Talk Host David Letterman Foils Blackmailer

A man has been charged over an alleged plot to blackmail chat show host David Letterman over sexual relationships he had with female staff members.

CBS employee Robert "Joe" Halderman, a producer for the true-crime show 48 Hours, was arrested after an undercover sting operation over an alleged plot to blackmail over sexual relationships David Letterman had with several staff members. Letterman confessed during a recording of his show, broadcast by CBS, that he had had sex with female colleagues.

He said a man had threatened to expose the relationships with a book and a screenplay unless a payment of $2,000,000 was made. Letterman, 62, married long-term girlfriend Regina Lasko in March. They have a six-year-old son.

Letterman told his studio audience that he was first approached by the alleged blackmailer three weeks ago. He said he had got in his car early one morning to find a package with a letter containing proof of the "terrible things" he was said to have done. Following his lawyer's advice, David contacted the Manhattan District Attorney's office and the arrest of Mr. Halderman was made on Thursday.

Apparently, the 'funny business' was not limited to his late night monologues... Our friends at Gawker discovered that " Letterman had a cadre of female assistants who fell heavily on the young and attractive side of the ledger. He was said to employ as not less than three of these Special Assistants to the Host last year. The assistant tally however, was said to have climbed as high as five... Each Valentines Day, Letterman sent lavish, expensive bouquets of flowers to each and every non-male on the Late Show staff with a handwritten note signed 'Your Friend Dave.'"

Gawker/Defamer also reported that the scuttlebutt on the set had it that current assistant-in-question, Stephanie Birkitt, received extra compensation for duties as his First Assistant, in the form of Letterman picking up the tab for her graduate law studies at the Yeshiva University Law School. Birkitt's duties included nannying work around the office. She could often be seen playing with his son and chasing him through the office halls. Birkitt also frequently appeared on air, playing the part of Dave's assistant in sketches and often delivering prizes to audience members in constants. Dave favored Birkitt with playful nicknames in these moments such as "Vicky" "Kitty" and "Dutch."

He handled it about as well as he could, making it part of the Thursday night monlogue, although a bit ironic considering his many sexual jokes about President Bill Clinton, Monica Lewinsky and even his jokes about people who didn't partake in extra-marital activities like Sarah Palin. What goes around, comes around, Dave.