David Letterman victim of $2 million extortion over affairs

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http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE5910GR20091002

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. TV talk-show host David Letterman said on Thursday he was the victim of a $2 million extortion plot by a man who threatened to write a screenplay about Letterman having affairs with employees.

An employee of CBS's "48 Hours," a documentary show that regularly features true crimes, was arrested on Thursday in connection with the case, CBS said in a statement.

Letterman told his audience on CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" that he found a package in his car three weeks ago from a person claiming to have information about his sexual affairs and demanding $2 million to avoid going public.

He quoted a note as saying: "I know that you do some terrible, terrible things and I can prove that you do these terrible things."

"Sure enough, contained in the package was stuff to prove that I do terrible things," Letterman added.

The 62-year-old, who was recently married, said that after consulting his attorney, he arranged to meet the man who said he planned to write a screenplay and a book about "all the terrible stuff" Letterman did unless he was paid off.

"The creepy stuff was that I have had sex with women who work for me on this show," Letterman told a stunned audience, which seemed unsure how to react to the story, laughing and applauding at times and exclaiming at others.

"My response to that is, yes I have," Letterman said. "Would it be embarrassing if it were made public? Perhaps it would, especially for the women."

"It's been a very bizarre experience. I feel like I need to protect these people. I need to certainly protect my family. I need to protect myself. I hope to protect my job," he said.

Letterman said he went to the Manhattan District Attorney's office. "They said, 'Whoa, hello, this is blackmail,'" Letterman said.

An investigation led to an arrest earlier on Thursday. As part of the investigation, Letterman said he handed over a "phony" check for $2 million to the individual.

There were no details on the identity of the suspect from the District Attorney's office or from Letterman himself.

CBS issued a statement saying an employee at "48 Hours" was involved in the investigation and arrested on Thursday on charges of attempted grand larceny.

"The employee has been suspended pending the results of the investigation," CBS said. "Mr. Letterman addressed the issue during the show's broadcast this evening, and we believe his comments speak for themselves."

He was applauded on the show tonight when he talked about,what if Pat Kenny had come out saying something like this?

Would RTE have given him the chop?Or would anyone be shocked that he had the charisma to chat up a younger woman?

K-Ren

Pretty gutsy thing to do. It's better than letting it come out as some sort of scandal too- I hope he keeps his job, I feel sorry that things going on in his personal life have come out like that.

Might boost his ratings though!

Teg Veece

Clips from the show can be seen on the BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8286258.stm

Gutsy move alright.
What a moronic audience though. They'd actually laugh at anything. It seems as if even Letterman was dismayed by them at one stage.

Simian!

Isn't he married and in a long term relationship? Great to see an audience so supportive of adultery.

Dave!

Here's the full video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFv_ZOTpSwg

humanji

Sticky Romance wrote: »

Isn't he married and in a long term relationship? Great to see an audience so supportive of adultery.

How do you know they weren't just applauding him taking a stand against a criminal?

JP Liz

fairplay to him for being honest

foxy06

What he did was wrong but fair play to him for dealing with it like that. It would have come out anyway.

bigeasyeah

Nothing funny about that.

General Zod

It's an amusing telling of a story. The only person's whose judgement matters is that of his wife, and I've a feeling it's going to cost him more than $2 million dollars.

Firetrap

The audience just sounded like vacuous morons. He wasn't left with much choice IMHO. It was either come clean or face the drip drip of rumours for the next while. Interestingly, Ed Hayes the New York lawyer who Sam Smyth has on his radio show on Sundays was explaining how the alleged extortionist could have gotten his money legally. If he had written the book and then offered Letterman the rights to it for $2m that would have been perfectly legal. Alternatively, he could have just sold the stories to a tabloid like the National Enquirer.

SabrinaHepburn

jackncoke wrote: »

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE5910GR20091002




He was applauded on the show tonight when he talked about,what if Pat Kenny had come out saying something like this?

Would RTE have given him the chop?Or would anyone be shocked that he had the charisma to chat up a younger woman?

Dont think RTE would have given him the chop.... That would make for great entertainment!!!

Rodgeb

I feel sorry for his wife/partner. Im think he has a young son too.

However he dealt with the situation he found himself correctly. The story would get out at some stage anyway.

This should not affect his professional career, its not like he goes around preaching to people on how to live their lives.