Letterman Slammed (4)
David Letterman is in the hot seat for several crude jokes he made on CBS’ “The Late Show” about Sarah Palin and her teenage daughter.
Letterman, in his monologue Tuesday night, noted that the 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate attended a Yankees game during a trip to New York City, where she was honored by a special needs group. Letterman referred to Palin, Alaska’s governor, as having the style of a “slutty flight attendant.”
The “Late Show” host also took a shot Palin’s daughter, while poking fun at the Yankees’ third baseman.
“One awkward moment for Sarah Palin at the Yankee game,” Letterman said, “during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez.”
The backlash was almost immediate, with Palin’s supporters denouncing the CBS host for making jokes that many said were sexist and for what they called an unfair attack on the governor and her family.
“I think that calling the former vice presidential candidate a slut or saying that her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez, I think everyone can agree that’s over the line,” Washington Examiner correspondent Byron York told FOX News’ Greta Von Susteren.
[More]
Updates:
8:27 am EDT, June 11th, 2009 — Trashing Sarah Palin: The New Hot Thing
1:47 pm EDT, June 11th, 2009 — MSNBC interview goes off the rails
2:02 pm EDT, June 11th, 2009 — Letterman backs off (sort of)
Popularity: 57% [?]
Male, retired and the rest is of little interest to anyone. The site keeps me busy and if it helps others to stay abreast of daily events then my time is well spent.
Glen from Saskatoon Says:
Letterman crossed the line from “bottom feeder” to “bottom dweller” a long time ago…
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 8:06 am
Soccermom Says:
I used to be a fan of Letterman’s. He got too political, so I am a fan no more. He’s not funny anymore and he’s embarrassing himself.
He should learn from Rosie O’Donnell how getting too political can ruin a career (and lead to bad, bad haircuts)…
Good for Sarah Palin.
I always say in situations like this: if a conservative talk show host had said this, what would happen?
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 9:37 am
MaryT Says:
Trash Sarah in the US, trash Lisa in Canada. Both medias seem to have a fettish about capable women in politics.
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 10:32 am
fernstalbert Says:
Dear Dave, the election is over. Move on and find another target. Your obsessing and need to get a grip on reality. When you attack 14 year old girls and report that an older adult man is responsible for an indictable rape you are really messed up. Alex Rodriguez should sue for defamation of character. Basically Letterman called the baseball star a pedophile. Who`s next, Piper Palin, a grade schooler – you have got to wonder at Dave`s sexual fantasies. Swamp scum has more integrity than this sorry excuse for a man.
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 10:55 am
mike Says:
That so many people thought this was funny before it was aired is a sign of how sick out society is. The writer of the joke is sick, his editor is sick, David Letterman is sick (he should have passed on it.), the studio audience is sick (they should have booed very loudly or walked out. Anyone who supports this type of humor is sick, and especially those who defend it by saying it was just a joke. A Rod should be thinking of suing as well.
I quit watching Letterman and Leno long ago as their constant attacks on their own country and governments is way over the top.
mid island mike
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Soccermom Says:
So Letterman is now trying to defend himself, saying that the jibes were aimed at 18 year-old Bristol, rather than 14 year old Willow (who was the one at the ball game).
Does that make it any better? He’s still picking on a young woman. How old is he? What a shameful SOB!
Whatever happened to chivalry or civility? I guess it’s not necessary if you are a lefty. Anything goes.
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Raphael Says:
I’m surprised how many people in the audience laughed. Perhaps they just go along with it like trained seals or something, or perhaps they warn the audience beforehand that they’re going to mock Sarah Palin and to be ready to laugh racously. My biggest problem isn’t necessarily poking fun at a political figure, as it is involving the kids. The A-Rod comment definitely sits way up there with Michael Richards and the n-word incident.
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Soccermom Says:
My last post should have added: h/t to http://michellemalkin.com/
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Soccermom Says:
Letterman WAS funny in 1995: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Assman.
Since then, not so much!
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
ward Says:
It says to me that the politcal establishment (of which Letterman is very much a part of ) is very much afraid of Ms Palin and what she would potentially bring to Washington, and so she must be destroyed at any cost. And that establishment includes many many Republicans.
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Anna Keightley Says:
People might get it that comedy was hailed for its ‘cleanliness’ not too far back. Johnny Carson and Bob Hope and others made you fall off your chair more regularly than the current crop of comedians. There was a prevailing respect back then which is glaringly absent now. Respect simply involves being prepared to give oneself, one’s neighbour the benefit of ‘an honest shake.’ That’s it. I agree with Palin, his explanation is pathetic and so is his sense of humour. What the dissing is all about at base, is the absolute fear that any form of actual accounting for the monies be on the horizon. Until questionable financial products, et.al., are brought down, the economy can’t make a comeback. Many don’t want this restitution, only some do. They are absolutely feared by the old set that won’t relinquish what will work.
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Jack Says:
Re #10: Agreed.
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Jack Says:
A woman’s group is now on Letterman’s ass. I linked the story.
My view – he’s in shit up to his ears.
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Red Fox Says:
Letterman ,the old perve has been peeping into peoples windows for along time.He ceased being funny or relevant long ago.The best commentary came from his own audience when he was told to FO grandpa.
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Jack Says:
Palin response to Letterman invitation:
“It would be wise to keep Willow away from David Letterman.”
Posted on June 11th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Cynapse Says:
Looks like Sarah Palin continues to be the right wing version of “The One”. Jack, you should set up your operations as a shrine so you can at least avoid some taxes.
Seriously, Jay Leno made worse jokes about Michael Jackson regularly.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 8:21 am
nomdeblog Says:
Cynapse your comparison of Michael Jackson is a crafty evasion of the issue with racist implications …an Obama like victimization tug.
Jackson is simply an incredibly talented but tragic commercial entertainment figure to whom one can pay attention or ignore … he has no bearing on the development of our society.
But Sarah Palin conveys middle class issues and projects them so effectively that she has the political class running scared because they want to rule versus serve the public middle class. Therefore the elitist media has declared war on her.
Palin is the antithesis of “The One” and to that extent you are right to draw us to that comparison.
But your Jackson comparison is a ruse.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Cynapse Says:
What the hell are you talking about?
I was referring to Michael Jackson molestation jokes because Leno did them all the time. Were they crude? Yes. But they were based on real-world events (just like Bristol’s pregnancy) and that’s what you get when you’re a public figure. Let’s also keep in mind we’re on late night TV and crudeness is somewhat expected. Everyone is fair game.
Replace Michael Jackson with Woody Allen – the comparison stands.
But it sounds like you’re responding as a Palin acolyte rather than an objective observer, so just let me address that. The crowd Sarah Palin attracted to the McCain camp were not entirely or mostly middle of the road middle class people who were upset with the political class. She attracted Christian fundamentalists and Paleo-Conservatives – the groups McCain was absolutely unable to reach. You guys look at the women like she’s God while slamming Obama supporters for doing the same – yet Palin’s got a nice record of corporate whoring and political bullying quite her own. I can’t imagine what you’d all say if Obama’s child had a kid out of wedlock and inlaws being locked up – such is the pull of people who want to believe, one supposes.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 9:49 am
nomdeblog Says:
” nice record of corporate whoring and political bullying quite her own”
Elaborate please.
” She attracted Christian fundamentalists and Paleo-Conservatives” …and Jack and me , who are neither .. just plain ‘ol middle class values guys.
“I can’t imagine what you’d all say if Obama’s child had a kid out of wedlock and inlaws being locked up”
Same as I said about Dick Cheney’s daughter being gay .. so what? But why doesn’t the media mention that the Cheney’s are pro gay marriage?
“Replace Michael Jackson with Woody Allen – the comparison stands.”
No … these are not people running for office. What is being called out here is free negative advertising against a GOP candidate by the MSM. I’m not saying disallow it or censor it , I’m saying fight it, recognize it for what it is…Nobody says it better than VDH:
“Letterman is emblematic of an aging, baby-boomer culture that dresses up street vulgarity with a tie and coat. The only thing that saves him is his care to do this with the Palins from Alaska who don’t figure into the usual no-go race/class/gender paradigm.”
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Lee Says:
My goodness, but your a bitter person Cynapse.
Personally, i dont care a whit what anyones political views are, the kind of crudeness displayed by Letterman should be condemned by everyone. Whether its against the Palins or Jackson or whoever.
To reduce this kind of sleazy commentary to a projection of political leanings is to miss the point.
What bothers me the most is that we now live in a society where the kind of crudeness displayed by Letterman draws laughter from the crowd.
I say again, it doesnt matter to me who it is against or who says it. What is displayed is a road down which our society is descending which i find abhorrent.
Comedy it aint.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Brian S Says:
Just in case anyone missed it, Palin has been cleared of every single ethics charge that was levied against her by the hateful intolerant left during their political hit job on her, while they were busy giving the “Teleprompter Kid” a pass. The left-wing MSM is proficient at smearing around the accusations, but not so good at reporting the facts when such accusations turn out to be baseless.
Palin fends off ethics charges.
http://tinyurl.com/nwb6jy
With that said, I doubt that Sarah would consider starting a presidential bid so soon, if she ever does at all, because the MSM did too thorough a smear job on her. Palin can however serve the purpose of helping Michael Steele to raise needed funds for the GOP, especially since donations will only increase whenever the left takes another pot shot at her.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 10:35 am
the other pete Says:
AH Comrade !!!!!!!!!!!!!! We finally see where your coming from, your red thinking is showing.
Your (9:49) comment says it all (yet Palin’s got a nice record of corporate whoring and political bullying)
the other pete
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 11:11 am
Cynapse Says:
So, if you oppose Sarah Palin you’re a red comrade, huh?
That’s certainly not dispelling the so-called myths about Palin supporters.
Calling out your hypocrisy should be taken at face value. There’s nothing bitter about it. Why would I be bitter about David Letterman, whom I don’t watch, or Sarah Palin, whom I don’t praise? The lot of you get awfully defensive about this one politician.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Cynapse Says:
Since Brian has started the link game …
Palin has you all believing she’s some up-from-nothing maverick who’s built Alaska through nothing but sweat and toil (all other elements of N.American mythology). She also claimed to be against the government system of earmarks, unlike that Obama fellow. Perhaps then she can explain she wasn’t against the $27 million in earmarks she lobbied for as the mayor of Wasilla. A commuter railway is hardly the stuff of emergencies, suggesting she’s just as happy at the trough as any other politician.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Brian S Says:
While Palin certainly can’t hold a candle to Obama’s whoring and bullying, who cares about Alaska getting earmark funding like every other state does? No doubt the USA has a broken system of governance, but why should Alaskans pay taxes just to see them go to every other state with little or nothing coming back? McCain and Palin stated several times that the earmark system was among the many problems that need to be adressed, but since they were not elected, that is the system the USA has, and the only one that Palin has to work with.
I personally don’t believe that Palin was ready yet to be President, but she wasn’t running to be President and Obama most certainly is not ready to be President. Since Sarah Palin was only marked for the VP slot which is now taken by Joe Biden, who is definately among the biggest morons in USA politics, it continues to be completely disengenous of the left to compare her to “the One”.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Soccermom Says:
I’m waiting for Letterman’s jokes about Obama’s girls in a few years…..
***crickets*** (will never happen)
To compare the roasting and toasting of Michael Jackson, a grown up middle aged man, to trashing 14 and 18 year old young women is completely out to lunch, it’s so ridiculous. No comparison.
Letterman has past his best-before date by about 13 years or so…
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Anna Keightley Says:
O/T, but this is looking down the road and out for Canada as the stimulus monies are set to flow out to some 3,000 projects. It fits under Sarah Palin articles in that she’s a proven track record for reversing corrupt fiscal practices in her state and turning resource profits into tax savings and incentives for her constituents.
Source: “MARKETWATCH” where a consultant warns that fraudsters are set to target up to $50 billion dollars of stimulus monies as they are released. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Now, who will Canadians likely trust at the helm of these monies? The party of ADSCAM who haven’t reimbursed the public purse to date?? or the governing Tories who have done the heavy lifting in the worst economic downturn in decades?? Quebeces decided in the last federal election that they couldn’t trust the Liberals due to *failures* in governance over 13 years in power. Memory recall is required here AND vigilance in the months ahead by all players involved in an economic recovery.
Link below:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/stimulus-fraud-could-hit-50-billion?siteid=rss&rss=1#mod=BOL_hps_BOL2MW
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Cynapse Says:
Bryan:
1) Not everyone who is against Sarah Palin is on the left, contrary to your simplifications. I’m an independent and I’ve met … basically no independents that like her. I’ve also talked to several GOP hardliners (Obama or not) who think she’s a moron. In a recent poll for leader of the Republicans she polled barely above Ron Paul. In a recent CNN poll re: who is the voice of the GOP, she didn’t even rate (Rush Limbaugh was #1). Your strawman simply does not line up with the real world.
2) You see, the earmark issue wouldn’t be much of an issue unless you’ve been running your mouth about how you don’t use the earmark system. That is Palin’s problem. Like Jimmy Swaggart, she has been caught doing the very thing she preached against loudest – separating her from other politicians. So no, she gets no pass.
Soccermom:
1) Nobody was “toasting” Michael Jackson
2) Britney Spears was also skewered before she reached adulthood. Was your outrage burning as brightly? Be honest.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Jack Says:
“I’ve also talked to several GOP hardliners (Obama or not) who think she’s a moron.”
They’re entitled to their opinions Cynapse but in the opinion of a lot of people including the author of this site she reflects our views perfectly.
If she is “inexperienced” what does that make Obama?
If she’s a moron what does that make Obama?
What goes around comes around and I’ll say this again. I do not expect him to finish his term in office. He will be impeached as the barking pitbulls that at present follow him suddenly turn on him, as pitbulls are known to do. It’s just a matter of enough screwups and it will happen because he and his administration are making serious mistakes daily.
My view — he has a long way to go and as far as I know he has no exit plan. Like Gordon Brown he will be hard to remove but I can assure you — he will be removed in due course. The US Constitution provides for that problem unlike Britain.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Brian S Says:
Like I stated earlier the left did too thorough a smear job on Palin for her to be much more politically successful than she already has been, but she doesn’t have to accomplish anything to be more accomplished than Obama, who should probably be hawking cell phones in a mall somewhere.
Since when can the Governor of Alaska submit bills to have Congress request money from the federal government for more pork projects? How and when did Palin manage to change the entire US system of governance so that it is no longer members of Congress who put the pork into their own federal bills, but instead State Governors? I’m sure the other 56 State Governors would like to know. Whatever the federal government does with its earmark system, it is out of the state Governor’s hands since they are two separate levels of government.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Raphael Says:
I’ve written about Letterman’s non-apology:
http://unambig.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/david-lettermans-hollow-apology-to-palin/
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Lee Says:
Geez, Cynapse, give it a rest.
This “moron” just pulled together the biggest pipeline construction deal in the history of North America.
It will be called “Palin’s Pipeline” . lmao, now theres something thats going to irritate all the Palin haters forever.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Jack Says:
Catch Raph’s link. I feel Letterman should be fired because Sarah and her family are no joke and unless an example is made the fun and games will continue.
If I were his boss I’d hand him his pink slip in a minute and I would sleep very well that night. He has no class at all (unlike his target) and there are millions waiting in the wings who can replace him.
Maybe the news organization could turn it into a fun game like “Who get’s kicked off the island next”.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
ward Says:
As I noted on the Michelle Malkin thread, Lettermans ham fisted attempt at humor was no different and likely worse than Don Imus’s – and Imus was forced to do the apology tour and then was canned by CBS. Looks like a precedent to me.
And Cynapse, an Independant? By your own definition maybe.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Cynapse Says:
I do define what I am (hopefully you do as well).
Partisans define what I am not, which happens every time I point out an inconsistency or fail to take the “appropriate” position on cue
So on here I’m your token embodiment all that is left wing and evil because I don’t back every half-wit hick with nostalgic visions of the pre-civil rights era.
On liberal boards I’m their token embodiment of all that is right wing and evil to those who think anyone who can come up with a good excuse shouldn’t have to work for a living.
Comes with the territory. Left and right are a couple of self-contradicting high school cliques to be honest.
Posted on June 12th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
MaryT Says:
Just wait till the new pay czar decides how much pro sports stars can make, or movie stars can make.
As for fireing Letterman, how many years does he have left on his contract, and what would it cost to cancel it. The best punishment would be for all those that are upset over his remarks, to quit watching and send a letter to his sponsors.
I think reruns of Johnny would sink both David and Conon.
Posted on June 13th, 2009 at 2:04 am
Julia Says:
MICHAEL THE NARC-ANGEL
Millions of little members of the worldwide F.F.A. (Future Followers of the Antichrist) have finally learned how to find a certain part of their lower anatomy and quickly touch it while dancing – thanks to Michael Jackson, the highest paid Lower Anatomy Toucher of all time! Special thanks also go to the Jesus-bashing, Hell-bound Hollywood moguls who were just as quick to see higher profits in lower anatomies! [Just saw this opinion on the web. Other grabby items on MSN, Google, etc. include "Separation of Raunch and State," "David Letterman's Hate, Etc.," "Tribulation Index becomes Rapture Index," and "Bible Verses Obama Avoids." - something for everyone!]
Posted on June 30th, 2009 at 1:28 am
ib42 Says:
So, he apologized already! Without comedians, our lives would be totally barren and desolate. They say things we all wish we could say and get away with. So, relax, and laugh more.
Posted on August 2nd, 2009 at 4:18 pm
greg Says:
ib42, so who accused letterman of being funny?
Posted on October 25th, 2009 at 7:49 pm