Extortion victim David Letterman admits staffer sex
October 02, 2009 12:21pm

TALK show legend David Letterman has admitted he had sexual relationships with female employees and that someone tried to extort him over the affairs.

During the taping of his CBS late-night show in New York, Letterman discussed receiving a threat to either pay $2 million or risk the relationships being made public.

In a release from the show's producer, Letterman said he referred the matter to the Manhattan district attorney's office and that an investigation ended in an arrest Thursday. Letterman did not identify the person he said was arrested.

As part of the investigation, Letterman said he issued a ``phony'' $2 million cheque to the individual and the arrest followed - along with testimony by Letterman.

``This morning, I did something I've never done in my life,'' said Letterman. ``I had to go downtown and testify before a grand jury.''

In his testimony, he said he acknowledged sexual relationships with members of his staff.

``My response to that is, yes I have,'' Letterman said. ``Would it be embarrassing if it were made public? Perhaps it would. I feel like I need to protect these people. I need to certainly protect my family.''

CBS spokesman Chris Ender said Thursday that ``Letterman's comments on the broadcast tonight speak for themselves.''

Letterman and longtime girlfriend Regina Lasko married in March. The couple began dating in 1986 and have a son, Harry, born in November 2003.

Is extorter a word? Firefox says yes.

i would think it would be extortionist

cant wait to hear this top ten

And zeb, thread title fail.

Fake check. Kind of clever.

Because of the spelling or the topic misdirection?

He's been brutal over the years on politicians, celebs, etc. involved in sexual escapades. I bet his writers are foaming at the mouth over this one.

i read celebs as ceebs there.

I just saw the clip of him admitting this. It was very interestingly done. I've never seen a confession of this sort like that before. It's tough to figure out exactly what he's feeling there.

if i worked on his show i'd do him too
dave's a bad-ass

Robert Halderman, CBS Producer Named as Alleged Letterman Blackmailer

A veteran CBS News producer is allegedly the man who attempted to blackmail late-night comedian David Letterman for $2 million, threatening to go public with the information that Letterman had sexual relationships with members of his staff.

Letterman Confessed Sex With Staff Members, Targeted by Extortionist
By MICHAEL S. JAMES, LINDSAY GOLDWERT and KATE McCARTHY
Oct. 2, 2009

A veteran CBS News producer is allegedly the man who attempted to blackmail late-night comedian David Letterman for $2 million, threatening to go public with the information that Letterman had sexual relationships with members of his staff.

Robert J. Halderman, 51, a longtime Emmy-award winning producer for CBS News' "48 Hours," was arrested Thursday in a sting operation in which Letterman handed over a phony $2 million check.

WABC reported that Halderman once lived with a woman who worked for Letterman.

Letterman, 62, confessed during a taping of "The Late Show" for broadcast Thursday night that he had had sex with members of his staff.

"This morning I did something I've never done in my life," Letterman told his audience. "I had to go downtown and testify before a grand jury."

Letterman revealed to the studio audience that he 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.

He said that the package contained a letter that said, "I know that you do some terrible terrible things, and I can prove that you do these terrible things ... and sure enough what was contained in the package was proof that I do terrible, terrible things."

Howard Kurtz, a media critic for The Washington Post, said Letterman handled the situation "reasonably well" but cautioned that late-night comedians have a "delicate" relationship with their audience, especially because they often point out the infidelities of others.

"Somebody's going to put together a tape with all the jokes Letterman has done about womanizing public figures," Kurtz told Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America." "So if he becomes a punchline himself, I don't think he will lose his job over this, but clearly it undermines his job as a performer."

The audience laughed nervously as Letterman described how he'd called his attorney and then set up a meeting with his blackmailer in which the plotter told him he wanted to write a screenplay about him that included sordid details of the talk show host's life.

At a second meeting, Letterman, with the assistance of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, handed the blackmailer a phony $2 million check. It was then that the extortionist revealed he also planned to write a book about Letterman's life, also revealing details of his past sexual infidelities.

"A companion piece to the screenplay," Letterman cracked weakly.

Letterman then acknowledged unspecified sexual relationships with female staff members to a silent audience.

"My response to that [allegation] is, 'Yes I have.' Would it be embarrassing if it were made public? Perhaps it would," Letterman said.

"Especially for the women," he managed to joke.

"I feel like I need to protect these people. I need to certainly protect my family," he said.

ABC News could not reach Halderman for comment, but CBS News released a statement saying that he has been suspended from his job as the investigation continues.

Earlier this year, Letterman announced on his show his marriage to longtime girlfriend Regina Lasko, who he began dating in the 1980s. The pair have a son, Harry Joseph Letterman, whose impending arrival Letterman announced on his show in 2003.

He did not mention his wife specifically or any other details of these affairs during his Thursday taping.

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

The comedian went on to thank the Special Prosecution Bureau of the Manhattan District Attorney's office for its assistance, which culminated in the Halderman's arrest early in the day Thursday.

CBS issued a statement late Thursday night regarding the investigation and Letterman's decision to speak out on his show: "Mr. Letterman addressed the issue during the show's broadcast last night, and we believe his comments speak for themselves."

This is not the first extortion plot alleged to have targeted Letterman. In 2005, Kelly Frank, who worked as a handyman on Letterman's Rocky Mountain ranch in Montana, was arrested for allegedly plotting to kidnap Letterman's then-16-month-old son, Harry. Frank pleaded not guilty but got 10 years in jail for overcharging Letterman.

At the time, the comedian took it all in stride.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing my house on television while I'm in my house watching television," Letterman said on a March 2005 show.

Letterman was a longtime bachelor after his first marriage ended in divorce in 1977.

He has had at least one relationship with a co-worker in the past. Merrill Markoe, a comedian and author who was his longtime writer, was his girlfriend in the 1980s.

I wonder if he fucked Eddie.

Why the sad face?

And does this guy need the 2 million so he can buy more vaseline for his legs or something?

Paul Schaffer is a lady?

My first thought was -- who the hell tries to blackmail someone and then takes a check?? Seriously, that happens in the real world? The person doesn't just demand CASH? (particularly with Letterman, you have to know he can liquidate some serious bank quickly)

I'd not heard about this until this morning and I just got done watching the video. In a bizarre way, this exemplifies Dave's brilliance as a comic and an entertainer. He was actually still able to make that funny.

That said, man I feel kinda bad for Woody Harrelson, how the hell do you follow that?

It's kind of sad to see such a brilliant man turn into a sad parody of himself.

This is so classy

Your world is even sadder than mine !

this got a laugh from me. thanks!