-free) approach, but "Believe" came across as a half-finished song with no direction home.

Call Star reporter David Lindquist at (317) 444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist.