Letterman and Fallon tape shows without audience due to Sandy

Hurricane Sandy has had a huge effect on many things, and late night television is no different.

The storm battered much of the east coast Monday.

David Letterman decided to press on with his “Late Show” Monday, taping it with no studio audience at Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City. At least band leader Paul Schaefer liked his jokes, as always. “I got up this morning listening for the talk show closings; I have no luck,” was one of the jokes the studio audience was not treated to. Letterman then claimed to hear people banging on the doors of the studio to come in.

Jimmy Fallon also taped his “Late Night” show for NBC without an audience, to prevent injuries from people coming or going from the studio. Ironically, “Jimmy Kimmel Live” was to tape in Brooklyn this week instead of Hollywood, and did not record Monday.

Letterman’s scheduled guests were Denzel Washington and Paul Banks. “The Late Show” will also reportedly tape Tuesday without an audience.

“Late Night” had guests Seth Meyers, Padma Lakshmi, Robert Zemeckis and Imagine Dragons in attendance.

Here is Letterman’s empty-studio monologue from Monday:

And here is Jimmy’s Fallon cold open and monologue: