David Letterman's a Hypocrite

[macatk]

I've about had it with these "Stars" who believe they're above the law, let alone morality.

I understand they ("entertainers") live in a different universe.   Most obviously having a different definition of "Morals", but David Letterman has proved himself to be a complete hypocrite.   He has the unmitigated gall to make "Jokes" about Sarah Palin's daughter (back in June '09), while he sleeps around with his EMPLOYEES! (He owns the production company "Worldwide Pants")   I'd love to see THAT Employee Manual!

The only credit he can receive is by coming out and admitting it, without all the typical denials seen on TMZ practically every night.   But this does not change the fact that he should be disciplined by CBS (I know he's not an employee.)

Instead, this will all be laughed-off and simply swept under the carpet.   He needs to go back and watch his own old shows.   Maybe he can find that spark that used to make him funny and enjoyable to watch.

[fanboy34]

I didn't look too deeply into this "scandal" at the time but it seemed like, apart from coming across as kind of an OLD hound dog and embarrassing his (now) wife (he was single at the time), the only victims were his contemporary (female) staff who may have fallen under the tarnish of the "Stephanie-the-intern" brush until he clarified the matter about 48 hours later.

I remember seeing the "affair" play out live on-air back in the day and it was pretty obvious she was getting a heap of camera time for a modestly attractive unskilled "performer" when the show was not really using much of its previous improv sketch bits. So this wasn't some great dirty secret.

Sure, in modern corporate arenas, consorting with one's own staff should be handled with care, however, this is a group of mainly Arts folk (theatrical people) not a Navy ship or an accounting firm. It would have been up to Dave, in essence, to set out any guidelines to protect HIS company from any liabilities due to behaviour. It is NOT universally wrong to "fraternize" amongst staff. Many people meet their future mates on the job. A bit of common sense is strongly urged though.

Even so, any quid pro quo, real or imagined, would need to have HARMED someone to make me care about this matter that much. Unless someone can claim that other staff were pressured to do something similar to keep their job, then Dave was the only victim here by the intent to financially squeeze him in exchange for silence.

Yes, Dave made fun of other people with seemingly similar scandals and continues to do so. However, those are mainly lawmakers and enforcers who purport to decide what society must or must not do in such matters. A "family values" pastor/senator/governor/mayor/candidate does not deserve a free pass on that stuff. Dave and other entertainers get judged against themselves not against the self-proclaimed Holier-than-the-rest brigade.

To be justly called a hypocrite, Dave would have to have been painting himself lily white at some point. To the best of my knowledge, he never did.

[Ian]

This is nothing new for Dave. I don't like how he tries to bully NBC employees into bashing Jay Leno on TV even though they feel uncomfortable. I've never been a big fan of his.