David Letterman Apologizes to His Wife on Tonight's Show

The audience didn't seem to be any less appreciative of David Letterman on tonight's "The Late Show," as noted by a video posted on CBS.com. Don't think for a second that Dave wasn't aware what's on most people's minds. Prior to his monologue, he said the following:

"I’ll be honest with you folks, right now, I would give anything to be hiking on the Appalachian Trail. I get into the car this morning and the navigation lady wasn’t speaking to me. Ouch."

If you haven't been under a rock, you're aware of what David Letterman is speaking of. He was the victim of an extortion attempt late last week, one which forced him to reveal his previous affairs with staffers on his show. One such staffer was identified as Stephanie Birkitt, 34, who also had a later relationship with the alleged blackmailer, Robert "Joe" Halderman.

From transcripts released by his production company, we can glean that David Letterman is apologetic, but the effects on his ratings and advertisers have yet to be determined. Here's what Dave said:

“I’m terribly sorry that I put the staff in that position. Inadvertently, I just wasn’t thinking ahead. And, moreover, the staff here has been wonderfully supportive to me, not just through this furor, but through all the years that we’ve been on television and especially all the years here at CBS, so, again, my thanks to the staff for, once again, putting up with something stupid I’ve gotten myself involved in.

“Now the other thing is my wife, Regina (Lasko). She has been horribly hurt by my behavior, and when something happens like that, if you hurt a person and it’s your responsibility, you try to fix it. And at that point, there’s only two things that can happen: Either you’re going to make some progress and get it fixed, or you’re going to fall short and perhaps not get it fixed, so let me tell you folks, I got my work cut out for me.”

Regina Lasko and David Letterman were married only this year, although they have a son, Harry, who was born in 2003. Indeed, David Letterman has his work cut out for him. He has not just hurt Lasko, he has embarrassed her publicly, and he will have to work to earn back her trust.

Watch his pre-monologue comments, below:

David Letterman's Blackmailer Deep in Debt; Pleads Not Guilty

Photo from Facebook

This news just gives us the motive behind Robert J. Halderman's alleged blackmail plot against David Letterman. He was deep in debt. According to Assistant District Attorney Judy Salwen, Joe Halderman was in financial trouble.

That's a great motive, just plain needing money, and perhaps explains the $2 million in blackmail money that Joe Halderman tried to extort from David Letterman, to keep his affairs with staffers a secret. One of those affairs was with Stephanie Birkitt, Dave's one-time assistant, who later lived with Halderman.

Meanwhile, Robert J. "Joe" Halderman, a producer for the show "48 Hours Mystery," pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan court as he was arraigned on one count of attempted first-degree grand larceny. That charge is punishable by 5 to 15 years in prison. He was released after posting $200,000 bail.

It's truly ironic that Joe Halderman is a producer on "48 Hours Mystery." This type of case is precisely the type that would be shown on it.

While Stephanie Birkitt, 34, has been confirmed by multiple sources as one of the women involved in a relationship with Letterman, 62, it's unclear how many other women were similarly involved. Letterman married longtime girlfriend Regina Lasko in March of 2009. The couple began dating in 1986 and have a son, Harry, born in November 2003.

According to a spokesman for Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants, all the affairs took place before his marriage. According to the spokesman, Letterman "is not in violation" of the company's harassment policy "and no one has ever raised a complaint against him."

The situation unfolded as follows: Joe Halderman allegedly left an envelope in Letterman's car early Sept. 9th, writing that he needed "to make a large chunk of money" and said that Letterman's world would "collapse around him" if damaging evidence about his affairs were made public. The letter also contained proof that Letterman had affairs with staffers.

Letterman's lawyer and Halderman subsequently had three meetings, with prosecutors listening in on the last two and recording the conversations. At the final meeting, which was on Wednesday, Halderman was given a fake check for $2 million, which he deposited on Thursday. He was arrested later that day outside CBS News' Manhattan office.

David Letterman's ratings have been on the rise since Jay Leno left the "Tonight Show." It's unclear if this scandal will affect his ratings in the future, but at least for now, his advertisers seem to be solidly behind him. Letterman's contract with CBS runs through next August, though the network has been in negotiations to extend it through 2012.

Letterman's Extortionist, Lover IDed in Staffer Affair Scandal

Last night, after his monologue, David Letterman revealed he had been the victim of an attempted extortion. It wasn't until after relating the entire story that Letterman revealed what the blackmail was about: affairs with staffers. He didn't reveal any names, but they are starting to emerge, and in fact one is Stephanie Birkitt, who lived with alleged blackmailer Robert "Joe" Halderman.

There was no hiding the ID of Stephanie Birkitt once Robert J. Halderman was identified as the alleged extortionist. Halderman was arrested yesterday.

Stephanie Birkitt graduated in a 1997 from Wake Forest University. She interned in the writers' department at the "Late Show" in the spring of 1996. Birkitt was a producer on the "Late Show" later, after working on "48 Hours" for a time. Interestingly, Joe Halderman worked as a producer on "48 Hours."

Later, Stephanie Birkitt applied for the job as Dave Letterman's assistant. Although in a 2002 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Birkitt called Letterman "the best boss I've ever had," the affair has been confirmed with by sources, although exact dates remain fuzzy.

RadarOnline.com says that sources tell them that "Birkitt and Letterman slept together for a period of time before he married his girlfriend Regina (sic) had their son Harry" and that Birkitt is "mortified Halderman is using her fling with Letterman to blackmail her boss." Additionally, although Birkitt and Robert J. Halderman had a later relationship, at the time, Halderman was in one of his two marriages.

Meanwhile, additional sources told TMZ that Letterman and Stephanie Birkitt had a sexual relationship that ended before 2003, when his son Harry was born. This confirms the RadarOnline report.

Finally, according to TMZ, it appears that Robert J. Halderman had the goods on Letterman because he "was in possession of Birkitt's diary, correspondence and photos -- which he says incriminated Letterman."

Other reports indicate that Stephanie Birkitt and Halderman had split, perhaps providing him with the need for revenge. Or maybe it was just all about the $2 million in extortion money he wanted. It would be surprising no other women, or reports of women, become public.

Watch his video confession:

Obama to Letterman: "It's important to Realize That I Was Actually Black Before the Election"

President Barack Obama appeared with David Letterman on Monday night, and as expected, Dave's Top 10 List was the "Top 10 Reasons President Obama Agreed to Appear on The Late Show."

10. Heard the lady with the heart shaped potato was gonna be here. (this is a reference to a woman in the audience, so they had to add it to the list fast).

9. Thought it would be fun to watch someone else get heckled. 8. Something to do with that whole cash for clunkers deal.

7. Every president since Teddy Roosevelt has done it.

6. Someone offers you 600 bucks you take it ladies and gentlemen.

5. We told him Megan Fox would be here.

4. Needed some time to hang out before check in time at his hotel.

3. I have no idea.

2. Said yes, without thinking, like Bush did with Iraq.

1. Wanted to congratulate Dave on the big Emmy win.

The funniest moment, however, came when Dave asked Obama about Carter's comment about racism. Obama replied, "It's important to realize that I was actually black before the election."

Watch the Top 10 video:

Watch highlights from his visit, including the "black man" statement:

Barack Obama to Visit David Letterman Tonight

Earlier this year, Barack Obama became the first sitting president to appear on the "Tonight Show," when he appeared on the then Jay Leno-hosted show in March. Tonight he will appear on "The Late Show with David Letterman," becoming the first sitting president to appear on that show, as well.

It won't be his first appearance with David Letterman, however. Barack Obama has already appeared on the show five times, but this is his first since Sept. 10, 2008, during the presidential campaign.

President Barack Obama is following up his rapid-fire appearances on the Sunday political talk show circuit yesterday with this late-night appearance. Another first for Letterman: this time, Obama will be his only guest.

While an itinerary has not been announced, you can expect Obama to speak about the economy and health insurance reform. It's also unclear how Dave will set up the president with tonight's "Top 10 List," as well.

Earlier in the day, President Obama travels to upstate Troy, N.Y. There he'll visit Hudson Valley Community College with Vice President Joe Biden's wife, Dr. Jill Biden. He'll tour a technology classroom, and will speak on the economy.