Michael Douglas reveals why he snubbed David Letterman for nearly two decades

Michael Douglas got honest about his refusal to appear on David Letterman’s late-night talk show for 18 years, remarking that the host “had a real nasty sense of humor.”

The 82-year-old actor shared in his memoir, One Helluva Ride, that he joined the Letterman’s show as a regular guest earlier in his career.

But the appearance did not go as he expected.

“I had been a regular guest on Letterman’s show earlier in my career, but the last time I was on, I felt David went too far,” Douglas writes, according to People.

The Basic Instinct actor explained that Letterman showed a commercial featuring Douglas’ late mother, Diana Dill, during a show segment without warning him and started questioning him about it.

Douglas wrote, “It felt like he was making fun of my mother."

After the experience, Douglas decided not to return to the show.

The Wall Street actor penned, "After that, whenever the producers of the show requested to have me back on, I always refused."

“I said no for 18 straight years. Dave wrote me personal letters to apologize, but my feelings didn’t change. He had crossed a line.”

Eventually, after more than a decade, Douglas decided to “bury the hatchet” with Letterman after being diagnosed with cancer in 2010.

And during his appearance, the host was respectful and asked sincere, sympathetic questions.

He added, “Letting go felt like it was more of a favor to myself than to Dave. Those grudges were a weight I carried, and I was done with revenge.”