At first, David Letterman attempted to clarify his joke about Sarah Palin's daughter and baseball's Alex Rodriguez. Now he has taken it back, and Palin has accepted that.
by Mark Silva and updated.
David Letterman's apology to Sarah Palin is one for the books.
Which books, is the question.
It's being called "an extraordinary mea culpa'' - the late-night comic's admission that his joke last week about the Alaska governor's daughter and baseball's Alex Rodriguez was "beyond flawed.''
"I would like to apologize, especially to the two daughters involved, Bristol and Willow, and also to the governor and her family and everybody else who was outraged by the joke,'' Letterman said for the Palins' benefit on his show last night. "I'm sorry about it and I'll try to do better in the future."
No doubt, Letterman hopes this will quell the criticism that has surrounded his on-air comment last week that Palin's daughter was "knocked up'' by A-Rod at Yankee Stadium. See, it was Palin's 14-year-old Willow who had accompanied her to a Yankees game, giving rise to Letterman's Top 10 routine about Palin and other jokes last week. It was not the 18-year-old Bristol Palin, who has a child by another teenager who has left the scene.
In neither case, Palin had suggested, would this sort of humor be appropriate - but rather insulting to the self-esteem of young women everywhere.
The question is whether this will quiet the critics.
"Of course it's accepted on behalf of young women, like my daughters, who hope men who 'joke' about public displays of sexual exploitation of girls will soon evolve," Palin said today of Letterman's apology, in an issued statement that picked up a political beat as well. "Letterman certainly has the right to 'joke' about whatever he wants to, and thankfully we have the right to express our reaction. And this is all thanks to our U.S. military women and men putting their lives on the line for us to secure America's right to free speech - in this case, may that right be used to promote equality and respect."
The episode has inspired a protest with its own Website: FireDavidLetterman.com. And a conservative activist - with the support of New York Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb - was staging a rally outside Letterman's Ed Sullivan Theater.
"Late-night host apologies to public figures are exceedingly rare, if not unprecedented,'' Newsday notes. "But Letterman's joke -- which he disavowed last week and which he has continued to say was about Palin's adult daughter, Bristol, and not her 14-year-old sister, Willow, who was at the Yankee game - has assumed a life of its own.''
Our colleague, Maureen Ryan, notes at The Watcher that "Letterman is great at taking on famous people who can take what he dishes out... The fact that he does so with such a lack of aggressiveness is actually what makes his brand of dogged pursuit so effective. To appear to have made an unfortunate remark about a 14-year old just seemed ... not Letterman-esque.''
Letterman said he had been "watching the Jim Lehrer 'Newshour(when) this commentator, the columnist Mark Shields, was talking about how I had made this indefensible joke about the 14-year-old girl, and I thought, 'Oh, boy, now I'm beginning to understand what the problem is here. It's the perception rather than the intent.' It doesn't make any difference what my intent was, it's the perception."
The Watcher has a trascript of Letterman's words, from CBS, below:
And here is what Palin has had to say about all this before:
Letterman: "All right, here - I've been thinking about this situation with Governor Palin and her family now for about a week - it was a week ago tonight, and maybe you know about it, maybe you don't know about it. But there was a joke that I told, and I thought I was telling it about the older daughter being at Yankee Stadium. And it was kind of a coarse joke. There's no getting around it, but I never thought it was anybody other than the older daughter, and before the show, I checked to make sure in fact that she is of legal age, 18. Yeah. But the joke really, in and of itself, can't be defended.
"The next day, people are outraged. They're angry at me because they said, 'How could you make a lousy joke like that about the 14-year-old girl who was at the ball game?' And I had, honestly, no idea that the 14-year-old girl, I had no idea that anybody was at the ball game except the Governor and I was told at the time she was there with Rudy Giuliani...And I really should have made the joke about Rudy..." (audience applauds) "But I didn't, and now people are getting angry and they're saying, 'Well, how can you say something like that about a 14-year-old girl, and does that make you feel good to make those horrible jokes about a kid who's completely innocent, minding her own business,' and, turns out, she was at the ball game. I had no idea she was there. So she's now at the ball game and people think that I made the joke about her.
"And, but still, I'm wondering, 'Well, what can I do to help people understand that I would never make a joke like this?' I've never made jokes like this as long as we've been on the air, 30 long years, and you can't really be doing jokes like that. And I understand, of course, why people are upset. I would be upset myself.
"And then I was watching the Jim Lehrer 'Newshour' - this commentator, the columnist Mark Shields, was talking about how I had made this indefensible joke about the 14-year-old girl, and I thought, 'Oh, boy, now I'm beginning to understand what the problem is here. It's the perception rather than the intent.' It doesn't make any difference what my intent was, it's the perception.
"And, as they say about jokes, if you have to explain the joke, it's not a very good joke. And I'm certainly - " (audience applause) "- thank you. Well, my responsibility - I take full blame for that. I told a bad joke. I told a joke that was beyond flawed, and my intent is completely meaningless compared to the perception. And since it was a joke I told, I feel that I need to do the right thing here and apologize for having told that joke. It's not your fault that it was misunderstood, it's my fault. That it was misunderstood." (audience applauds) "Thank you.
"So I would like to apologize, especially to the two daughters involved, Bristol and Willow, and also to the Governor and her family and everybody else who was outraged by the joke. I'm sorry about it and I'll try to do better in the future. Thank you very much." (audience applause)
Comments
I'm still waiting for all the Republican outrage about this "joke".
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/06/14/2009-06-14_pol_gorilla_is_related_to_first_lady.html
Let's hear it from all the right wingers who have been screaming about the Letterman "joke". Let's see an equal level of anger fior this one.
Posted by: Lou | June 16, 2009 9:01 AM
Now it's Sarah Palin's turn. Will she forgive and forget as a good christian "cheek turner" would do or will she continue to milk this for all the possible airtime she can get.
Posted by: kg123 | June 16, 2009 9:03 AM
Letterman should still be fired. Imus was fired even after he gave a very sincere apology, which was accepted by the women's basketball team.
Posted by: Fire Letterman | June 16, 2009 9:04 AM
Republicans are the biggest whiners and hypocrites on the planet. They could dish it out but can't take it. For 8 years we heard all sorts of jokes and negative and nasty comments about the Clintons, including Chelsea Clinton. Sarah Palin is a clueless ignorant dimwit who will never be elected outside of Alaska. She's a fraud. The Palin's are trashy and dysfunctional to say the least.
Posted by: Doug R. | June 16, 2009 9:18 AM
This isn't about Palin. It's about society saying we're tired of this kind of talk being rationalized as "jokes".
Imus was fired even after he gave a very sincere apology, which was accepted by the women's basketball team.
Letterman should still be fired.
Posted by: Fire Letterman | June 16, 2009 9:46 AM
The amount of space - here, on other sites, and on television - devoted to this trivial, hyped event is itself a powerful emblem of our total lack of seriousness as a country and culture, and our increasingly lowest-common-demoninator journalism and punditry. Just take another look at your article here. Doesn't it embarass you, given the serious foreign and domestic challenges we face? Are articles like these really how you want to spend your thinking and writing time?
Posted by: Winston | June 16, 2009 10:17 AM
How about an apology from Palin for her stupid remark about President Obama, " paling around with terrorists " !! No, that's alright, she can foment the lunatic, right wing, fascist morons and no one demands an apology from her !! A comic makes fun of her and he is publicly horsewhipped !! The fundamentalists won another one !! Good-bye, free speech !! The Conservatives are now downsizing our constitutional rights, all in the name of decorum !! It is too bad they weren't as squeamish, when it came to blooding and bullying, a third world nation, formally known as Iraq !! Hypocrisy, they name is Republican and thy mask is conservatism= NeoCons ?!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | June 16, 2009 10:19 AM
Now that apologies are all the rage
.....,are the GOP and their minions publishing front page headlines with their apologies for calling their own citizens terrorist appeasers, commies, socialists . . and a slew of filthy epithets against those who voted in a two party democracy instead for "one party rule" whilst being called the "enemy" of America?
....and more filthy names/insults were screamed from the GOP roof tops .....because millions upon millions didn't buy into the 'yellow cake, WMD, mushroom cloud' theatrics . . . to murder millions?
The nation and the world who is watching await with bated breath for those apologies!
Posted by: Augie | June 16, 2009 11:04 AM
Is Sarah Palin serious? She's concerned about women's self-esteem? And this from the governor of a state with a male-to-female ratio of a 100-1 and where until not too long ago almost every woman was a hooker. I'm not an expert on anybody's self-esteem but if that esteem hinges on David Letterman's opinion I'd venture to say that person is beyond hope.
Posted by: James Sullivan | June 16, 2009 11:30 AM
Never attempt to explain anything to the dimocratic sheeple, truth and facts confuse them so.
Posted by: BDD | June 16, 2009 11:49 AM
Let's hope this is the end of the David Letterman - Sarah Palin feud. While last week Letterman apologized, it was in a snarky sort of way, and wasn't accepted by Palin...
Exclusive Video here:david letterman sarah palin joke
Posted by: David C | June 16, 2009 12:23 PM
Where was her outrage for these:
http://tinyurl.com/kltqsm
She is a political opportunist who is never embarrassed to bring her family into the fray.
Posted by: Dave | June 16, 2009 12:36 PM
Still waiting for the outrage. It couldn't be that the right wingers are only concerned when their favorite Republican female is the butt of a joke, could it? This couldn't just be partisan posturing on their part? If I don't see some anger at Mr. DePass's "joke" soon, I might be forced to conclude that the outrage about the Palin "joke" is less than sincere.
Posted by: Lou | June 16, 2009 12:39 PM
As a woman, I rebuke David Letterman for giving Sarah Palin an opportunity to shoot off her big, ignorant yap. That is his worse mistake. His joke, as regrettable as it was, was nothing in comparison to providing a platform to a woman who is a constant embarrassment to her gender. Her countless lies and gaffes during the 08 campaign; the revelations about her backstabbing climb to the top of state politics; her vindictive attempts to get her former brother-in-law fired; her connection to seditious Alaskan wannabe terrorists, and to a church that revels in the persecution of "witches"; her miserable record of service to the people of her state -- these are just the most glaring reasons why Letterman's bad public joke has nothing on Palin's bad public record.
Posted by: Shayla | June 16, 2009 1:27 PM
What a wimp Letterman is..caving in to all those who can't take a joke!
He should've stood his ground instead of whimpering back into his hole. Palin..ummmphf! Take a flying leap!
Posted by: Andrew | June 16, 2009 1:28 PM
I love how the idiocy that is the Loony Left thinks, if it can be called thinking.
We have one moron who says at one time nearly every woman in Alaska was a hooker. We have another moron who says the constitution has been downsized because of Letterman's apology. We've had one left-wing moron after another think there is nothing wrong with making jokes of an 18-year-old girl, because, well she is a Palin. No daughter should be the subject of these stupid jokes.
Now, should Letterman be fired over this? Heck no! They were bad, insulting jokes, nothing more, nothing less.
Letterman apologized. Palin accepted. Story is now over.
Posted by: John D | June 16, 2009 1:55 PM
Letterman should NEVER have apologized to the likes of Palin and her ilk.
Even after making the apology, Palin and her cohorts are trying to abolish THE FIRST AMENDMENT. These socialists need to be exposed for the Anti-American Scum that they are!
Fire Palin, Not Letterman!
Posted by: Absolute Truth | June 16, 2009 1:56 PM
Palin needs to just stop. She talks to much and does not make any sense. She is stupid and she and her low life family needs to stop talking, no one is interested.
Posted by: diana johnson | June 16, 2009 2:22 PM
Palin has been using this non controversy to go on a self serving media tour and a fundraising blitz off of her fundie nutjob supporters.
The entire Palin family can kiss my butt!
Posted by: Jessica | June 16, 2009 2:31 PM
How about this to think about: The l left wing ideology is supposed to stand for rejecting any prejudices in all forms and are themselves forerunners of equality. No, this doesn't apply to your much - hated Governor and her family whom many of you were brainwashed into believing the distorted stories formulated by the major media "giants" like MNBC, ABC and CNN. Letterman, sorry but you're not funny anymore. You are plain hypocrite! ( I don't think you'll pull this one on Biden's or Obama's daughters?!? right ) Leftist, you are great double- standard thinkers.
Posted by: eva | June 16, 2009 2:57 PM
The continuing discussion gives too much importance to both Palin And Letterman, both of which are small insignificant people. He's nothing but a lousy comic who'sonly still on because the network knows he better than infomercials. Sarah Palin is an uneducated uninformed Skirt that won the governorship of a small state with low voter turnout.
The republican who lost our local congressional vote got more votes in losing tha sarah got for governor.
Go away both of you.
Posted by: Kevin | June 16, 2009 2:58 PM
I thouyght the Republicans were against PPolitical Correctness. When did they become the PC speech police?
Posted by: Karl | June 16, 2009 3:05 PM
Amazing how many on here absolutely hate Palin.I am beginning to think she hits a nerve for many too close to the truth they do not want to hear. I find her of better quality and character than Michelle Obama. OH NO I just said a negative thing. Can't wait to see all the crazy leftists defend her.
Posted by: Carol | June 16, 2009 3:28 PM
One can only hope he apologized to make the controversy go away.
Was the joke in bad taste, yeah I guess so.
A lot of jokes are.
I did not see A Rod complaining.
Kinda sad the same rights she sites as the 1st amendment did not woork in Dave's case.
Let's just all move on already.
Maybe willow can aspire to be just like her role model Bristol one day.
Posted by: Dan | June 16, 2009 3:35 PM
I thouyght the Republicans were against PPolitical Correctness. When did they become the PC speech police?
Posted by: Karl | June 16, 2009 3:05 PM
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The minute they didn't like what was being spoken. But don't worry. As soon as they feel like "PC speech" is stifling their ability to demonize their enemies, they'll change back and "PC" will be a dangerous limitation on their First Amendment rights.
Posted by: Op109 | June 16, 2009 3:42 PM
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Posted by: Lou | June 16, 2009 9:01 AM
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Yes, I thought the man’s comments were despicable and justify severe censure and sanction. Likening any African-American to an ape or monkey only preserves the culture of hate in this country.
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In case you’ve been wondering why more people don’t answer your post, you might consider the fact that you think all conservatives are racists - and they know that’s what you think. In addition, you love to stereotype people.
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Just the other day you declared that I believed that conservatism is good, all liberals are evil, and that I know everything (or something like that). That’s not true, but I won’t convince you otherwise. To be honest, I think you believe that liberalism is good, conservatism is evil, and that conservatives can do nothing right. After all, they’re all racists, aren’t they?
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Of course, neither viewpoint furthers a healthy dialogue. They only dig chasms and build fences that divide people. The choice is yours. Don’t expect too many more responses until you moderate your views.
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Oh, and BTW - some of us have jobs, so we can’t hover over the Swamp 24/7 to answer your petulant rants.
Posted by: John W. | June 16, 2009 4:22 PM
Oh, and BTW - some of us have jobs, so we can’t hover over the Swamp 24/7 to answer your petulant rants.
Posted by: John W. | June 16, 2009 4:22 PM
**************************
Lou,
Don't pay attention to this narcissistic nut anymore. He doesn't do anything but sit in front of the communty computer at the old folks home all day long, when he's not outside yelling at clouds.
Posted by: unemployed lawyer | June 16, 2009 4:39 PM
Winston for President. Great post.
Posted by: troy | June 16, 2009 4:56 PM
Someone needs to find the footage of Leno saying very similar things about the Palin girls. Palin needed a story NOW bc she has recently been dissed by the GOP. It seems more about her than about a mother bear protecting her cub.
Posted by: Vivian | June 16, 2009 5:00 PM
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Posted by: unemployed lawyer | June 16, 2009 4:39 PM
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Little JohnEEE Trickled-On:
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It looks as though you just can’t keep from your fraudulent, mean-spirited ways. If all “liberals” were like you, it would be proof positive that liberals are generally hate filled liars. You accomplish nothing with your idiotic ankle biting other than prove you can’t respond intelligently or civilly to what others have to say. That goes for you in all of your alter-egos.
Posted by: John W. | June 16, 2009 5:36 PM
Now, now, John W, I never said all conservatives were racists, or even implied such a thing. I was taking conservatives, like you, to task for selective indignation when it came to offensive humor. The truth is that the right, not all, but overall, has been selective in their indignation. You are the one who brought race into it. I never did, so that line of argument is a non-starter. Nice try though.
Posted by: Lou | June 16, 2009 5:38 PM
Ya know, it's all because Letterman is out palling around with liberals and terrorists.
Somebody needs to remind the 'once-famous' governor of Alaska that the shot she took at Obama was over an incident that occurred when Obama was EIGHT YEARS OLD.
Posted by: RegularGuy | June 16, 2009 6:16 PM
He should have been fired just like Don Imus was fired. But of course we have a double standard here in America.
Posted by: Jason B | June 16, 2009 6:42 PM
Where is the apology to A-Rod for being called a pedophile?
Posted by: The Watcher | June 16, 2009 6:45 PM
Palin is diverting the media to talk about this instead of reporting on the fact that no one wants or needs the natural gas from Alaska...there is too much already in the market and building the pipeline is a pipe dream.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | June 16, 2009 7:32 PM
Letterman crossed the line with his monologue. I’m tired of so called comedians being given a pass… because they cloak hurtful comments as a joke.” Give me a break.
Truth is: Letterman's running scared with public opinion turning against him….But not to worry; Dave’s seen the light ...and now says he’s SORRY. Wow, now there's a real joke!
Still laughing Dave?
Posted by: mac | June 16, 2009 8:36 PM
Thankfully, Palin is on about 14:59 of her 15 minutes.
She's a moron who will never hold another office outside of Alaska, ever.
Posted by: Kathy | June 16, 2009 9:29 PM
How long before Sarah Palin's over-done 15 minutes of shock value shoot her foot into her mouth?
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Remember kids: Hard-fought freedom of speech should be used to promote eeeeeQquality and reEEEEspecT. Said Sarah Palin.
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Enough already. Go make moose jam or something.
Posted by: over it. | June 16, 2009 9:56 PM
Sarah Palin and her family are a complete joke. The only people who like her are Sean Hannity and other dumb men who find her "look" attractive. God forbid she ever reads a book or learns how to form complete sentences without looking like a complete idiot in the national spotlight. Please Governor Palin, do us all a favor and take your ball less husband and family and return to your rather primitive life in mediocrity. You are a has been politically and will never earn my vote.
Posted by: strussmanan | June 17, 2009 2:38 AM
Palin, is enjoying the attention. Late night adult shows are what they are. I have heard a lot worse on prime time tv. Get a life Palin You have had enough attention! I hope the news will get back to the bussiness of reporting things that are important.
Posted by: Trish | June 17, 2009 6:48 AM
Palin, is enjoying the attention. Late night adult shows are what they are. I have heard a lot worse on prime time tv. Get a life Palin You have had enough attention! I hope the news will get back to the bussiness of reporting things that are important.
Posted by: Trish | June 17, 2009 6:49 AM
I don't want to hear any more about Sarah Palin, Jon & Kate plus 8, or Tori Spelling. Who cares? Who are these people anyway? They are so BORING!
Posted by: jacqlash | June 17, 2009 6:50 AM
Looks like Palin has a way too much time on her hands. Is there anything pressing going on in Alaska? Letterman is just doing the right thing so he can get her on his show and destroy her. I bet her younger daughter goes out and gets knocked up too. She probably said to herself "Golly Gee, does Dave really think I could score with A-Rod?"
Posted by: Palin Is A Dimwit | June 17, 2009 10:51 AM
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Posted by: Lou | June 16, 2009 5:38 PM
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No, Lou, it’s not a non-starter. You were once ranting and raving about how the GOP is a racist organization. Well, guess what? The GOP has a rather large collection of conservatives within its ranks. At least, it had a large collection of them. Thus, if one paints the GOP indiscriminately as a racist organization, one is likely to get some paint on conservatives - and many non-racist conservatives are going to resent the gesture.
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And even if what I said about you isn’t exactly true, it doesn’t matter. You are no fastidious stickler for detail. A mere few threads ago you claimed that I believed that Conservatives are right moral and good; that liberals are wrong immoral and evil; there are no shades of gray between them; and that I view myself as infallible. This was pure nonsense; an overblown generalization that just doesn’t fly.
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What I said about you is no less true or fair than this stuff. It’s easy to write, awkward to refute, and hard to discuss without making one’s self the center of attention. Don’t do it again, and I won’t return the favor.
Posted by: John W. | June 17, 2009 12:48 PM
Palin-Letterman is yesterday’s news. Give it up.
Sarah can take care of herself quite well.
Letterman, Andy Rooney and Bill OReilly are industry dinosaurs.
These gray old men need to move aside and let someone like Glen
Beck take their seat.
Posted by: Addison Gast | June 17, 2009 10:00 PM
There are no rules for comedians...
There are rules for politicians...
At the end of Palin's desparate campaign she spewed all kind of lies...
Why doesn't she apologize for her comments?
Stop giving this Dit (Sarah Palin) press coverage.
Go to youtube and search for Saturday Night Live Palin Incest... and she still did the show, how many times?
Posted by: Rick | June 18, 2009 1:19 PM
I am not a fan of Palin, but this issue isn't really liberal or conservative to me at all. I think Letterman was out of line. He tried to hurt Sarah Palin by attacking her daughters instead.
Posted by: Sujan Patricia | June 24, 2009 8:41 PM
Who watches Late Night Libs anyway? Libs of course. That's why classy Dave says anything he pleases...but give him some credit. I heard he finally married the woman he "knocked up."
Posted by: Marinara | June 28, 2009 6:38 AM