Letterman the Butt of Late-Night Rivals' Jokes
By CAITLIN MILLAT
Updated 2:17 PM EDT, Sat, Oct 3, 2009
Late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon and Jay Leno wasted no time blasting rival David Letterman's on-screen sex scandal blunder Friday, as both talk-show titans made the snarky Letterman the butt of their jokes on their Friday evening broadcasts.
Both Fallon and Leno jabbed at Letterman's on-air confession that he'd had sexual relationships with staffers in the past, calling Letterman out for his libido -- and using his own comic weapons against him.
"There's a new book out called 'Why Women Have Sex' that says there are 237 reasons why women have sex," Jimmy Fallon said on NBC's "Late Night."
"And folks, Letterman knows the top 10," Fallon deadpanned in a reference to Letterman's famous "top 10" list the host recites nightly.
Leno made less subtle work of Letterman's gaffe, telling his audience he wouldn't make the same too-much-information mistake as his late-night compatriot.
"If you came here tonight for sex with a talk show host, you've got the wrong studio," Leno told his NBC audience.
Conan O'Brien, however, took mercy on Letterman, shrugging off guest Drew Carey's question about Letterman with a quick "no comment."
Letterman announced on-air Thursday evening he was being blackmailed by a CBS newsman, who had requested $2 million in hush money from the host in exchange for keeping quiet about the host's past affairs with former staffers. Letterman was open with his audience, admitting on-air he'd slept with show workers -- and that he had helped capture his extortionist.
Producer Robert J. Halderman pleaded not guilty in Manhattan courts Friday to one count of attempted first-degree grand larceny. He was deep in debt, the District Attorney's office said Friday.
Halderman posted the $200,000 bail and was released Friday evening.
Letterman helped lead to Halderman's capture by cooperating with lawyers and authorities, having his attorney set Halderman up at a Wednesday meeting with a phony $2 million check. Halderman was arrested immediately after he deposited the fake check, authorities said.
Letterman, who has been married to longtime girlfriend Regina Lasko since March, will film his first episode since his revelation early next week.
Copyright Associated Press
First Published: Oct 3, 2009 4:40 AM EDT
You Might Like
You have 2000 characters left
