Toni left a comment for me:
"I hope you post some thoughts about the Letterman extortion story. You always have an interesting spin on stars gone bad."
Thanks, Toni! I appreciate the prod.
Here's the thing, when I ponder a conflict, I cannot help but to get all anal retentive and organized about it and attempt to sort the issues in separate little piles. The David Letterman controversy has so many aspects. Just a few levels for ya:
- Power corrupts - Martin Mull once said "Hollywood is like high school with money". Think about that - having money, power, status while operating at an immature level. Plus everyone says yes to the big guy, especially if it fits their own agenda.
- Don't shit where you eat - in other words, don't mess around with the employees. Kinda bad: dating a co-worker. Real bad: a boss dating low level employees. Super bad: exposing yourself to sexual discrimination/harassment accusations.
- Karma is a bitch - then she has puppies. Making fun of others in similar positions seems to have bitten him in the ass. (Bill Clinton, Elliot Spitzer and Sara Palin are probably laughing their asses off today.)*
- Fidelity is relative - who knows if Dave was married when the liasions occurred but perhaps he and his wife have a unique understanding.
- Pride goes before the fall - the guys with the squeaky clean image have the most to lose. Watch your hubris, Jay Leno.
- Own up to it - David knows what countless others have not learned. It's not the first lie that gets in you in deep trouble, it's the cover up lies that sink you. Ask Martha Stewart, the Argentina visiting MIA South Carolina governor Mark Sanford and the now "out" former New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey. My mom said it and your mom probably did too: it's bad that you broke a rule but it is even worse if you lie about it.
That said, I admire Dave's decision to admit his mistakes before Pandora's box opened.
* I enjoy David's humor and like his ribbing of public personalities.
4 comments:
Thanks for the insight. I'm pretty much in agreement with you. On a personal note, I had sex with a co-worker and believe me, it turned into a nightmare. Never again! I think that is what Dave is thinking right now. I too agree that Dave did the right thing by getting it all out there right away. I've been a big fan of his and really missed the show when I was working out of the country. Some reports suggest that he was having sex until fairly recently so maybe his wife is a little bullshit over that. I would be. His ratings are huge right now and maybe some of the people who switched from Conan to Letterman will stick with him. Latest overnight Nielsen has him way ahead of Conan.
Toni
When I watch his show I forget the ratings, the negative stuff written about him and just enjoy his humor. He has a way of connecting with guests that I find quite unique. Anyway, I've got tickets for Monday's late afternoon taping with guest Vince Vaughn. The last time I went in '09 Sting and Patrick Dempsey were guests. Great show and free too!
I was channel hopping and landed on a show Nancy Grace has. She is huge, do you know why? By the way, I am not a fan of hers but I watched trying to figure out if she was pregnant or just fat. Toni
My friend Chrysanthemum and I attended a Late Show with David Letterman taping back in the late 90's with Stephen King as a guest. Totally awkward and most of his segment was cut from the show. But Vince Vaughn?! SOooo very envious, Toni. VV is my imaginary boyfriend!
The Letterman show we attended turned out to be a taping for Friday so Vince V. was not the guest. It was Joan Rivers. I'm not a huge fan but she was quite funny. Last time we had seats right up front but this time we were in the balcony but we had a decent view of everything going on. The band was awesome and I'm going to put in for tickets again, but in the warmer months. Had to stand outside a while which was a bummer. Gotta run to start shoveling. We're in the middle of a blizzard.
Toni
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