There’s no doubt that for many people who achieve stardom in the entertainment industry, the fame comes along with a lot of unwanted baggage. Longtime late-night TV host David Letterman recently offered a candid take on his decades in the limelight as well as his decision to walk away from that all-encompassing lifestyle. According to Fox News: “I felt like whenever I would go out, there would be an expectation to which I could not live up,” he admitted. “‘Oh, here he comes. He’s going to do a show. He is going to be funny. We’re going to be entertained.’ And I kind of felt like that expectation takes quite a lot of energy, so I didn’t want to bleed it off before or after the actual show, which was always in desperate need of entertainment.” These days, Letterman says he’s a much happier person living in his home state of Indiana. “All I cared about was television, one hour of television that I was responsible for, for 30 years,” he said. “That’s all I cared about. Everything fell apart, went away. I didn’t even know if it was falling apart or not. And now I have the energy and the broader focus to recognize humanity has other fulfilling pursuits.” His admission was met with a mix of empathy and derision on social media: No. You David you made those choices… Look into a mirror that’s who is the one who made you a “worse person” — A. Ray Tinsley (@ARayTinsley) December 31, 2024 He didn’t mind the MILLIONS of bucks They never do They only AFTERWARDS bitch while they live carefree and in mansions — Merica Madness (@MericaMadness1) December 31, 2024 Hollywood is a cancerous mind virus. — Drex Treaster (@DrexTreasterLPN) December 31, 2024 Aww poor guy — TOM (@PixelatedPizzza) December 31, 2024 It also made him rich so he can live the quiet life in Indiana. So, there’s that. — Dana Bacon (@danagbacon) December 31, 2024 David Letterman’s reflection on his journey from fame to a quiet life in Indiana highlights an important truth: fame often distorts personal values. In an industry that thrives on ego and spectacle, stepping away to reconnect with humanity seems like a necessary recalibration.… — California Frenchies (@Calipupslink) December 31, 2024 Showbiz didn’t make him a worse person. He was always a worse person. — Trump47 (@0Trump47) December 31, 2024 Despite stepping away from “Late Night” nearly a decade ago, Letterman has remained active with his own Netflix series and other projects. He explained why he hasn’t fully retired in a recent interview, as Variety reported: “Retirement is a myth. Retirement is nonsense,” he told the publication when asked about the status of his career. “You won’t retire. The human mechanism will not allow you to retire. What do [people] do? Sit there and wait for ‘Judge Judy’ to come on?” “As long as you are healthy, you still want to produce,” Letterman continued. “And you will find ways to. Once I stopped doing the show, it took me a couple of years to figure out that, oh, this is a completely different rhythm. And without the rhythm that you’re accustomed to, largely unsatisfying. So you got to find something that’s important to you.” Here’s a clip from that GQ interview: