Expert: Letterman's Fate Far from Certain

(CBS)  David Letterman apologized to his wife, employees and audience Monday night for having had affairs with staffers.

But a leading media critic notes the story that started when the late-night host revealed Thursday night that he'd had the relationships may only be just beginning -- and Letterman is hardly out of the woods.

The star said Thursday he was the subject of an extortion plot. Longtime CBS News producer Robert "Joe" Halderman had pleaded not guilty to attempted grand larceny charges. Authorities say he hit Letterman up for $2 million to keep from going public with word of the affairs.

On "The Early Show" Monday, The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz told co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez Tuesday that Letterman's revisiting the matter Monday night is hardly the end of the story -- and it could still "take a much more serious turn" for Letterman.

More Letterman coverage:

Letterman Apologizes to Wife
Names Surface of Other Women Linked to Letterman
Will "Other Shoes" Drop for Letterman?
Viewers Split on Letterman Revelations
Experts: Letterman Was Right To Come Clean
Will Letterman Lose Women Viewers?
Halderman's Lawyer: Don't Rush To Judgment
Halderman Pleads Not Guilty to Blackmail

"After a weekend with his wife, (Letterman) probably had some explaining to do, but, clearly, there's some damage control at work" in addressing the affairs again, Kurtz said. "There's a lot we still don't know about this case. And I've had people say to me, 'You know, Dave's an entertainer, he's not Bill Clinton or (former Democratic presidential hopeful and North Carolina Sen.) John Edwards or (South Carolina Gov.) Mark Sanford. Who he fools around with is his own business.' But the fact is, he's acknowledged having sex with subordinates, and some portion of the audience may find that they agree with him when he describes his own behavior as 'creepy.'

"It was a very smart thing for Letterman to get out in front of the story (Thursday)," Kurtz continued. "Indeed, he didn't really have much choice. This indictment was coming down against the accused CBS News producer. ... And he needed to -- for his own credibility with the audience, to frame the story in a way most favorable to him.

"I think he probably didn't go far enough the first time in just making clear to the audience how sorry he was. He apologized to his staff last night, as well as to his wife. In recent days, we heard the word 'intern,' sex with an intern, a woman from the early '90s saying she had a relationship with David Letterman. Those are the kinds of things that you can't just hope everyone will simply forget about ...

"If anything happens to chip away at Letterman's credibility -- how many times have we seen this in politics? -- that is going to create a real problem. And ... there are more shoes to drop, because we don't know how many women, what period of time, but we do know that the lawyer for the accused producer ... is questioning Letterman's motivation. And if he starts taking depositions and we find out more about these women, and if any woman says she felt pressured or harassed by David Letterman --that hasn't happened yet -- then this story could take a much more serious turn for CBS' late-night franchise."

With all that being said, can Letterman still emerge unscathed?

"Unscathed, I think, is too much to hope for. Surviving, yes. Repairing his relationship with the audience? He has a shot at doing that. He's got this nightly platform. He doesn't have to go on 'Oprah' and weep. He can do it from behind his own desk.

"But this is not over yet, and I think there's gonna be some more uncomfortable moments for Letterman and CBS, frankly, before this is over."

[Jaysah]

P.S. One day little Harry Letterman, who is supposedly named after Dave's darling dad, will read all the reports about his papa's escapades. Will being the heir to the fortune make him love and respect his dad? Yesterday on the Imus show, Bernard said, "Couldn't he find a good-looking one anywhere?" which is very sexist but also very true. It is not as if he cheated with Angelina, is it?

[Jaysah]

I haven't watched Letterman in years, never found him that funny. I have to wonder about his wife. She stuck with him for 20 years, hidden away on his property like a prisoner, seldom seen in public even with him, bore him a son and finally got him to marry her, probably with a pre-nup to protect all his assets. Of course any pred-nup is not worth the paper its written on when you include a child and this very public humiliation. She could, and should, take him to the cleaners. If not, she has only herself to blame when the old geezer gets caught with his pants down with an 18-year-old. Maybe she could care less, as long as she has the money and the kid. But I would not want to be cooped up on any estate, no matter how large. Either she has some backbone and will leave the jerk or she will stick around like Mrs. Spitzer/Sanford/Edwards and "work on the marriage." Yeah, right.

[TheVarsityClub]

I ejoy how a story as trivial as Letterman's sex life bring out the moral crusade.

I don't care who Letterman is sleeping with, wife, co-worker, call-girl, it does not make a bit of difference to me. I want Letterman to make me laugh, thats it, nothing more. When he stops doing that, I will stop watching.

[NoJudgement]

It must be nice to come from families and neighborhoods, communities and cities where no one you are personally involved with ever makes a mistake. Oh to be so perfect.
But if you're a real-lifer, like most of us, you can be thankful that you are not subjected to the media's interest in you or your personal life so that you never have to worry about your skeletons being aired publicly.

Letterman is a man, a spouse, a father, and a human being. He makes mistakes. You make mistakes. I make mistakes. I am sure to make many more in my lifetime, as are you.

Mr. Letterman chose to be accountable rather than hide or use his publicist. Just so you know... he doesn't owe YOU or I anything. Least of all his explanation.

Watch his show. Or don't.

But dont sit here behind the safety of your own computer and judge another person who's situation you most certainly cannot relate to now, then or ever.

Get a life. Leave Letterman to sort out his personal life on his own.

"Judge not, lest we be judged"

[cameraphone]

America Sure Loves a SEX Scandal! Much better than America loving a Blackmail and Extortion Scandal! I can only hope there IS NOT a Video! Of the Blackmailer trying to cash the Check of course! Everyone would want to see a video of Dave having Sex!

[SamTCat]

You know I wonder about is like did Dave finally decide to get married because he wanted his son to have a mom and dad that were married, as opposed to finally deciding to get married because he wanted to have his commitment to his girlfriend (now wife) honored before God and in the eyes of the law?

Like what if he got married thinking he could still have his nookie on the side, never intending that his commitment to his wife include fidelity. So like is he now stuck with more than he bargained for?

Maybe he should take a break and think about these sorts of things like where is going with his relationships and what are his priorities - he can't just take two weeks off from work and let his new reality sink in and get some advice from some experts?

[dinahtagpatience]

I'm not crazy about Dave; mainly it's that I object to any entertainers using the media to promote their own political views, or to malign others. But, we live in a crazy world, where people like comedian Al Franken can be elected to our Senate, based not on how astute he is but based on his funny comedics and his celebrity, w/ people today (young people) think is so cool.

I stayed up and watched him last night, wanting to see what he was going to say, and I thought he did just a super job with it, all of it, including his apology to Palin. I think he "gets it" that some of us still have middle of the road values and we don't all appreciate the cool New York glibness. He tries to get a laugh from his young audience, I guess he has to do that. Too bad, because I honestly think he is probably a very fine person, and I think he has learnd alot from this. He is very funny, and even in a sad way, there's alot of pathos there, he truly does understand the human condition and heartbreak.

That's all, except for one thing. I do feel kind of sorry for the young woman he is rumored to be friendly with quite lately; her life must be rough right now. And, I wonder how he would take it if his wife were doing the same thing behind his back out there on Long Island every day while he's at work. Probably not good, expecially if everybody in town knew about it and was saying, "oh, poor Dave, he's married to such a bum" Guys do these things to their marriages all the time. They don't HAVE to have sex all the time. They just WANT to. Hey Dave, you're 60-something years old, take a shower, go work out, or go home to your family. Stop trying to be a 30 year old kid -it's over!

[choufei]

Be sure:

It's Dave Letterman's own responsibility to hide his own privacy!!! Not the Halderman!!!

Halderman has no any responsibility to help Dave Letterman to hide his privacy!!!

If Halderman legally get or find Dave Latterman's privacy, then Halderman are legally entitled to do anything about these information!!! Including to sell all these information to anyone for any price he want!!! Including to sell to Dave Letterman himself for 2 million dollars!!!

That is so legal selling!!! Never be a crime or blackmail!!!

Understand???

Simply, if Dave Letterman want Halderman to keep hiding his own privacy, Dave Latterman must pay Halderman price for such favour!!!
even more than 2 million dollars!!! That's justified deal!!!

[cmlarson3]

A liitle blackberry brandy today choufei? For medicinal purposes only?

[choufei]

If this is definition in some US book, then such blackmail are not always crime!!!

Tell me what the Halderman should do???

he should shut up mouth forever???

or he should give evidence to Letterman free???

or he should give public free???

or he should give to court free???

You may have some book, but you do not have brain!!!

Sometime book is wrong!!! or not fully explained!!! Sometime US court is wrong!!! Sometime the Judges are wrong!!! Sometime the US LAW are wrong!!! Somertime the US Lawmaker are wrong!!!

Do you understand???

What is right or wrong??? Use your own brain to judge it!!! Not just find some uncomplete Quote from some book!!!

OK???

[choufei]

If Halderman get David Letterman's private life story by illigal means, then Halderman is wrong!!! And perhaps with some crime!!!

But now, Halderman get all the David's story by legal means, then he has the full right to tell anyone about these story!!! Even these story are about David Letterman's private life!!!

If you do your private things on street, then anyone are entitled to see it, photo it, talk about it, even publish it in book or newspaper!!!

Understand???

And then, people are fully entitled to sell these phtos(taken on the street about your privacy) to averyone for any price!!! Including sell to you!!! for 2 Million dollars!!!