![David Letterman in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTI5ODMzOTY4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzU1MjM0Mw@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR13,0,140,207_.jpg)
![David Letterman in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTI5ODMzOTY4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzU1MjM0Mw@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR13,0,140,207_.jpg)
As his 33-year-long tenure on late night comes to a close, David Letterman is feeling reflective.
Though he was candid about his sex scandal when it made headlines in 2009 after a blackmail attempt forced his hand, the late-night host has kept mum on the issue since.
In a revealing interview with The New York Times, Letterman, 68, was able to look at the scandal with some distance. "I think [CBS] would have had good reason to fire me," he said, adding that he was "largely ignorant as to what, really, I had done."
At the time, Letterman thought that he had simply...
Though he was candid about his sex scandal when it made headlines in 2009 after a blackmail attempt forced his hand, the late-night host has kept mum on the issue since.
In a revealing interview with The New York Times, Letterman, 68, was able to look at the scandal with some distance. "I think [CBS] would have had good reason to fire me," he said, adding that he was "largely ignorant as to what, really, I had done."
At the time, Letterman thought that he had simply...
- 4/30/2015
- by Amanda Michelle Steiner, @amandamichl
- People.com - TV Watch
![Tom Hanks and Tyler Hoechlin in Road to Perdition (2002)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNjcxMmQ0MmItYTkzYy00MmUyLTlhOTQtMmJmNjE3MDMwYjdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzkwMjQ5NzM@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Tom Hanks and Tyler Hoechlin in Road to Perdition (2002)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNjcxMmQ0MmItYTkzYy00MmUyLTlhOTQtMmJmNjE3MDMwYjdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzkwMjQ5NzM@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,0,140,207_.jpg)
Back in February 2011, Paramount slapped down the cash for the rights to John Scalzi’s science fiction novel Old Man’s War. We’ve been monitoring this one with interest, not least because Scalzi’s canon is something of a favourite over in Empire’s La office. Road To Perdition’s David Self had been writing the adaptation for Wolfgang Petersen, but now it’s been passed to Chris Boal.Old Man’s War is tale of John Perry, a 75-year-old who enlists in the colonial defence forces after agreeing to serve alongside his wife, who's 65. In exchange for his service and the fact he’ll never return to Earth, his consciousness is uploaded into a healthy, augmented new body and he’s sent off to battle a variety of alien forces caught up in a territorial scramble for the available planets of the galaxy.Scalzi’s work has drawn...
- 10/14/2012
- EmpireOnline
The former CBS News producer who tried to blackmail David Letterman for $2 million has joined the staff of Investigation Discovery’s On the Case with Paula Zahn, TVNewser reported today. Joe Halderman, who was a producer for 48 Hours Mystery, joined the crime documentary show On the Case as a producer a few weeks ago. Exec producer Scott Weinberger cited “Halderman’s professional accomplishments as an Emmy award-winning producer for 48 Hours and CBS News” in a statement, adding that ”we are confident that Halderman will make significant contributions to the success of our award-winning investigative newsmagazine.” Halderman is not expected to work in the field. Halderman pleaded guilty in 2010 to the attempted extortion which backfired with Letterman himself revealed the embarrassing details about his personal life on his CBS Late Show. Letterman admitted to sleeping with members of his staff including a woman Halderman had been dating. Halderman was released from...
- 12/30/2011
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
Former CBS News producer Joe Halderman, who attempted to blackmail late-night host David Letterman in 2009, has landed a new job. Investigation Discovery's newsmagazine On the Case With Paula Zahn hired Halderman to serve as a freelance producer, The Hollywood Reporter confirms, though he is not expected to work in the field. TV Newser first broke the news. Photos: Hollywood's Memorable Mea Culpas “On behalf of On the Case’s production team, we have been impressed with Joe Halderman’s professional accomplishments as an Emmy Award-winning producer for 48 Hours and CBS News,” said Scott Weinberger, executive producer of On the
read more...
read more...
- 12/30/2011
- by Philiana Ng
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Joe Halderman, the former CBS News producer who attempted to blackmail David Letterman in 2009, has a new job. TVNewser learned that Halderman was hired by Investigation Discovery's "On the Case with Paula Zahn" as a producer.
Halderman pleaded guilty in 2010 to attempted grand larceny, after the television producer admitted to demanding $2 million dollars to keep personal information about Letterman quiet. Halderman's demands caused Letterman to announce on-air that he had sexual relations with women on his "Late Show" staff.
Halderman was sentenced to six months in prison. He was released in September 2010 after four months. Halderman was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on an episode of CBS "48 Hours Mystery" program while he was in jail.
Halderman pleaded guilty in 2010 to attempted grand larceny, after the television producer admitted to demanding $2 million dollars to keep personal information about Letterman quiet. Halderman's demands caused Letterman to announce on-air that he had sexual relations with women on his "Late Show" staff.
Halderman was sentenced to six months in prison. He was released in September 2010 after four months. Halderman was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on an episode of CBS "48 Hours Mystery" program while he was in jail.
- 12/29/2011
- by Rebecca Shapiro
- Huffington Post
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former Imf chief now accused of rape, first met Barack and Michelle Obama at the G20 summit in Pittsburgh in 2009. The resulting photo, uncovered by New York magazine, says it all.
Related story on The Daily Beast: Dominique Strauss-Kahn's Life in Jail at Rikers Island
The Daily Beast's Coverage of the Dominique Strauss-Kahn Affair
"The Arrest and the Political Fallout," Christopher Dickey
The arrest has thrown French politics into chaos, and the Imf selected former U.S. Treasury executive John Lipsky to serve as its acting director. Christopher Dickey reports on the reaction in Paris, and how the arrest transformed the French presidential race overnight.
"The Timeline of Dominique Strauss-Kahn's Weekend," Christopher Dickey
The disgraced economist allegedly called the hotel receptionist from his suite and asked her to join him for a drink the night before he was accused of assaulting a maid. Christopher Dickey...
Related story on The Daily Beast: Dominique Strauss-Kahn's Life in Jail at Rikers Island
The Daily Beast's Coverage of the Dominique Strauss-Kahn Affair
"The Arrest and the Political Fallout," Christopher Dickey
The arrest has thrown French politics into chaos, and the Imf selected former U.S. Treasury executive John Lipsky to serve as its acting director. Christopher Dickey reports on the reaction in Paris, and how the arrest transformed the French presidential race overnight.
"The Timeline of Dominique Strauss-Kahn's Weekend," Christopher Dickey
The disgraced economist allegedly called the hotel receptionist from his suite and asked her to join him for a drink the night before he was accused of assaulting a maid. Christopher Dickey...
- 5/26/2011
- by The Daily Beast
- The Daily Beast
Television producer Joe Halderman, who spent four months at Rikers Island after he pleaded guilty to blackmailing David Letterman, says Dominique Strauss-Kahn's life in jail will be a far cry from his $3,000-a-night Sofitel Hotel suite.
Plus: the three women who will decide Strauss-Kahn's fate, Bernard-Henri Levy on why Strauss-Kahn is innocent until proven guilty, and Andrew Sullivan on the false moral certainty of defending the Imf chief.
Related story on The Daily Beast: Spinning Letterman's Scandal
Dominique Strauss-Kahn will not enjoy any luxuries on "The Rock." He may be treated slightly better than the run-of-the-mill rape suspect-but not much. It is jail, not the Sofitel. No croissants, no café au lait.
After Judge Melissa Jackson denied his bail, Strauss-Kahn was, effectively, no longer the managing director of the International Monetary Fund and contender for the French presidency. He became property of New York City's Department of Corrections. He...
Plus: the three women who will decide Strauss-Kahn's fate, Bernard-Henri Levy on why Strauss-Kahn is innocent until proven guilty, and Andrew Sullivan on the false moral certainty of defending the Imf chief.
Related story on The Daily Beast: Spinning Letterman's Scandal
Dominique Strauss-Kahn will not enjoy any luxuries on "The Rock." He may be treated slightly better than the run-of-the-mill rape suspect-but not much. It is jail, not the Sofitel. No croissants, no café au lait.
After Judge Melissa Jackson denied his bail, Strauss-Kahn was, effectively, no longer the managing director of the International Monetary Fund and contender for the French presidency. He became property of New York City's Department of Corrections. He...
- 5/17/2011
- by Joe Halderman
- The Daily Beast
Free on a $1 million bail and under house arrest in Manhattan, ex-imf head Dominique Strauss-Kahn is seeking "crisis management" advice from a team staffed by ex CIA officers. Read the latest updates below. Plus:
Cheryl Thomas says Strauss-Kahn's case is already a victory for the U.S. legal system. Mansfield Frazier to Strauss-Kahn: Don't flee prison. Dsk arrest leaves his French supporters in despair, Paris-based writer Nina Sutton reports. "Money, women, and my Jewishness," Dsk said were his liabilities with French voters. "Yes, I love women, so what?" Michelle Goldberg on the narcissists defending Strauss-Kahn. Bernard-Henri Lévy defends his friend: Don't assume he's guilty! (Plus, read Laila Lalami's satire of Lévy's column here.) Former TV producer Joe Halderman, who was also jailed at Rikers Island after he pleaded guilty to blackmailing David Letterman, describes the Imf chief's new life under lockdown. The Dish's Andrew Sullivan on the false moral certainty of defending Strauss-Kahn.
Cheryl Thomas says Strauss-Kahn's case is already a victory for the U.S. legal system. Mansfield Frazier to Strauss-Kahn: Don't flee prison. Dsk arrest leaves his French supporters in despair, Paris-based writer Nina Sutton reports. "Money, women, and my Jewishness," Dsk said were his liabilities with French voters. "Yes, I love women, so what?" Michelle Goldberg on the narcissists defending Strauss-Kahn. Bernard-Henri Lévy defends his friend: Don't assume he's guilty! (Plus, read Laila Lalami's satire of Lévy's column here.) Former TV producer Joe Halderman, who was also jailed at Rikers Island after he pleaded guilty to blackmailing David Letterman, describes the Imf chief's new life under lockdown. The Dish's Andrew Sullivan on the false moral certainty of defending Strauss-Kahn.
- 5/16/2011
- by The Daily Beast
- The Daily Beast
New York -- In an upset at Monday night's 31st annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards, CBS News with seven honors and NBC News with six wins plus a CNBC award edged out usual frontrunner PBS, which earned five awards.
Fox News doesn't submit entries, and with the exception of the one CNBC award, the other cable news networks were shut out.
David Letterman extortionist Joe Halderman, who was nominated for his work as producer on an episode of CBS' "48 Hours Mystery," did not win. It wasn't clear whether Halderman was in attendance during the event, held at Jazz at Lincoln Center, but he wasn't expected to be in the house.
Among the surprising winners: Sundance Channel and Planet Green won two awards, and VH1 won one.
One underlying theme was the state of the TV news industry as speakers at the event repeatedly put the spotlight on staff and budget...
Fox News doesn't submit entries, and with the exception of the one CNBC award, the other cable news networks were shut out.
David Letterman extortionist Joe Halderman, who was nominated for his work as producer on an episode of CBS' "48 Hours Mystery," did not win. It wasn't clear whether Halderman was in attendance during the event, held at Jazz at Lincoln Center, but he wasn't expected to be in the house.
Among the surprising winners: Sundance Channel and Planet Green won two awards, and VH1 won one.
One underlying theme was the state of the TV news industry as speakers at the event repeatedly put the spotlight on staff and budget...
- 9/28/2010
- by By Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
There was a notoriously familiar name on the list when the nominations were unveiled today for the news and documentary Emmys: Joe Halderman. On one hand, Halderman won many Emmys in the past. On the other, he was recently in the headlines as David Letterman's blackmailer. Halderman is serving a six-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to attempting to extort money from Letterman. Halderman had threatened to reveal a sexual liaison Letterman had with a staff aide who was also linked romantically to Halderman. Halderman's work for CBS News won seven Emmys. Now he's among the nominees for "American Girl, Italian Nightmare," a CBS "48 Hours Mystery" about the case of Amanda Knox, an American...
- 7/15/2010
- by tomoneil
- Gold Derby
What is it with CBS producers this year? First we had Joe Halderman, and now Survivor's Bruce Beresford-Redman, who is suspected of murdering his wife, Monica Beresford-Redman. The couple was vacationing in Mexico when Beresford-Redman reported his wife missing on Tuesday. Her body was found Thursday in a sewer at the Moon Palace resort, where the family was staying. Developing... [Fox]...
- 4/8/2010
- Movieline - TVline
Getty Images (2)
David took some time on his show last night to talk about the outcome of the extortion case involving his ex-intern and her lover.
Late Show host David Letterman has been in a legal battle involving former CBS 48 Hours producer Joe Halderman, who had attempted to extort the talk show host for $2 million! The sex extortion plot stemmed from David’s affairs involving his own staff — primarily his assistant Stephanie Birkitt. After David did his usual Top Ten list Mar. 9 he told his audience, “I need to talk to you about a segment of my life here that began six months ago,” he said. “I was concerned and full of anxiety and nervous and worried. And the people in the District Attorney’s office said, ‘This will be handled professionally, this will be handled skillfully, and appropriately.’”
Joe ended up taking a plea deal so he didn’t...
David took some time on his show last night to talk about the outcome of the extortion case involving his ex-intern and her lover.
Late Show host David Letterman has been in a legal battle involving former CBS 48 Hours producer Joe Halderman, who had attempted to extort the talk show host for $2 million! The sex extortion plot stemmed from David’s affairs involving his own staff — primarily his assistant Stephanie Birkitt. After David did his usual Top Ten list Mar. 9 he told his audience, “I need to talk to you about a segment of my life here that began six months ago,” he said. “I was concerned and full of anxiety and nervous and worried. And the people in the District Attorney’s office said, ‘This will be handled professionally, this will be handled skillfully, and appropriately.’”
Joe ended up taking a plea deal so he didn’t...
- 3/10/2010
- by Chloe Melas
- HollywoodLife
Joe Halderman sentenced to six months in prison for attempted grand larceny after threatening to expose talk-show host's affair with staffer.
By Gil Kaufman
David Letterman
Photo: Ray Tamarra/Getty Images
David Letterman breathed a sigh of relief on Tuesday after former CBS News producer Robert "Joe" Halderman pleaded guilty to attempted grand larceny in a Manhattan courtroom.
Shortly after the plea was announced, the "Late Show With David Letterman" host released a statement in which he praised prosecutors, saying, "When they became involved with this case, I had complete faith that a just and appropriate result was inevitable. On behalf of my family, I am extremely grateful for their tireless efforts."
Later, on the air, Letterman said he'd never been involved in anything like this before and was initially "full of anxiety and nervous and worried" about the plea, according to a Reuters report. But his fears were calmed...
By Gil Kaufman
David Letterman
Photo: Ray Tamarra/Getty Images
David Letterman breathed a sigh of relief on Tuesday after former CBS News producer Robert "Joe" Halderman pleaded guilty to attempted grand larceny in a Manhattan courtroom.
Shortly after the plea was announced, the "Late Show With David Letterman" host released a statement in which he praised prosecutors, saying, "When they became involved with this case, I had complete faith that a just and appropriate result was inevitable. On behalf of my family, I am extremely grateful for their tireless efforts."
Later, on the air, Letterman said he'd never been involved in anything like this before and was initially "full of anxiety and nervous and worried" about the plea, according to a Reuters report. But his fears were calmed...
- 3/10/2010
- MTV Music News
![David Letterman in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTI5ODMzOTY4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzU1MjM0Mw@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR13,0,140,207_.jpg)
![David Letterman in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTI5ODMzOTY4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzU1MjM0Mw@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR13,0,140,207_.jpg)
By Steven Mikulan
Robert Halderman will stand trial on charges that allege he tried to extort money from David Letterman -- charges that could net the CBS news producer 15 years in prison -- after New York state supreme court justice Charles Solomon rejected his appeal to dismiss. Last October, the talk-show host made TV history of sorts by admitting he’d slept around with subordinate staff members -- and had been repaid for his friskyness by Halderman’s attempts to black...
Robert Halderman will stand trial on charges that allege he tried to extort money from David Letterman -- charges that could net the CBS news producer 15 years in prison -- after New York state supreme court justice Charles Solomon rejected his appeal to dismiss. Last October, the talk-show host made TV history of sorts by admitting he’d slept around with subordinate staff members -- and had been repaid for his friskyness by Halderman’s attempts to black...
- 1/19/2010
- by Steven Mikulan
- The Wrap
![David Letterman in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTI5ODMzOTY4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzU1MjM0Mw@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR13,0,140,207_.jpg)
![David Letterman in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTI5ODMzOTY4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzU1MjM0Mw@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR13,0,140,207_.jpg)
A New York City court judge has ruled that the David Letterman extortion case will be decided on by a jury. According to The AP, supreme court justice Charles Solomon refused to throw out an attempted grand larceny charge against ex-Late Show producer Robert Halderman, which could shed light on parts of Letterman's private life. Last October, the case forced the presenter to admit that he had affairs with female staffers. Prosecutors said that Halderman demanded $$2m (£1.2m) to keep quiet about the talkshow host's liaisons. Halderman countered that he was just offering Letterman a chance to buy a screenplay (more)...
- 1/19/2010
- by By Aaron Broverman
- Digital Spy
![David Letterman in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTI5ODMzOTY4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzU1MjM0Mw@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR13,0,140,207_.jpg)
![David Letterman in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTI5ODMzOTY4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzU1MjM0Mw@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR13,0,140,207_.jpg)
David Letterman can mock Jay Leno and NBC all he wants, but he's still got his own fish to fry. A New York judge has rejected a motion to dismiss the extortion case against a veteran TV producer for allegedly trying to blackmail the Late Show host over his sexual liaisons with staffers in the Home Office. Manhattan State Supreme Court Justice Charles Solomon denied a request by Gerald Shargel, an attorney for Robert "Joe" Halderman, to throw out a charge of attempted first-degree grand larceny. Hizzoner also ruled against an attempt to suppress search warrants executed at the 48 Hours Mystery man's Connecticut home. Lastly, Solomon smacked down the so-called Tiger...
- 1/19/2010
- E! Online
![David Letterman in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTI5ODMzOTY4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzU1MjM0Mw@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR13,0,140,207_.jpg)
![David Letterman in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTI5ODMzOTY4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzU1MjM0Mw@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR13,0,140,207_.jpg)
The U.S. TV producer accused of blackmailing comedian David Letterman will be forced to stand trial - after a judge rejected his motion to dismiss the case.
TV producer Robert Halderman was charged with attempted first degree grand larceny in October after reportedly threatening to expose The Late Show presenter's affairs with employees unless Letterman paid $2 million (GBP1.25 million) to silence him.
Halderman, who was immediately suspended from his job as producer of CBS news show 48 Hours, claims he was simply selling the star a "screenplay proposal relating to Letterman's poor conduct".
On Tuesday, Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Charles Solomon refused to throw out the criminal case, ruling against his bid to get the case dismissed.
Solomon called Halderman's conduct "a classic example of an issue that is best left for a trial jury to decide".
Halderman is due back in court on 9 March.
He faces up to 15 years in prison if he is convicted of the grand larceny charge.
TV producer Robert Halderman was charged with attempted first degree grand larceny in October after reportedly threatening to expose The Late Show presenter's affairs with employees unless Letterman paid $2 million (GBP1.25 million) to silence him.
Halderman, who was immediately suspended from his job as producer of CBS news show 48 Hours, claims he was simply selling the star a "screenplay proposal relating to Letterman's poor conduct".
On Tuesday, Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Charles Solomon refused to throw out the criminal case, ruling against his bid to get the case dismissed.
Solomon called Halderman's conduct "a classic example of an issue that is best left for a trial jury to decide".
Halderman is due back in court on 9 March.
He faces up to 15 years in prison if he is convicted of the grand larceny charge.
- 1/19/2010
- WENN
"The Insider" has the latest... Joe Halderman, the man accused of trying to extort millions from David Letterman, was in a New York court today requesting that the criminal case be dismissed. The judge ruled against the motion and the next court date is set for March 9. Halderman is being accused of threatening to expose Letterman's affairs unless the "Late Show" host paid him $2 million.
[Read full story on The Insider]...
[Read full story on The Insider]...
- 1/19/2010
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
![Charlie Sheen](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTIyNDQ5Nzk2OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODU4MTU5MQ@@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Charlie Sheen](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTIyNDQ5Nzk2OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODU4MTU5MQ@@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
· Attention all prime time stars with so-so ratings: try knife play! Sure, Two and a Half Men was not faltering before Charlie Sheen's alleged yuletide death threats, but the incident sent Monday night's repeat straight to a ratings win with 11.1 million viewers. In other Charlie Sheen news, "someone" leaked information about Brooke Mueller's history with cocaine and DUIs. Meanwhile, Sheen's ex, Denise Richards is threatening to "spill [her] guts" for the right price. [Nyp]
Tyra Banks is a nightmare, Joe Halderman channels Tiger Woods's mistresses, and more TV Bites after the jump.
Tyra Banks is a nightmare, Joe Halderman channels Tiger Woods's mistresses, and more TV Bites after the jump.
- 12/30/2009
- Movieline
'Celebrity misdeed' has been used by lawyers to argue the case for a former CBS executive accused of blackmailing David Letterman. Drawing on the Tiger Woods scandal, they claimed the exec, Joe Halderman (pictured), was only trying to sell a 'very marketable story'. Woods is alleged to have paid hush money to the first of his alleged mistresses, Rachel Uchitel. Halderman's lawyer argued that if Uchitel could get off scot free after a hush money pay-off, so should his client. But the Uchitel pay-off has never been confirmed. Halderman is accused of grand larceny in trying to extort $2 million from Letterman in a failed threat to unveil his office affair with a former assistant. His lawyer...
- 12/30/2009
- by Philippa Bourke
- Monsters and Critics
· Joe Halderman, budding screenwriter, accomplished 48 Hours producer and failed blackmailer, might be praying for a late Christmas miracle in the form of a plea deal. Halderman, who is accused of threatening to expose David Letterman's inter-office romances last September, reportedly "floated an offer to plead guilty in exchange for a one-year prison term." Halderman could face 15 years in the slam if he is convicted of attempting to shake down the Late Show host for $2 million. [Nyp]
The underwear bomber sinks MSNBC, Ben Silverman still takes the blame, and more TV Bites after the jump.
The underwear bomber sinks MSNBC, Ben Silverman still takes the blame, and more TV Bites after the jump.
- 12/29/2009
- Movieline
Suspended CBS producer Robert Joel "Joe" Halderman - accused of attempting to extort $2 million from David Letterman - appeared in a Manhattan courtroom Tuesday, where his attorney sought to have the indictment against him dismissed. Defense attorney Gerald Shargel told reporters outside the courtroom, "There was no extortion. This was a commercial transaction, nothing more. [Letterman's] celebrity is why we are here today." Also speaking with reporters, Letterman's attorney, Daniel Horowitz, said he rejects the notion of a "transaction," terming this a case of "classic blackmail … Dave Letterman is not on trial," he said. "He is the victim in this case.
- 11/10/2009
- by Liz McNeil and Stephen M. Silverman
- PEOPLE.com
By Observer
Joe Halderman, the CBS News producer accused of attempting to extort $2 million from CBS "Late Show" star David Letterman, will be headed to a Manhattan court on Tuesday morning for the first hearing in the criminal case against him.
Will Mr. Halderman, as it is widely assumed, try and reach a hasty plea agreement with prosecutors, beginning with Tuesday's motions hearing?
That's unlikely, according to a source close to Mr. Halderman.
Read more from the New York Observer.
Joe Halderman, the CBS News producer accused of attempting to extort $2 million from CBS "Late Show" star David Letterman, will be headed to a Manhattan court on Tuesday morning for the first hearing in the criminal case against him.
Will Mr. Halderman, as it is widely assumed, try and reach a hasty plea agreement with prosecutors, beginning with Tuesday's motions hearing?
That's unlikely, according to a source close to Mr. Halderman.
Read more from the New York Observer.
- 11/9/2009
- by Dylan Stableford
- The Wrap
A former female writer for David Letterman has provided a behind-the-scenes portrait of the show that is anything but funny. In an essay published on the Vanity Fair Web site, Nell Scovell, who worked for Late Night with David Letterman for five months in 1990, says that, though she wasn't personally hit on by Letterman, the sexual shenanigans at the show eventually caused her to leave. "I walked away from my dream job," she says. "I'd seen enough to know that I was not going to thrive professionally in that workplace. And although there were various reasons for that, sexual politics did play a major part.
- 10/27/2009
- by Michael Y. Park
- PEOPLE.com
It wasn't the $2 million he allegedly sought that prompted Joe Halderman to try to blackmail David Letterman - it was jealousy, according to a source. In August, Halderman, 51, caught the talk-show host and his then-girlfriend, Letterman's onetime assistant Stephanie Birkitt, passionately kissing in a car in the driveway of the Norwalk, Conn., home Halderman shared with her, a source tells People. Letterman and Birkitt "were seen making out in the driveway in August," the source says. "He drove her home once a week. The interesting thing was he lives in North Salem, N.Y. Driving her home to Norwalk wasn't exactly the next town.
- 10/8/2009
- by Michael Y. Park
- PEOPLE.com
A report today suggests that Stephanie Birkitt, David Letterman's former assistant and lover, was cheating her boyfriend/accused extortionist Joe Halderman with the "Late Show" host!
According to the NY Post, Stephanie spent romantic weekends with Letterman on his ranch in Montana, while her live-in boyfriend Halderman stayed at home in Connecticut. When Joe reportedly became suspicious of the relationship, Stephanie allegedly told him that she was Dave's "best friend," and their relationship was strictly "platonic.
According to the NY Post, Stephanie spent romantic weekends with Letterman on his ranch in Montana, while her live-in boyfriend Halderman stayed at home in Connecticut. When Joe reportedly became suspicious of the relationship, Stephanie allegedly told him that she was Dave's "best friend," and their relationship was strictly "platonic.
- 10/6/2009
- Extra
![David Letterman, Regis Philbin, Barbara Gaines, Biff Henderson, Alan Kalter, and Paul Shaffer in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMzU1ZWMyMGYtYTlhOS00MTg1LTk2NGEtNGE4NjYwNDNlYmY0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTAxMjIzNTQ5._V1_QL75_UY207_CR1,0,140,207_.jpg)
![David Letterman, Regis Philbin, Barbara Gaines, Biff Henderson, Alan Kalter, and Paul Shaffer in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMzU1ZWMyMGYtYTlhOS00MTg1LTk2NGEtNGE4NjYwNDNlYmY0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTAxMjIzNTQ5._V1_QL75_UY207_CR1,0,140,207_.jpg)
Comedian David Letterman did not tell the whole story when he described himself as the victim of a $2 million extortion plot by a TV news producer, an attorney for the producer said on Monday.
In interviews with U.S. network news shows, attorney Gerald Shargel, who is representing Robert "Joe" Halderman, said his client is innocent and the accusations against him do not make sense.
"David Letterman didn't give his (Halderman's) side of the story, David Letterman gave what he wanted the public to know," Shargel said on NBC's "Today" show.
"He wanted to get out ahead of the story, and that's exactly what he did," Shargel said of Letterman.
Shargel said it was unlikely that Halderman would have sought to extort Letterman by taking a $2 million check, because that is not how extortionists normally operate.
"In the history of extortions, I don't believe there has ever been a case...
In interviews with U.S. network news shows, attorney Gerald Shargel, who is representing Robert "Joe" Halderman, said his client is innocent and the accusations against him do not make sense.
"David Letterman didn't give his (Halderman's) side of the story, David Letterman gave what he wanted the public to know," Shargel said on NBC's "Today" show.
"He wanted to get out ahead of the story, and that's exactly what he did," Shargel said of Letterman.
Shargel said it was unlikely that Halderman would have sought to extort Letterman by taking a $2 million check, because that is not how extortionists normally operate.
"In the history of extortions, I don't believe there has ever been a case...
- 10/5/2009
- by By Alex Dobuzinskis, Reuters
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
As new details emerge about David Letterman's trysts with his staffers, TV judge Jeanine Pirro tells "Extra" Dave isn't in any legal trouble.
"It doesn't sound like sexual harassment to me," Pirro explains. "The complication comes because Letterman is the head of this Worldwide Pants company... and the women were working for him. Unless and until someone says, 'I had to do this' -- he's free to do whatever he wants."
New York newspapers...
"It doesn't sound like sexual harassment to me," Pirro explains. "The complication comes because Letterman is the head of this Worldwide Pants company... and the women were working for him. Unless and until someone says, 'I had to do this' -- he's free to do whatever he wants."
New York newspapers...
- 10/5/2009
- Extra
CBS producer, Joe Halderman, pleaded not guilty in the extortion case against "The Tonight Show" host David Letterman. Joe was arraigned in a Manhattan courthouse Friday afternoon for allegedly trying to extort $2 million dollars from David Letterman. Prosecutors recommended bail of $500,000, but a judge set the amount at $200,000, reports People magazine. Robert Halderman has posted his $200,000 bail after pleading not guilty to an alleged $2 million extortion attempt against David Letterman. TMZ reports that Judge Michael Melkonian also issued a temporary order or protection against him.
- 10/4/2009
- Reel Empire
![David Letterman in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTI5ODMzOTY4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzU1MjM0Mw@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR13,0,140,207_.jpg)
![David Letterman in Late Show with David Letterman (1993)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTI5ODMzOTY4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzU1MjM0Mw@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR13,0,140,207_.jpg)
At the close of David Letterman's stunning on-air disclosure Thursday, the host seemed set to put the whole sordid affair behind him. After a 10-minute explanation of an extortion plot intended to expose his sexual liaisons with female staffers, he concluded, "I don't plan to say much more about this on this particular topic."
But if Letterman thinks he's had the last word, rest assured this controversy is far from over.
Sure, the immediate aftermath has gone well for him. Robert Joe Halderman has been indicted and so-called media experts are in consensus that the late-night host is going to be fine.
But Letterman may find the devil in the details, of which he divulged precious little in coming clean. What will truly determine just how ugly this will get for him is the yet-to-emerge particulars of his sexual exploits.
As judicious as he was in meting out what...
But if Letterman thinks he's had the last word, rest assured this controversy is far from over.
Sure, the immediate aftermath has gone well for him. Robert Joe Halderman has been indicted and so-called media experts are in consensus that the late-night host is going to be fine.
But Letterman may find the devil in the details, of which he divulged precious little in coming clean. What will truly determine just how ugly this will get for him is the yet-to-emerge particulars of his sexual exploits.
As judicious as he was in meting out what...
- 10/3/2009
- by By Andrew Wallenstein
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dave Letterman is no stranger to controversy -- he's had to deal with stalkers, kidnappers and now an extortionist!
Letterman's admirers are applauding the host for revealing embarrassing details about liaisons with staff members as he explained the extortion plot. Drew Barrymore sent Dave well wishes on "Today" this morning, saying, "I wish them the best because that's an unfortunate situation."
Today, Letterman's accused extortionist, Joe Halderman, was indicted on one count of first-degree grand larceny,...
Letterman's admirers are applauding the host for revealing embarrassing details about liaisons with staff members as he explained the extortion plot. Drew Barrymore sent Dave well wishes on "Today" this morning, saying, "I wish them the best because that's an unfortunate situation."
Today, Letterman's accused extortionist, Joe Halderman, was indicted on one count of first-degree grand larceny,...
- 10/2/2009
- Extra
CBS producer Joe Halderman has pleaded not guilty to charges that he attempted to extort $2 million from talk show host David Letterman. Halderman, 52, wearing a gray suit and handcuffs, was arraigned in a Manhattan courthouse Friday afternoon for allegedly threatening to go public with information that Letterman had sexual relations with an employee of the Late Show. Prosecutors recommended bail of $500,000, but a judge set the amount at $200,000. Halderman remained calm and attentive throughout the proceeding. His defense team, lead by Gerald Shargel, described him as a divorced father of two children, ages 11 and 18 (they live with their mother), who...
- 10/2/2009
- by Isley Kasica
- PEOPLE.com
Los Angeles - A veteran television producer was charged Friday with grand larceny for allegedly trying to extort 2 million dollars from David Letterman in exchange for keeping quiet about the talk show host's sexual relationship with his former assistant. The charges came a day after Letterman revealed the dramatic imbroglio on his late night talk show. Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau named the suspect as Robert Joe Halderman, 51, a veteran CBS producer at the prestigious news magazine 48 Hours, who also worked on the Winter Olympics and produced numerous documentaries. According to the arrest warrant released by a local New York...
- 10/2/2009
- Monsters and Critics
There's no denying that last night's stunning, riveting, intermittently humorous and deeply uncomfortable revelation from David Letterman that he'd been the target of an extortion attempt made for great television. But just why Dave, so deeply private a man, would choose to fling a laundromat's worth of dirty clothes off the Ed Sullivan Theater marquee is a matter of debate. But he did, which means we're all implicated at this point, to some extent. Here's what we've learned about the blackmailer, the mistress and the $2 million screenplay since then:...
- 10/2/2009
- Movieline
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has announced that former CBS employee Joe Halderman has been indicted in an extortion plot against David Letterman.
"Our concern here is extortion, and that's what we're focusing on," District Attorney Robert Morgenthau told AP.
Halderman, a producer for "48 Hours," was arrested on Thursday for attempting to blackmail the comedian into giving him $2 million in exchange for Halderman keeping quiet about sexual affairs Letterman had with staffers -- allegedly including Joe's girlfriend Stephanie Birkitt,...
"Our concern here is extortion, and that's what we're focusing on," District Attorney Robert Morgenthau told AP.
Halderman, a producer for "48 Hours," was arrested on Thursday for attempting to blackmail the comedian into giving him $2 million in exchange for Halderman keeping quiet about sexual affairs Letterman had with staffers -- allegedly including Joe's girlfriend Stephanie Birkitt,...
- 10/2/2009
- Extra
New details have emerged about the attempt to extort money from David Letterman. Suspect Joe Halderman threatened to make public the correspondence between the "Late Show" host and his former assistant Stephanie Birkitt, as well as Birkitt's diary.
According to a search warrant obtained by Fox 5 New York, Letterman -- referred to as "Client 1" in the documents -- received a package full of treatments for a screenplay revolving around Letterman's alleged sexual relationship with Stephanie,...
According to a search warrant obtained by Fox 5 New York, Letterman -- referred to as "Client 1" in the documents -- received a package full of treatments for a screenplay revolving around Letterman's alleged sexual relationship with Stephanie,...
- 10/2/2009
- Extra
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has released a statement to "The Insider" in regard to the alleged extortion case involving David Letterman. The statement reads: "The defendant Robert Joel Halderman, a.k.a. Joe Halderman, [who] is 51 years old of Norwalk, Ct, was indicted on an attempted grand larceny charge. The crimes charged in the indictment occurred between September 9th and September 30th of 2009. "The investigation leading to today’s indictment reveal[s] that Halderman waited outside Letterman's Manhattan home at 6 a.m. on September 9th to deliver a letter and other materials to him as he was leaving for work. "Halderman wrote that he needed to 'make a large chunk of money' by selling Letterman a so-called 'screenplay treatment.' The one page screenplay treatment attached to the letter referred to Mr. Letterman’s great professional success and ... his 'beautiful and loving son.' The document then related that Mr. Letterman...
- 10/2/2009
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
Los Angeles - Talk show host David Letterman admitted on his show Thursday that he engaged in sexual relationships with female employees and that he went to the police when someone tried to extort him. The suspect was named Friday as Robert Joe Halderman, 51, a veteran CBS producer at the prestigious news magazine 48 Hours, who also worked on the Winter Olympics and produced numerous documentaries. According an arrest warrant released by a local New York television station, Letterman was allegedly involved with Stephanie Birkitt, his former assistant , who was the suspect's girlfriend and was living with him until recently. Letterman confessed to having sex with people on his staff in a remarkable few...
- 10/2/2009
- Monsters and Critics
CBS producer Joe Halderman pleaded not guilty in the extortion case against David Letterman. Joe was arraigned in a Manhattan courthouse Friday afternoon for allegedly trying to extort $2 million dollars from David Letterman. Prosecutors recommended bail of $500,000, but a judge set the amount at $200,000, reports People magazine. “The message of this indictment should be clear. New York City will not tolerate the coercion or extortion of anyone, be the victim rich or poor, famous or anonymous," District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau said. If convicted, Halderman faces five to 15-22 years behind bars. Update: Robert...
- 10/2/2009
- Hollyscoop.com
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