David Letterman Reveals He Was Mistaken for Dick Van Dyke: 'People Used to Know Who I Am'

David Letterman is no stranger to the limelight, but it seems some fans are getting mixed up these days.

During a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the legendary talk show host revealed that someone mistook him for the iconic Dick Van Dyke.

"People used to know who I am," Letterman quipped, highlighting how his fame has changed over time.

At 78, Letterman took a light-hearted jab at himself, explaining that it's been over a decade since The Late Show wrapped, and he's now facing an identity crisis in public. "Here's what happens to me now: People used to know who I am and now I have to wear a name tag to get anything going," he joked.

While out and about, Letterman encountered a fan who confusingly approached him. "A guy comes up to me and he says, 'Excuse me are you who I think you are?' And now, I'm all loaded up and I respond, 'Well, that depends on who you think I are.' That always gets a big laugh," he recounted. The punchline? The fan thought he was Dick Van Dyke. "I said, 'No,'" Letterman chuckled.

Not one to shy away from self-reflection, Letterman noted how fans’ comments have changed over the years. In the past, they'd mention watching him live, but now it's often about their parents.

He explained, "Here, lately it's 'You know what, I'd like a picture of you to show to my grandfather — and his father also. We used to watch it together in the hospital...' Just like that."

Since leaving his CBS show in May 2015 after 22 years, Letterman hasn't disappeared entirely. He launched his Netflix show, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, just three years later. The latest season premiered on Tuesday, December 16, featuring conversations with notable guests like Michael B. Jordan, MrBeast and Jason Bateman.

Recently, Letterman also offered advice to Seth Meyers after Donald Trump called for Meyers' dismissal from his show. Nostalgically, he said, "And I thought, 'This is just delightful.' How do you think that's gonna go? Anyway, I've never been more proud of Seth Meyers. That's our old show, as a matter of fact. We used to do that show," adding that Meyers does a "magical job."

On a more controversial note, Letterman didn't hold back when discussing Trump, labeling him a "wonder of idiocy" and sarcastically stating that his rhetoric is "just fantastic."

He emphasized, "It knows no bounds. It's never-ending; he's our current — he's our dictator. He's not going anywhere."