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Credit: Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage.com

CBS Producer Suspended for Trying to Extort David Letterman

Friday – October 02, 2009 – 9:09am

 

 

An Emmy Award-winning CBS News producer has been suspended for allegedly trying to extort $2 million from David Letterman over sexual affairs that late night talk show host had with female employees.

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Robert "Joe" Halderman -- who worked on the news program 48 Hours -- was arrested Thursday by two plain-clothes police officers outside the CBS News broadcast center in New York City on charges of attempted grand larceny in the first degree. (If convicted, Halderman could face between 9 to 22 years behind bars.) Reports are circulating that Halderman dated Letterman's former assistant, Stephanie Birkitt, who is allegedly one of the women at the center of the alleged extortion case.

In  a statement, a network rep says: "CBS was made aware of an ongoing police investigation involving David Letterman and an employee at 48 Hours who was subsequently arrested yesterday on charges of attempted grand larceny in the first degree. CBS is cooperating fully with the authorities and the employee has been suspended pending the results of the investigation. Mr. Letterman addressed the issue during the show's broadcast last night, and we believe his comments speak for themselves."

On his late night show Thursday, Letterman, 62, shocked his audience by revealing that three weeks ago he got in his car early in the morning and found a package with a letter saying, "I know that you do some terrible, terrible things and that I can prove you do some terrible things."

Letterman told his audience the letter contained proof.

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He said he then called his lawyer to set up a meeting with Halderman, who threatened to write a screenplay and a book about Letterman unless he was given money.

Two meetings took place; during the last one, a check was delivered.

Letterman told his audience that he had to testify before a grand jury Thursday morning.

"I was worried for myself, I was worried for my family," he said. "I felt menaced by this, and I had to tell them all of the creepy things that I had done.

"The creepy stuff was that I have had sex with women who work for me on this show," he went on. "My response to that is yes, I have. Would it be embarrassing if it were made public? Yes, it would, especially for the women."

He added, "It's been a very bizarre experience. I felt like I needed to protect these people. I need to protect my family. I need to protect myself. Hope to protect my job."

 

 

 

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  • November 05, 2009 - 4:57am Katie Samson Says:

    Well done David. I'm not normally a compassionate frog but he deserves this having gone public about it.
  • October 04, 2009 - 9:40am Anonymous Says:

    No, it's not a liberal or republican issue.....what was meant by that statement IF you read it correctly, was that the left wing media will take it easy on Letterman...just like past liberals in sex scandals (or any other scandal). Yes, republicans have sex scandals just the same, HOWEVER, the left wing media tries to destroy their lives for it. I'm not getting this whole sticking up for Letterman thing, and praising him for confessing on his show. The only reason he confessed was because he got caught (typical). I'm sure he embarrassed his wife and family by his actions..trying to make a joke out of it with his audience. What message does this send to our children? "OH, yeah, it's ok to sleep with multiple co-workers even if you're married...just make a joke out of it on tv, and be sure your a liberal, and everything will be ok!" Besides this, in Letterman's contract it states in fact, that he is not to have relations with the staff. I suppose you think that is ok too. What excuse will people use for him breaking his contract? Makes me sick that peopl even excuse him for the act of cheating on his wife, with several women. Thank God I have morals and values.
  • October 04, 2009 - 7:06am Anonymous Says:

    3:03 Your in dreamland..you give women way too much credit, I'd say as many women in this time in America are cheating as much or more then men. I think men are under rated and women over rated, many women of today are skanks. Look at the children out of wedlock born alone.
  • October 03, 2009 - 3:03pm Anonymous Says:

    There is not a man on earth who, if he were in such a position, would not do what David Letterman did. That is just the way they are. Women? Only about 70% are cheaters.
  • October 03, 2009 - 2:43am Jill Mailander Says:

    I think that Letterman has handled this whole thing pretty well and I actually like him more now. Plus I love that the main woman in the scandal was an intern. Classic. http://wp.me/pDJy1-8
  • October 02, 2009 - 8:41pm Anonymous Says:

    It's not a Liberal nor a Conservative thing. If the sex was consenual, Dave did nothing wrong. This douchebag blackmailing him obviously hated that his woman and Dave were together and wanted moo-moo. The douchebag should rot in jail.
  • October 02, 2009 - 5:46pm Anonymous Says:

    how much does CBS pay its employees
  • October 02, 2009 - 5:45pm Anonymous Says:

    He did something he shouldn't have...but only an opportunistic sleeze likes to make $$ off someone else's screw ups
  • October 02, 2009 - 5:45pm Leona Says:

    That is crazy. A freakin CBS producer? Wow, crazy, just crazy.
  • October 02, 2009 - 5:11pm Google Image of Dave's wife - You'll Understand Says:

    I hate to be unkind - but have you ever seen Dave Letterman's wife? He didn NOT want to get married. She dragged him to the alter, kicking and screaming. He did it for his child. I don't want to stick up for Dave Letterman, but who didn't know he was having affairs?
  • October 02, 2009 - 4:51pm Anonymous Says:

    I quit watching DL when he started trashing Sara Palins daughter. He is only sorry he was caught just like all other men guilty of the same.
  • October 02, 2009 - 4:35pm Anonymous Says:

    i use to like Letterman but Kimmel & Conan became funnier. after this scandal i even like Jay now. just from watching Letterman's show you can tell that he saw women as things, especially the way he would use them on his show, go go dancers/strippers behind the CBS orchestra, and women just posing/standing their doing nothing much. Letterman deserves what he gets because really this is his fault, he should know that people he has had relations with won't keep it a secret, in this case a diary, meant to be read by someone. i'm disappointed in Letterman, now he just seems like a creepy old man. shame on Letterman & these women who let sex get in the way of the workplace, how stupid, these women could have said no & sued him for sexual harassment but instead they became an object. also you folks are dummies, this is not a Liberal or Republican thing, both sides have their sex scandals, well Republicans have more gay scandals because their fears from religion makes them think it is a sin, you know the truth don't deny it, but anyways this is a moral issue. sad how Letterman said Angelina destroyed more homes than a California wildfire, but really he did the same.
  • October 02, 2009 - 4:33pm Anonymous Says:

    i use to like Letterman but Kimmel & Conan became funnier. after this scandal i even like Jay now. just from watching Letterman's show you can tell that he saw women as things, especially the way he would use them on his show, go go dancers/strippers behind the CBS orchestra, and women just posing/standing their doing nothing much. Letterman deserves what he gets because really this is his fault, he should know that people he has had relations with won't keep it a secret, in this case a diary, meant to be read by someone. i'm disappointed in Letterman, now he just seems like a creepy old man. shame on Letterman & these women who let sex get in the way of the workplace, how stupid, these women could have said no & sued him for sexual harassment but instead they became an object. also you folks are dummies, this is not a Liberal or Republican thing, both sides have their sex scandals, well Republicans have more gay scandals because their fears from religion makes them think it is a sin, you know the truth don't deny it, but anyways this is a moral issue.
  • October 02, 2009 - 4:29pm Anonymous Says:

    i use to like Letterman but Kimmel & Conan became funnier. after this scandal i even like Jay now. just from watching Letterman's show you can tell that he saw women as things, especially the way he would use them on his show, go go dancers/strippers behind the CBS orchestra, and women just posing/standing their doing nothing much. Letterman deserves what he gets because really this is his fault, he should know that people he has had relations with won't keep it a secret, in this case a diary, meant to be read by someone. i'm disappointed in Letterman, now he just seems like a creepy old man. also you folks are dummies, this is not a Liberal or Republican thing, both sides have their sex scandals, well Republicans have more gay scandals because their fears from religion makes them think it is a sin, you know the truth don't deny it, but anyways this is a moral issue.
  • October 02, 2009 - 4:24pm Anonymous Says:

    also you folks are dummies, this is not a Liberal or Republican thing, both sides have their sex scandals, well Republicans have more gay scandals because their religion is anti, you know the truth don't deny it, but anyways this is a moral issue.
  • October 02, 2009 - 4:20pm Anonymous Says:

    i use to like Letterman but then Kimmel & Conan became funnier. i always felt Letterman saw women as things since on his show he would have go go dancers behind the CBS orchestra & women just posing/doing almost nothing. Letterman, you disappointed me. hopefully your family will be more forgiving. but if you thought everyone you had relations with would keep it a secret you then totally deserve what you get. he is a hypocrite, he made fun of Angelina for destroying more homes than a California fire, too bad Letterman did that too. also shame to the women on his staff who let him get away with that, they could have said no & filed for sexual harassment. Letterman will now join the list of pervert men.
  • October 02, 2009 - 4:14pm Anonymous Says:

    Unlike so many famous people (and plenty of non-famous ones as well), David Letterman OWNED his poor behaviour and judgement. While I do not condone cheating and feel that office affairs only cause problems in the work place, I have to give Letterman credit for the way that he handled this situation; immediately coming clean to his spouse, contacting his attorney and working with the D.A./police to put an end to the extortion. I'm sure his confession to his audience was not an easy thing to do (and I don't think that people should confuse the oddly timed nervous laughter of audience with Letterman not taking this seriously or trying to make a joke out of it). Whether or not his wife forgives him is between them, but I have seen such a change in Letterman since the arrival of his late-in-life son that I'm sure he was determined to protect a family that perhaps he never expected to have, but has obviously come to cherish. Perhaps Letterman was thinking of his young son, who will undoubtedly learn of these events as he gets older, and decided that the lesson he would want to teach is that you should not compound poor behaviour with more lies and deceit and that you have to take a stand with people who threaten you. Blackmailers and bullies generally escalate their demands and in this media driven world, the truth would almost certainly have come out at some point. As for people who are calling this sexual harassment, there is nothing at this point to suggest that this is the case.
  • October 02, 2009 - 3:26pm Anonymous Says:

    Robert Joe Halderman is STUPID!! But Thank you for letting your good paying position, with all the perks become open for the next individual who will appreciate it. As well as setting a domino effect that will help a little the job market for CBS Congratulations Robert Halderman for your contribution to the declining employment rate for your stupidity!! Way to GO Sucker!!
  • October 02, 2009 - 3:26pm Anonymous Says:

    For all of those who defend him....you must be a liberal. Because if Glenn Beck or Hannity or O'Reilly did such a thing and admitted on live television...the media would destroy them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bill Clinton had it easy with the media. Letterman will have it easy with the media. Letterman may not be a politician, but he is knee deep in political comedy. ANY republican would NOT have it so easy. I think he insulted his wife terribly by doing what he did. He should be "impeached"!
  • October 02, 2009 - 3:24pm mel Says:

    LETTERMAN IS A PERV AND A JERK. I'D DIVORCE HIS ASS AND TAKE HALF.

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