‘The Late Show with David Letterman’ cue card man Tony Mendez fired; find out why

Somehow, so many of the craziest stories that are out there in television tend to come from the realm of late-night, especially the institution known as “The Late Show with David Letterman.”

Even as someone who has watched the show for many years, this is one we did not even see coming.

Per a new report from the New York Post, the show’s longtime cue-card guy Tony Mendez has been fired after a violent altercation with longtime writer Bill Scheft. The tension started earlier this month, when an argument came to a boil between the two after Mendez seemingly felt Scheft was stomping all over his territory during a conversation with the late-night host. Letterman chided him for his disposition, and the Mendez told the publication that he playfully went back at Dave as he often did, calling the host a “motherf****r.”

It was the next day when things truly got out of hand, and Mendez came into work and then shoved Scheft at one point against a wall. He was then fired, and told the Post that he knew what he was doing was wrong. Also, he doesn’t blame Dave for the decision to fire him, calling him “the most generous boss I have ever had.”

Tony (who appears often in comedy bits) and the late-night titan have worked together for a very long time, dating all the way back to when Letterman hosted a show at NBC. He still is being very generous to him now even after the firing; he will be paid his full salary, and also will have health insurance until May, presumably after Dave’s show even goes off the air.

What’s your take on his bizarre story? Share below, and be sure to sign up now to get some further TV updates on all we cover via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo via CBS.)