Serves you right, creep.
In the news, obliterating common sense of serious editors of major media, will be the explosive revelations of David Letterman's trysts with members of his staff. It seems to me at first glance that the only way this stuff was going to see the light of day was for a crime to be committed. Letterman didn't commit the crime, as adultery and shameless debauchery with people who work for you is not technically a crime. I mean, there are those kinds of shady women who dig shady affairs with big stars, and they don't file harassment claims. Don't kid yourself. Letterman's got lawyers. But the kind of sinfulness that can't be covered up is when the man who got burned by Big Dave decides to blackmail and extort to the tune of 2 million bucks.
And so what was once a private mess of predictable sordid human emotions has now become a public mess. I'm rather drawn to this sort of evasion. The cuckhold in question, Robert J. Halderman, has used the police and the system to both his detriment and his salvation. It's like when the mob is chasing you and you're about to get whacked, it's a good idea to go smash your car into a police cruiser. Out of the fire and into the frying pan, so to speak. Hard time for extortion is not bloody likely - then again Halderman was broke and may not get the best of attorneys. At any rate, when it comes to the affairs of the heart, he's got Letterman in a vise.
Letterman, who has drawn the ire of regular decent folks, the CEO of Olive Garden and supporters of Sarah Palin is getting what's coming to him. An icy media bath. His Merovingian ways are coming to an end and it couldn't have happened to a more deserving, cynical, snarky asshole.
You should, however, expect the usual suspects to give Letterman a pass. Because it is absolutely true that a significant fraction of America, and especially those in the entertainment business really do believe that the ultimate life is the life of a rock star. Meaning of course that profligate sex is a badge of honor. I hear that Letterman's studio audience actually cheered when he said that yes he had sex with members of his staff, because the really bad man is the man who threatens to expose the bad man. Profit from the sin of a sinner.
In the end, those of us who are sexual prudes find solace in the outing of Dave as a lothario. Say what you will about the idiocy of blackmailing people who have little or no shame, but there should be some comfort for Halderman even if he gets a year in the pen. He's shown what kind of skunk Letterman can be.
Question: If Letterman hadn't said awful things about the Palin family, would I care?
Answer: Not so much. But I'd still consider him just another Hollywood sleazebag equal to any other casting couch type. I don't need to laugh so much that I forgive that kind of behavior, and I wonder about a society that does.
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