David Letterman

David Letterman hosts the CBS late night talk show The Late Show with David Letterman. The show is known for its nightly Top Ten lists and segments such as "Stupid Pet Tricks."

Letterman's career in broadcasting had an inauspicious beginning. As a college student at Ball State University, he was fired from the college radio station for being too irreverent on the air. He helped to start another radio station at the college, however, which became successful. After college, he became a weatherman at Indianapolis' WLWI, where he was frequently in hot water for his irreverent antics. In 1975, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he became a writer and stand-up comic. His act made an impression on Johnny Carson, who welcomed him to The Tonight Show repeatedly, first as a stand-up act, then as a guest host. In 1980, NBC featured him in a morning show called The David Letterman Show, but his antics did not take off and the show was canceled quickly.

Since Letterman had proven success on The Tonight Show, NBC opted to create a new show to air immediately after, called Late Night with David Letterman. It premiered in 1982. Letterman quickly developed a cult following and grew in popularity, securing great ratings for his time slot.

Letterman's goal was to become host of The Tonight Show when Carson retired. His ratings were so high on his own show, however, that NBC opted to keep Letterman on Late Night and give Jay Leno the coveted Tonight Show hosting job.

Adopting an "if you can't join 'em, beat 'em" attitude, Letterman packed up his skits and most of his writers and crew and moved to CBS to start The Late Show with David Letterman, which airs opposite The Tonight Show. Letterman's ratings have averaged slightly lower than The Tonight Show's, but are still very respectable.

In 1969, Letterman married Michelle Cook. They divorced in 1977. He also had a long-term relationship with Late Night writer/producer Merrill Markoe. He and his long-term girlfriend, Regina Lasko, have had one child, Harry Joseph Letterman, married on March 19, 2009. Letterman's father, Harry, died at the age of 57 from a heart attack. When Letterman was 52, a routine check-up revealed a constricted artery and he was given a quadruple bypass. Since then, aside from a bad case of shingles, he has been in good health.

Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants, produces The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson that follows his program, and had great success with the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.

Vanity Fair features an in-depth article in its April 2010 issue about the Letterman/Halderman/Birkitt "scandal" and goes in-depth about the related histories of all three of the central people in this story. A former love cracking about Letterman's faithlessness and how he pulled the wool over her eyes, a close friend of Halderman on what prompted him to break, and Birkitt's involvement in the scenario - the VF article sheds light on it all.

Mahalo goes more in-depth on that article at David Letterman Vanity Fair.

Letterman is back in the news after his Oct. 1, 2009 show, during which he revealed that a man was arrested for allegedly attempting to extort $2M from him, to keep him from disclosing that Letterman has had sex with multiple staffers. (The full 10:13 segment from the show is to the right on this page.)http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/10/letterman_admits_affairs_after_report_of_blackmail.php?ref=fpb October 2, 2009

UPDATE (10/5/09): At least two names of women have come out as having had sexual relationships with Letterman while working for him, including one (Stephanie Birkitt) who has also been involved with the alleged extortionist. (Though, it is important to say that there is nothing linking her to Halderman's alleged extortion attempt.)

The attorney for the indicted extortionist was interviewed on NBC's The Today Show on Monday, and said that his client is not guilty. (!!!) Gerald Shargel asked the public's patience while he investigates and puts together a case; he also issued a warning to Letterman that he looks forward to cross-examining him and putting Letterman's "surrounding circumstances" at issue. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/33173727#33173727 October 5, 2009

UPDATE (10/5/09 p.m.): Letterman will again address this matter, and extend his apology on tonight's show (already taped). He apologizes to his wife and his staff. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/10/breaking-david-letterman-addresses-extortion-attempt-again-on-tonights-show.html Here's a snippet of video posted at CBS.com: http://www.cbs.com/late_night/late_show/video/?pid=wMtTJsOwspgNk4wB5hWvM3MxkRzRGaJs His monologue focused on poking fun at his sticky situation, coming back from commercials, he spent 3 minutes addressing it more seriously - though he did insert humor into that, as well.

UPDATE (10/27/09): An ex-Late Show writer, Nell Scovell, wrote a piece in Vanity Fair magazine (posted 10/27/09) about the sexual atmosphere at the show when she worked there in approximately 1990. She noted that it was known that Letterman and other high level male emplyees were having sexual affairs with female staffers, that favoritism was shown, and that there was a hostile work environment. She stated that she has no interest in suing or having Dave go down - only that she believes that the late night shows should be hiring more female writers. http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/features/2009/10/david-letterman-200910

UPDATE (10/28/09): Rush Limbaugh used his national radio show today to weigh in on the Scovell piece. The following quote is from his website's transcript http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_102809/content/01125104.guest.html:

"So what do you have here? When you break it all down, you've got a bunch of liberal men who are sexually abusing, or they are -- got a casting couch or whatever -- or they are denying opportunities. These are the liberal women who want to work in a liberal male atmosphere, and when you boil it all down, liberal women are unhappy because liberal men treat 'em like dirt...."

UPDATE (11/9/09): Alleged extortionist Halderman is scheduled to be in court for a hearing tomorrow. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cbs/halderman_heads_to_court_tomorrow_142579.asp

UPDATE (11/10/09): Halderman's attorney claimed in court today that his client was attempting to sell a screenplay to Letterman. He filed a 34-page motion to dismiss the indictment; it is unlikely that it will be dismissed. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/11/lawyer-for-alleged-letterman-blackmailer-moves-to-dismiss-case.html

BREAKING NEWS: Full coverage of the March 9 guilty plea from the TV producer/reporter who tried to extort $2 million from Letterman re: his at-work sexual relationships begins about 1/5 of the way down this page. Please scroll down for more details, including video from Letterman and Halderman and Halderman's written confession to court. Thank you.

On the June 8, 2009, episode, Letterman joked about Sarah Palin's recent attendance at a Mets game with her daughter, saying "during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez." The comment caused an uproar as Palin and her husband Todd Palin publicly took offense to the remark, calling it "despicable" and "perverted." Letterman maintained that was referring to the 18-year-old Bristol Palin, not 14-year-old Willow, who had attended the game. The following Monday, Letterman apologized on his show, saying "I told a joke that was beyond flawed, and my intent is completely meaningless compared to the perception."[1]

Producer George Schlatter addressed the question of whether or not Letterman should be fired for his joke about Sarah Palin's daughter getting "knocked up by Alex Rodriguez" after NY Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb called on CBS to fire him. In the Huffington Post on June 14, 2009, Schlatter stated that Palin is "using her daughter's media visibility again for political purposes" and he expressed his opinion of the controversial joke stating "Let's not fire David Letterman, let's vote for him."Fox News: New York Lawmaker Calls on CBS to Fire Letterman for Palin Comments (June 12, 2009) Huffington Post: Should Letterman Be Fired for a Joke? (June 14, 2009)

Joe Halderman was sentenced on May 4, 2010 to serve six months in jail, and immediately was taken to jail. Halderman did not speak at the sentencing, and Letterman was not present. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jatCRBCsBsW5znfSCQMZUANjG7bQD9FG6DUG2

He had pleaded guilty to attempting to extort $2 million from David Letterman on March 9. He agreed to serve six months in jail and be required to perform community service; the sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 4.

The written statement that Halderman - a former producer/reporter for CBS' "48 Hours" - read in court acknowledged that he knew that he was committing an illegal act when he delivered the "thinly-veiled threat" to Letterman last Fall. The extortion attempt was in the guise of a so-called treatment for a film about Letterman's love life based upon the purloined diary of former Letterman lover and then-Halderman girlfriend Stephanie Birkitt. Halderman apologized to both Letterman and Birkitt, and to everyone else he disappointed. (See separate sections for copy of written statement, and for video of his post-hearing apology.)

(source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/03/09/entertainment/main6282408.shtml?tag=stack)

Not the most diverse line-up for this coming week. Sure, it is "Close Up Magic Week" - which should be a lot of fun. But, you also have multiple "Lost", "Get Him to the Greek", and "Killers" guests. (Second "Lost" Monday in a row, btw.)

Please visit The Late Show With David Letterman page for a Preview of the evening's show.

--Monday, May 17

Matthew Fox (Lost)

"Idol" Castoff, Michael Lynche (American Idol)

Magician Jason Randal (Close-Up Magic Week)

Zac Brown Band (CD, "Pass the Jar")

--Tuesday, May 18

Jonah Hill (Get Him to the Greek)

Top Ten with Miss USA

Magician John Carney (Close-Up Magic Week)

Janelle Monae (CD, "The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III of IV)")

--Wednesday, May 19

Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof (Lost Top Ten List)

Russell Brand (Get Him To the Greek)

Magician Johnny Ace Palmer (Close-Up Magic Week)

Stone Temple Pilots (CD, "Stone Temple Pilots")

--Thursday, May 20

Katherine Heigl (Killers)

Magician Steve Cohen (Close-Up Magic Week)

Band of Horses (CD, "Infinite Arms")

--Friday, May 21

Ashton Kutcher (Killers)

Magician Michael Ammar (Close-Up Magic Week)

Brooks & Dunn w/Reba McEntire (AMC Presents: Brooks & Dunn -- The Last Rodeo and Reba's CD, "Keep On Loving You")

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On Nov. 19, well-known singer (and celebrity-dater) John Mayer not only appeared on The Late Show and sat in with Paul Shaffer & band, but he performed a concert that was streamed live on Letterman's website.

Mayer was the 4th artist to present such a performance, following in the footsteps of Pearl Jam, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, and most recently Tim McGraw.

For more details, check out the news release at CBS.com. Here's the link to watch the hour-long concert!!!