UPDATED: David Letterman's Harasser Enters Guilty Plea

Fri Oct 2, 12:51 AM

By Claudia Parsons

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."

Letterman, who was married once before, is intensely private, and is rarely photographed with his family. He married longtime companion Regina Lasko in March. They have a son born in 2003.

Shortly after his wedding, he said on the show: "I had avoided getting married pretty good for, like, 23 years, and I -- honestly, whether this happened or not -- I secretly felt that men who were married admired me ... like I was the last of the real gunslingers."

Known for his comic Top 10 lists on current events, Letterman has been hosting the "Late Show" since 1993 and has been a fixture on late night TV for nearly three decades. Just last week U.S. President Barack Obama appeared on the show.

Letterman started Thursday's broadcast with his regular monologue, which included references to the infidelity of politicians.

Letterman's Former Hookup Banned from CBS Set

TMZ has learned Stephanie Birkitt -- the woman at the center of the David Letterman sex scandal -- has been banned from setting foot on the CBS set where the "Late Show" is filmed.



Birkitt used to be David's assistant -- appearing on the "Late Show" numerous times -- and later became his personal attorney. It was Birkitt's ex-boyfriend -- Robert Halderman -- who discovered Letterman's secret relationship with her ... and then allegedly threatened to release the scandalous information unless Letterman forked over $2 million.

Sources tell TMZ that security at CBS is well aware of Birkitt's ban from the set.

Worldwide Pants just issued the following statement: "Stephanie is on paid leave of absence ... she has not been banned from the Ed Sullivan Theatre."

But TMZ just spoke with someone associated with security at Letterman who just told us, "Security got a verbal order that she is 'banned' from the property for the time being."

Ex-Staffer: Letterman Show a Hostile Work Environment

A former female writer for David Letterman has provided a behind-the-scenes portrait of the show that is anything but funny.

In an essay published on the Vanity Fair Web site, Nell Scovell, who worked for the Late Night With David Letterman for five months in 1990, says that, though she wasn't personally hit on by Letterman, the sexual shenanigans at the show eventually caused her to leave.

"I walked away from my dream job," she says. "I'd seen enough to know that I was not going to thrive professionally in that workplace. And although there were various reasons for that, sexual politics did play a major part."

According to Scovell, Letterman was only one of a number of men who engaged in liaisons with female staffers, and often gifted their lovers with superior work perquisites.

"Was I aware that other high-level male employees were having sexual relationships with female staffers? Yes," she writes. "Did these female staffers have access to information and wield power disproportionate to their job titles? Yes. Did that create a hostile work environment? Yes. Did I believe these female staffers were benefiting professionally from their personal relationships? Yes. Did that make me feel demeaned? Completely."

It got so bad that Scovell turned down an offer to continue working at the show – but couldn't say anything to Letterman, now 62.

"On my last day at Late Night, Dave summoned me to his office and pressed me on why I was quitting the show. I considered telling him the truth, but with Dave's rumored mistress within earshot, I balked," she says.

But Scovell lays the blame not just at Letterman's show but at a boys-only attitude at all late-night shows.

"Now, I don’t want a lawsuit. I don’t want compensation," she says. "I just want Dave to hire some qualified female writers and then treat them with respect. And that goes for Jay and Conan, too."

A spokesman for CBS declined to comment.

Gerald Shargel, attorney for Joe Halderman, who has been charged with attempted grand larceny in an alleged $2 million extortion plot against Letterman, says: "Why should I comment on this when the piece so eloquently says what I’ve been saying from the beginning – that there is evidence of sexual harassment at the show.”