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FRIDAY UPDATE: Bizarrely, the alleged extortionist was revealed to be CBS News producer Robert Halderman, who has directed dozens of 48 Hours documentaries. He was arrested on attempted grand larceny charges and today pleaded not guilty. Just a reminder that David Letterman’s independent production company Worldwide Pants, which produces CBS’ Late Show and Late Late Show, is not owned by CBS.
8:30 PM UPDATE: CBS has issued this statement:
CBS was made aware of an ongoing police investigation involving David Letterman and an employee at 48 Hours, who was subsequently arrested earlier today on charges of attempted grand larceny in the first degree. CBS is cooperating fully with the authorities and the employee has been suspended pending the results of the investigation. Mr. Letterman addressed the issue during the show’s broadcast this evening, and we believe his comments speak for themselves.
I’ve been given this statement by David Letterman’s people:
David Letterman, during a taping of tonight’s Late Show, said that there has been a recent attempt made to extort money from him.
Letterman said that three weeks ago he received a package from an individual who claimed to have information about Letterman’s alleged sexual relationships with female employees of the Late Show and threatened to reveal them if Letterman did not pay the individual a large sum of money. Subsequently, according to Letterman, the individual identified the necessary sum to be $2 million.
Letterman said that he referred the matter to the Special Prosecution Bureau of the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, which Letterman said conducted an investigation, which included his issuing a “phony” $2 million check to the individual, and culminated in the individual’s arrest earlier today.
“This morning, I did something I’ve never done in my life,” said Letterman. “I had to go downtown and testify before a grand jury.”
Letterman said that, in his testimony, he acknowledged sexual relationships with members of his staff.
“My response to that is, yes I have. Would it be embarrassing if it were made public? Perhaps it would,” said Letterman. “I feel like I need to protect these people – I need to certainly protect my family.”
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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This whole scam REEKS of Lyle the Intern.
aw—–kward!
haha… probably is Lyle the Intern!!
In anycase.. LETTERMAN’S NUMBERS ARE WAY UP.. LIKE 35% …
He was initially up 25% from Conan..then another 35%, + 25% = (if this was’ent real, I’d say it was an attempt by Lettermen to grab ratings from Conan.)
Poor Conan O’Brian.. even falling on his head didnt give him a leg up.. just a big headach.
Wonder how long Conan will last on the air…
I vote to replace Conan with that crazy Scotsman Craig Fergusson and his funny puppets!!
Congrates Nik, TMZ is name you as the source for this news break.
Now that is straight talk. And that’s why Dave is #1.
The conservative right is going to have a field day with this.
Ugh.
Why are the conservatives going to have a field day with this? Dave’s behavior was stand up from the beginning, he went straight to the authorities, obviously aware that at some point it was going to become public. He took the heat to protect the women he was involved with and did it with class and grace. As far as the ‘affairs’ go – he’s been with Regina Lasko for many years in an on again, off again relationship prior to marrying her, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if these relationships he had were prior to his marriage.
He didn’t pull a John Ensign and buy the blackmailer off, or use his influence to hide the story; he came out and faced it. Dave handled it like a man, everything else is his business and no one else’s
Let’s get this straight. Dave Letterman did the right thing in going to the police. And that’s where we conclude the list of things David Letterman did correctly.
He cheated on his wife. Was it during a ‘break’ from his wife? That’s a nice out and a real soft pitch. However Letterman said on TV that he was out to protect his family, his job et al. So, if his cheating was on a break, he’d have said so then – his lawyers, the wife’s lawyers, CBS lawyers would have all made sure.
He did not come out and tell the world because he’s an upfront guy. Everyone has a secret, let’s be frank about that. But Letterman was caught with his hand in a cookie jar – someone was going to ‘out’ him on his cheating ways. That’s what prompted this. He did not cheat last weekend, feel guilty about it all week and then come clean this week. The excrement was about to hit the air conditioning, and he was trying to be pre-emptive.
You may say Dave Letterman is not the nation’s moral compass, he’s in show business, so you may say that we should not be on him for cheating like we may be for politicians. He’s certainly not a moral compass, as shown in his handling of the Willow Palin joke. He lied to say, ‘Oh, I meant it was someone else, I meant it was the other girl, the older one, the one who was not at the game or in the city at all’. No, Dave Letterman is not accountable that way.
But Dave Letterman stepped up to the plate, judging and ridiculing others, politicians and entertainers, who have slipped in their marriages, so you know what – he doesn’t get a free ride. Judge, and be judged.
Further more,when Dave Letterman ‘came clean’ he did so behind his desk, with the laughter of the audience. That too is how he handled his apology to the family from Alaska. As insincere as he could be, cavalier, no effort made to talk to the audience and say, ‘Hey, let’s not joke around, this is not a laughing matter’.
After 9/11, Dave did a good thing when he spoke, without the applause sign, about America.
If Dave wants to be sincere, he will stand in front of the audience, tell them to hold their applause and laughter, and talk about a serious issue.
And at the base of it, cheating is cheating is cheating. Right wing, left wing, Superman or garbage man, it’s wrong.
Women or men who have had a cheating spouse are not impacted more or less based on political bias.
The conservative right is going to keep it’s mouth shut. They have their own embarrassing idiots to deal with. They have more of them.
The right wingers have not said much about Polanski either and I thought they’d be all over that as well.
The repulsican’s probably have more skeltons’ hidden in their closets than we’d give them credit for…good thing they do keep their mouth shut. Although, republican scandals are quite juicy as well.
haha.
And let me be the first.
I’ll bet if this got looked into you will find that he is a world class sexual harasser. Or maybe between his Greek god-like looks and his warm, charming personality women just find him irresistable.
I was wondering what Dave meant last night when he said during the Madonna interview, “No one’s had a worse day than I’ve had.” (Or words to that effect.) I guess we now know. For a guy who is so fiercely private, he has had so many crazy off-screen events — the woman in his house, the emergency bypass, the plot to kidnap his son, and now this. Hope he winds up okay. Hey, do you think somebody from NBC sent the package? Crazy!
“Hey, do you think somebody from NBC sent the package?”
You need to read the full story; the person work for CBS.
Congrats! You had it first once again!!!!!!
That explains his obsession with Sarah Palin…
So does this mean he will now become a politician? It’s enough already.
This explains a lot about his misogynist statements about Palin and her family. Another liberal scumbag. Let’s hear more about how great Bill Clinton, John Edwards, and Dave Letterman are. My favorite quote of the week from Whoopi “It wasn’t rape, rape”.
Couldn’t happen to a better Guy. Mean, abusive, belligerent mysogynist. Now you know why NBC Chose Leno over this amoral creep.
I’ll let Cher have the last word on this.
CHER
(to Letterman)
You’re an Ass.
Top Ten Reasons Dave Had Sexual Relationships With Female Employees:
10) It was the only way he’d hire a woman on the staff
He didn’t want Jay Leno to be the only one fucking him
9) It was the only way to get a blackmail on the staff
7) Have you *seen* Regina Lasko??
6) Wanted his son Harry to have something more embarrassing than the name “Harry” to deal with
5) You give up drinking, what’s a guy to do?
4) So he could have his own inter-office “Top Ten” list
3) Paul Shaffer repeatedly turned down his advances
2) Chicks can’t resist an old dude in penny loafers
1) Didn’t want his quintuple bypass to be his only “five-way”
We’ll be right back with Bill Clinton!
um, back to the drawing board?
Wow.
I know the haters will be out in force saying just the ugliest things about him, but I’ve been a fan for nearly 30 years and I am still a fan. He’s the best late night talk show host and still damn funny.
Wow, Jay Leno is really getting desperate, eh? I never thought he would stoop to extortion!
haha..Susan, you caught me!
yes, well, that bugger Letterman was beating Conan up in the ratings.. we had to do something, and it turns out, WE MADE HIM EVEN MORE POPULAR THAN HE ALREADY IS/WAS..
Darn!!
He’s the tefflon dude.. nothing sticks to him.
Dave Letterman is filth. Remember how he bashed Palin? The chickens have come home to roost, Dave!
That kind of frankness is the best way to disempower all those who would use it for their own gain. How refreshing. Thanks, Dave.
….well its certainly been a week for pervert liberals to get their hands slapped by the wheel of life.
damn…I am all out of microwave popcorn…
Thanks for the 80s memories Dave but you certainly have turned into a fish salesman lately.
…so how does it feel Dave to have your personal sleazy life as another front page newz story? not too terrific does it?
…thats ok Dave you only have 95% of the media, who are fellow card-carrying liberals, who will protect your liberal ass from getting too humiliated.
…unlike what you & your BIG MOUTH have been doing to Palin & her family.
…what goes around comes around.
…how does the scandal-merry-go-round feel when you ride it Dave?
dont sweat it sport…you’ll probably get an award or something now so…. you have friends in high places.
cheers folks & enjoy the show.
Love that it’s not just one but multiple women on his staff. Dave the playa.
sex with staffers…stay classy, dave
Letterman is the only reason I watch TV. That and I am a paraplegic and the remote is over there.
just watched his statement – that was captivating television…audience was awkwardly laughing…was straight out of king of comedy…letterman is cool!
Is there a full transcript of Letterman’s statement on the web?
It’s been said before, but the reason Letterman will always be the best is because he speaks to the people. Leno would have never handled something with this much class and Conan doing this would be uncomfortable. Letterman can turn it off and on and has more class than anyone on show business.
First of all, Leno would NEVER have pulled a stunt like this on Mavis, his wife of 27+ years. I could care less what David Letterman does in his private life, but please do not drag Jay Leno into the fray and accuse him of not having any class. Why do you think he made a colossal mistake and stayed at NBC? Out of loyalty to his employer. That’s class.
As for Conan, a woman would have to be pretty desperate to have the hots for him.
2nd segment of his show tonight where he discusses it is creepy and funny and creepy all at the same time in only the way Dave can pull it off. Catch it if you can.
I think it’s the most memorable television of the year. Maybe longer.
I guess it’s good to be the late night king because anywhere else diddling the staff is generally frowned upon.
Hate to admit it, but Sarah Palin finally got something right when she called David Letterman a “dirty old man” back in June.
How is he a creep?
Punk ass should be fired. He goes out and makes fun on Sarah Palin and her Special Needs child and then pulls shit like this? If anyone did this in a real job they would be fired in a heart beat. He’s going to pay the price for this debacle. Punk ass.
Meaning protect the female employees. Obviously he wanted to protect his family.