A few years ago everyone was singing his songs. Now he’s unrecognizable.

For decades, David Letterman was the clean-shaven, wisecracking host who defined late-night television.

But after he stepped away from The Late Show in 2015, Letterman started sporting a look no one saw coming: a thick, white beard that gave him a striking resemblance to Santa Claus.

David Letterman always had a knack for leaving a lasting impression, and his final episode of The Late Show was no exception. When he stepped away from his iconic desk in 2015, he did it with grace and a touch of humor, closing out more than three decades of late-night television not with a dramatic fanfare, but with what could be called a “soft bang”— a celebration of the people who made the show what it was.

That night was typical Letterman: segments, jokes, and music, except it had a hint of finality to it. The beloved host spent most of his last moments on air doing what he did best — giving credit where it was due, expressing heartfelt thanks to the crew, his guests, and the fans who had supported him over the years.

He went out not with a loud fart, but with a class act, proving once again why he was one of the true masters of his craft.

Sage-like figure

It’s only when he left that many realized just how much they would miss him. For generations, Letterman had been a staple of late-night TV, the man who followed in Johnny Carson’s footsteps and somehow made that coveted time slot even more comfortable and genuinely funny. Like Carson before him, Letterman had the rare ability to make every interview feel like a casual chat, even when hilarity ensued.

But all of a sudden, he was gone from the airwaves, and late-night television felt a little less spontaneous, a little less raw.