On April 13, 2015, the Late Show came back from a week of reruns to air its final six weeks. This began the farewell to favorite guests and friends of the show. The talent bookers worked hard to be sure the guest list would reflect the long-term relationships the show had built over the years. It was Dave’s way of thanking the guests for years of great appearances. What Dave didn’t expect was the guests’ reactions to being given the chance to say goodbye to him.

The producers couldn’t have found a better lead guest than Sarah Jessica Parker to kick off the goodbye parade. Long-time fans of the show will remember Parker appearing many times—singing Annie’s “Tomorrow,” coming into the studio surrounded by sailors during Fleet Week, participating in Alan Kalter’s celebrity interviews, hitting golf balls into the audience, and even hosting a backstage show when Dave was out with heart surgery. Thanks to Sex and the City, Parker became a huge television star during her tenure of guesting with Dave, but never lost her fan-girl attitude. She always loved Dave. She unwittingly set the tone for the next six weeks of episodes, changing the plan from the Late Show saying goodbye to its guests to America saying goodbye to David Letterman.