Stephanie Birkitt: Special Assistant to Letterman

Gawker offers some information on David Letterman and his treatment of his female "assistants."

• Letterman had a cadre of female assistants who fell heavily on the young and attractive side of the ledger. He was said to employ as not less than three of these Special Assistants to the Host last year. The assistant tally however, was said to have climbed as high as five at moments.

• The scuttlebutt on the set had it that current assistant-in-question, Stephanie Birkitt, received extra compensation for duties as his First Assistant, in the form of Letterman picking up the tab for her graduate law studies at the Yeshiva University Law School.

• Birkitt's duties included nannying work around the office. She could often be seen playing with his son and chasing him through the office halls.

• Birkitt also frequently appeared on air, playing the part of Dave's assistant in sketches and often delivering prizes to audience members in constants. Dave favored Birkitt with playful nicknames in these moments such as "Vicky" "Kitty" and "Dutch."

• Each Valentines Day, Letterman sent lavish, expensive bouquets of flowers to each and every non-male on the Late Show staff with a handwritten note signed "Your Friend Dave."

• Eyebrows were raised around the office by Letterman's long-delayed marriage to the mother of his now five year old son, whom he has been dating since 1986 and to whom he tied the knot only this year.

This is so creepy.

Letterman wants people to laugh about it; and he did get his audience to laugh and cheer him on when he told his tale of how he was victimized by 48 Hours producer Robert "Joe" Halderman.

I don't think there's anything funny about it. As more sordid details come out about what Letterman was doing, the disgusting nature of his behavior becomes more apparent.

I think Letterman is profoundly selfish and utterly thoughtless and terribly unprofessional.

Nothing funny about that.