David Letterman's confession tonight..

[Disney Doll]

"Well, Honey, do you know how Archie dated Betty at the same time as Veronica before he and Veronica decided to get married? It's like that."

Except for his kid may not know who Archie, Betty, and Veronica are!

I do understand what you're saying, and I agree that it CAN be a very benign or complete non-issue. It would all depend on their handling of it. The child will certainly take his cue from his parents' behavior,t hat's for sure...

 

[minniecarousel]

ha! the guy threatened to put the affair in a screenplay. Classy guy.

 

[sbell111]

Except for his kid may not know who Archie, Betty, and Veronica are!

I do understand what you're saying, and I agree that it CAN be a very benign or complete non-issue. It would all depend on their handling of it. The child will certainly take his cue from his parents' behavior,t hat's for sure...

He should start buying Archie comics, just in case.

 

[bumbershoot]

I've known people who don't want to marry but have extremely long-term relationships that they feel are as strong as someone else's marriage. Ancient family friends are like that; they actually got married a few years ago, over 40 years after they started dating, b/c one of them needed to get on the other's insurance. I'd gotten so used to them being unmarried that it really freaked me out to find out they were official!

And think of Pitt and Jolie...officially boyfriend/girlfriend, but realistically very much together. They've stated their reasons why they are together but unmarried.


But I never thought of Letterman and his relationship in the same way as those...to be dating someone THAT long and still not refer to them as something like "married without the paperwork", that means something. It means that it was NOT the same sort of relationship.


And the rules in relationship are only applicable to THAT relationship. For many couples, small lies are allowed...you don't look fat today, I love your hair in dreadlocks, yes please go platinum blonde (hubby) or fiberoptic blue (me...and neither one of those has yet happened b/c of the other's objection)...in OUR relationship those lies are NOT allowed. that doesn't work for some, but it works for us.

And if they had a rule, or rather NO rule, in their relationship regarding flings, that is *their* relationship, and good for Letterman for standing up to the nasty man who used information gotten from his own intimate relationship, to then try to get money. To me, if Letterman had the sort of relationship that was OK with flings, the betrayal of the blackmailer towards his ex is FAR bigger. (if they had a rule that allowed for flings...which I expect they did, otherwise Letterman probably would have just paid the dude)

 

[Deb in IA]

Yes, extortion is bad, and I'm glad Dave stood up to the sleeze bag who wanted $2 million from him.

As for Dave's behavior, well, my issue is that this was between an employer and an employee in the workplace. Yes, they may have been consenting adults, but anytime you have an inequality of power (ie. employer/employee relationship), well, that just introduces all kinds of concerns like coercion, retaliation, implications for advancement or dismissal, taking unfair advantage of a subordinate, etc.

 

[MinnieMe87]

I like David as a comediant, I like his show, if he had affairs is not on my business. It doesn't matter to me if he cheated on his wife, if he had affairs with co workers o whoever, that's is his and his wife, family business. He didn't assault anyone, or rape anyone, he cheated oh god! Please, so all those senators or whatever they are, I can't keep up anymore. I like David's show.

I agree!

 

[Liberty Belle]

Dave L. dated his wife for 23 years before he married her this past March. So unless its ok to cheat on your significant other, its considered an affair. ARTICLE: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20267488,00.html

I'd say only Dave and his now wife only know if it was an affair. Maybe they were broken up for a while. Maybe they had an agreement. You or I do not know and I don't know about you, but I don't care.

 

[beattyfamily]

Yes, extortion is bad, and I'm glad Dave stood up to the sleeze bag who wanted $2 million from him.

As for Dave's behavior, well, my issue is that this was between an employer and an employee in the workplace. Yes, they may have been consenting adults, but anytime you have an inequality of power (ie. employer/employee relationship), well, that just introduces all kinds of concerns like coercion, retaliation, implications for advancement or dismissal, taking unfair advantage of a subordinate, etc.

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

That is EXACTLY what I was trying to say before and what I have issue with. I could care a less about his relationship with his now wife or when the affairs took place, it's none of my business, but what I do care about is that he was their boss when he had sex with them. I'm very surprised at how many on here don't think that's a big deal.

 

[jekajekalynn]

Meh...Quite franky, I don't really care. I could care less what famous people do. He's just a celeb, and what he does or doesn't do doesn't affect me or my family personally.

 

[Ohiodislover]

I heard that the guy accepted a 2 million dollar check What an idiot. Apparently that was part of the plan to get him.

Any one else hear this?

 

[LisaR]

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

That is EXACTLY what I was trying to say before and what I have issue with. I could care a less about his relationship with his now wife or when the affairs took place, it's none of my business, but what I do care about is that he was their boss when he had sex with them. I'm very surprised at how many on here don't think that's a big deal.

It is only a big deal to me if there were threats or intimidation: sleep with me or you will lose your job or sleep with me and I will make sure you get a promotion. I have a big problem with that. But trust me, one can sleep with their boss without any strings attached. It happens in the work place regularly. Not that I have any experience with that.

 

[Deb in IA]

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

That is EXACTLY what I was trying to say before and what I have issue with. I could care a less about his relationship with his now wife or when the affairs took place, it's none of my business, but what I do care about is that he was their boss when he had sex with them. I'm very surprised at how many on here don't think that's a big deal.

Sorry, I must not have seen your earlier posts. I just had time to scan through this quickly.

Yes, THAT is the big issue for me. A boss having sex with employees is just not acceptable, no matter if they married or not. And I too, am surprised that people are apparently OK with this . . .

 

[a1tinkfans]

A boss having affairs....Seen that before
A boss having affairs with subordinates...

Does it surprise me...Nope.

Meanwhile he said that he gave the guy/another co-worker mind you, a 2 million dollar "extortion" check (as part of the sting operation by the DA's office) and when he went to cash it they arrested him....Imagine what HE will try and come up with to explain that away....GEE, I thought it was a bonus check ?
We cannot make this stuff up fast enough...
He is one very busy celebrity....kidnapping attempts, break ins, extortion plots, stalkers, goodness

 

[PixieDust32]

Stephanie Birkitt No Stranger to 'Late Show' Viewers


http://www.popeater.com/2009/10/02/...phanie-birkitt-letterman-assistant-late-show/


If you watch 'The Late Show' regularly, you just might recognize Stephanie Birkitt. She appeared countless times on the program, in skits as herself and as a gift certificate-bearing assistant named "Vicki." Birkitt is also reportedly the woman at the center of alleged extortion plot against her ex-boss, David Letterman, who Thursday admitted to having sexual relationships with several of his female staffers. Two segments featuring Birkitt over the years:

According to TMZ, Birkitt is the girlfriend and former roommate of Robert "Joe" Halderman, the '48 Hours' producer who was indicted Friday in a plot to blackmail Letterman out of $2 million in exchange for his silence on the affairs.

Halderman was reportedly in possession of Birkitt's diary and certain photos that he said would damage Letterman if made public.

Birkitt worked for Letterman for over a decade, and rose in the ranks to be his assistant. On several occasions, she appeared on the air in various skits and gags, including reports from the Winter Olympics in both 2002 and 2006.

It is believed Birkitt and Letterman had a sexual relationship that ended before his marriage and the birth of his son, Harry, in 2003. Sources tell RadarOnline.com that Birkitt is reportedly "mortified Halderman is using her fling with Letterman to blackmail her boss."

Birkitt is a 1997 graduate of Wake Forest University and Gawker is reporting that she 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."


http://www.aolcdn.com/_media/kegallerypub/blank.gif

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 02: Robert "Joe" Halderman (C) appears at his arraignment, for an alleged blackmail plot against television personality David Letterman, at New York Supreme Court on October 2, 2009 in New York City. Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau announced an indictment today against Robert "Joe" Halderman for an alleged blackmail plot against television personality David Letterman. Halderman, a producer employed by CBS at the television news magazine "48 Hours," was caught in an undercover sting at a hotel in which he tried to extort $2 million from David Letterman by threatening to release information about sexual relations Lettermen had with female employees at work

 

[Squirlz]

I love Dave. Never considered him anything more than human. I hope Halderman goes to jail for a long time.

 

[denisem]

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

That is EXACTLY what I was trying to say before and what I have issue with. I could care a less about his relationship with his now wife or when the affairs took place, it's none of my business, but what I do care about is that he was their boss when he had sex with them. I'm very surprised at how many on here don't think that's a big deal.

I would agree with you IF Stephanie (or others) were the ones coming out with this "scandal". They would have clearcut grounds for sexual harassment and Dave would've paid through the nose if they felt threatened - reams of legal precedents out there.

In this case, I tend to believe it was an adult consensual affair that ended amiably until Mr. Blackmail became involved.

I also think cases like this are skewed by how one feels about the person involved: I've always enjoyed Mr. Letterman's snarky, but self-depreciating humor. He's the antithesis of holding himself as a role model, so I applaud his honesty in dealing with situation.

 

[Disney Doll]

Yes, extortion is bad, and I'm glad Dave stood up to the sleeze bag who wanted $2 million from him.

As for Dave's behavior, well, my issue is that this was between an employer and an employee in the workplace. Yes, they may have been consenting adults, but anytime you have an inequality of power (ie. employer/employee relationship), well, that just introduces all kinds of concerns like coercion, retaliation, implications for advancement or dismissal, taking unfair advantage of a subordinate, etc.

Sometimes, and sometimes not. I know a couple of people who ahve married the boss. They met while one was boss and one was subordinate employee and it was just a relationship. Not every boss/employee relationship is sexual harrassment.

 

[Disney Doll]

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

That is EXACTLY what I was trying to say before and what I have issue with. I could care a less about his relationship with his now wife or when the affairs took place, it's none of my business, but what I do care about is that he was their boss when he had sex with them. I'm very surprised at how many on here don't think that's a big deal.

If he said or implied "If you do not have sex with me then you will lose your job", then it is a big deal.

If they were 2 adults having a sexual relationship and no one's job security came under threat in any way, then it is not a big deal.

As I stated, I know a couple of people who married their boss, and they were dating duringf the time they were boss/employee...it wasn't sexual harrassment.

 

[beattyfamily]

If he said or implied "If you do not have sex with me then you will lose your job", then it is a big deal.

If they were 2 adults having a sexual relationship and no one's job security came under threat in any way, then it is not a big deal.

As I stated, I know a couple of people who married their boss, and they were dating duringf the time they were boss/employee...it wasn't sexual harrassment.

I guess it's a matter of opinion. For me sex between a authority figure and a subordinate is inappropriate, period.

 

[Disney Doll]

I guess it's a matter of opinion. For me sex between a authority figure and a subordinate is inappropriate, period.

Well, if that were the case, three of my friends would not be happily married.