Aging man, 62, jokes about girl, 14 (Letterman on Willow Palin) update

(UPDATE: This item has been updated below.)

Maybe it's just the tempting ratings window of no longer going up against NBC's Juggernaut Jay and being the also-ran of late-night television.

But CBS' David Letterman told a real howler on nationwide TV Monday night that drew gasps from some parents and now a scathing rebuttal from the nation's most famous pitbull hockey mom -- and dad.

Noting that Alaska's Republican Gov. Sarah Palin and her daughter attended a New York Yankees game over the weekend with famous Yankee fan Rudy Giuliani, Letterman said:

One awkward moment for Sarah Palin at the Yankee game, during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez.

Letterman, until recently an unwed father, has often made his disdain clear for the former GOP VP nominee, who had several damaging interviews with CBS during the general election campaign last September.

But this is the first time in memory he's taken on the teenage daughter of the governor, on the left in the above photo.

In a statement to Fox News, Palin called the comments "inappropriate" and "sexually perverted" and ones Letterman would not "dare make" about anyone else's daughter.

The governor added:

"Acceptance of inappropriate sexual comments about an underage girl, who could be anyone's daughter, contributes to the atrociously high rate of sexual exploitation of minors by older men who use and abuse others."

Willow's father, Todd, added his thoughts:

Any ‘jokes’ about raping my 14-year-old are despicable. Alaskans know it, and I believe the rest of the world knows it, too.

So far, the "Late Show" has declined comment -- or even another joke.

(UPDATE: 5:06 p.m.Pacific Taping tonight's program in New York, Letterman made for him a lengthy explanation or clarification, though no apology. He said that his "joke" Monday about Palin's (unnamed) daughter getting "knocked up" by a professional baseball player was aimed at Palin's daughter, Bristol, who is 18, not Willow, who is 14 and attended the baseball game. "I would never, never make jokes about raping or having sex with a 14-year-old girl...Am I guilty of poor taste? Yes."

(He then invited Palin on his program. Which might really help Letterman's ratings, at least that night, against his new late-night competition, Conan O'Brien. Oh, come to think of it: That's where Palin should really go for a celebrated chat -- over to NBC. Not that ratings revenge would ever cross the mind of the governor, a former TV reporter.)

(2d UPDATE: 7:05 p.m. Pacific "The Late Show" just e-mailed The Ticket a longer set of excerpts from tonight's program, which we are publishing below in their entirety.)

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo credit: Office of the Alaska Governor; CBS (2008)

Excerpts from "The Late Show with David Letterman" June 10, 2009:

“We were, as we often do, making jokes about people in the news and we made some jokes about Sarah Palin and her daughter, the 18-year-old girl, who is – her name is Bristol, that’s right, and so, then, now they’re upset with me…”

“These are not jokes made about her 14-year-old daughter. I would never, never make jokes about raping or having sex of any description with a 14-year-old girl. I mean, look at my record. It has never happened. I don’t think it’s funny. I would never think it was funny. I wouldn’t put it in a joke…”

“…Governor Palin, if you’re watching, I would like you to consider coming to New York City – you and Todd as my guests, or leave Todd at home – I’d love to have you on the show. It’d be exciting…”

“All right, so there, I hope I’ve cleared part of this up. Am I guilty of poor taste? Yes. Did I suggest that it was okay for her 14-year-old daughter to be having promiscuous sex? No.”

Comments

[Terry Johnson]

"Our culture praises tolerance as the supreme virtue, but intolerance has its uses, too. For example, decent people should not tolerate a tired, bitter old late-night comedian making jokes about raping the 14-year-old daughter of a politician on national TV. The equivalent joke about raping Barack Obama’s daughters would not be tolerated. To let something like this slide is to concede that Sarah Palin and her daughter are less worthy of respect - less human - than Obama and his daughters. People do not forfeit their humanity because they hold political views that elite liberal culture disapproves of. There are only two things decent Americans need to hear from David Letterman now: his heartfelt apology to Willow Palin and her parents, followed by his resignation. Any guest on Letterman’s show who wishes to be respected as a gentleman or a lady should make this demand to his face, until he finally gets the message." Doctor Zero

[RobertD]

...EyesWideOpen wrote: "...As far as I'm concerned, they all got what they deserved, and maybe the Palin's will now buy a clue and realize if THEY want to protect their kids, they will keep them out of site in Alaska---and leave us alone."
----------------------------
EyesWideOpen, I don't agree at all and, in fact, I have no idea why you're even attempting to suggest it beyond being anti-Palin or pro-Dem. There comes a point when we all have to push politics aside and agree that some things are just wrong. Chelsea Clinton was in the news even more than both/either of Palin's daughters. I remember when Saturday Night Live made fun of Chelsea when she was a teenager. I was offended. I'm not quite as offended by Letterman's knock on Palin's daughter because I do believe they thought they were talking about the older Palin (all of 18) as opposed to SNL, which clearly didn't care they were picking on a kid. Not speaking out against it encourages others to do the same. Letterman was wrong (frankly, even if he was talking about the "older" 18-year-old) and he deserves the reaction he's getting.

[Me]

Can I just laugh to the offended people here? Palin was putting her so-called "moral values" and her family well ahead during the campaign, appealing to the religious zealots with the usual garbage (abstinence, etc), and her minor daughter is found knocked up (I am still wondering why the corrupted Todd mentioned "rape" about the joke, I guess that it was another fallacious diversion for the faux news 'tards). Palin is a sum up of this hypocrisy and the joke was spot on, even if he confused the two girls.

[Joel]

So I suppose, Peggy and EyesWideOpen, that's it's OK to make rape jokes about any woman, unless she's a Democrat? Really? Also, the Obamas are just as guilty as the Palins for parading their daughters around for political purposes. The only difference is that Republicans, conservatives, and libertarians actually respect the Obamas daughters and refrain from dragging them into the political arena.

"As far as I'm concerned, they all got what they deserved..."-EyesWideOpen

I don't know if you are a man or woman, but to say that the Palins "got what they deserved" is absolutely sickening. If a defendant in a rape case claimed that the victim "got what she deserved" because her position, they'd get life. You, EyesWideOpen, are a despicable person, and a moral cretin. Here's to you getting what YOU deserve.

[skippy]

"which might really help letterman's ratings, at least that night, against his new late-night competition, conan o'brien."

he doesn't need any help. conan's been sinking since his first show & letterman beat him last nite.

http://xnerg.blogspot.com/2009/06/conan-bored-carrion.html

it's the hardly-ever-right wing (of whom the writer of this blog, andrew malcolm, former speech writer for laura bush, is a card-carrying member) that assumed letterman was talking about sex w/a 14 year old when the joke not only didn't talk about willow, but doesn't make any sense comedically if one assumes the subject was willow. it only works if the subject is bristol, the one who had a daughter out of wedlock while practicing abstinence.

[Tom Holsinger]

Letterman and his network are engaging in child pornography in violation of FCC regulations.

[Incitatus]

No, Gov. Palin did not make it part of her persona. You and your fellow travelers in the press did. Remember Obama has daughters. How would you like them treated? One would hope with respect.

[MarkJ]

Dear Peggy,

"Sure it's a cheap shot...."

If you'd been smart, you would have ended your post right there.

I'm sure you now won't mind if Gramps Letterman, in the interest of "fairness," takes a shot at one of Obama's girls, right? Riiiiiiiiiiiight????

[George]

" they all got what they deserved," - EyesWideOpen

If someone joked about knocking up your daughter would it still be funny?

[Burke]

Peggy--Sarah Palin most assuredly did NOT make Bristol's private life part of her "political persona". Someone in the media found out, and reported it, and it made front page news. There is nothing unusual in a politician introducing his/her family to the world--- and the media understand that it's wrong to invade the child's privacy--unless, of course, the child's parents are Republicans, and then the kids are fair game. Which is why the press, which carefully (and properly) respects the privacy of Chelsea Clinton and the Obama girls, merely sniggered when Larry Flynt announced that he would pay a huge sum to one of the Bush twins if she'd do a nude centerfold for his disgusting rag. Or why it's suddenly okay to make crude, sexist jokes about a young single mother AND her little sister.

[Craig]

Does any one have the email address for Leslie Moonves, CBS President and CEO. He should be inidated with letters regarding Letterman's sick, discusting Humor. No Appology and a clarification that raping an 18 year old is OK/Funny... How sick!

[WonderWoman]

The mainstream media and Obama attack machine are the ones who sent tons of lawyers and reporters to Alaska to ruthlessly vett her. They are the ones that pushed the envelope putting Palin's family out there. Palin simply stood up to them and showed pride in her close family.

This is unacceptable of Letterman be it Palin's family or anyone else. I started boycotting Letterman almost a year ago. He should be fired.

[steve]

Eyeswideopen, you are saying that anyone who has run for political office, or is in political office, should never take their kid out, and if they do, they should just expect a 62-year-old man should make lewd comments about their 14 year old?
OK now I get it...........

[Bozak]

Lets see....
 
A rich old white man said a non-white person knocked up a white 14 year old girl.
 
If letterman was a republican the left would have already asked for his resignation for being a racist.

[Centos]

Oh, get off your high horse. Letterman's joke was aimed at Palin's hypocrisy. Ever hear about glass houses and what you don't do when you live in one? So I suppose now that it was Letterman's fault that Palin's daughter did get "knocked up" when she was underage (which is technically rape). So, as far as I'm concerned, Palin and her husband can just shut up -- the sooner the better. And when is Palin going back to Alaska and stay there? Aren't the people in the state of Alaska paying her to be their governor?

(Speaking of glass houses, Letterman was an unwed father until recently. Does that matter?)

[Katie]

EyesWideOpen | June 10, 2009 at 03:46 PM

EyesWideOpen, by your standard,
"...If the Palin are going to parade her kids on stage in front of the world, making them public figures, then they need to accept that they'll be subject to jokes, even off-color ones. As far as I'm concerned, they all got what they deserved,. ..",
Sexual jokes about Sasha and Malia Obama would be what Obama deserves. He too paraded his children during his campaign. The kids even did tv interviews with Obama. RIGHT??? WRONG!!!
I don't care what political sides you are on, ALL politicians' children are OFF LIMIT.
However, EVERYONE can be fairly criticize if they actively campaign for their parents like Chelsea Clinton for her mom Hilary or Mary Cheney for her dad Dick Cheney or the spouses for their husband. That is fair since they are asking us to vote for their parent/spouse. The key words in this are FAIRLY CRITICIZE.
That's my 2cents.

[RedHatRob]

eyeswideopen said:
"If the Palin are going to parade her kids on stage in front of the world, making them public figures, then they need to accept that they'll be subject to jokes, even off-color ones. As far as I'm concerned, they all got what they deserved, and maybe the Palin's will now buy a clue and realize if THEY want to protect their kids, they will keep them out of site in Alaska---and leave us alone."

So I'm assuming you'd agree that Barack and Michelle's two daughters are fair game - since they brought them out for photo ops several times during the campaign and on election night? right? right/

thought not.

hypocrisy, misogyny, and name-calling. The last resort ot those who are losing the argument.

[Carol Golembiewski]

Uh Peggy? Sarah Palin DID not make her daughter part of her political persona. The 30 lawyers and reporters digging up dirt on the Palin family did.

In addition, this was NOT the daughter that is the unwed mother - this is the younger 14 year old.

If Letterman wouldn't make a similar comment about Obama's daughters - then they shouldn't have been made about Palin's either.

[Carol Golembiewski]

And eyeswideopen?

Palin is only guilty of having her children on stage from time to time. Oh wait!! Clinton did that too.

[Jumpin' Jellybeans]

I'm old even to remember a time when Letterman was actually funny. Unfortunately, he is weeping "the tears of a clown (considering) when no ones around."

Public figures are one thing, but trying to derive humor at the expense of someone's kids is deplorable. I don't recall a "comedian" poking fun of former Senator Edwards', former VP Gore's, or President Obama's children.

I would be just as offended if Letterman had used any of the aforementioned as show fodder.

[Moe Howard's Ghost]

Guilty of poor taste? No. Guilty of having a bunch of desperate, hack comedy writers on staff? Yes!

[Jacques de Molay]

So the Palin daughters are fair game because they appeared on stage during a political campaign? Then I guess the Obama daughters are also fair game-let the games begin!

What is the diference between God and Obama?
God does not think he is Obama.

[mb]

How dare Sarah Palin run for office even though she had kids? I mean.. I never...

I wish Todd Palin would have said something a little more stern. Something adapted from Lou Dobbs' excellent comment about Olbermann "I would just like to say: should I ever encounter Mr. Letterman in a place where there is just the two of us to converse and discuss the issue, we WILL have a full and frank discussion of viewpoints."

[Miguel]

I have generally liked Letterman. But even if this joke was aimed at the 18-year-old it's not particularly funny. I feel he only stretched this far because he and other late night hosts lack fresh material having declared the primary political news-maker of the day -- Obama -- off limits.

[John Murdoch]

To those laboring under the delusion that David Letterman's writers were referring to Bristol Palin, and not 14-year-old Willow: nope, sorry. Writers for broadcast television have access to comprehensive media libraries--I have worked extensively for another major TV network (owned by a corporation whose most famous trademark is a rodent). They didn't just dream up the joke--I'm absolutely certain they decided to write another Sarah Palin joke (the jokes always get excellent ratings in focus groups), and browsed their media library to find recent tape or film on Sarah Palin. Oh! She went to a Yankees game... Some joker in the back of the room says, "yeah, and A-Rod probably raped her." Everybody had a good laugh, and the joke gets cleaned up and makes it into the monologue.

Key point: the writers saw videotape of 14-year-old Willow at the ball game. Depend upon it.

[Atlas Shrunked]

Can you guess the politics of the posters here by their comments?

Besides the fact that they didn't read that Letterman was referring to Bristol, not Willow.

And the LA Times digs up a photo of Letterman with his short-lived beard, which he hasn't had for a long time... trying to make him look older.

Yeah, all around, a real fair discussion.

[Funeral Guy]

Hey Dave, after gay marriage is made legal maybe you can lobby for inter species unions. Then you and that mutt you married will be nice and legal. Ha Ha, just kidding. Pretty funny, huh?

[malclave]

To people defending Letterman:

Is it safe to assume that you think sex jokes about Malia and Sasha Obama are acceptable, as long as the person telling them says a couple days alter that he didn't really mean them?

[Aine]

EyesWideOpen:

So, because the Palin family do not go live in hiding as you suggest they should, their children are fair game for this creepy perversion and national humiliation?

How about the Obama family? Their daughters aren't kept hidden from view, but are often seen in public with their parents. Do these children deserve to be abused? Should they accept that they'll be subjected to off-color humor, as you call this? Not on your life! Letterman hasn't got the gonads to go there. Just like the other liberals who adhere to this sick and dishonest double standard you proffer.

A disgusting and sad bunch of losers, IMHO.

[smokingdog]

I'm waiting for Dave's hilarious jokes about the Obama daughters "getting knocked up" during some serious tag team action with Isiah Thomas and Bill Clinton.

[Matt]

Whoa, whoa -- a late night comic makes an off color joke about the family member of a politician? Shocking!

Palin is pretty much irrelevant on a national scale beyond tabloid gossip. She's just looking for attention at this point.

[Jimmy T.]

To Eyes Wide Open - First of all are your eyes open? Do you actually understand what you said and the consequences of those words, if they're true.

For the life of me, I can't understand the liberal hatred of Sarah Palin. I don't recall anything like it in my 62 years on this planet. Eyes, you're sick and the rest of you liberals, who won't even call CBS on this, are disgusting individuals. I hope you get smart fast because it's people like you that are reuining the political dialog in this country.

[Mainer1776]

Letterman is pathetic. He isn't funny. His humor always comes at someone else's expense.

I haven't liked him for years. I'll always remember presidential candidate GW Bush reprimanding Letterman for trying to goad Bush into making fun of the death penalty in Texas. Letterman had nothing to say.

[Yeah]

Ever noticed that when Letterman tells a joke there's more clapping than laughing? No one naturally claps for 10 seconds after a joke during a monologue. It's the applause sign, and it's one reason Letterman is unwatchable.

[wretchedexcess]

That mighty man Michael Ovitz put Mr. Letterman where he is today. Very soon now Mr. Letterman should join Mr. Ovitz in that delightful netherworld of luxurious do-nothing self-congratulatory obscurity. Michael who? David who? Oh yeah, them. Tickticktick and no tock at all.

[LogicalSC]

"Sure it's a cheap shot, but Sarah Palin is the one who put her daughter and her daughter's sexuality in the spotlight. "

Let me translate Peggy the "feminists": She asked for it! Right Peggy!

Hope you wouldn't feel offended when some LAPD officer tells YOU the same thing after forced sex.

Leftists prove everyday that they are ugly, vile HYPOCRITES AND LIARS!. So any conduct or slander is perfectly fine with the POS Peggy toward people who do not hold the exact same opinions as Peggy.

Anybody suspect that POS Peggy would have the same attitude if anyone made disparaging remarks about Obama's little girls which he and Michelle repeated made part of his campaign? Think Peggy was discomforted by Obama enrolling his two little girls in the DC private school and then turning around and signing the law which ended the voucher programs and ousting poor kids from the same school?

So PEGGY, is it open season on the Obama girls?

[Mary]

Letterman is as classless as most Liberals. They have no principles or morals for the most part.
There was nothing wrong with Palin bringing her family along while running for office. Most people who run for office show off their family values. Liberals are frightened by people with morals and values because they don't have any!

[Jimmy Scheisskopf]

"David Letterman is a disgrace to all males. He is not funny except for his childish potty humor. I hope he always stays out of Indiana.

Posted by: James S. Hill M/Sgt Ret USAF"

Damn, I'm glad I was a sailor. Potty humor? Seriously? At least a retired Master Chief would know how to cuss.

[Rob]

Lettermans vile comment about the rape of a 14 year old girl shows the true nature of his filthy character. He said
"her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez during the 7th inning". Bristol Palin was NOT at the game.
Willow Palin WAS there with her mother. The belated LIE
about the comment being aimed at Bristol does not pass the smell test. This monster needs to be removed from the airwaves.

[furious]

Now Mr. Letterman decides to pile on, this time insinuating that the Palins' 14-year old daughter is a prostitute:

http://beltwayblips.dailyradar.com/video/letterman_suggests_palin_s_daughter_is_a_prostitute/

A sick, twisted little man, Mr. Letterman is. Those of you with the decency not to explain this away (looking at you, Peggy), call your local CBS affiliate, ask for the Genl Mgr, and let them know how you feel.

[Jean]

This comment was beyond digusting. Our political party has nothing to do with accepting this, any ,and all adults with any common sense what-so-ever should be disgusted by this sick statement, a joke in the poorest taste ever.

David Letterman needs to resign!

Being in the public eye doesn't give anyone the right to say such things !

[k]

Dave's "clarification" suggests that it is OK to make jokes about raping a female as long as the victim is at least 18-years-old.

[writestuffla]

Let's see. Ol' Dave has a kid out of wedlock and it's chic and it's in. And you better believe that if someone went after his kid with as much venom as he has Sarah and her tribe, the lawsuits would be flying. David has been a crass has-been for years who's only so quick to kiss the collective behinds of the liberal Hollywood elite who are desperate to hock their latest tripe on TV and film. What he did was dead on wrong, and it's time we stop placating these arbiters of cool and shut them down. This vitriol has got to stop, and Dave didn't just cross the line, but he gleefully bolted past it.

[Jamie]

Gov. Palin made her daughter's pregnancy part of her political persona? Excuse me?

Bristol Palin's pregnancy was a private, family issue until she was gleefully "outed" by the press. And the circus came to town.

You might bear in mind a couple of things: 1. Gov. Palin was running for Vice President with a new baby and several still-at-home older children in the picture; unless you honestly subscribe to the view that she, as a Republican woman, is, I dunno, a man in woman's clothing (oh yes - that line WAS tried, wasn't it? Traitor to her gender and all?), probably a heartless robot-man whose moving parts are lubricated with the blood of progressive babies in fact, you might have to conclude that she felt the stakes were pretty high. 2. Gov. Palin was no more "at fault" for her daughter's choice than any other parent whose teen screws up this way - yet a whooooole lot of people seemed to expect her to slink away into the well-deserved obscurity reserved for gender-traitors and Christianist hypocrites like her. She didn't (see Point 1, high stakes). So she had to decide how to handle her daughter's life-altering news, once it became, in fact, news.

She chose, with her husband, to state publicly that they loved their daughter regardless of what they believed was a choice that would lead her down a very hard road. The alternative was to disown her (which those Christianist hypocrites do a lot less frequently than their interlocutors seem to believe). Having decided NOT to disown her, they had to embrace her - not just because it was politically consistent but because their personal ethics (that Christians are to love the sinner while they hate the sin, not to pretend forgiveness but treat the supposedly forgiven as a pariah) demanded it.

Letterman is an ass. His band was always the best part of his show.

[LogicalSC]

"maybe the Palin's will now buy a clue and realize if THEY want to protect their kids, they will keep them out of site in Alaska---and leave us alone"

So another Leftist HYPOCRITE loves public intimidation to force people who do not hold their views to cower in hiding! How very 7th century of this POS leftist!

Are we not all beginning to see that the first step in solving the governmental problems of 2009 America is to vote out the LEFT from any type of power.

THERE SHOULD NEVER BE A PLACE FOR THE ATTITUDES OF PEOPLE AS EXEMPLIFIED BY LETTERMEN AND THE LEFTIST COMMENTATORS ON THIS BOARD IN OUR REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

[gaypastor]

Sorry Dave...I'm a HUGE fan but you've crossed a line here. Whether its a 14-year old OR an 18-year old, it's not funny to suggest that one of these young women are messing around with a clearly grown up man (largely known for his escapades with Madonna no less!) The connections are just not cool!

[Peter Bernath]

How low can CBS and Letterman sink? How disgusting to attack a girl of 18 and take a cheap shot for laughs. Letterman is a sicko himself only marrying the mother of his child a few months ago. No more CBS or Letterman for me, even if the joke was aimed at a girl not under age. That doesn't make it kosher.

[djn]

When Michele Obama took her 2 daughters on the campaign trail, no one DARED insult them. The double standard with Sarah Palin's daughters is a disgrace and demonstrates openly the double standard that liberals have-flat out, they are hypocrites. Don Imus was fired for his comments...
Letterman should be fired, and every liberal woman everywhere who doesn't stand against this should be ashamed of themselves.

[LogicalSC]

"hypocracy of judgemental GOP candidates"

Would that be the same as Barry Obama enrolling his two little girls in the posh private school and then dismantling the DC voucher program which allowed impoverished children in DC to attend that school all to payoff his teacher's union pals? Does that mean it is open season on the Obama girls?

Leftist are all HYPOCRITES and LIARS!

[LogicalSC]

"Dave's "clarification" suggests that it is OK to make jokes about raping a female as long as the victim is at least 18-years-old."

Of course it is, didn't you get the memo? Playboy published a widely circulated article last week to great acclaim by MSNBC and all the leftist blogs which gave a list of top 10 conservative women who need a good "rapiing"?

Politico and NY Times both joined in the fun, though like much of their coverage now, they misrepresented the wording of the article to imply less of its vulgarity.

So welcome to 2009 America brought to us all by feminists and "progressives" everywhere, HOLD THE "CORRECT" OPINION OR YOU ARE OKAY FODDER FOR ANY AND ALL LEVEL OF SLANDER AND INTIMIDATION!!!

Job well done, leftist aren't you PROUD!