David Letterman paying the price

As an ethics instructor and someone with experience working in a modest position of authority, I am particularly interested in the fact that Mr. Letterman has admitted to having had affairs with women who worked for him on his television show.

Difficult as it may be, I must somehow separate the person here from the behavior. I like David Letterman as an entertainer. I relieved academic stress while in graduate school in the 1980s partly by staying up late and laughing at this man's jokes on TV. For years I have admired his comedy, his intelligence and his charm. Another reason I like him is that his eye glasses, receding hairline and fondness for cigars remind me a wee bit of someone I believe I know.

I heaved a gentle sigh of relief when I read some time back that Mr. Letterman had finally found his way to a courthouse and gotten married. He and his partner had a child years ago, after all, and I happen to be one of those funny old fuddy-duddies who like to see children grow up with the love of parents who have taken public vows to one another. Oh, how ridiculously romantic and outdated my views on marriage must seem.

See then my bag of mixed feelings about David Letterman.

When we look at a painful situation from the outside, words may come easily to mind.

“OK, Mr. Letterman, be quiet now. You've attracted truckloads of publicity by bringing your personal troubles to your television audience. You've managed to say you are sorry to your staff and to your wife. We heard you use the word “responsibility,” as if you were trying to take responsibility here for at least some of the hurt you've caused. So, why not recognize reality and quit while you're ahead? Stop talking now and go on with your life.”

That is what I would like to say to Mr. Letterman. But there is more here to ponder.

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