[AnotherUnixGeek]

This protest is stupid, it will just give him more material for jokes and his ratings will go higher.

This is probably true in the short term. In the longer term, Letterman has done something late night hosts have traditionally avoided by identifying himself as an opponent of one side of the political/cultural divide. Carson, Leno and Letterman have always tried to portray themselves as equal opportunity ridiculers. There's no way this is going to work out in Letterman's favor unless he finds a way to de-escalate this issue - marginalizing himself by offending large swathes of the nation is not a strategy advertisers or the sad sacks at CBS are going to appreciate.

[Mamzelle]

re: This is probably true in the short term. In the longer term, Letterman has done something late night hosts have traditionally avoided by identifying himself as an opponent of one side of the political/cultural divide. Carson, Leno and Letterman have always tried to portray themselves as equal opportunity ridiculers. There's no way this is going to work out in Letterman's favor unless he finds a way to de-escalate this issue - marginalizing himself by offending large swathes of the nation is not a strategy advertisers or the sad sacks at CBS are going to appreciate.)))

I think you are right--people aren't just protesting Letterman. They're sick of the kind of demeaning, degrading rants that pass themselves off as comedy. Time to return some insults. Let's see how much guts they have. I suspect they're sniveling cowards under all those f-bombs.

And it's smart Alinsky for our side. We've got to play a tougher game.