Letterman Finds Formula for Beating Leno: Sex, Blackmail, Jokes

By PopEater Staff Posted Oct 7th 2009 07:41AM

David Letterman may not be having the best week in his personal life, but ratings wise, 'The Late Show' host has got to be smiling. Around 5.7 million people tuned in on Monday to hear Letterman apologize to his wife for, oh you know, sleeping with numerous staffers over the years. According to CBS, that's a 36 percent increase in viewership from the previous Monday. It's also a 19 percent jump on the 2009-2010 season-to-date average for the talk show of 4.8 million viewers.

Daily Variety has reported that Letterman's ratings bested anything that NBC had on Monday in prime time, including 'Heroes' and Jay Leno, Dave's old rival. 'The Jay Leno Show' pulled in 4.3 million viewers that night. Letterman was always in second place behind Leno when he hosted 'The Tonight Show.'

During last Thursday's show, Letterman revealed to his audience that he had sexual affairs with female staffers and allegedly had been the target of a $2 million extortion plot.

On Monday, the host made an apology to his wife and show staffers. "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, his longtime girlfriend whom he married in March. They have a 5-year-old son.

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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

Tags: david letterman, DavidLetterman, heroes, jay leno, JayLeno, the jay leno show, the late show, TheJayLenoShow, TheLateShow

Comments

(71)

Wednesday 07 October

By Bud

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Of course his ratings will go up.But people will stop watching him after the hypes done.he is a sick POS and should step down.But soon he will be made to step down.Any American should be ashamed of themselves for supporting the downfall of American morals and dignity.Just be because he came clean and told his side before they could tell the darkside,does not make him a good honest man.Whi in their right mind sees this guy as cute,good looking and anything you would want to have sex with ??? he looks like a troll from the hills.So i guess if you forgive him for this.That would make the women he exploited for sex also forgive him ? Does anyone honestly think he has not exploited women and threaten their jobs if they did'nt see things as he does ? meaning they will have to give some to move up or keep their jobs.Look it may not have ever happen but his character is twisted by his own admittance.Only an idiot would feel the big elite stars would never abuse their power on women.God Please Forgive America for our loss of dignity,decency and good morals.We seem to have given them up to be entertained.

By Evvy

Who are they?

By FRED

GEE DAVE ----WHAT COMES AROUND GOES AROUND--I CAN'T WAIT FOR PALIN TO START JOKIN' 'BOUT YOU, YOU LIBERAL BUTTHOLE

By Jan

Letterman is funny!!!
This is a small bump in his road of (privet )life. He and his wife will do what is best for them. Period.
On with the show...........

There is definitely a different standard of behavior expected of an elected government official and an entertainer. And to all the tambourine bangers out there--be careful if you are "the first to cast a stone"--statistically there is over a 50% chance you just might hit your own husband (or wife).

By Letterwoman

I still can't believe he has sex! LOL

By Dawn

If you ask me, we finally know why Dave was reluctant to marry Regina (or anyone for that matter) all these years. If you already know you aren't being faithful to the person you are living with or doubt you can be, you have no business getting married. Despite what some people are saying about him, it would appear Dave did not want to be a hypocrite, even if there was a child involved. Individuals & society in general can have their expectations of what a long term relationship entails but the cold, hard fact is until you are legally married, any assumption of fidelity is just that - an assumption. Even marriage is no guarantee. If you are a hypocrite, you get married and continue cheating. Since all these involvements with other women (regardless of whether they were employees or not) occurred prior to his marriage, the worst thing he is guilty of is hurting someone's feelings. The fact that they were not married is very telling if you stop and think about it. It seems to me Dave did some serious soul searching earlier this year and finally made a choice & a commitment. Based on leaked information from Stephanie's diary, apparently he had serious & romantic feelings for her. But he chose to marry Regina. If I was Regina the one question I would have is what ended the relationship between Stephanie & Dave?

By annie kowles

Hey AOL.....where is my posting of 2 minutes ago?? I didn't write it just for fun, but because you were asking for comments. Please print it....it said on the screen "You did it! Click on the confirmation"....which never came up on the screen.

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Thursday 08 October

By Michelle

How many more fopars before CBS gets rid of David Letterman. Is CBS so desperate for ratings. Mr. Letterman, shame on you.
You need to apologize to your wife in private not on television. Do you think the public is stupid? If you had been at any other company you would have been fired for breaking company policies and possible sexual harassment. Your in the same club as Bill Clinton (no regard for your family especially airing your dirty laundry). We stopped watching you after the Sara Palin family insults. Shame on CBS and you....we are no longer watching
your show nor CBS.

By Kez

Thank god I stumbled onto this site - it has restored my faith in the American people. At least the ones who admit that Letterman IS NOT FUNNY!!!! I can't get over the way his 'audience' (are they family members?) laugh at anything this moron does. I've honestly tried to watch this person - I won't call him a man - and can't seem to stay tuned for more than one minute or so. He even said once - after a very lame 'joke' - "I can't believe I get paid for this". I was worried that my neighbour would think I was insane as I screamed "I can't believe you get paid for that either!!" Again, thankyou for enlightening me to the fact that someone other than me can see through 'The Emperor's new clothes'. Kez in Australia.

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