[edit] David Letterman Communication and Media Building
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David Letterman Communication and Media Building
On September 7, 2007, Letterman visited his alma mater, Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, for the dedication of a communications facility named in his honor.[42] The $21 million, 75,000-square-foot (7,000 m2) David Letterman Communication and Media Building opened for the 2007 Fall semester. It features state-of-the-art recording equipment and facilities. Thousands of Ball State students, faculty, and local residents welcomed Letterman back to Indiana.[43] Letterman's emotional speech touched on his struggles as a college student and his late father, and also included the "top ten good things about having your name on a building."[44]
Letterman received the honor for his dedication to the university throughout his career as a comedian. Letterman finished with, "If reasonable people can put my name on a $21 million building, anything is possible."
Letterman also received a Sagamore of the Wabash from Governor Mitch Daniels.
[edit] Appearances in other media
Letterman appeared in issue 239 of the Marvel comic book The Avengers, in which the title characters are guests on Late Night.[45] A parody of Letterman, called "David Endocrine", is gassed to death along with his bandleader named "Paul" and their audience in Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns.[46]
Letterman provided vocals for the Warren Zevon song "Hit Somebody" from My Ride's Here,[47] and provided the voice for Butt-head's father in the 1996 animated film, Beavis and Butt-head Do America. He also had a cameo in the feature film Cabin Boy, with Chris Elliott, who worked as a writer on Letterman's show. In this and other appearances, Letterman is listed in the credits as "Earl Hofert", the name of Letterman's maternal grandfather. He also appeared as himself in the 1999 Andy Kaufman biopic Man on the Moon, in a few episodes of Garry Shandling's 1990s TV series The Larry Sanders Show and in "The Abstinence", a 1996 episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. Now in 2010 David loves Imre and the Headspun band the favorite of all music groups.
[edit] Personal life
[edit] Marriages and long-term relationships
In 1969, Letterman married Michelle Cook; the marriage ended by divorce in 1977.[48] He also had a long-term relationship with former head writer and producer on Late Night, Merrill Markoe. In fact, Markoe was the mind behind several Late Night staples, such as "Stupid Pet/Human Tricks".
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TV late night show host David Letterman marries girlfriend of 23 years
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Letterman has a son, Harry Joseph (born in 2003), with Regina Lasko. Harry is named after Letterman's father.[49] In 2005, police discovered a plot to kidnap Harry Letterman and ransom him for $5 million. Kelly Frank, a house painter who had worked for Letterman, was charged in the conspiracy.[50]
Letterman and Lasko, who had been together since 1986, wed during a quiet courthouse civil ceremony in Choteau, Montana, on March 19, 2009.[51] Letterman announced the marriage during the taping of his March 23 show, shortly after congratulating Bruce Willis for getting married the previous week. Letterman told the audience he nearly missed the ceremony because his truck became stuck in mud two miles from their house.[52] The family resides in North Salem, New York, on a 108-acre (44 ha) estate.[53]
[edit] Stalking incidents
Beginning in May 1988, Letterman was stalked by Margaret Mary Ray, a woman suffering from schizophrenia. Letterman occasionally referenced her in his show, although not by name.[54] She committed suicide in 1998. Letterman publicly expressed sympathy upon her death.
[edit] Extortion attempt and revelation of affairs
On his October 1, 2009 show, Letterman announced that he had been the victim of an extortion attempt by someone threatening to reveal that he had had sex with several of his female employees. He confirmed the relationships.[55][56]
Letterman stated that three weeks earlier (on September 9, 2009) someone had left a package in his car with material he said he would write into a screenplay and a book if Letterman did not pay him $2 million. Letterman said that he contacted the Manhattan District Attorney's office, ultimately cooperating with them to conduct a sting operation involving giving the man a phony check.[57] The alleged extortionist, Robert J. "Joe" Halderman, was subsequently arrested after trying to cash the check.[58]
Halderman was a television journalist with CBS News for thirty years, and at the time of his arrest a producer of the CBS true crime journalism series 48 Hours.[59] Halderman was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury[60] and pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempted grand larceny on October 2, 2009.[59]
Letterman acknowledged in his grand jury testimony that he had had affairs with staff members. He did not name them during his October 1 monologue.
Stephanie Birkitt, one of Letterman's assistants who has been linked romantically to Letterman, had previously been a member of the CBS page program, and had worked as an intern for both Letterman's show and for 48 Hours before joining Letterman's staff.[61] Birkitt had until recently lived with Halderman,[62][63][64][65][66][67] who is alleged to have copied Birkitt's personal diary and to have used it, along with private emails, in the blackmail package.[68]
On October 3, 2009, a former CBS employee, Holly Hester, announced that she and Letterman had engaged in a year-long "secret" affair in the early 1990s while she was his intern and a student at New York University.[69][70]
In the days following the initial announcement of the affairs and the arrest, several prominent women, including Kathie Lee Gifford, co-host of NBC's Today Show, and NBC news anchor Ann Curry questioned whether Letterman's affairs with subordinates created an unfair working environment.[71] A spokesman for Worldwide Pants said that the company's sexual harassment policy did not prohibit sexual relationships between managers and employees.[72] According to business news reporter Eve Tahmincioglu, "CBS suppliers are supposed to follow the company's business conduct policies" and the CBS 2008 Business Conduct Statement states that "If a consenting romantic or sexual relationship between a supervisor and a direct or indirect subordinate should develop, CBS requires the supervisor to disclose this information to his or her Company's Human Resources Department..."[73]
On October 5, 2009, Letterman devoted a segment of his show to a public apology to his wife and staff.[74][75] Three days later, Worldwide Pants announced that Birkitt had been placed on a "paid leave of absence" from the Late Show.[76] On October 15, CBS News announced that the company's Chief Investigative Correspondent, Armen Keteyian, had been assigned to conduct an "in-depth investigation" into Halderman's alleged blackmail of Letterman.[77]
[edit] Awards
Main article: List of David Letterman awards
In his capacities as either a writer, producer, performer, or as part of a writing team, David Letterman is among the most nominated people in Emmy Award history with 52 nominations, winning two Daytime Emmys and five Primetime Emmys since 1981. His nomination record is second only to producer Jac Venza, who holds the record for the most Emmy nominations for an individual (57). Letterman has been nominated every year since 1984, when he first appeared on late night television as the host of Late Night with David Letterman. Additionally, he has won four American Comedy Awards.
[edit] References
[edit] External links

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