David Letterman Apologizes To His Wife: 'I Got My Work Cut Out for Me'

By PopEater Staff Posted Oct 5th 2009 08:52PM

Before the ratings for Monday night's show are even announced, David Letterman already has a boost ... from his studio audience. The crowd roared its approval for Letterman during Monday's taping. "Did your weekend just fly by," Letterman joked with the crowd in his monologue before tackling a serious apology for his wife, Regina Lasko.

"She has been horribly hurt by my behavior, and when something happens like that, if you hurt a person and it's your responsibility, you try to fix it," Letterman told the crowd about wife Regina Lasko during his monologue. "At that point, there's only two things that can happen: Either you're going to make some progress and get it fixed, or you're going to fall short and perhaps not get it fixed, so let me tell you folks, I got my work cut out for me."

As Letterman faced Monday's show, and the shows that will come after, it was clear that how he deals with his messy situation could prove to be a defining chapter in his long TV career. And, ironically, it could clinch his recent ratings victory in late-night TV.

His dilemma was Topic A on the show as he mixed wisecracks with contrition in a virtuoso balancing act. Noting the cool fall weather, he reported, "It's chilly outside my house; chilly INSIDE my house."

Then he cautioned the audience, "This is only Phase 1 of the scandal. Phase 2: Next week I go on 'Oprah' and sob."

A bit later, guest Steve Martin gave Letterman his kidding consolation: "It proves that you're a human being. And we weren't really that sure before."

Martin Short, making an unannounced appearance, playfully plopped himself in Martin's lap.

"You spend one more minute on his lap, you're gonna get blackmailed," Letterman quipped.

Monday's show was the first Letterman had taped since Thursday, when he disclosed that he had had sexual relationships with women who worked for him and said that he had been the victim of a $2 million blackmail threat.

During the hour, he also apologized to his staff, which, he said, had been subjected to "being browbeaten and humiliated" by reporters since his revelations.

"My thanks to the staff for, once again, putting up with something stupid I've gotten myself involved in," he said.

Letterman, 62, began dating Lasko in 1986, and they have a son, Harry, who was born in November 2003. All the affairs took place before Letterman's marriage, said Tom Keaney, spokesman for Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants.

Letterman arrived on stage Monday to applause and cheers from his studio audience. After drinking it in, he grinned sheepishly and inquired, with a mock stammer, "Did your, did your weekend just fly by?"

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=736708&pid=736707&uts=1254831579

http://www.popeater.com/mm_track/popeater/movies/?s_channel=us.moviespop&s_account=aolnews,aolsvc&omni=1&ke=1

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

All About Dave

This image rendered from video shows David Letterman on the "Late Show" Monday Oct. 5, 2009 days after revealing on air that he'd been sexually involved with women from his television program. During the show Letterman apologized to his wife and to his staff. (AP Photo/CBS)

CBS

David Letterman Snapshots

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 05: "Late Show with David Letterman" audience members wait to enter the Ed Sullivan Theater on October 5, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/Getty Images)

Getty Images

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 05: New vans park outside the "Late Show with David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theater on October 5, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/Getty Images)

Getty Images

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 05: Musician and actor Steve Martin visits the "Late Show with David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theater on October 5, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Steve Martin

Getty Images

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 05: Actor Jon Hamm visits the "Late Show with David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theater on October 5, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jon Hamm

Getty Images

Actress Lea Michele visits "Late Show with David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theater on October 5, 2009 in New York City. Steve Martin, Jon Hamm, Martin Short And Lea Michele Visit "Late Show With David Letterman" Ed Sullivan Theater New York, NY United States October 5, 2009 Photo by Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage.com To license this image (58565454), contact WireImage.com

Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage.com

After pausing for the audience's sympathetic laughter, he went on: "I mean, I'll be honest with you folks - right now, I would give anything to be hiking on the Appalachian Trail."

"I got into the car this morning," he added, "and the navigation lady wasn't speaking to me. Ouch."

In a more somber display, Letterman voiced his mea culpas. Regarding his wife, he said that, "if you hurt a person and it's your responsibility, you try to fix it."

Letterman has offered no specifics about how many women he had sex with.

But the CBS producer accused of blackmailing Letterman used pages from a former assistant's diary that described an affair with the "Late Show" host, a law enforcement official said Monday. The ex-assistant, Stephanie Birkitt, went to live with CBS News producer Robert Halderman, who found her diary describing her relationship with Letterman and used it to help blackmail him, the law enforcement official said Monday on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

Halderman, a producer for the true-crime show "48 Hours Mystery," pleaded not guilty last week to extortion charges.

Tags: david letterman, DavidLetterman, late show with david letterman, LateShowWithDavidLetterman, regina lasko, ReginaLasko, stephanie birkitt, StephanieBirkitt

Comments

(903)

Monday 05 October

By cari

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

hello! We still don't know if he was married during his "indiscretions" so I think this is a non-issue for the public. He has controlled the small amount of damage and the public is clearly behind him. Go Letterman! You are still my favorite! Be good to Regina from here on out--so long as you have learned your lesson.

By Harriet

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I think we're forgetting that his wife was also an employee of his and he had a long-standing affair with her. His former wife was also a co-worker. I think I see a pattern here. I am sure Regina knew exactly what was going on - she's not stupid. No, no, no -- I think she was very smart! She got pregnant and got the old wedding ring. Now, she can cry all the way to the bank (if she wants to)but I think she will forgive and forget and go on being Mrs. L and all that means.

By robin

What goes around comes around. This guy went after Sarah Palin relentlessly. A real coward in my eyes. Im sure Palin is praying for him although if I were her I would be on the floor laughing until I cried!

By Ron

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

What a bunch of hypocrites! Let's glamorize soap operas that specialize on cheating relationships that target women viewers and then call a man who is being publicly blackmailed about a past relationship a "pig". What's the word for women that go out with younger men, "Cougars"? Isn't that a synonym for pedophile? Get a grip and get off your soap box!

By MaryAnn

Vote down Vote up Report this

Come on people.....Dave Letterman was NOT married when he was "dating" his co-workers and ALL of them were adults and chose to have sex with him. They have all said so. Whether you like him or not, he did NOT break any laws and he was over 21 and single. Once his son was born, all of that stopped. Yes, he and his wife have lived together off and on for 20+ years, but evidently that was an open relationship. How many of you would not go to bed with someone if you were in your 50s, still active and able, and were single. None of you.

Tuesday 06 October

By litlmover@aol.com

I SOOO agree with you. It was 2003!!! Give the guy a break for Gods sake!

By Me

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

....Ever heard of committment?

By Your morals are sorely lacking

Define single. To me, if you are in a relationship as he was, you are not single. Unless he and his then girlfriend had an open relationship, he was cheating. And if they did have an open relationship, he was sleeping with multiple women at the same time. What ever happened to monogamy?

By letterman-go-away

@twogolfcats - decadence isn't 'growing in America', it's always been there. Only these days, it's hard to hide.

By suze2u

He is so unattractive, he must have coerced or threatened these women on his staff to get them to have sex with him...EWWWW...UGH...YUCK

By Deb

Why is any of this our business? He wasn't even married at the time. This is between him and his wife. Why is everyone so judgemental? I seriously didn't think there were so many sinless people in the world, but your posts tell me otherwise. What a bunch of hypocrites!!!

By Brian Workman

Look who was calling the President Black.? How dare he give W.Bush a bad time. I bet President W. Bush didn't even have sex in the oval office with someonee other, than his wife! Shame on you Mr. Letterman Hypocrit big time!!!

Mike Grant of Garland Texas. In honor of all golfers; they should bury the guy on the 19th' hole next to the gateraid dispenser and next to the PGA Sign. He should have taken a muligan. At 61 years old, he should have had his caddy retrieve the golf ball! What a shame, are the relatives looking to sue the golf club?

By Stacy

Who Cares? I couldn't care less who David Letterman sleeps with or how his wife feels about it for that matter.

By Fox Lova

ONCE A CHEATER ALWAYS A CHEATER!
Even if you think your funny.

By pop

A very sad commentary on our society when an audience so wholeheartedly 'approves' of such stupid and trashy behavior on the part of their icon. No wonder our kids don't have the moral standards they used to when we allow examples like this.

By Ann

Couldn't agree more!

By Ary

Throwing stones at others...just a way to get his rocks off...literally.

By donna

You know I've been noticing for years how his staff people have all been with him for many years. I remember times when he has honored the work of a long time employee right on the air. I have always seen him treat them in a respectful way-even while he was making us laugh at them, probably not so easy to do. I suspect Dave is a pretty good guy to work for and treats his staff(no pun intended) very well. And he makes me laugh.

By KLA

I have NEVER liked David Letterman. I don't like his show and now I know why!

Page 5 of 46