“This” is an apology?
June 11, 2009
by The New Agenda
|26 Comments
This is an apology?
The audience is laughing and clapping.
Skip to 5:00 for Letterman’s mea culpa on his “jokes” being aimed at the 18 year-old not 14 year-old daughter.
And, if you really want to be infuriated, skip to 5:25 for this:
..cuz the girl who actually,excuse me, but was knocked up, and is now 18 years-old…
- what a crude, disgusting pervert – knocked up, another adage of violence towards women he thinks is acceptable
TNA, thank you for posting this and being all over this issue. I’ve always considered Letterman to be a complete moron, but this is beyond belief. I am so disheartened, it makes me very sad how really entrenched mysogyny is. I can’t tell if I’m more upset about the moron’s remarks or the audience’s laughter as he manipulates them into being in cahoots with him. I’m pleased about your press release. I don’t have much money and I’ve already sent some, but I’m sending more today. Keep pushing.
I find it ironic that he seems to think its ok to say such things about 18 year old girls.
Apparantly, Dave got the message that when Imus was fired for referring to the Rutgers women’s basket ball team as nappy headed ho’s, he wasn’t fired for calling them ho’s!
What a Jack-ass!
I like the last line. Stupid Human Tricks is what he just performed!
I just picked this up from another blog; take note of these addresses:
CBS Contact Info: (212) 975-4321
CBS Executives:
Nina Tassler = nina.tassler@cbs.com
Kelly Kahl = kelly.kahl@cbs.com
Kim Sartori = kim.sartori@cbs.com
Les Moonves = lmoonves@cbs.com
Via Femisex:
My Letter to CBS:
From: Bruce Nahin
Date: Wed, Jun 10, 2009 at 11:17 PM
Subject: letterman is a fiasco
To: nina.tassler@cbs.com, kelly.kahl@cbs.com, audsvcs@cbs.com, kim.sartori@cbs.com, lmoonves@cbs.com
Sir and Ladies: The kind of tatter from Letterman is disgusting and is explanation makes it even worse. his defense is that he wasn’t suggesting A Rod rape a 14 year old, no he said he was calling Palin’s 19 year old a prostitute and suggesting she get raped by A Rod …great explanation but misogyny nonetheless…and calling a sitting governor a slut…wow nina,kelly,kim I am sure you wake up everyday hoping some creap will call you that.( and Les I am sure your wife looks forward to that magic moment daily too)..and you employ a guy who is more than willig to fulfill your desire. He will call you a slut too if you ask and maybe he will take you to the ballgame to get raped too. We are writing every sponsor, every affiliate to let them know that the eye as been blackened by a 62 year old perv today
Reply
Forward
Judy Silver
to me
show details 10:15 AM (27 minutes ago)
Reply
Follow up message
Drowning today. Please post this as a comment.
From: Bruce Nahin [mailto:bruce.nahin@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2009 2:24 AM
To: Judy Silver
Subject: copy of letter i sent to CBS Brass
- Show quoted text -
Judy Feel free to pass on e mail addresses of CBS brass, many of whom are women
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Bruce Nahin
Date: Wed, Jun 10, 2009 at 11:17 PM
Subject: letterman is a fiasco
To: nina.tassler@cbs.com, kelly.kahl@cbs.com, audsvcs@cbs.com, kim.sartori@cbs.com, lmoonves@cbs.com
Sir and Ladies: The kind of tatter from Letterman is disgusting and his explanation makes it even worse. His defense is that he wasn’t suggesting A Rod rape a 14 year old, no he said he was calling Palin’s 19 year old a prostitute and suggesting she get raped by A Rod …disgusting misogyny nonetheless…and calling a sitting governor a slut…wow Nina,Kelly,Kim I am sure you wake up everyday hoping some creap will call you that.( and Les I am sure your wife looks forward to that “magic moment” daily too)..and you employ a guy who is more than willing to fulfill your desire. He will call you a “slut too” if you ask and maybe he will take you to the ballgame to get raped too. I are writing every sponsor, every affiliate to let them know that the eye as been blackened by a 62 year old perv today-
David Letterman is a sick, dirty old man. It’s refreshing to finally see a a group like The New Agenda finally speak up for all women and are not motivated by political parties.
Our “Good friend “Kathleen Parker in her column suggested that Sarah asked for it( Fox Nation)
This was my response, the 2nd one after the original, on his supposed half apology.
“CBS and Dave,
As your attempt of trying to minimize your comments with half truths and apologies for bad taste was probablly all you could muster, you further dug a whole by lying and claiming your jokes on the daughter (as if that made it ok) were on their now adult “18 year old Bristol”, as if to claim ‘WHERE IN THE WORLD WOULD THE PALINS THINK YOU WERE REFERRING TO THEIR 14 YEAR OLD, WILLOW’, when it was only their 14 year old daughter who was on the trip to New York.
Of course, we could assume that David didn’t even bother to find out facts, originally, but I would think he would look in to it further if he was going to attempt a correction of views on his comments, and he STILL continued to claim that the 18 year old was on this trip that he felt it was ok to make sexual jokes about, as opposed to the daughter who did travel with them, which of course Willow’s (the 14 year old) own parents KNEW.
Who knew Dave would try to spin the truth so much.”
KendallJ– I totally agree. I said at the time that Imus was not fired for his use of the sexist epithet “ho’s,” but for the racist qualifier “nappy-headed.”
TNA– I have on occasion criticized you for not coming down hard enough on overbearing sexist men who seem to think they know what’s best for us women, but giving credit where credit is due, your response to this Letterman travesty has been spot on. Keep it up.
Many thanks, too, to the commenters who’ve provided names addresses and phone numbers for CBS and Letterman’s sponsors. They’ll be hearing from me (some already have).
As an African-American woman I know no tv perosnality world dare make a racist comment but I guess as a woman I am still fair game.
SPEAK OUT NOW
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05.....uthat.html
I would like you guys to read this article. It appeared in my newspaper a couple of weeks ago.
I think we know some of the reasons why women are unhappy…that’s why we’re here.
OK, come one, this guy is HYSTERICAL! They’re jokes. You’re upset that he said her clothes were slutty, but she herself thought “Coldest State, Hottest Governor” was the highest compliment.
Its not a wonder why BILLIONS of women and girls are enslaved in islamic countries, and our president wants to defend their “right” to wear head-scarfs!
Well, I’m convinced that if south African Apartide applied only to black women, rather than to all blacks, it would still be in place.
Thank you Amy!
And thank you to Bruce, who ever you are, it is so wonderful to have men fighting the good fight along with us at TNA.
I watched Lettermen last night for the first time since the election season when his vulgare remarks about HRC and Gov. Palin began. I was also disgusted by how he went after John McCain for having the audacity to skip an appearance on his show. Hey Dave, how did you get out of serving in Vietnam?
Daves attempts to clear himself were right out of the Obama play book. Take responsibility without really taking reponsibility and just lie your ass off. To bad that Kathy Griffen gave into the childish peer presure and called Bristol, or was it Sarah Palin a slut.
There was atime in facist Germany and Italy when the so called intellectual elite embraced eugenics. Still to many in the Democratic party who think they are liberals, not libertines are embracing this ghetto misogyny. They have shifted their bigotry over from blackmen to women and girls because it just isn’t cool (or safe) anymore to be hating on the balck man. But women and girls; no problem. Let’s just transfer our hate over to them, and we can still call ourselves liberal, intellectual and what the heck, even democrats.
David Letterman is a pig. I hope one day his son will listen to tapes of the show and hear all of the disparaging remarks his father made about his (Harry’s) mother who he was so reluctant to marry.
Someone please tell me why I should not become a republican!
Just saw this on foxnews:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,525882,00.html
Women’s Advocacy Group Leader Blasts Letterman’s Jokes About Palin, Calls for Apology
The group is Concerned Women for America. A group called Stop It Now has also spoken out. They are a group that is organized to stop sexual abuse of children.
Amy and all our leaders- i know you are very busy today but i just saw this on Greta Wire and thought just maybe one of you is available even if by phone- From Greta Van susteren Fox news
“hy? Politics? If so? they are as bad as Letterman:
You know I fight for others. I have complained about sexism directed at women from both sides of the political aisle. I have complained whether the target be Secretary of State Clinton (D) or Governor Palin (R) and now? ….a girl…age 14.
I think it very important to put a spotlight on what seems to be acceptable at CBS and hear from some women’s groups concerning David Letterman’s horrible sexual comments about Governor Palin’s 14 year old daughter.
Letterman now (ridiculously) claims he meant her 18 year old daughter and not her 14 year old daughter but lewd sexual comments about a female suddenly don’t become acceptable because the target of the remarks can vote! Plus, his excuse is lame. The 18 year old was not at the baseball game, it was the 14 year old who was there.
I asked our staff to call some women’s organizations that I expect would be the most outspoken about this verbal sexist and crude assault on this 14 year old girl. We decided to offer a platform to discuss this important issue. ON THE RECORD at 10pm is #1 at 10pm in all of cablenews (more than doubling the nearest competition) and thus reaches millions. Hence this is a great opportunity for women to speak out and reach people on this issue. Sexism is an important issue. This offer to reach millions is one you would think no feminist would turn down…ever!
We called Ms Magazine and they declined. They don’t want to comment on ON THE RECORD at 10pm about the very issue I expect to be their mission: fighting sexism. Incidentally, one of my very good friends was the editor in chief of Ms Magazine until a few years ago and I know this is a topic that each woman at that magazine ought to have the courage to take Letterman and CBS on.
We then called “NOW” and we were told that NOW President Kim Gandy is unavailable (personal emergency) but that NOW will be posting something on their website. We asked for a substitute to appear on ON THE RECORD for Gandy and no luck. NOW has a chance to go around the world and speak out on this topic tonight in prime time ON THE RECORD at 10pm but is declining. Go figure..
We called the Democratic Women’s Leadership Forum — and they won’t return our call.
Do you have a theory why none of the above women’s groups wants to make very, very, very public statements on a prime time cable news shows about CBS and Letterman? It is politics? Is it because Palin is a Republican? I hope not….horrible comments don’t become tolerant or funny when the target is someone you don’t agree with politically. Women will never beat sexism if they are going to pick sides (their friends) and not look at facts and fight for fairness.
(and yes, some women are speaking out but you would expect certain groups to be leading the charge )
Thank you TNA for your response to this horrible act of misogyny in the media. I have emailed sponsors and called CBS myself, but this organization speaking out will get more attention.
Tony testoseroni June 11th 4:24pm
Just like Contessa Brewwer at MSNBC you try to divert attention away from the remarks Leterman made about Palin’s 14 yr. old being “knocked up” by A-Rod! Letterman has not been funny in years.
Does anyone know if there’s been any response from flight attendants (do they have their own union?)?
While the remarks regarding Palin’s daughters were beyond the pale, Letterman’s insult to hard-working flight attendants (the vast majority of whom are women) deserves condemnation as well.
I fly quite frequently and I’ve never seen a “slutty” flight attendant.
Good point.
The fly attendants I see when I travel are hard working women and men in a very tough and dangerous job.
N.Y. Yankees should be insulted as well. Hell all of America should be outraged!
Boston Nell and Juliette– Exactly!! Where did the caricature of flight attendents as “slutty” come from? Men like Letterman. Letterman is so off the mark with that characterization. He must not fly on commercial planes.
Has anyone from the New Agenda contacted Greta Van Susteren? Even if it was too late yesterday, there might be an opportunity for a follow-up.
Kali,
Yes, I personally emailed Greta today. And as well Bill O’Rielly’s exec producer read and loved our HuffPo piece days ago.
I’m starting to wonder something – is Fox just intentionally using this as an excuse to slam the notion of “feminists”. I mean, c’mon, our piece in HuffPo yesterday was the 2nd most read – someone at Fox reads there.
Amy, that’s great to know. I hope Greta does a follow-up. I trust her as a feminist. Not sure about O’Reilly or Fox.
Leave your Response Want an avatar? Get a gravatar!
Community Room
February 6, 2012 at 4:25 pm
January 30, 2012 at 2:36 pm
January 26, 2012 at 4:38 pm
January 23, 2012 at 1:04 pm
January 15, 2012 at 11:37 am
January 9, 2012 at 6:36 pm
January 7, 2012 at 10:10 pm
January 5, 2012 at 9:31 am
BUILD your NETWORK
Our Network of College Women
Protecting our Teenage Girls
We’re in the Media »
Click to see our latest stories in the media
More Stories »Recent Comments
The Latest from our Blog
Archives
Pioneer Mentors
Blogroll
Find us Online
Subscribe Entries (RSS) | Comments (RSS)
The New Agenda is a 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls by bringing about systemic change in the media, at the workplace, at school and at home. More...