Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, known for its national opinion polls, has announced plans to be more careful about the interns it places on The Late Show. This is in light of the news that host David Letterman has been involved in at least three relationships with female staffers, one of whom claimed that she was an intern when she had a year-long relationship with Letterman in the early 90s. Earlier this month, Letterman revealed that he’d been the victim of an extortion plot and admitted that he’d had sex with women who worked with him, saying he’d done “creepy things.”
A Connecticut college has initiated a new program to keep David Letterman interns at arms length from the host.
A rep from Quinnipiac University tells TMZ:
“Due to recent circumstances we will have a discussion with those in charge of placing our interns at the David Letterman show in the future.
We will diligently oversee this internship program to ensure that our interns are out of harm’s way.”
David might be happy to know the college has no plans to end the program.
[From TMZ]
Is this just adding insult to injury for Dave or are officials at Quinnipiac only making sure that the young women they place on his show aren’t victimized? The National Organization of Women issued a statement last week condemning Letterman for dating staffers, and wrote in part that “Letterman’s behavior creates a toxic [work] environment.”
It’s hard to tell which boundaries were crossed, although it seems like all of the relationships were somewhat longer term and that they were consensual. Dave owned up to his behavior and apart from the one intern we haven’t heard anything that’s particularly damning. It seems like more would have come out about it over the years if Dave was taking advantage of women who worked for him.
Early reports claimed that Dave’s affairs ended with the birth of his son, Harry, five years ago. Then we heard that the man who blackmailed Dave was motivated by the fact that his girlfriend was probably cheating on him last year with the talk show host. The woman in question is now 34, which is hardly college age. It’s not like Dave hasn’t gone after college age girls working on his show, though. Dave was in his mid 40s when he had that relationship with an intern in early 90s. Is he still up to his old tricks, or has he mellowed with age and marriage? It’s worth noting that although Dave had a longterm girlfriend while he was having these affairs he wasn’t married until March of this year.
David Letterman is shown on 10/20/05. Credit: PRPhotos
Maybe these safe guards with the interns should have been in place years ago.
It’s not like they are necessary now, given Dave and his antics have been outed.
This story is still a surprise for me. What is sexually attractive about Letterman other than his bank balance and his status? I don’t think safe guards are required. It’s not as though his lovers needed protection; they consented to his advances. The nanny approach is a bit over the top isn’t it?
I know I wouldn’t want to work for him. that story about him sending every female staffer flowers on Valentines day as if he’s every woman’s Valentine whether they like it or not… creepy. not to mention the “special room” he and the “lucky” interns used during the work day. I wouldn’t tolerate that shit from Don Draper let alone some gangly four eyed geezer.
I think it’s great Quinnipiac University cares enough about their female students to look after their interests.
I have to say after reading about his internal affairs I now know which one is the bigger horses a$$ in that picture.
I’m guessing that the new policy is more about covering the college’s ass in case of potential future lawsuits. Hypothetical: Somewhere down the road an intern sleeps with Letterman and then sues him, claiming she was coerced because of his position, felt harassed, whatever. Since the college is the one that is placing the interns there, knowing he’s slept with interns in the past, they could be named in the suit, too. They have to show that they did what they could.
@BitterBetty- Heck, Don Draper would be reporting ME for sexual harassment if we were in the same office!
Take a number, Firestarter. the things I would do to that man would make baby Jesus cry.
the issue, as i see it, is one of david letterman’s position as boss in choosing to have relationships with insubordinates. the national organization of women has always claimed (except in the case of clinton and lewinsky) that any sexual/romantic relationship between a superior and a subordinate is, by definition, non-consensual since the woman’s work situation is imperiled by said relationship. bottom line, david letterman should have looked outside the realm of his staff for companionship. he was these women’s boss, no matter their age or apparent consent. he behaved as a predator and took advantage of his superior position, plain and simple.
I give a lot of money to NOW and was seriously annoyed when I got that email about dave. come on. he’s not going around preying on women staffer 24/7 making it a ‘toxic’ work environment. 99% of women who have worked on the show the last 20 years or whatever have probably had a very good experience. it was a little dramatic for my taste, and I wrote NOW to tell them so. there are much more serious issues than consensual (because yes,this is consensual) sex between adults at the office.
Get the F*@# over it already. Me and my man talked about this last nite on our walk( he has no interest in these things) And we both pretty much agreed, Everyone got what they wanted out of the trysts. No one was hurt or harassed.
And you know what, he also said if he was in the position of Burkitt he would have no problem carrying on with an affair for a degree from UTSA, all tuition expenses paid from an older woman. As far as he is concerned, whether the affair was a few months long or a year, a degree will last a lifetime.
And another thing, why the heck are you going to monitor interns? Are these women they’re sending him really that stupid they cant reject unwanted advances on their own? Or what if THEY wanted free degrees from Dave too, and would have sex with him? Are the women to report that to the committee?
In fact, if everyone is so convinced women are a victim here, why not just send men instead? Don’t send a single damn woman to work with Dave again. Oh wait, I forgot, that would be setting back women or favoritism or some B.S.
Anyway, I seriously doubt NOW could care about the damage they are trying to do. Did it ever occur to them the women might have used Dave too? Different peoples have different priorities and maybe sleeping with the boss and getting what she could out of it. Does NOW even care about that too? Or the shame if they found a woman and she didn’t want to be ousted? If a girl was pissed at Dave, this is the perfect time to air her grievances on TV. All the paid interviews and notoriety, what more could a fame whores strive for?
I agree with Bros. The term “toxic” can be diluted by its use in this situation. The women liked Dave and no one reported any problems from turning him down. This is a situation where, if there had been any ugly office politics over his behavior, the stories would have emerged with all the digging done by the press.
Sounds like a load of publicity grabbing to me. How many interns had that university “placed on the show” previously? Is there a running agreement between Dave’s company that produces the show and that university?
It might happen that you fall for someone you work with. Finding at least four mates among your employees, however, (who all look similar, suggesting their looks may have played a role in their hiring, too), suggests you’re running your business as a harem.
It’s not just a toxic work environment for the women Dave hit on, it’s a toxic environment for those he didn’t want to sleep with. Seriously unprofessional behavior.
Letterman apologized to his staff last week for their being harassed by reporters. He should apologize to them for not respecting boundaries, and inflicting his sex life on them in the office — for years.
I like Letterman, and after the Clinton impeachment nonsense, am sorry to see anyone roasted in this fashion. But when are people gonna learn some boundaries and their responsibilities/limitations as talk shows hosts/politicians/boss of any kind? Cracking jokes about those other philanderers and presenting himself as a monogamist doesn’t help, either, as hypocrisy and ‘throwing stones in glass houses’ never does.
Ney whinney!
College intern students are at least 18 and of age. They were more than eager to give it up to a wealthy man for financial status. You see it everyday be it a man or woman but this protecting new interns is a bit silly. These college girls give it up so willingly all the time.
Why is that worth noting? Is this somehow less awful for the mother of his child because he hadn’t gotten around to marrying her until a few months ago?
hatsumomu:
The wife/girlfriend of 20-something years got hurt.
i stand corrected. Let me clarify, none of the interns were hurt.
I go to this school and while the professors are very good (most of them), the administration doesn’t give a crap about the students. Its all about looking good to the world. And covering their butts.