Letterman

[TC]

From the first WP link :

"All the affairs took place before Letterman's marriage, said Tom Keaney, spokesman for Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants. Keaney also said Letterman "is not in violation" of the company's harassment policy "and no one has ever raised a complaint against him."

So I guess he didn't cheat on his wife (at least while they were married) and it doesn't look like there's going to be any CBS action against him.

I still think the Palin thing was a bigger problem (although undeserved) because Sarahmaniacs aren't going to forgive or forget - this isn't going to turn viewers off. Obviously the Palin thing didn't hurt too much though - he's #1.

[kchoya]

Oct 3, 2009 10:16:13 GMT -5 TC said:

From the first WP link :

"All the affairs took place before Letterman's marriage, said Tom Keaney, spokesman for Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants. Keaney also said Letterman "is not in violation" of the company's harassment policy "and no one has ever raised a complaint against him."

So I guess he didn't cheat on his wife (at least while they were married) and it doesn't look like there's going to be any CBS action against him.

I still think the Palin thing was a bigger problem (although undeserved) because Sarahmaniacs aren't going to forgive or forget - this isn't going to turn viewers off. Obviously the Palin thing didn't hurt too much though - he's #1.

I think Leno not being in late night is the reason he's #1.

[TC]

Oct 3, 2009 12:51:12 GMT -5 kchoya said:

I think Leno not being in late night is the reason he's #1.

Okay, but Leno's not on late night anymore (and probably won't be on 10 PM too much longer). Advertisers don't care if his ratings are buoyed by Leno's departure - they care who is #1.

It's an interesting story, but none of the comparisons being thrown out really stick (Pitino, Ensign) because what Letterman did was possibly cheat on a girlfriend and date staffers who didn't complain and still seem pretty fond of him - he didn't get involved in abortion, marital adultery, campaign law offenses, sex-payoffs, and creepy stalking. It just seems pretty mild given sex scandals these days.

www.tmz.com/2009/10/03/dave-letterman-david-intern-dating-relationship-extortion-robert-halderman/

[Joe Hoya]

Craig Ferguson was in a bit of a tough spot, seeing as Worldwide Pants produces his show. He handled it fantastically last night.

He came out for his cold open with his hands in his pockets, doing the whole sheepish, "oh boy, oh boy, oh BOY" thing. Crowd laughs. Craig stands there, making faces. Crowd keeps laughing. And then he says, "well, I guess by now you all know how I got this job."

(Aside: I love Conan, but there is something about Craig that makes me more excited for his show than the Tonight Show. He is absolutely insanely funny.)