Letterman Wanted Coco For Super Bowl Commercial

'Late Show' executive producer Rob Burnett approached Conan's camp about appearing in the commercial, but his request wasn't met with a response. "It wasn't as if they even said no," Burnett said. "I just think they weren't in a position to consider it all."

The concept for the "Late Show" promo, which was devised by Letterman himself, was immediately given the green light by CBS President and CEO Les Moonves. "He immediately said, 'Go for it. This is hilarious'," said Burnett. Despite the high-profile of the celebs in the commercial, information about the spot was kept quiet until Superbowl Sunday.


"We really wanted to keep this under wraps... there were a lot of internal logistical conversations about how to even get Jay and Oprah into our building secretly."

Although Letterman and Leno have been duking it out on their respective shows as of late, Leno seemed to harbor no grudges and reportedly signed onto the project immediately. "Jay's a comedian," Burnett said. "If it wasn't funny, I might have had a lot more doubt about it. But he understood that this was funny."

Any animosity between the hosts seems to have been put aside for now. "It was quick, it was easy," said Burnett. "There was nothing frosty or awkward about it... These guys have known each other for a long time. I don't think either of them particularly care about these jokes that have been made."

The Super Bowl ad, which was a reprise of a 2007 ad that Letterman did with Winfrey, was meant to poke fun at the recent tension between Jay and Dave sparked by the 'Tonight Show' battle that eventually led to Conan O'Brien leaving NBC.

In the commercial, a disgruntled Letterman declares that he's at "the worst Super Bowl party ever." Seconds later, the camera pans away to reveal Leno, who admits that Dave "is just saying that because I'm here."

Letterman and Leno did in fact film the commercial together, as Oprah Winfrey tweeted seconds after the ad ran that it was shot this week at the Ed Sullivan Theater with all three in attendance.

So, How Did This Happen?

According to Rob Burnett, who produces Dave's 'Late Show,' it was all Letterman's idea.

"Dave had this idea, 'What about getting Jay and Oprah together with me?' and he wrote it," Burnett explained in an interview with the Associated Press Sunday night. "We said, 'This is too funny to pass up.' First we called Oprah."

Arrangements were quickly made for Leno and Winfrey to fly to New York, and much detail was given to getting them inside the Ed Sullivan Theater unnoticed.

"We really wanted to keep this under wraps," he said. "There were a lot of internal logistical conversations about how to even get Jay and Oprah into our building secretly."

Filming took place last Tuesday. Leno arrived while Letterman was taping his show. He was disguised in a hooded sweatshirt, dark glasses and a fake mustache. No joke. Filming took less than a half-hour, Burnett said.

"It was quick, it was easy," he said. "The attitude was professional and cordial. Dave and Jay were fine with each other."

The two hosts have had a tumultuous relationship for decades, but it was recently rekindled thanks to Leno's reclaiming of the 'Tonight Show' on NBC. In the days leading up to O'Brien's departure, Letterman ripped Leno on several occasions, calling his behavior that pushed Conan out "vintage Jay."

Strangely enough, the commercial is an ad for Letterman's show, which Leno will soon compete directly against once again when he returns to his 11:30 slot following the Olympics.

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