BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: gnu
Date: 11 Oct 09 - 02:17 PM

-g +c

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: gnu
Date: 11 Oct 09 - 01:34 PM

The thought plickens.

Hey, it's a boring day... I gotta gook Thanksgiving supper so football is sketchy... GO PATS!

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: M.Ted
Date: 11 Oct 09 - 01:30 PM

We should care because Robert Joe Haldeman, one of CBS News' most prestigious investigative journalists seems to be an extortionist, and, as the saying goes, rats always travel in packs.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Peace
Date: 10 Oct 09 - 11:52 PM

We should care for the following reasons:

1)

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: meself
Date: 10 Oct 09 - 11:15 PM

The question is: why should we care?

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: SharonA
Date: 10 Oct 09 - 10:36 PM

Another take on the story: According to this New York Post article -- "Dave Pulls Stupid Trick on Wife in Caribbean" -- supposedly Haldeman personally handed the package to Letterman's limo driver, which would explain how it got into the car and why Letterman was so trustful that the package was legit and not a bomb. This explanation wasn't part of Letterman's original statement that he found the package in the back of his car. So maybe he's not lying... maybe....

Also according to that Post article, Haldeman cooked up the extortion scheme in a jealous rage because Birkitt had told him (while living with him) that she was no longer sleeping with Letterman, but he had seen her in a "very passionate embrace" with Letterman in "a parked car in the driveway" of Haldeman's/Birkitt's home. Haldeman then dumped Birkitt. Their relationship had been on the rocks since December 2008, when Haldeman had read Birkitt's diaries and discovered that she had been having an ongoing sexual affair with Letterman, even having sexual trysts with him while he was taking vacations with his wife and son. (That's vacationS, plural!)

Letterman himself has shown by his admissions/apologies that he's a scumbag. The question is whether Haldeman was out to get back at Letterman, or whether Letterman is concocting the whole extortion story to get back at Haldeman for kicking out his secret lover as well as to garner ratings. Probably the former, but I do have to wonder...


(Sorry, Jeri, to be bringing this up after two days, but I've been away from Mudcat for FOUR days doing real-time folk-music stuff, so I haven't had a chance to post these thoughts till now.)

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: SharonA
Date: 10 Oct 09 - 09:43 PM

LOL, Jeri!

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Jeri
Date: 10 Oct 09 - 09:36 PM

Thanks for refreshing this after two days Sharon.

Sorry, I just checked and I still don't give a shit.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: SharonA
Date: 10 Oct 09 - 09:32 PM

Does anyone else find Letterman's story that he found the package (from CBS producer Robert Haldeman) in the back seat of his car, and opened it, implausible?

Letterman has already been troubled by a stalker who trespassed on his property repeatedly, so I assume that security at his home is of the highest quality now. So how would Haldeman have bypassed that security and entered the property and the car... unless, perhaps, Haldeman's former girlfriend (Stephanie Birkitt, who is also supposed to be one of Letterman's staffers with whom he had sex) had keys and/or security codes that Haldeman somehow obtained (with or without Birkitt's cooperation)?

Even if Haldeman had managed to get onto Letterman's property and into his car to leave a package, why would Letterman have opened it instead of calling the local bomb squad????? Either Letterman is royally stupid, or he's lying.

It has been suggested in the media that the Letterman story appeared when it did in order to increase Letterman's TV ratings and draw viewers away from Jay Leno's new prime-time program. I'm beginning to wonder if it's all a fabrication by Letterman and his staff. If it is, it's at the expense of the reputations of a lot of people (Haldeman and Birkitt among them).

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Peace
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 09:33 PM

And yet another:

20% of women cheat, 40% of men cheat
Dr. Scott Haltzman, Barrington psychiatrist: "By age 45, two out of every ...
Read Full Tip for 20% of women cheat, 40% of men cheat

22% of women cheat, 37% of men cheat
According to AskBob.com, up to 22% of women have been unfaithful at least once ...
Read Full Tip for 22% of women cheat, 37% of men cheat

25% of women cheat, 33% of men cheat
Janus Report on Sexual Behavior (1993) found: "More than one-third of men ...
Read Full Tip for 25% of women cheat, 33% of men cheat

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Peace
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 09:29 PM

And another:

"It is therefore nearly IMPOSSIBLE to find out for sure "exactly how many people cheat". If you were "dating" when you were 13 with your next door neighbor, and then kissed another girl playing spin-the-bottle, was that cheating? Are you now marked for life, when when you are 40 and true to your wife of 20 years, as "someone who cheated"?

The only thing that can be said for sure is that some people DO cheat on their partners, just as some people cheat on their taxes and some people cheated in school. Men are generally twice as likely as women are to cheat. Other than that, there is little that you CAN say for sure. The reasons for cheating are very diverse. The results of the cheating are equally diverse. The only thing that matters is how YOU and YOUR PARTNER handle YOUR particular situation."

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Peace
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 09:27 PM

From another site.


"Cheating and Infidelity Statistics: Are men cheating more than women? Recent studies reveal that 45-55% of married women and 50-60% of married men engage in extramarital sex at some time or another during their relationship. Do these infidelity statistics seem a bit startling? What these findings suggest is that approximately one half of all married men and women do seek intimacy outside of their committed relationships. But what does this really mean and why are the number of men and women having extramarital affairs so high?This may come as a complete surprise, but most extramarital affairs are not about sex. What then, is the main factor that causes infidelity?"

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Peace
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 09:24 PM

"While 20% of all married men have had extra marital affairs, close to 16% of all married women have strayed from their marriage to explore relationship beyond their partners. The married persons found to be cheating mostly fall under the 34 years age group. Often, married women are found to have extra marital affairs with men of younger age."

found on the www

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 09:14 PM

Very good point, Genie.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV comedian
From: Genie
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 09:01 PM

LH, I'm not so sure "the vast majority" of us have cheated on our spouses (or anyone we're supposed to be faithful to) -- but I'd wager one major reason for that is lack of opportunity.
I wonder how many people (men, especially) remain faithful when they are in a position (by virtue of their irresistible charm, status, money, or whatever) to have a multitude of attractive, willing partners.

Most of us have never been put to that test.

This is not to say that all star entertainers and powerful people are habitual filanderers, but they do have more opportunity to cheat than most of us peons do.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 11:49 AM

This whole Letterman thing is not worth getting upset over. It's trivial. Anyway, I think he did the right thing to not let himself be blackmailed over something like this. Good judgement on his part, whether or not he has shown good judgement in his casual affaires. I bet the vast majority of married people in North America have an affaire at some time during their marriage. It's a very common thing, and it always has been.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: gnu
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 05:54 AM

And you have mine. Been in a terrible mood lately and maybe I am too sensitive. Oh well... in future... maybe...

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Barry Finn
Date: 07 Oct 09 - 08:03 PM

"Please tell me what you would have used instead of "hero".

"Late night TV mouth" maybe?

"Letterman Fucks over Extortionist" pretty good

how bout "Late night Fucker, Letterman, Fucks over Extorionist"??

Anyway Gnu, had I known what you meant by your use of "Hero" I probably wouldn't have posted at all not caring two shatts about DL to begin with.

You have my apologies

Barry

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero
From: Genie
Date: 07 Oct 09 - 05:05 PM

Gnu, I'd have said "comedian" or "talk show host" or maybe "star" instead of "hero."
I just don't think of entertainers (as such) as "heros."

As for "Letterman Fucks Over Would-Be Extortionist," that'd be appropriate -- except that would-be extortionists deserve to be exposed, ridiculed, prosecuted, fined, embarrassed, etc. Since they deserve to be "fucked over," I wouldn't use that term (or equivalent), because it sort of connotes that they are undeserving victims.

But you are so right that a lot of people have piled on, accusing Letterman of everything from adultery to sexual harrassment to perversion and comparing him to people like Roman Polanski.   He hasn't even been accused, so far, of anything but being somewhat promiscuous and having workplace affairs, and we could at least wait till details warrant it before slinging all sorts of epithets.

It would be nice if we could filter out all the allegations and calls for his head that are coming from people who never cared for his humor or his politics in the first place.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Oct 09 - 03:40 PM

Seems like a whole lotta shattin' goin' on, SirGnu! You may have gotten away with your original title. There are ten, count 'em, TEN threads with Fuck in their titles, one of the longest started by the late, great, and greatly missed little john cameron HERE.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: gnu
Date: 07 Oct 09 - 03:34 PM

Right... after several PMs... here it is...

Late night TV hero... poor choice. I never meant "hero" as in Ghandi or Mother Thresa or Audie Murphy or any real hero, but apparently, both Dave and I have been shat upon because... well, I just don't know why. Nor do I really give a darn.

Please tell me what you would have used instead of "hero". Remember that the title must fit in the little box. Otherwise, you will be shat upon for no logical reason, by people who you don't know you, by people whom you have not offended... simply because you made a poor choice of words.

Fact is, a great title would have been... Letterman Fucks over Extortionist. That actually was my first choice. But, I am sure someone would have shat on me for that.

Fact is, it doesn't matter what you post these days... if you don't report "Just the facts, Mamm.", you will get shat on.

Oh, BTW... for all of you posting the fact that Dave is a scumbag because you know he "cheated" on his wife, your posts to that effect are liable and, near as I know, punishable under law if you can't prove it. Further, even if he did, how the fuck did you know that anyway?

gnightgnu

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 09:48 PM

A Brief History of Presidential Love Affairs...a few "heroes."

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV host
From: Genie
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 08:58 PM

Doug, my friend, I don't confuse many actors, politicians, comedians, etc., with "heroes."
And if there are some whom I do hold to be heroes, it's not because of their skill as actors, politicians, comedians, etc.

OTOH, there are people whom I love and consider dear friends who have been guilty of philandering (or worse).

Genie

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: SharonA
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 08:54 PM

From: Peace - PM
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 01:50 AM

"If the sex he had was a result of his sexual harrassment of his subordinates, then I think it does matter and I think that his behavior and his attempts to make light of it are abhorrent."

Who said this? Does he have a harrassment charge against him?


Not to the best of my knowledge, Peace. I said "IF".

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: DougR
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 02:59 PM

Some of you folks don't appear to set very high marks for your heroes.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Genie
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 02:40 PM

Haven't followed all the lurid details of this media feeding frenzy, but it appears there may have been many different women staffers involved and that Letterman was involved with at least one of them after the birth of his son and maybe after he married Regina.

If so, he -- like many other men (famous and otherwise) before him -- is a philanderer and adulterer.   Not admirable in my book. But I find it interesting how the public and the media seem to almost make heroes (stars) out of some entertainers and sports figures (Wilt Chamberlain, e.g., who bragged that he had had sex with 20,000 women), readily move on and forgive such behavior in others (Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, etc.), and then want the careers of others (e.g., Letterman) to be ended for doing the same sort of thing.
It often appears that the willingness to forgive - or to say "It's none of our business" - is inversely proportional to how strongly people like or support the philanderer on totally unrelated grounds (e.g., political leanings).

As for the "sexual harrassment" issue, Kat, I'm glad you told that story. Surely, sometimes a sexual tryst between people of unequal statuses can have a coercive element, but not always. (And the "boss" may sometimes be the one being used - by a subordinate who hopes to get ahead by using sex.)
If our society truly frowned on work place sexual liaisons, or just on those between higher-ups and subordinates, I don't think TV shows like "Grey's Anatomy," "Boston Legal," etc., and most soap operas would be so popular.   Popular TV dramas and sitcoms and soaps routinely portray attending physicians hooking up with interns, doctors with nurses, law practice partners with paralegals and fledgling attorneys, etc.   Seldom is such behavior portrayed as sinful or taboo in the way that, say, a hookup between a college professor and a 20-year-old student would be.   

I think sexual harassment laws and business policies are there to provide redress of real grievances when they exist.   (And sometimes they are carried to the point of absurdity, such that one can't even compliment a coworker on how nice their outfit looks without fearing a "harassment" charge.)   But it's unrealistic to assume that in ALL cases of a romance or sex between people on different levels of the corporate 'food chain' some type of coercion or undue influence was involved.


As for Letterman, I hope he survives this because I would not like to see his show replaced with something like Conan's show or the new Nightline.
(Of course, they could put Dave back on at the 12:30 slot and move Craig Ferguson up to 11:30?)

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 12:16 PM

She certainly knows how to pick her men!

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 11:26 AM

A senior producer/investigative journalist for CBS News used information that he collected to commit blackmail and extortion.

MTed, yes, that is an issue, BUT the media are making it all about Letterman and his affair/s. THAT is what I am saying has no place in the news, at least the HIGH place it has been given.

As I read it, he stole pages out of his lover's diary about her time with Letterman. IMO, some of the outrage ought to take that into account. Talk about violation unless, of course, she facilitated such.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Barry Finn
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 03:42 AM

Subject: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: gnu - PM
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 03:52 PM

"He is in my books."

He is what?
If you didn't say he was a hero, what did you say?


I don't know Dave L, I don't watch him or talk shows, I don't give him much more thought than I would a chipmunk crossing my yard.
I do know what I read & you say he's a hero.
Is a late night TV hero different than an early morning radio hero, or for that matter a mid afternoon subway platform hero?

I appologize if you didn't make yourself clear & I read something into what you printed that seems be be other than what you actually meant. To me he's still not even close to hero.

I care even less about his sex life but I hope his now wife takes her "golden parachute" & jumps ship

Barry

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Peace
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 01:50 AM

"If the sex he had was a result of his sexual harrassment of his subordinates, then I think it does matter and I think that his behavior and his attempts to make light of it are abhorrent."

Who said this? Does he have a harrassment charge against him?

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: M.Ted
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 01:23 AM

Call me thick, but I thought that this was the issue: A senior producer/investigative journalist for CBS News used information that he collected to commit blackmail and extortion.

As Americans, we are encourage to believe that a free and independent press is one of the linchpins of our Democracy, and that CBS News, founded as it was, by Saint Edward R. Murrow, is, and always has been, the most respected Broadcast News organization.

As I said, you can call me thick, but it seems to me there are a lot of implications that we are not considering.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 12:01 AM

Wesley, I'll bet they've already tried to contact his mom.

That this is even in the news, this long, esp., is so ridiculous. Most of the media who call themselves journalists wouldn't know a real story if it bit them on the ass.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Riginslinger
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 10:06 PM

Letterman - The essence of slime:

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Alice
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 09:29 PM

Letterman's heartfelt apology to his wife and staffers:

Monday's mea culpa marked his first public remarks since last week's admission.

"The staff here has been wonderfully supportive to me, not just through this furor, but through all the years that we've been on television. ... So, again, my thanks to the staff for, once again, putting up with something stupid I've gotten myself involved in," Letterman said, according to excerpts released Monday by production company World Wide Pants.

"Now the other thing is my wife, Regina. She has been horribly hurt by my behavior, and when something happens like that, if you hurt a person and it's your responsibility, you try to fix it. And at that point, there's only two things that can happen: Either you're going to make some progress and get it fixed, or you're going to fall short and perhaps not get it fixed, so let me tell you folks, I got my work cut out for me."

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: robomatic
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 08:26 PM

I really liked the Craig Ferguson video. He expressed himself very well and it was inspirational.

I think Dave Letterman has had similarly good things to say. I quite liked his first live monologue after 9-11.

Dave has also made a point of giving some great but lesser publicized musicians repeat visits on his show.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: GUEST,Edthefolkie
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 05:20 PM

I was rather impressed by DL's fame when I saw the David Letterman store near Times Square about ten years ago.

Can't see that happening in the UK. Graham Norton? Jonathan Woss? Parky? Alan Partridge? Naaaaah......

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Wesley S
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 05:20 PM

What bothers me about this :

MSNBC Story

...is that the media is trying to get quotes from the parents of the woman involved. They are even calling the fathers office. That sucks. The woman is an adult and responsible for her own actions { and I'm not saying she did anything wrong }. Is there really a need to contact the parents of an adult for a reaction to the story? And will they contact David Lettermans mother for a reaction?

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 04:59 PM

Deep man, really deep !

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 04:53 PM

If that means, that you can't express an opinion in his favour based on events you really no nothing about, it also means you can't express one against him based on events you really no nothing about!

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 04:39 PM

If that means, that you can't express an opinion against Letterman, it also means you can't express one in his favour either!

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 04:29 PM

My boss was not rich. He was not older. He was married. So was I. We had one night of mad, passionate sex and never saw one another, again. (He went on to another job the next day.) I had no idea he was attracted until that evening when we went out for celebratory drinks. He seemed a strict, straight-laced Baptist to me. we were not drunk. I was not harassed. I was not threatened. Because I had an open marriage, I called my husband to let him know why I would not be home that night. I say this to give an example of a woman who did not "suffer" at the hands of her male boss, so to speak. it is possible.

It is also possible that what went on with Letterman may have been in the distant past or even when he was feeling vulnerable about life after heart surgery and let nature's urge to procreate take over which it often does after someone has been through a life-threatening ordeal or witnessed death which is called the "strongest aphrodisiac.". Whatever, it's all speculation as is the rest of the judgemental stuff posted in this thread. We DON'T know and have no right to judge any parties involved.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Wesley S
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 04:00 PM

Also - so far we have no way of knowing how willing these women were. There are people out there that would screw a mud fence if it had the kind of money that David Letterman has. Let's hope all the involved parties were willing participants.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Wesley S
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 03:57 PM

Sharon - I would blame part of that on the group dynamic. If he was sitting in a room telling two or three people he would have received an appropriate response. But fill up a whole room full of hundreds of people and your lowest common denominator can start the ball rolling - and a large share of the rest of them will follow along. There probably were people sitting on their hands. But how would we know that?

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Ed T
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 03:55 PM

O, they're hangin' David Letterman in the mornin'-

Maybe he is already hung?

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 03:37 PM

Did I miss something - which is quite possible, since I haven't been following this issue with much interest - but is there any particular reason to believe that there was "sexual harrassment/pressure in the workplace"?

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: SharonA
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 03:27 PM

Hi, Wesley -- Yeah, that's what some commentators had said the following morning: according to them, the audience was not sure how to react, and was laughing nervously and intermittently -- at first. But when he said, "The creepy stuff [that the extortionist threatened to expose] was that I have had sex with women who work for me on the show" the audience was silent except for a gasp or two. THEN he said, "Now, my response to that is, yes, I have. I have had sex with women who work on this show." THAT is when the audience erupted in laughter and applause. Sorry, Wesley, but that was not nervous laughter or nervous applause, nor was it appreciation of a joke. That was a reward to him from his audience for his bad behavior. (And yes, I consider it to be sexual harrassment/pressure in the workplace and, therefore, bad behavior.)

For my own part, I can't imagine being an audience member and laughing at or applauding what Letterman had said. If I'd been there listening to the people around me laughing and applauding, I would either have bolted from the room or thrown up right there.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Wesley S
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 02:36 PM

Sharon - I'm guessing here - but I'm sure that some members of the audience thought the whole thing was a joke of some sort. And the rest of it was more than likely nervous laughter.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: SharonA
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 02:27 PM

I agree with everything Crow Sister has said here, except the part about not giving a flying squirrel, when all's said and done, about a talk show host's peccadillos. If the sex he had was a result of his sexual harrassment of his subordinates, then I think it does matter and I think that his behavior and his attempts to make light of it are abhorrent.

I'm upset that Letterman's audience laughed at parts of his confession. If the scenario of a multimillionaire boss seducing the more starry-eyed members of his staff (or perhaps pressuring them into having sex with him under threat of dismissal/pay-cut/perk-cut) is considered funny in this day and age, we are not as culturally advanced -- or even as evolved -- as we'd like to think we are. I can hope that the audience laughed because someone was holding up a sign instructing them to do so but, if that's the case, then truly all we like sheep are led astray.

Letterman is no hero in my book. The sooner he's off the air, the better, as far as I'm concerned.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: open mike
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 12:05 AM

it was NOT david letterman who threatened to make this a media campaign it was the blackmailer who used that as a threat....and
Mr. L. got the upper hand by being the one who broke the story.

i often enjoy his show...just wish it started before 11:30 at nite.
and also wish the music guests would play more than one song and
come on earlier than the last 5 minutes, and also get to be inter-
viewed.

Subject: RE: BS: David Letterman. Late night TV hero...
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Oct 09 - 09:31 PM

O, they're hangin' David Letterman in the mornin'- hmmm, doesn't quite fit in place of Danny Deever.