"The Late Show" used to do a double-taping on Thursdays, and sometimes Wednesdays. -I've even seen weeks where the double took place on a Tuesday. The double-day is now Monday. I live in NYC and frequently walk by The Ed Sullivan Theater, and see the crowds on the sidewalk. I'll also be going to the second taping tomorrow.

A lot of talk shows only "work" four days a week: "Martha Stewart", "Ellen Degeneres", even "Oprah". And then there's the crazy schedule that game shows follow: 5 shows (one week) in a day!

I know I'm late to this, but I can confirm they shot Sandra Bullock's recent Friday appearance on the prior Monday. I know this because there were all sorts of celeb shots of her arriving at the theater that Monday for a taping, but her appearance didn't air until the following Friday. It actually cramped my little brain until I finally remembered to search the interwebs and sites like yours confirmed that she had taped her appearance 4 days earlier.

Sorry, I meant to say they show the guests for the upcoming week actually on the set.

They often show previews on Sunday showing the guests who are on the show coming onto stage . It looks like they film almost a week ahead, and do the monologue the actual air day.

Wow. I did not know Dave didn't tape on Fridays! I actually never noticed it before.

Yo, Bill... you posted the same link months ago, when the orignal Letterman-O'Reilly rumble happened. Doesn't submersive minds have anything new?

Four years ago, I saw a Friday episode that was taped on a Thursday. It was the 2nd show Letterman and Co. did that day. So he did change his taping schedule.

I've always assumed this is what his standard joke "Last night's audience was terrible/stank/etc."

Al Franken killed on Letterman?

I think that episode *still* hasn't aired.

I imagine they tape 2 shows on Monday (rather than Thursday) because it gives Dave and the writers extra time (a long weekend) to prepare for the demanding double-header day.