I think some DU'ers owe Letterman an apology.

[johnaries]

A lot of DU'ers jumped to conclusions and accused Dave Letterman of being an "adulterer" and blaming him for cheating on his wife and child. As we know now, the whole "incident" happened before he was married and before he had a child.

I remember Steph being on the show many times, and as I remember it was a running joke that Dave never got her name right. Basically, he treated Steph on-air the same way he treated "Biff". I especially loved the episode where she was dressed as "Robin" (or maybe it was "Batman), or when he used Steph to deliver the prize from "Know your cuts of meat" of any of her other cameo appearances.

Bottom line, Steph was just as welcome a part of the show as other staff-members: whether Dave was schtupping them or not.

But he was single at the time. No infidelity.

She was certainly no "beauty", but she was sorta cute. And she was sweet. Actually, she was very plain and not very attractive EXCEPT for her sweet personality.

Personally, I fell in love with Steph over time - not because she was "model sexy" but because she was "real" and she really DID have a "great personality".

Professionally, yeah, Dave should not have had a relationship with an underling. Although I'll give him kudos for not allowing it to interfere with his profession and performance.

Morally - he was single at the time. There is no moral argument unless you are the most repressive kind of prude.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. LOL

Yeah, and they owe those black guys they falsely accused of rape AFTER they had been cleared of rape an apology, but don't expect that either.

[babylonsister]

2. ???

Who falsely accused who of rape? :shrug:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. The DU Pearl Clutcher Brigade.

The people foaming at the mouth over Letterman were the same people who accused those men of rape in the Hofstra case after the woman admitted she was lying.

[Warren DeMontague]

24. "People"?

[Vinnie From Indy]

28. "The pearl clutcher brigade"

Friggin' hilarious!

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tammywammy]

8. ...

:thumbsup:

[Critters2]

3. He's been with his now wife since the late 80's.

But because they didn't have a piece of paper, the relationship didn't "count". Right.

[Unrepentant Fenian]

7. That would all depend on the rules of their relationship, wouldn't it?

[MajorChode]

14. How much could it have counted if they didn't make it legal for over 20 years?

It makes me wonder if they didn't have an on again off again relationship for much of the time.

[SoCalDem]

25. She was apparently okay with their arrangement or she would have left

and the appearance of Harry led to the end of the affairs. Maybe that was Regina's way of saying "choose"..and he did choose.

[pnwmom]

16. We don't know what sort of commitment they had or didn't have.

Marriage apparently meant something beyond a piece of paper, or he wouldn't have eventually gone through with it.

[omega minimo]

20. +

[bermudat]

4. 'She was certainly no beauty...'???

'She was certainly no "beauty", but she was sorta cute. And she was sweet. Actually, she was very plain and not very attractive EXCEPT for her sweet personality.'

Are you trying to say that because she is no beauty, she should be grateful for his attention?
What do her looks have to do with it?

[LTR]

21. I've seen her, and I gotta say...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_j9oDqG2zBGE/SLitQ7Mgz_I/AAAAAAAABnQ/LgqI3Nj6WFI/s400/i%27d+hit+it.jpg





Ooops, sorry. Thought this was FARK for a second.

:evilgrin:

[madokie]

31. Yea but would she 'hit' you

would be the question

[Name removed]

51. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MoonRiver]

38. What does she look like?

Now I'm curious.

[Psephos]

6. Yeah, poor Letterman and his hundred million dollars and national TV show.

Hope his feelings weren't hurt too bad by insensitive clods on DU. :eyes:

[Amerigo Vespucci]

9. He had sex with Biff too? Jesus, this man's thirst is unslakable.

Basically, he treated Steph on-air the same way he treated "Biff".

LINK???

:rofl:

Sorry...I spotted the all-caps, three Q-mark "LINK???" in another thread a few hours ago and had to try it. I guess deep down I'm not enough of a jerk to make it work for me, to get in people's faces and demand things with a sense of annoyed entitlement. I almost envy the "LINK???" people for being able to pull it off with such aplomb.

ALMOST.

:evilgrin:

[orleans]

13. LOL!!! your subject line is hysterical--so is the giant "link???" LOL! n/t

[omega minimo]

19. He boffed Biff and stuffed staffer Steph?

:wow:

[rucky]

29. And lusted after Larry Bud?

[EFerrari]

10. I'm not going to worry about Dave until his other personality starts a wrestling career. n/t

[suffragette]

33. +1

:rofl:

Ah, memories.

Now I'm going to have Mighty Mouse as an earbug all day!

[question everything]

11. I missed all the posts about him

but I think that the point is that he created an atmosphere of harassment.

Sure, she (or they) agreed, perhaps were even flattered, but when the boss eyes you, you don't say no. This is one thing that I, at least, learned from Anita Hill.

[SidDithers]

32. If staffers were harassed, they had avenues to address that

Have there been any sexual harassment charges against Dave? He's only been doing his show for 27 years.

Sid

[question everything]

45. As the Supreme Court ruled - harassment does not have to be

that the boss demands sexual favors or else. Harassment is also creating an environment in the office where - like the old kings demanding the first night with virgin brides - create and atmosphere that the women employees are there for his pleasure and that they should be flattered that he is interested in them.

There have been CEOs who were fired for having "consenting" relations with subordinates. Yes, she may be willing, perhaps even initiating the affair, but he is in a position of power and this is taking advantage of his position no matter how you look into it.

[cynatnite]

12. Letterman admitted he shouldn't have done it and apologized...

I don't see why anyone here should apologize to him.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. 1. Because of it's none of their business.

2. Because they were blaming the victim of extortion.

[Mythsaje]

17. There's a host of DUers who mistake self-righteousness for righteousness...

and act like the rest of us should buy into their delusions.

[omega minimo]

18. There's a host of self-righteous DUers who set up strawmen and drag around blowtorches.

Infuriated by their own ignorance.

[omega minimo]

22. You're trying to say Steph was as dumb as she acted.

[stray cat]

26. Is your boss sleeping with your coworkers acceptable where you work

and was it ok for your professors to sleep with students in their current classes they teach. If a co-worker is sleeping with your boss and someone needs laid off do you really think it won't be you? Most work places don't allow the boss to sleep with employees while employed.

[HipChick]

36. Unless there is specific HR policy

how will they know? the last place I worked at, there were a lot of couples in the working place..

[Avalux]

27. I have no problem with Letterman's actions.

IF there had been instances where these women came forth and claimed harrassment or if they decide to come out now and claim there was impropriety, then I might feel differently.

But as it and with what we know, Letterman and the women he had relationships with is a private matter and it seems he did not let them interfere with business.

I admire that he did the right thing and went to the authorities and the reason why he did so - to protect himself, his family and the women who might be exposed otherwise.

[Ineeda]

30. I agree with all your points n/t

[saltpoint]

35. I'll second the all-points agreement. Had Letterman consulted a good

attorney he would likely have received no better insight and advice than you just posted on this site.

Those who attacked him in recent days on DU should apologize.

[Paladin]

37. Amen. I Think Letterman Handled The Situation Well. (n/t)

[xchrom]

34. i can never distinguish between liberal moralists and conservative moralists.

and neither ever apologizes for their inaccuracies.

[tammywammy]

41. +1

[laughingliberal]

47. Yes, and as one astute Australian said during the Clinton impeachment...

"Thank God we got the convicts and you got the Puritans."

[Melissa G]

52. LOL!

:rofl: Lucky Australians!

[fascisthunter]

39. his personal life has no bearing on me whatsoever

What he did was wrong to his own family, and not us.... people really need to take care of their own lives and hope they never do as he and millions of others have done.

[mule_train]

40. the real issue here, is that letterman crushed a blackmailer

he went 'out' with what he was being blackmailed for, then dropped the hammer on the blackmailer - the right thing to do

good for him

in some ways, I think blackmailers are worse than child molestors

[cherish44]

42. I doubt Letterman gives a rusty fuck if he gets an apology from a bunch of Internet posters

Of course maybe he's truly disturbed and distressed about it...(if so he needs serious help)
An apology is only good if it's voluntary and sincere. If it's demanded or given through coersion it's worth as much as a dried up dog turd on the sidewalk

[RetroLounge]

43. Yup, and I can see a couple in this thread

continuing with their self-rightiousness.

They are a joke.

RL

[graywarrior]

44. I don't even care if he fucks himself.

That's how much I don't care.

[Mass]

46. Only point I disagree with you is "he was single then". Letterman and his wife have been

in a relationship for 23 years. It may be that, at this point, the relationship was off for some reason. It may be it was not. You do not know. But, except if your notion of cheating starts when you sign a paper, I have to disagree.

This said, I do not really care as long as it was not harassment, and nothing says it was at this point. It was his and his wife business.

I have read somewhere in this thread that relations with bosses are always an abuse of power. I met my husband because he was my boss. I started dating him and continued working for him after we were married. Generalizations are stupid. We spend so long at our jobs that the chances to meet somebody there are higher than anywhere else. This is puritanism at its highest. I have no clue where Letterman's story falls, and it may be he was harassing these women.

[laughingliberal]

48. Just an observation for those upset he had sex with co-workers

His current wife, Regina Lasko, was a staff member at one time

[SidDithers]

49. Well, that's an inconvenient detail, isn't it...

good post.

Sid

[asdjrocky]

50. Leave David alone. Just leave him alone!

Will someone post the pic for me please, my computer is acting up.

[tblue37]

53. How's this?

[Common Sense Party]

54. For what?

Please. No one owes Letterman ANYTHING.