Why Aren't Feminists Mad At Letterman?

Tracy Clark-Flory of Salon tackles the tough questions, such as, why aren't feminists mad at a prominent lib?  Cave man righties like me think it is the same sort of double standard that gave Bill Clinton a pass - it's consenting adults in an office romance when it involves lefties, sexual harassment if righties. 

However, Ms. Clark-Flory finds much more nuance - apparently, feminists have not been force-fed the answers to the tough questions they aren't even asking, so they have no basis for outrage:

Legal analyst Lisa Bloom explains on CBS' "Early Show Saturday Edition": "Somebody can come forward and say, 'The boss was sleeping with other employees, they got favors and advantages that I didn't get.' They got to appear on the show, perhaps, for example. Got additional payments for that." (On that note, Gawker reports that Letterman paid former assistant Stephanie Birkitt's way through law school.)

If all of those hypotheticals are true, then the "Late Show" has a legitimate claim of sexual harassment on its hands. The truth, though, is that we don't know who made the first move, if any of these employees felt pressured into sex or whether his lovers were professionally rewarded for their amorous overtime. We aren't even totally clear on which employees were involved! We simply don't know much of anything about these office affairs, except that they happened and that they were a royally bad idea. So, perhaps the final answer to the question posed by innumerable bloggers is that feminists don't yet know enough about Letterman's affairs to be outraged.

They don't know enough yet, but we know they are digging hard!  Oh, that settles it then.  Of course, my theory - the "feminist" apologists don't even know what to apologize for, yet - also remains in play.  My prediction (which I can't even pretend is a Bold Prediction) - any more Letterman facts will also be met with silence by the See No Evil, Hear No Evil Left.  Well, unless Letterman engaged in cruelty to animals or expreessed a pro-life tendency - then all bets are off.

Comments

[Pops]

What ever happened to equal pay for equal work?

I would have put out for Dave, if I new it would mean more money, my education paid for, my career advanced.

My wife probably would have even agreed to let me be his sexual boy toy.

If CBS and Worldwide pants want to show their don't discriminate, Dave is gonna have to sleep with a few fellers.

[Dave (in the People's Banana Republic of MA)]

Transference.

Palin makes leftist feminists feel inadequate,

Letterman hates Palin,

∴ They like Letterman.

[Neo]

I'm waiting for the argument (that has never worked in most of the corporate world) that you see ..
David Letterman is an independent contractor to CBS and his production company is responsible for any disciplinary action, if any, that are to be taken.

[Dave (in the People's Banana Republic of MA)]

<=== LOL Leno ad in sidebar

[Pops]

What is the funniest is that Lettermans' main shtick is extortion...that's his game. He attacks people on his show until they agree to appear and be interviewed.

Come on the show and give me ratings so I make money, or I'll trash you in public.

How is Dave any different then they guy he claims extorted him??

[bishop]

I think the problem ia we have a culture with no sense of shame. This is why Polanski, McKenzie Phillips,Clinton
(both of them)Spitzer, McGreevey, even Sanford is their own way, keep popping up like bad nickels. Letterman is very dumb, the non cable analog to Stewart and that recent Obama interview proved it. McCain proved it first by going on Couric, and then apologizing to Dave about it.

[jwest]

I think we’re only working with the first half of the shoe that dropped.

The original language of the extortion story made the demand note sound like there was more to the embarrassment factor than the simple fact Letterman was having sex with subordinates. I believe Halderman was threatening to release details of peculiarities in Dave’s preferences and methods that might be viewed by the masses as “odd”.

Let’s hope someone had a video recorder handy.

[jimmyk]

So, perhaps the final answer to the question posed by innumerable bloggers is that feminists don't yet know enough about Letterman's affairs to be outraged.

I don't seem to recall such a willingness to suspend judgment when Clarence Thomas was the alleged harrasser. I guess times have changed.

[lonetown]

Geez, I always have to explain to my people that it doesn't matter who makes the first move. Its a power position thing.

The manager is expected to control him/herself no matter how hot and come hither the victim is.

[clarice]

We know the answer to the question, don't we? In the US"feminist" means will lie down and die for Dems. After Clinton they are without credibility.
OTOH I am not with the NY Post's Andrea Peyser who deman ds that CNS can him. I wasn't for such a thing in Imus' case either. Let the market deide.
If media personalities offend they will suffer in the market. Enough with these calls for boycotts, Please.

[clarice]

**CBS**

[SAL]

I don't like so many people calling HATE about everything they say.

[daddy]

Is Letterman's momma still around to give us her insight on the situation? I always liked her 10 years ago when she did Olympic updates.

[bad]

Letterman's always been creepy and repulsive. No one should be surprised he has to pay for sex.

[clarice]

Hey, bad!@$%&*($_+_++ (*those are firecrackers)

[bad]

Fried brain and all, Clarice. JOM gives me the will to fight through the fog.

[Original MikeS]

Same reason the global warmists aren't supporting Nuke Plants and building sea walls to ward off the rising seas.

[RELIAPUNDIT]

being a lib/leftie measn getting a pass for this crap.

why?

all the culture war crap is merely to knock down traditional culture/society/institutions so they can replace it woith the state.

it's all about socialism.

so: if you support the loib/left agenda of socialism, you can do anything else you want: gore's mansions; moore non-union productions; the jihad's homophobia (jihadosts are statists and socialists too! they just favor a theocratic politburo); bj clinton's sexcapades/lies; obama's failures to close gitmo and end dontaskdonttell.

and so on.

it's about statism.

golly, tom:

the left doesn't really care if the leaders of the revolution commit genocide!

so of course sexual misconduct couldn't bother them at all

[narciso]

Great to hear from you bad, how are you doing.

[clarice]

bad,Around here, who'd notice your brain is fried--well, maybe PUK would so don't buy whatever he tries to sell you today.

And look what loony Congress is trying to sell today--expanding CRA!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/03/community-reinvestment-act-mortgages-housing-opinions-contributors-peter-schweizer.html>Take a wooden stake out now

[daddy]

Hmmmm, The silence of the Feminista's at Letterman has got me thinking. I wonder how it would go over on my next trip if I was to say to my female co-pilot that she stood a much better chance of getting to make the landing if she put out for me---mile hi club and all that?

Probably though, I should not bring it up but instead just push for the installation of ">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8285380.stm"> this amazing new invention in the cockpit.

"Uh oh, Susie, I smell smoke in the cockpit!"

[bad]

Getting better, narciso, thank you.

[Pagar]

Glad to see you back, Bad.

[daddy]

Yippee, BAD's back!!!

Sorry about your Cowpoke's last night:(

[bad]

Thank you, Pagar and daddy.

[Jane]

YAY!!!! BAD!!! The best news if the day! We sure missed you!

[bad]

I missed y'all too, Jane.

[Jane]

I'm a feminist, altho my defintion probably differs from NOW. I couldn't care less about David Letterman's exploits except they are fabulous comic relief. As a feminist, I don't bother with outrage - and I don't think women are not able to take care of themselves - being able to take care of yourself, and willing to do so, and being accountable for your own actions is what feminism is about, at least in my world. I also don't see myself as even a tiny bit unequal and in need of protection. I think that's the point.

I'd say a whole lot of the so called "feminists" are the female Al Sharpton's of the world intent on keeping women weak and incompetent. The hell with that.

So let them root for David Letterman, and Roman Polanski. It's comic relief to try and see them try and make that work for them.

[centralcal]

Okay, I am work and just peeked in and had to join in . . .

WELCOME BACK BAD!!!

[Joan]

Because feminism isn't really about bettering average women; it is about bettering average liberal women. And, leftist women.

[bad]

Clarice, the Forbes article you linked to is unbelievable.

[bad]

Hi, CC, thank you very much for everything.

[The excuse is silverbacks will be silverbacks. Primitive.]

It's a bad day that knows its own bother.
=======================

[centralcal]

Hey - I also just noticed Narciso is back, too. (no more Bishop or Obispo?)

[clarice]

Isn't it? It's impossible to keep up with all this carp.

[PeterUK]

Welcome back bad. I have to warn you Clarice had her pool filled with Jello and is training hard for the mud wrestling.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Let's hope someone had a video recorder handy.

Unless the girls areway lots better looking than Dave, I'm not interested.

(BTW: prediction: if anything kinky comes out, it will turn out to be that Letterman likes being very submissive, a "bottom".)

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Hey, if you sleep your way to the top, the only thing that counts is whether you're qualified when you get there. If you are already qualified to be there, think of it the same as a golf game or drinks at the club. Screwed is screwed.

I had a good role model in Helen Copley, who I worked for for 15 years. Seemed to work for her just fine.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

bad?

Good!

[PeterUK]

Clarice.
Was not economic meltdown caused by welfare dependency a concept nurtured by Wade Rathke?

[bad]

Hey PUK and Chaco, give me a couple weeks on the Jello extravaganza...

[Old Lurker]

Bad's back and with a zinger!

Yay!

Welcome home girl.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Oh, did I mention Mrs. Copely was also a hypocrite. After working as the boss's secretary, marrying him, inheriting the Union Tribune and the entire Copely news empire, her one ironclad rule for her employers - absolutely NO fraternization, a firing offense.

[bad]

Hey Old Lurker!

[Old Lurker]

"Hey - I also just noticed Narciso is back, too. (no more Bishop or Obispo?)"

Before you know it, we'll be talking to Barney Frank and Other Tom...

[Old Lurker]

Bad, nothin in the news is good for your blood pressure. Keep your meds handy!

Guess this means Mr. Bad took care of you OK.

[bad]

He is wonderful, Old Lurker. You'd love him.

[clarice]

OT--A business opportunity: The generously funded Chicago 2016 is going out of business..We could snap up those tees and banners for a song and resell them to fellow Obamaphobes for a great deal more!!

[bad]

We could sell them to all of those future high school grads of 2016 in Chicago.

Oh wait...nevermind

[daddy]

Has this become the OT page?

If so, this is amazing. The">http://www.adn.com/opinion/view/story/960512.html">The Anchorage Daily News has published an op-ed stating that they believe Begich did mislead the Assembly, that he was "derelict" in hiding financial info, and that his excuses of why he did so are "lame."

None of this will be news to you guys, but the fact that the horrendously biased and left wing ADN is now onboard in criticizing Senator Begich in print is what's startling. This story may finally have legs. Will keep you advised.

[daddy]

Has this become the OT page?

If so, this is amazing. The">http://www.adn.com/opinion/view/story/960512.html">The Anchorage Daily News has published an op-ed stating that they believe Begich did mislead the Assembly, that he was "derelict" in hiding financial info, and that his excuses of why he did so are "lame."

None of this will be news to you guys, but the fact that the horrendously biased and left wing ADN is now onboard in criticizing Senator Begich in print is what's startling. This story may finally have legs. Will keep you advised.

[megapotamus]

These asexual harridans can kiss my weener. Feminism is the biggest joke of all the -isms out there. Clinton, Polanski, Letterman, Ted Kennedy... and of course the prototype was JFK. They don't really care about sexual harrassment in or out of the workplace. They don't care about rape, even drugged child rape. They are strictly a mau-mauing operation that covers for their team. Feminists, you can all suck it. And now.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

These asexual harridans can kiss my weener.

In your dreams.

[Captain Hate]

How is Dave any different then they guy he claims extorted him??

There's a chance that the person that Dave claims extorted him could actually conduct an interview without sounding like a clueless retard.

Welcome back, bad!!

[narciso]

Hell is a might frosty today,daddy,with that bit from the Daily News. Well I guess
the charade is over.

[bad]

Thanks Captain.

[Neo]

The real afront here is that Letterman seems to have done this stuff with multiple interns and other staff.

My employer would have me on the street before I could say .. Rumpleskilskin .. probably with the loss of benefits and pension.

Meanwhile, this jacka$$ goes on with an apology. It's this double standard that burns my tar.

[Extraneus]

Just think of the stimulating effect of all the production companies getting paid for re-tooling their sexual harrassment presentations now that consent is the key criterion. Never mind the added entertainment value for those who have to watch annually.

[Extraneus]

Welcome back, bad!

[hit and run]

Yay bad!

Time to break out the good stuff in celebration and drink until I'm foggier than you.

Welcome back.

[jason cummings]

The ignorance displayed here is palpable.

You can ask a subordinate on a date, but only once if the answer is no. It's the second attempt that defines harassment.

And THAT is emblematic of the depth of political and sociological knowledge which defines you.

[Captain Hate]

What happened to those barren crones who earned their academic bones by writing that *any* sex at the workplace between a male and a female subordinate was by definition rape because of the imbalance of power making consent impossible?

*crickets*

[Gregory Koster]

Bad is back. Good

From the new guy.

[Gregory Koster]

Daddy, you have to wait for your next simulation runs to have your female copilot hit on you. We'll expect a full report of course...

Can someone explain the superior wisdumb involved by idiot Halderman in shaking down Dave and asking for a CHECK in payment?

[Captain Hate]

Can someone explain the superior wisdumb involved by idiot Halderman in shaking down Dave and asking for a CHECK in payment?

TV hires and promotes idiots.

[Pagar]

That is amazing, Daddy. That has to hurt Begich, I would think.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Tell me again why Jews support Obama? No don't, it just makes my blood boil.

Obama's Website Carries Blogpost That Equates Israel to Nazi Germany

Obama's website today carries a blogpost that equates Israel to Nazi Germany.

“The majority of the Israeli policies are the exact copies of the Nazi policies”

[bgates]

Hi bad! You can't be as foggy as jason, so you have that going for you. Which is nice.

the depth of political and sociological knowledge which defines you? Who talks like that?

[Cecil Turner]

It's the second attempt that defines harassment.

Nice try, but no cigar:

Sexual Favoritism falls under the Hostile Environment category of the federal law that governs harassment and discrimination in the workplace. [. . .]

This type of harassment occurs when employees, who submit to a manager or supervisor's sexual demands, are rewarded by that manager or supervisor. It is important to note however, that the wronged party(ies) is not the one who submitted, but those who did not and are denied the benefits of the submission. [emphasis added]

But at least you were vehemently wrong, which is "emblematic" of all the lame excuses lefties have for being hypocrites. Thanks for playing.

Who talks like that?

Sophomores (either definition).

[Extraneus]

I was listening to Mark Simone on the radio Saturday, and he asked a good question, which I'll paraphrase.

"This guy was a producer, a media guy. He obviously had the evidence on Letterman. Why not just write a book about it and possibly collect even more than $2M?"

[bishop]

That Jerry Springer, Bob Beckel level stupidity, as I understand it. Also
for the local angle, US atty Kendall
Coffee, and the thousand dollar bottle
on Don Perignon, on his credit card

[JM Hanes]

♥bad♥

"Letterman's always been creepy and repulsive. No one should be surprised he has to pay for sex."

What's creepiest of all, is that he decided to take care of this business in front of his studio audience. Eew. How'd you like to have paid for those tickets? Not that you would, of course. Can't remember where I ran across some description lauding the self-deprecating way he bared his soul. Eew x 2.

[clarice]

Maybe he's planning on a dumb as a rock defense.

Daddy, why not write that up and blog it..you've been covering this from the outset and can add much more than I could ..

[Captain Hate]

My hypothesis of the whole thing is that the producer was slowly draining Lettercrud, who had told his bean-counter that this was going on and when Polanski-ooza occured the accountant saw an opportunity to stage a sting by having Dave, who is as dumb as a brick and would never have thought of it, say he wanted to make a whopper payment to make this permanently go away with the least amount of damage.

[clarice]

Eew is right,jmh--the audience half thought he was joking by the way he presented it. I assume the CBS damage control guys said he had to get out front of the story but left it up to him to determine how to do that.

[MayBee]

bad is back! bad is back!

Dave is gross, and I can only hope his wife was asked if this was OK with her before he went public.

He's a pig, and his audience has to wallow in his piggishness.
The good news is, JMH- studio audience tickets are free.

[JM Hanes]

Ha! There must be a fabulous joke in free tickets somewhere, but my brain is stuck on Eeeew

[Not so fab, eh, JMH?]

Did he have them over for tea and frickets?
==========================

[PeterUK]

Letterman - Secret Love Nest. There you go girls!

[Extraneus]

Yeah, he has a studio on the West Side, nice big sign, I forget which street. Mid-town. He also apparently has an apartment in there, but hey, who wouldn't?

[Lorax Under Name.]

Speaking of the Lutheran Theodore Seuss, we were weren't we? His WWII cartoons are the BEST.
==================================

[Rob Crawford]

You can ask a subordinate on a date, but only once if the answer is no. It's the second attempt that defines harassment.

Wrong. Outside of Democrat politicians and entertainment celebrities, the "superior/subordinate" relationship is assumed to be a power imbalance that makes any relationship unequal, and therefore harassment or potential harassment.

And a sufficiently clumsy first attempt to get a date will get you slapped with harassment regardless of the relative status of two employees.

[centralcal]

O.L.: "Before you know it, we'll be talking to Barney Frank and Other Tom..."

heh!

I see Narciso is "bishop" again on this same thread! Jeez Narciso have you been into Hit's beer fridge or somethin?

[bgates]

Can't remember where I ran across some description lauding the self-deprecating way he bared his

EEEEEEEEWWWWW!

soul.

Oh. Ew.

[Original MikeS]

And a sufficiently clumsy first attempt...

So,... I'm guessing that slapping the object of your attention on the rump and a friendly, "How ya doin' Toots?" is no longer the standard line?

[Melinda Romanoff]

bad-

Seeing your name is welcome news, indeed!

My hopes and prayers to a steady recovery.

(I thought my birthday greetings put you over the edge. Phew.)

[Old Lurker]

Say it ain't so, O Mike

[JM Hanes]

SNAF! === SooooNotAbFab!

[Ann]

Jumping up and down...Bad is BACK!!!

I just spent a good part of my afternoon at a card store, laughing at cards to send ya, bad. They have a new series called "Listen Doll" out that are wickedly funny. Plan on sending you one every other day.

But nothing could be better than seeing your screen name. Woo Hoo! and smooches!!!

[narciso]

All right, they have already flagged me for counterrevolutionary activity, so why fight
it. This jason fellow, really wants to try
that angle on sexual harassment, good luck with that. BTW, Ms. Birkett, went to law school in part on Dave's dime, read into that what you will. Goodwin, now at the Post, is now figuring out what us JOMers knew long ago.

[Captain Hate]

Since this thread is at least partially related to de wimmens: I was listening to Rush today and he brought up how his multi-repeated Friday refrain of "Barack Hussein Obama, mmmm mmmm mmmm" was completely misinterpreted by the Beeb's Katty Kay (ordinarily this self-referential fixation by Rush really irks me, but since I found his Friday performance hilarious, I gave him a pass). Katty (whom I've seen on Tweety's gabfest where her undeniably attractive face gets her a seat at the table because she has the cognitive ability of a piece of lint) took great umbrage at Rush mentioning Il Douche's middle name, totally clueless that it was emulating a grade school bit of socialist realism/propaganda because it was only covered on the eeeeeeeevil Fox news. MMMM MMMM MMMM

[caro]

And cartwheels! Yippee, so happy to have you back, bad.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

I've got to admit some ambivalence — at least — in this.

First of all, without dating the employees, it's unclear to me whether a lot of my direct ancestors would have reproduced at all: my father met my mother that way, as my uncle met his wife. I dated girls from the family business. We ought to at least entertain the possibility that it's the law as written that's stupid.

Second, a more pedantic point: I suspect it's very unlikely indeed that CBS is in any way, de jure or de facto, Letterman's "supervisor." It's very much more likely that Worldwide Pants Inc has a contract to deliver content under some set of service level agreements to CBS Inc. Yahoo Business says David Letterman is the Chairman, and his producer is President and CEO. I would be real surprised if that isn't sufficiently arms-length to insulate CBS.

[Extraneus]

since I found his Friday performance hilarious, I gave him a pass

Heh.

SCHOOLKIDS: Rush Hudson Limbaugh. Mmm, Mmm, mmm.

[Janet]

I went back and reread theblogprof post on Consumer Reports running an ad for Obamacare LUN - thought it was interesting that out of the 36 comments about 12 had canceled subscriptions. I'd love to know the repercussions of doing that ad.

[Captain Hate]

We ought to at least entertain the possibility that it's the law as written that's stupid.

Without scrolling back to see all comments, I know I haven't stated otherwise, having had a workplace crush or four. It's the shifting sands of outrage......

[Janet]

the shifting sands is right...What exactly are the rules anymore? i need a color/gender/sexual preference/religious/heritage list that tells me which laws apply to me, and what words I can say.
macaca - you are a reprobate
f#^kn anything - you are a pop star
unleashed dog - fines, tickets
illegal alien - in state tuition

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

Given that this indictment came from the same people who prosecuted Martha Stewart, and from the same office where Patrick Fitzgerald cut his teeth, I remain skeptical that the guy is guilty of anything (other than knowing what a creep Letterman is).

[Extraneus]

Stipulating that Letterman is a douche, as they say - and here's hoping he takes it you know where for this - but if these ladies were unpaid groupies, nobody would be taking about this.

Anyone here ever been in a rock band? I bet he didn't have to even ask once.

[Captain Hate]

Ok I posed this question at the end of a subsequent dead thread at AoS and never got an answer so I'm posing this to the legal beagles (Clarice, Jane and anybody else I haven't identified as an ambulance chaser, I mean officer of the court): What is the theoretical underpinning on laws against blackmail? Why isn't it considered intellectual property that somebody leverages against somebody else? In some cases if the state was in possession of the data they would prosecute the blackmailee which may involve a monetary penalty so it's not like a private individual is acting completely different than the state would (although I understand that the state has certain rights that a private citizen does not). I readily admit that it seems creepy but being creepy per se is not against the law (US vs Larry Flynt). All explanations are appreciated and I apologize in advance if I've overlooked something very obvious.