Entertainment

By KATHRYN BROWN, CBS 2 HD News
NEW YORK (CBS) ― He's sorry, and he's paying for it.

Late night king David Letterman addressed the extortion scandal again Monday night on the "Late Show" and his new battle to save his marriage.

Letterman's biggest laughs came at his own expense.

"I got into this car this morning and the navigation lady wasn't speaking to me," the comic told his audience.

In his first taping since admitting to having workplace affairs Letterman tried his trademark humor, comparing himself to former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, President Bill Clinton, and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.

"I'll be honest with you folks right now I would give anything to be hiking the Appalachian Trail," he said.

He then turned serious as he apologized to his staff and to his wife, saying "She has been horribly hurt by my behavior ... and when something happens like that, if you hurt a person and it's your responsibility, you try to fix it."

After the taping several in attendance spoke to CBS 2 HD.

"As far as his marriage he knows there's a lot of work to be done. He kind of doesn't know where it's gonna go, what's gonna happen," said Larry Lefkowitz of Brooklyn.

"He was very sincere in his sadness over what this has created for his staff and for his family," added Jana Carmichael of Dallas.

Fellow comedian Steve Martin made an appearance ... and a few cracks.

"Steve commented, well unlike you I had a good weekend! He just made light of it in a way that he was supporting David," Martin said.

Robert "Joe" Halderman, a producer for the CBS News show "48 Hours Mystery" and the man accused of trying to blackmail Letterman for $2 million, has pleaded not guilty. He's accused of copying parts of his ex-girlfriend's diary and using it to extort money from the late-night funnyman. Letterman has admitting to having a relationship with her several years ago.

Halderman's attorney made the rounds on the early morning talk shows and said there is much more to the story than the public knows.

"I think at the end of the day when the case is tried and after the cross-examination of David Letterman and the whole story comes out I'm confident a jury will not find that criminal intent," Gerald Shargel said.

Shargel is one of the most high-powered defense attorneys in town, having represented both John Gottis, father and son, as well as Danny Pelosi. He was making the rounds of the network shows Monday morning and letting the Letterman camp know that he is advising his client, Halderman, to fight back.

"Look at the fact that there was a $2 million check," he said. "In the history of extortion, I don't think there's been a single case where the alleged extortionist took a check in payment."

James LaRossa hired Shargel out of law school many years ago and LaRossa himself is an expert in criminal law. He said Shargel may be making fun of the idea of a check in a blackmail scheme to let Letterman's lawyers know Shargel might then have potential jurors wonder – could the payment have been for something else? What's called, "reasonable doubt."

"Because the monies might very well have been paid by Letterman for one reason: stay away from my lady. Is there some anger involved in this? Is he upset over the fact that she's seeing Halderman? I don't know. It certainly adds another impact to it," said LaRossa.

Fans who attended the taping seemed content with how Letterman handled the situation.

"But he also made it clear that that was something in the past," fan Donna Priestly of Dallas said.

"He addressed it, made a joke, and moved on," added Will Bright of Chicago.

CBS 2 HD's Pablo Guzman contributed to this report.

• Video: Letterman Reveals Extortion Plot

 

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