Well played, Dave

WARNING:  THIS BLOG MAY CONTAIN EXPLICIT LANGUAGE AND ADULT THEMES! (Sorry, no porn)

Earlier this week, David Letterman was forced, by the failed ploy of a would be extortionist, to publicly admit that he had “sexual encounters with staff members” from his show, Late Night.  If you haven’t seen his admission from Wednesday’s show watch the video/click the link below.
What I love about it, is how deftly and subtly he caresses the story so that, by the end, he comes off as being the wounded victim who smells like roses.  Now, before you go screaming in all caps that he WAS the victim, I am not denying that he wasn’t a victim … just not the only victim.
He admittedly is guilty of giving the staff to the staff.  I’m quite certain that CBS has some pretty strict policies against  getting your line wet in the company pond.  While his production company, World Wide Pants, probably also has a thing about keeping the namesake on.  Yet, Dave will almost certainly be immune from any serious sanctions from the network or elsewhere.  However, those women’s careers could be in jeopardy if names start flying around … and they usually do at some point.
Dave is like Teflon.  He makes you laugh, gives you a taste of that midwestern charm, and before you know it you’ve forgotten some of the most shocking news of all … he’s been pole vaulting with some of the team.  Somehow, I feel if Oprah were to come on her show and admit to doing the horizontal Lambada with the Harpo faithful, the reaction wouldn’t  be quite as forgiving.
Let’s turn our attention to the blackmailer for a second.  This guy gets the Numb Nutz Award for the week.  He had this gossip, all apparently true, that he could have sold to the tabloids very easily; written a screenplay, as he had planned; or penned a tell al book – all of which would have made him a pretty penny.  But, instead, he had to go the illegal route of extortion and will now be pressing license plates for State of New York for the next 6-12 years … once he returns from his whirlwind honeymoon with his new cellmate, Bubba.
No, I’m not condoning what he had planned.  I think that spreading gossip and hearsay  about the personal lives of anyone, celebrity or not, is one of the lowest forms of communication reserved for the boot-licking bottom-feeders of our genus.  I just think if you are going to do something, then do it smart.  Do it in a way that insulates yourself from harm and gives you a chance to come away on top of the situation.  Kind of like Dave.

Sorry, the video has been pulled by a CBS copyright claim.  To see the video, go to:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/01/david-letterman-extortion_n_307221.html