Tabloid Frenzy Didn’t ‘Occur’ To Letterman? Did Dave Just Move To NYC?

by Glynnis MacNicol | 9:10 am, October 6th, 2009

» 2 comments

Last night, after a weekend of being battered by the press, David Letterman apologized on air to both his wife and his staff. Was it sincere? You can watch here and decide for yourself. Here’s what struck me as utterly insincere and unbelievable: that he didn’t see it coming.

And it did not occur to me last week when I was discussing having had sex with women who worked on this show, that then what would happen is reporters and newspaper people and radio and TV would start hounding the staff and saying, ‘What do you say, are you, and this and that.’ It was very, very unpleasant and I would just like to set the record straight, no, I’m not having sex with these women, those episodes are in the past.

Really? Really it did not occur to him that the tabloids would have a field day with this story and do their best to dig up all parties involved? Come on. Did David Letterman just move to New York City? Was this past weekend his first encounter with the morning newsstand tabloids? I’ve never met David Letterman but I’m pretty confident that the answer to both questions is no. A big resounding no.

This story arrived straight out of central tabloid casting; no matter how upset or distracted Letterman was — and no doubt he was both — the man has too much media savvy not to know better. You don’t announce multi-million dollar extortion sex scandal on a national television program in the manner in which he did without some forethought. Anyway, the question now is how many more days can the papers stretch this story out as cover material (we’re currently on day five – gallery below) and how completely will Stephanie Birkitt’s life be ruined before a) this is over, or b) she pens a book deal to turn those infamous diaries into a proper book?

The Five Day Arc of a Tabloid Scandal – Day One

nyp1002 gal_frontpage_1002

NEXT: The Five Day Arc of a Tabloid Scandal – Day Two

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

cbs, Dave Letterman, David Letterman, David Letterman Affairs, David Letterman scandal, David Letterman sex with staffers, Joe Halderman, Late Show WIth David Letterman, Robert J. Halderman, Robert Joel Halderman, Stephanie Birkitt

Gianrico

Reading day one to five in the tabloids, one would be hard put to discern what crime was alleged. The meat of the story should be the alleged attempt at extortion. The private affairs of D. Letterman other than with Ms. Bitkitt are irrelevant to the story. The “media” is focused on titillating and appealing to the prurient interests of it’s readers, benefiting financially from such and trying to bring down another celebrity with ostensibly lurid tales of an out of control sexual appetite. The reporting of the whole episode is more of a scandal. It’s an indictment of low journalistic integrity on the “media”.
Magister

I really don’t see how Ms. Birkitt can go back to work.

First of all, there’s the fact that if she steps back into the vicinity of the Ed Sullivan theater unless Dave hires Blackwater for her protection, she’d be victimized by one hell of a scrum. Not to mention that if she could get into the building, it was her former boyfriend that has caused all the trouble. I’m sure Dave can easily forgive her for her boyfriend’s crimes, but this whole media frenzy is another matter, altogether.

I really don’t see how she’ll be able to function as Dave’s assistant, after all is said and done. Not only will there be possible resentment on his behalf, but the rest of the staff has been besieged and what is she going to do, place phone calls using her real name?

@Gianrico: Judging from comments around the blogosphere, it looks like Day 5 is when the public’s patience starts to run out. After another couple of days and barring an actual lawsuit, the story should be relegated to the back burners. IMHO.