On camera, David Letterman is the same clown today as he was when he was hosting a daytime talk show in the 80’s (not long after he began his career as an Indiana weatherman). His humor came from his irreverence. 
As an individual, he seemed fairly serious and contemplative. He was said to be with one woman, Merrill Markoe, then Regina Lasko, his current wife, for a long time. He was not photographed out on the town and didn’t ever mention his personal life until he had a son. The conclusion was that he was a fairly straight-up, though commitment-phobic guy.Last week’s revelation of sex with subordinates is a surprise and a disappointment. There are so few individuals in public life who are as they seem. Now, there’s one fewer.
I guess sexual harassment training isn’t mandatory for someone like Letterman whose World Wide Pants Productions is contracted to produce a program for CBS. Or, he took it as a joke.
But it’s not funny for people in power to take advantage of women (or men) in the workplace. Letterman’s behavior wouldn’t be accepted at most corporate offices or small businesses. In some places, it would be grounds for dismissal.
CBS should investigate and take action. If he is found to have used his position to demand sex, or if women were rewarded or punished for being with him or not, he should be fired, or, at the very least, suspended.
No matter how funny, or successful, or profit-making, Letterman should be treated like any other jerk.
I guess we'll have to see if CBS' policies on this type of behavior have any teeth to them. When it comes to what's right and profit-making, sadly the latter often wins out.
ReplyDelete