Posted on 10/03/2009 7:39:57 AM PDT by jessduntno
Letterman is target of the kind of jokes he tells By DAVID BAUDER (AP) – 1 hour ago
NEW YORK — Late-night hosts didn't waste a moment poking fun at the troubles of one of their own, after a CBS newsman was charged with trying to blackmail David Letterman for $2 million in a plot that forced the late-night comic to acknowledge having sex with some of the women who have worked for him.
The bizarre case has created a messy legal and professional problem for one of CBS' most valuable personalities. Commentators and bloggers quickly accused Letterman of hypocrisy because he has made a career of mocking politicians mercilessly, often for their sexual transgressions.
Robert J. "Joe" Halderman, a producer for the true-crime show "48 Hours Mystery," pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan court to one count of attempted first-degree grand larceny, punishable by five to 15 years in prison. Prosecutors said Halderman, who was released after posting $200,000 bail, was desperate and deep in debt.
Jay Leno, Letterman's longtime late-night rival, kicked off his monologue Friday on NBC: "If you came here tonight for sex with a talk show host, you've got the wrong studio."
On NBC's "Late Night," Jimmy Fallon also worked it into his monologue: "There's a new book out called "Why Women Have Sex" that says there are 237 reasons why women have sex. And folks, Letterman knows the top 10."
It remains to be seen whether Letterman will suffer long-term damage just as his career appears to be peaking. Letterman has taken over as the king of late-night in the ratings this summer, and last week he beat NBC's "Tonight" show host Conan O'Brien for the first time among young viewers.
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
I don’t think any less of Letterman personally over his confession, mainly because I couldn’t think less of Letterman.
If any of those late night “comedians” need help writing any jokes about Letterman I’m sure Sarah Palin might be able to lend a hand.
I’m glad Conan got a promotion. Don’t agree with his politics, but glad he got the promotion.
I hope she has more class than that.
I don’t think David Letterman is a CBS employee. I think CBS has a contract with Letterman’s production company Worldwide Pants. So the Letterman staffers are employees of Worldwide Pants, not CBS.
"Ah shore didn't"
‘Bush’s fault’
I always thought this was a classic case of sexual harassment. Why is Dave getting a pass? Why aren't the feminists all over this. In the military he'd be administratively discharged and in private industry he'd be fired.
They said that “Speedy” Letterman got his nickname from growing up near the Indianapolis Speedway, but actually it came from having sex during the commercial break.
As we know, all companies have established sexual harassment policies. All employees and management are expected to follow the policies, and those who don't can find themselves the target of huge lawsuits and termination from employment.
Some of the things that come out of these lawsuits are allegations that a person submitted because of fear of loss of employment, or hoped to get a promotion. Other allegations have been made that people were NOT promoted because they refused to submit to the harassment. Then there is the possibility that the spouse of someone who engages in workplace sexual activities might sue for alienation of affection or might engage in a violent confrontation with someone at the workplace. The downside to sexual harassment, either as a willing or unwilling participant can be explosive.
If executives at CBS knew what was going on, but did nothing, they are in the chain of command which often gets sued when things blow up. If they didn't know, but have now been made aware of what was going on, they are obligated to enforce the policies of their own company.
All very sticky isn't it?
Dave is not a CBS employee. He and his staffers work are employed by Worldwide Pants, not CBS.
While it’s true, Bubba did not get fired, he DID lose his license to practice and was impeached...in other words, there was SOME retribution...Letterman appears to be walking away from this.
Letterman is not a CBS employee.
“All very sticky isn’t it? “
I guess it is...sticky? Paging Dr. Freud....
CBS must be fun place to work. Stars sleeping with staff, managers black-mailing their co-workers, Ownership trying to sweep it under the rug.
These perverted, back-stabbing elites are like the characters from “I, Claudius.”
Why would anyone trust anything coming out of CBS?
LOL I love it! Did you draw that?
“I don’t think any less of Letterman personally over his confession, mainly because I couldn’t think less of Letterman.”
Hahahahaha...well, so he’s got THAT going for him...hard to lose respect when you are already without it, I guess...
“What other reason is there for Letterman to have publicly blabbed an issue that should be intensely private?”
Because it had become public with the charges against the perp, and Letterman wanted to frame it in terms least damaging to him. Since the news of the indictment had broken before his taped show was broadcast, his audience that night was more than it had been. I don’t know that it’s a permanent boost to his ratings. He’s a pig who I haven’t watched in years, if not decades.
Well at least he came clean!
Ba dum bump.
I’m sure she does but it would certainly be warranted.
Well, they certainly aren’t going to make fun of Zero, so now they got a victim.
I wonder though if there is a "morals" clause in the contract. Some contracts have a clause which enables the contract to be canceled in the event of improper behavior.
This puts CBS and the advertisers on Letterman's show in a tight spot. A continued contract and continued advertising can be construed as tacit approval of bad behavior.
-—LOL I love it! Did you draw that?-—
Nope, not that creative
Eva Beatrice is an Anime character
http://myanimelist.net/clubs.php?cid=13441
CBS provided the venue therefore is liable to some degree.
Of course there are morals clauses in the contract between Worldwide Pants and CBS. But will CBS exercise it and terminate their deal with the pervert and his production company?
While Letterman is technically not a CBS employee, Worldwide Pants (what an ironic name now!) is using CBS-owned facilities to produce and transmit the show. In short, CBS will be named as an accessory to the crime, more or less, and that could put CBS on the hook (pun not intended) for over US$100,000,000 in settlements and even more in lost advertising revenue.
CBS could say that this is a Worldwide Pants problem by simply exercising their morals clause and terminating their contract with Letterman’s production company before Letterman’s other women/men start coming out of the woodwork.
I agree.
Looks like ole Dave’s chickens are coming home to roost.
I would like CBS to dump him and have a different host each week.
Are you a Seventh day Adventist........that sounds like Adventist Theology which is right out of the Bible.......the 2nd death, intercession, etc. Just curious......thanks....good post....
Watching this vile man fall, is soothing. But the thought of the minds he has twisted, causes sorrow. What he and his ilk have pushed onto this soceity will take a strong push back, and so far I am only seeing a tiny sliver of people even trying. One comforting thought, once those females who probably wouldn’t bother to tell on him, actually realize they stand to make gobs of millions....that would be sweet.
Serves him right.
Sarah probably is praying for Gap Tooth. She’s most likely a better Christian than I could ever be.
Even the idiotic name of his idiotic company is a strike against the idiot.
.
Can’t stand the old pervert. I hope he gets his, but knowing the Libs he works for I doubt it.
I read that he is a frequent visitor of NY call girls, also.
I happened to be channel surfing one night (I don’t watch him on a regular basis) and stopped for the ‘stupid pet tricks’. He kept sticking his arrogant, ugly mug into the face of a small dog and repeating over and over in a falseto voice, ‘Hello doggie’ until the dog bit him on the nose. Showed up the next night (couldn’t resist tuning in the next night) with a hugh bandage on his nose- even had to have some stitches. Priceless. Serves him right.
He is an unfunny sob who refuses to let his guests talk, constantly butting in trying to be funny and and is often insulting.
turnaround is fair game
You are so correct. So here's the chance for freepers who want to push a little.
Bring up "CBS Feedback Form" on your search engine. You'll see a very simple form that will take no more than two minutes to fill out. Click "complaint" rather than "comment". Type your blue dart to CBS concerning Dave Lecherman. Hit "send". That's it.
My dart was three-sentences-brief, courteous........but I pulled NO PUNCHES.
Take the time today to do this. Flood CBS. Send this guy back to shilling non-stick pots and pans in a department store basement.
Consider this your freep for the day. No good opining to each other on this forum without taking a little action. It makes you feel good. This is what we're here for, correcto?
Leni
“.. employed by Worldwide Pants, ..Even the idiotic name of his idiotic company is a strike against the idiot.”
He should probably change it now to OpentoWorldWidePants...
Worldwide Pant-less?
The criminal trial against the 48 hours producer that wanted $2 million from Letterman. Letterman had to testify in front of the grand jury. Can't hide that for too long.
Good question. Easily answered....follow the money.
O'Reilly was sued for sexual harrassment (phone sex) by a Fox female employee. It was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
BOR is a big moneymaker for his network bosses....so he got a pass.
Dave Lecherman sells his own independently-produced show to CBS. It's a moneymaker for the network. So, ergo, Dave gets a pass, also.
As Confucius say.......do the crime you still get prime time.
Leni
Jay Leno has a monologue and a show, but Conan O'brien is the host of TONIGHT show?
I don’t know what you’re talking about. Last time I looked Johnny Carson was doing the Tonight Show.
Guess that making news is easier than reporting the news (but then this is CBS, so they gave up on actually "reporting" the news decades ago)...
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