Late night host exposes $2 million blackmail attempt against him over sex with staffers

By Jeffrey Jolson

Letterman blackmail no laughing matter

NEW YORK (Hollywood Today) 10/2/09 – No. 3 Reason: Because Roman Polanski took the blackmail photos (not really).  No. 2 reason to extort David Letterman over sex with staffers:  Because it was true.  No. 1 reason: Because he was savvy enough to admit it on his own show, thus making the $2 million blackmail attempt against him a mute issue, though his career may suffer aftershocks.

“This morning, I did something I’ve never done in my life,” said Letterman on the show, and this is real: “I had to go downtown and testify before a grand jury,” where he acknowledged sexual relationships “with members of his staff,” according to a statement released Thursday night, a few hours after taping.

The audience believed it was some joke. “I have had sex with women who worked on the show. My response to that is yes,” he said to applause and laughter.

In a jaw-dropping moment on “Late Show with David Letterman,” he said that he had been the target of a $2 million extortion attempt by an unnamed individual who had threatened to reveal that the talk show host had had sexual relations with members of his staff.

An NYPD source has told RadarOnline the suspect under arrest in the case was a producer for CBS’s 48 Hours, Robert Halderman.

A source close to the situation allegedly said that Letterman met with Halderman several times as part of the police operation leading to the arrest.

RadarOnline.com has also learned that the alleged extortionist lived with the woman who David was involved with.

The affair itself happened a long time ago, before his son Harry was born, and before he got married, but he was living with his wife to be at the time.

Halderman needed money police say and decided to target Letterman.

The woman still works on the show but is no longer involved with David.

The Letterman scandal exploded Thursday when the talk show host told his studio audience what was going on. At one point he said: “This morning, I did something I’ve never done in my life,” said Letterman. “I had to go downtown and testify before a grand jury.”

The extortionist was given a phony $2 million check and his arrest followed that transaction.

“My response to that is, yes I have [had the relationships]. Would it be embarrassing if it were made public? Perhaps it would,” he said. “I feel like I need to protect these people – I need to certainly protect my family.”

According to Thursday night’s statement, Letterman received a “package” from the person — who has been arrested — which was said to contain proof of the relationships.

Letterman contacted an NY Special Prosecution Bureau and went to far as to issue a bogus $2 million check to the suspect, which was used to arrest the perp earlier yesterday.

The late night show went on. Letterman joked that Polanski was arrested attempting to pick up an award — “that’s exactly why I never picked up my People’s Choice Award.”

Then, the news. “I’m glad you are here tonight and I’m glad you are in such a pleasant mood,” he said, “because I have a story to tell you. Do you feel like a story?”

The following top 10 on Letterman extortion are from Satirical Political Report:

10. Extortionist told Letterman: Either you Pay, or we’ll Play ‘Do YOU Float.’

9. Letterman’s sex with staffers was watched by Paul Shaffer at the side of the bed.

8. After sex, Letterman would light up a cigarette and watch Conan O’Brien.

7. When seeking oral sex, Letterman would ask: ‘Uhh, got any GUMS.’

6. In order to keep affairs secret from his family, Letterman broke into the home of his former stalker.

5. When trying to avoid sleeping over, Letterman would use excuse: “Gotta’ catch a plane, with John McCain.”

4. Letterman’s favorite position is ’stand up.’

3. Letterman made sex videos, produced by Worldwide I Want to Get into Your Pants.

2.  Letterman’s most disgusting habit: Throwing his used condoms off the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater.

1. When he couldn’t find a willing partner, Dave called his mother in Indiana, and asked her to bake an ‘American Pie.’