David Letterman responds to flap over Sarah Palin jokes

EW ^

[thewarden]

Taping tonight's episode of The Late Show, David Letterman took a few minutes to respond to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who called him "pathetic" in a radio interview after he made her and her family the butt of a recent Top 10 list. The late-night host had drawn particular fire from Palin and some pundits for a joke about one of Palin's daughters being impregnated by New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez during a trip to Yankee Stadium. Camp Palin apparently took the joke to be a crack against Palin's 14-year-old daughter Willow, who had recently attended a Yankees game, but Letterman insisted today that the real target was 18-year-old daughter Bristol.

“We were, as we often do, making jokes about people in the news and we made some jokes about Sarah Palin and her daughter [Bristol]... and now they’re upset with me…” Letterman says on tonight's show. "These are not jokes made about her 14-year-old daughter. I would never, never make jokes about raping or having sex of any description with a 14-year-old girl.... Am I guilty of poor taste? Yes. Did I suggest that it was okay for her 14-year-old daughter to be having promiscuous sex? No." Saying he hopes he's "cleared part of this up," Letterman extended an invitation to Palin to come on the show as a guest.

[okie01]

"These are not jokes made about her 14-year-old daughter. I would never, never make jokes about raping or having sex of any description with a 14-year-old girl....

But making those jokes about an 18-yr old girl is O.K.?

Letterman, you are what we call in the South, white trash.

[annieokie]

Tillamook, never heard of it. Will do a google, thanks.

[mimaw]

I have a joke about David Letterman. How funny would it be if all his arteries clogged up 100% and he had a massive MI while doing his top ten list one night?

[Brytani]

In some quarters Letterman’s attempt at a joke has minutely more class then this outfit....My God

[rintense]

Oh Sarah should go, but then send Todd in last second. I’d give anything to see Todd punch Letterman in the face then walk off stage.

[GreyMountainReagan]

I’d give anything to see Todd punch Letterman in the face then walk off stage.

How about just fake like he was going to hit Letterman but stop.

Watch Letterman flinch and say, "Next time I'll knock your head off wimp."

Then walk off.

Must see TV.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I don’t even think it was funny if he did mean Bristol — which I do not think for a minute he did... his comedy writer was in a cSpan forum a few weeks ago and said one of the worst jokes Letterman told about Palin during the election was one he wrote and he was jumping up and down with excitement when David delivered it on the air exactly as he wrote it.

[P-Marlowe]

*****Has anyone done a top 10 reason to stop watching Letterman? ******

Letterman

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[yetidog]

Ancestry.com frequently noted on the net as a sponsor of the Late Night SAhow states that such is not the case:

From: Ancestry.com Media Relations [mailto:mediarelations@ancestry.com]

Thank you for bringing this important matter to our attention. I can confirm to you that Ancestry.com is not an advertiser or sponsor of the CBS Late Show with David Letterman. It is unclear how the company’s name ended up on this list, but it appears to be a mistake. I wanted to respond to you personally to clarify the situation.

Thanks,

Public Relations Director
Ancestry.com

[SolidWood]

Thanks.

Will include the info on my next Ping thread later today.

It seems that the following list is up-to-date. Doesn't harm to let the other listed brands make a statement though.

Aveeno (owned by Johnson & Johnson)

Canon

Charmin (owned by Proctor & Gamble)

Citibank

Downy (also owned by P&G)

Hellman’s

Lexus (owned by Toyota)

Nissan

Rogaine

[EdReform]

Up your ass, Dave. You’re a damn liar and a pathetic POS.

[Loud Mime]

You're right. Lecherman's statement was NOT an apology and catering to him in any way is not the ethical course of action.

This is not an isolated commission of hate-language by Lecherman.

[yongin]

I would like the Late Night pervert get the Don Imus treatment.

[BluH2o]

Haven't read thru all the responses so if I'm stating something for the 12 plus time ... my apology.
Don Imus ... remember his remark? This one is equally egregious and Letterman needs to take a major hit ... like contract revocation & six months off the air.

[driftdiver]

“Its was his lame attempt to humiliate Sarah and Bristol for her teen pregnancy as you well know. The fact that the reference hits Willow now makes him an advocate of child rape. (dave stepped in it)”

Honestly it doesn’t make any difference to me which daughter he was referencing. It was foul thing to do.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Letterman makes me sick. He isn’t funny, he isn’t smart, and he isn’t even appealing to the eye.

[EdReform]

Spot on. Well said.

We need to keep up the pressure on the sponsors and put this lying SOB out of business.

[JillValentine]

I’d love to see Sarah kick Letterman in the face with those high-heeled knee-high black boots she seems to wear a lot. As an added benefit, Letterman would be utterly humiliated after getting his ass (or face) kicked by a girl on national television, and no one would respect him after that.

[eyedigress]

I agree 100%.

[yetidog]

Apparently this company is not a sponsor either:

At no time has LifeLock ever sponsored David Letterman or any other national CBS talk show. It is possible, however, that depending on where you live that your local station inserted one of our advertisements into an open slot. We have no control what these stations do with the open slot or where the station places our approved advertisement.

We appreciate your email and assure you again, that we have no affiliation with Mr. Letterman’s show.