CBS employee charged with Letterman extortion plot

[blue]

Why would Mes Palin get paid anything for Bristol being on the cover of a magazine? Bristol was 18 at the time, she would have gotten the money, at the urging of her DBag babydaddy.

[Catty1]

Let's not overlook Halderman. Assuming he did what he did - did he do a good thing????

It's fine to pick on the participants here, but's let not leave out the alleged extortionist!

One more thought on why I think it was better for Letterman to tell his story on his show rather than hold a press conference:

The press have space and time limits. We would have been subjected to sound bites and (biased) editing. Even if Letterman's entire statement appeared in all print media, it would be hard to sense whether he was serious or not.

With him saying it on his show, viewers got the whole meal deal...and with it viral on YouTube, others did as well.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I'm working on my "Top ten differences between Letterman and O'Reilly." The last one will be....
"when Letterman made a pass he got lucky...when O'Reilly made a pass - he got sued..."

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

[sasvermont]

I can't wait to hear the other side's defense. As the stomach turns. Can you just smell "book deal" .... ???!!!

If Halderman is broke financially, and has moved out of his house, how can he afford an expensive, top notch attorney? Again, book deal? The proceeds would be substantial. I suspect Halderman will not need a ghostwriter or co-author.

How do the state/federal laws deal with allowing inmates to author books while in the slammer?

I see nothing good coming out of this mess. Halderman's family must be horrified. What a way to try to earn $2M.

I could care less who is sleeping with whom, especially within the entertainment world.

Another day, another scandal.

[Catty1]

Whole article here:http://www.nydailynews.com/entertain..._4dave04m.html

Excerpt:

An ex-"Late Show" intern unmasked herself Saturday as one of David Letterman's former flings - and sources revealed the randy funnyman keeps a bachelor pad atop the Ed Sullivan Theater.

"I was madly in love with him at the time," said Holly Hester. "I would have married him. He was hilarious."

The NYU alum, who it appears went on to become a top Hollywood producer, told TMZ.com that the relationship started in the early '90s when Letterman called and asked her on a date to the movies.

Interesting how a guy at the residence yelled at the reporters to EFF off...because "we're being offered a lot of money for this s***." Doesn't want to protect his wife or anything. Is he any better than Halderman?

[Catty1]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1310953/

Top 10 Reasons why David Letterman will Survive his Sex Scandal

SIMON HOUPT AND ANDREW RYAN

From Saturday's Globe and Mail Last updated on Saturday, Oct. 03, 2009 03:32AM EDT

The late-night talk-show host revealed Thursday night that he was the victim of an extortion attempt threatening to expose his affair with one or more Late Show female staffers. But Mr. Letterman's career isn't headed for the gutter.

***

10 This is the best-ever Stupid Human Trick

As an investigative producer for CBS News, Mr. Letterman's alleged extortionist, Robert (Joe) Halderman, is intimately familiar with crime and punishment, yet when it came to the blackmail payout, he asked for a $2-million personal cheque, prosecutors say, one of the most traceable forms of currency in the world.

9 He's no Eliot Spitzer

When the one-time New York governor admitted his serial infidelity last year, he did so on a Monday, allowing the story to build through the weekly news cycle. But in discussing his own sins with viewers on a Thursday night, Mr. Letterman got his side of the story out just before the weekend, drastically reducing the number of reporters who will be chasing the story for the next two days.

8 He's the Tylenol of Late-Night Hosts

Experts say Mr. Letterman's mea culpa was textbook crisis management, allowing him to save both his own brand and that of CBS. "He was open, honest, forthright and transparent," said Harlan Loeb, head of the U.S. crisis management branch of public relations company Edelman. "From a reputational perspective, he had a fiduciary duty to CBS, and he made a clear effort to align his remarks with the enterprise risk he created for the company."

7 If the scandal continues, the world economy won't survive

Office workers across North America hit Twitter, Facebook and other social-networking sites yesterday to discuss the scandal, crippling productivity just as the United States announced another 263,000 lost jobs last month. Sure the scandal is good for tabloids, but you can't sell 'em if nobody's got the money to buy 'em.

6 He has friends in high places

If coverage of the affair turns ugly, his pals will rally to his side. Among his closest showbiz buddies: Don Rickles, Billy Crystal, Madonna and, yes, Oprah. The lead guest on Monday's Late Show is Steve Martin, who will undoubtedly help him defuse the situation. And if all else fails, he has the undying support of possibly the most influential man in TV today: Regis Philbin.

5 X ratings make the best ratings

Since the launch of the new TV season in mid-September, Mr. Letterman has steadily bested his late-night competitor, The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, in Nielsen audience ratings, averaging five million viewers during the first week. Mr. O'Brien, meanwhile, is averaging 2½ million. If anything, Monday night's show will likely push Mr. Letterman's numbers past the seven million mark he reached for his mid-September broadcast with U.S. President Barack Obama.

4 Ketchup

Because it goes with everything.

3 Folksy humour makes scandals seem innocent

In making his Thursday-night confession, even Mr. Late Night seemed surprised by the audience response. "Why are you laughing?" he asked his studio audience after revealing details of his "creepy" affairs. He also got big laughs when he said: "If you know anything about me, I am just a towering mass of Lutheran Midwestern guilt."

2 Late-night viewers are more forgiving, or at least sleepier

Remember Hugh Grant? In July, 1995, the British actor chose The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as his first public appearance after his arrest for soliciting a street prostitute in Los Angeles. "What were you thinking?" asked Mr. Leno. Tonight Show ratings soared and Mr. Grant's career resumed (more or less).

1 Come to think of it,

what exactly did he do wrong?

Mr. Letterman's admitted to having an affair with co-workers, and apparently before his marriage to long-time girlfriend Regina Lasko last March. "If it was a consensual relationship, he's not in trouble for sexual harassment," said lawyer Deborah Katz on CNN yesterday. "Poor judgment, undoubtedly, but not legal trouble."

[Catty1]

Kinda insteresting, akshully

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertain..._language.html

Letterman's 'Late Show' body language

Published: 10/03/2009 04:00:00

BY NICOLE LYN PESCE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

David Letterman's shame and fear were on full display during his televised confession - if you looked closely enough.

Body language experts who analyzed the mea culpa said Letterman did a masterful job of manipulating his tittering audience.

But a series of nervous tics broadcast his discomfort at being unmasked as a philanderer.

The giveaways included:

Too much blinking

"What's normal on TV is between 30 and 50 blinks per minute. ... He was at 60 blinks per minute when he said, 'I have had sex with women who worked for me on this show,' so that's high," said Joseph Tecce, a psychology professor at Boston College. "But he's saying something painful, so that's to be expected, because fast blinking indicates negative feelings."

Tecce said Letterman also became uncharacteristically camera-shy. "He looked down and away a lot," Tecce said. "Gaze avoidance, not looking up at the camera, not looking at your audience, is a pretty accurate indicator of shame, guilt and embarrassment."


Fiddling with his pencil

"That's a habitual thing, but it also provides a symbolic weapon. He used that to strike out as he was speaking about this man who blackmailed him," said Patti Wood, body language expert and author of "Success Signals."

"When he got to the statement 'unless I give him some money,' he put his hands up toward the audience, and in that second, he was emphasizing the fact that this was an absurd event."

Clasping his hands

"When he would finish with a difficult statement, he would kind of bring his hands together and hold his own hand over his heart to protect himself and keep himself from being truly vulnerable," Wood explained.

The smirk

"When he's talking about would it be embarrassing if he got caught, his eyebrow is raised dramatically, and he smirks - and that's an indication that he's asking for approval," said Gregory Hartley, author of the soon-to-be-released "Body Language Handbook."

"As soon as the audience starts to laugh, he knows it's okay. ...

"There's a part ... when he picks up his coffee mug after he gives his spiel with what happened, and he exhales, telling us he's thinking, 'Thank God that's over.'"

[RICHARD]

Age difference = I had my fun you silly twit, lose my number.

[Catty1]

Age difference = I had my fun you silly twit, lose my number.

Well, heck - I guess conversation at the breakfast table was lacking an intellectual partner.

Will leave it at that....

[RICHARD]

Well, heck - I guess conversation at the breakfast table was lacking an intellectual partner.

Will leave it at that....

"You are too young for me. I'm an old man knocking boots with you.
Thanks, You are dismissed."

As a guy?


I'll have to remember that line should the need arise....

[blue]

Yeah consenual sex is much worse then extortion or blackmail.

[Medusa]

Excuse my ignorance but exactly what is it that Letterman did that was "terrible, terrrible"? He had sex w/staff members, that's it? He had a girlfriend then, I get that, so what he did was smarmy and if he was my SO, I would dump him but "terrrible, terrible"? I don't know; it sounds as if perhaps Halderman had something else on Letterman. That doesn't excuse Halderman's attempted blackmail but it seems to me that Letterman could've said "Go ahead and spill the beans. I'm not paying you anything. My girlfriend already knows and the public won't care" unless he had something else to hide. I guess we'll find out during the trial.

[Catty1]

Mary, the only thing I can think of is that Letterman had control over how the "beans" were spilled...who knows what Halderman would have done? He was talking a screenplay AND a book...and even after he got the cheque, was saying on his way out of the meeting that he might still do a movie.

Halderman sounds like he snapped...he had $40,000 credit card debt and $6,000 a month in child support. It was reported that in the first meeting with Letterman and the latter's attorney that he said he 'didn't want to work for the rest of his life'. It seems only an arrest would have stopped him from doing his own version of events.

I think the extortion attempt was far worse than anything Letterman did (for better or worse, just about 'everyone' does it).

Wait for the trial, that will be interesting.

[sasvermont]

I saw an interview this AM - with Halderman's attorney. He didn't let any new information out during the interview and still stuck to his statement that there is much more to the story than what Letterman has had to say. Stay tuned.

[Catty1]

Maybe I am a sick puppy, but there are some fairly clever Top 10 lists coming out now...here's another (though it's a bit more pointed than the first one I posted):

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment...article/705142

10: PLAN YOUR LOCATION

An auditorium may be outside your budget, especially considering how broke you're going to be post-divorce. Forget doing this in a kitchen, restaurant or shed (too many stabbing implements about). Try the living room. I'm pretty sure you can survive a leap through the front window.

9: BRING AN AUDIENCE

Stop moping. You can make a night of it. Tell people that you're going to be hosting a Windows 7 House Party, but surprise guests with pointy hats that read: "Robert Admits His Indiscretions 2009." Your soon-to-be-ex will love it. And a half-dozen witnesses are a great hindrance to violence.

8: TELEVISE IT

Who ever got seriously hurt on TV? Well, Lee Harvey Oswald. But let's remember that he refused to confess. Totally his fault.

Be sure everyone involved is aware that all of this is being filmed. First reason: Safety. Second reason: Video evidence makes future depositions a snap.

7: MAKE THINGS FUN

Remember Dave's first words: "I have a little story. Do you want to hear a story?" Ooh, ooh, a story! Yes, please! What's it about?! Sordid hookups in the back seat of your Dodge Intrepid. Er. All right. But are there any fairy princesses? No, a dominatrix named Groovella doesn't count.

6: WRITE IT DOWN

Letterman referred several times to notes during his monologue. Now, you just want to bang away at talking points here: "Really sorry." "Remember how much we enjoyed being poor when we met?"

5: HIT YOUR KEY WORDS

"Creepy" sounds awful. At the outset, keep saying "creepy" over and over again, as Letterman did. Just when you've got her convinced that you have a secret human-ear collection, drop the good news on her: "Hey honey, I'm only sleeping with your sister."

4: ZINGERS

Self-deprecating humour is a wonderful way to misdirect towering, destructive rage. Try to plant a few jokes between the heartbreaking admissions. "And I said to your sister, if you think that's funny, wait until I take off my pants." Zing!

3: BRING A WINGMAN

Maybe you have a friend who can make reassuring sounds in the background, à la Paul Shaffer. When you mention how frightened you were of your blackmailing stalker, he will mumble, "My, my, my."

Later he may let you sleep in his garage.

2: THANK THE POLICE

Letterman gave shout-outs to every law enforcement officer currently at work in New York state. That sends one important message – I have not broken any civil laws.

1: QUASH FURTHER DISCUSSION

Like Letterman, your last words should be: "I don't plan on saying much more about this topic."