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The offer was extended last year, according to a report
published on Wednesday by tvinsider.com, which cited unnamed
sources.
A guest appearance on Letterman's show by Leno, who stepped down
last year as host of NBC's "The Tonight Show," could potentially
be a ratings coup for CBS as it looks to capitalize on hoopla
surrounding Letterman's May 20 send-off.
CBS and "Late Show" producer Worldwide Pants both declined
comment on the report.
Last week, Leno brushed off a question about a possible offer to
appear on the "Late Show" while speaking at the National
Association of Television Program Executives conference in
Miami, according to the report.
"I haven't heard that," tvinsider.com quoted Leno as saying.
"I'll have to check into that."
Leno and Letterman became embroiled in a storied feud when NBC
picked Leno over Letterman for the network's coveted "Tonight
Show" hosting gig in 1992 when Johnny Carson stepped down.
Letterman, who was Carson's presumptive heir after hosting NBC's
"Late Night" program in the time slot following "The Tonight
Show" for 11 years, left NBC and moved to CBS to launch the
"Late Show" opposite Leno in 1993.
Jimmy Fallon succeeded Leno on the "The Tonight Show" last year
and Stephen Colbert, who recently stepped down as host of the
news satire show "The Colbert Report," will take over the "Late
Show" from Letterman beginning in September.
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Steve Gorman and Bill
Trott)
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