David Letterman: Sex with Staffers, Extortion

David Letterman is acting like a victim.

The poor guy was involved in an extortion plot.

From the Los Angeles Times:

Talk host David Letterman said Thursday that he was the victim of a $2-million extortion attempt related to his sexual relationships with staffers on CBS' "The Late Show."

During a taping for tonight's broadcast, Letterman told viewers that three weeks ago he was approached by a person who claimed to have information about the host's affairs with female staff members. This person, Letterman said, threatened to expose the relationships unless payment of $2 million was received. The CBS star approached the Manhattan district attorney's office, which began an investigation that culminated in today's arrest of the person, whom Letterman did not identify.

Letterman, 62, said that during his grand-jury testimony he admitted to the sexual relationships.

"My response to that is, yes I have," he told his studio audience. "Would it be embarrassing if it were made public? Perhaps." However, he added: "I need to certainly protect my family."

From ABC News:

Earlier this year, Letterman announced on his show his marriage to his longtime girlfriend, Regina Lasko. The pair have a son, Harry Joseph Letterman, whose impending arrival Letterman announced on his show in 2003.

It's unclear from the Worldwide Pants statement when Letterman's sexual relations with his female staffers occurred.

But according to the statement, Letterman received a package three weeks ago containing a threat to reveal those indiscretions "if Letterman did not pay the individual a large sum of money" -- specified in a later communication as $2 million.

"Letterman said that he referred the matter to the Special Prosecution Bureau of the Manhattan District Attorney's office," the Worldwide Pants statement said, "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."

Letterman has so often mocked others for their infidelities.

He especially enjoys targeting Republicans. Now Letterman is exposed as the adulterer. Well, technically, I guess he didn't commit adultery. He wasn't married to Regina Lasko yet when he had the sexual relationships with his female employees, but he was living with her. In any event, I guess he just couldn't keep it in his Worldwide Pants.

I think Letterman should be the subject of a Top Ten list -- David Letterman's Top Ten Reasons for Having Sex with his Employees.

I wonder what Letterman's reasons are for cheating on Regina Lasko with more than one staffer.

10. "McCain not showing up lowered my self-esteem"

9. "I was working on a new book -- Late Show Creepy Facts"

8. "My weakness: the slutty stewardess look"

7. "Just trying to answer the question: How many staffers can I get into my Worldwide Pants?"

6. "I just had a thrill go up my leg"

5. "I needed a new category for 'Know Your Current Events'"

4. "I wanted to be known as the Bill Clinton of late night television"

3. "Forget 10:00 PM. I'm building my resume for the governor's mansion"

2. "Needed to kill some time before the next 'Fire Dave' rally"

1. "Got tired of waiting for Paris Hilton"

It's not cool for a boss to have sex with staffers. That's inappropriate. It's creating a hostile work environment. No executive in business would survive these revelations.

Of course, I don't expect CBS to do anything to Letterman. His ratings are all that matter to CBS, and lately they've been up.

I feel sorry for Letterman's wife. He humiliated her. Maybe Lasko doesn't mind that Letterman was having sexual relationships with staffers since they weren't married. They have been together since 1986. If she doesn't care, then I really feel sorry for her.

Letterman's son, Harry, is too young to understand; but eventually he'll learn what sort of man his father is.
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UPDATE: When Letterman told the story of his indiscretions to his audience, he did a lot of joking and the audience did a lot of laughing.

Extortion is a crime. What Letterman did isn't a crime, unless the staffers were underage. That certainly doesn't appear to be the case.

There's no question that Letterman was victimized.

TMZ reports that Robert Halderman is the man arrested in the plot.

I don't really feel sorry Letterman. I suppose that's because he is so merciless when it comes to mocking others' personal affairs.

What goes around comes around.