Off-topic, but kind of astounding. Watch David Letterman spin a masterful tale of crime and woe on his late night chat fest, Late Show with David Letterman last night, as he reveals a plot by a blackmailer to extort 2M dollars from him.
The blackmailer threatened to reveal a secret–that Letterman had sex with female staffers.
Letterman goes ahead and pulls a Hugh Grant on his own show and admits to the workplace shenanigans. OMG all those Monica Lewinsky jokes back in the 90’s! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
The story gets even weirder.
Details of the plot are leaking today. The blackmailer, arrested before Letterman went on the air last night is a 48 hours producer. (!!!) Robert “Joe” Halderman was the boyfriend of a female staffer involved with Letterman named Stephanie Birkitt. You can read more about it at People.
Letterman fans will recognize Birkitt–she’s been featured over the years in many of the show’s on-air bits. Apparently Letterman paid Birkitt’s law school tuition.
In case you didn’t know, Letterman married his long-time girlfriend earlier this year. The pair had a child together several years ago.
Back in the 80’s, Letterman was the victim of a psycho stalker who eventually killed herself, and a few years ago, a man who worked for Letterman on his Montana ranch tried to hatch a plot to kidnap his toddler son.
Why doesn’t this stuff happen to Jay Leno?
The question is, will America forgive him? The Late Show is enjoying the best ratings in years, regularly beating Conan O’Brien’s Tonight show. Folks, turned off by the revelations, might give Conan another shot. Personally, I think it’s nobody’s business. Letterman, forced to reveal personal business here, really is a victim.
