On October 1, 2009, David Letterman, host of the Late Show on CBS, told his audience that he had had affairs with Late Show employees and that he was the target of an extortion scheme. Here is a timeline of events leading up to and after that revelation.
- Sept. 9, 2009: Letterman discovers a package inside his car at his Manhattan home. Inside the package is a "one-page screenplay" that details Letterman's sexual affairs and demands a "a large chunk of money." At one point, the letter reads: ""I know that you do some terrible, terrible things and that I can prove you do some terrible things,""
- Soon After: Letterman approaches the New York District Attorney's office. They confirm for Letterman, in no uncertain terms, that he is being blackmailed.
- Mid-September: Letterman and his lawyer allegedly meet with the suspect, Robert J. "Joe" Halderman, a producer for CBS's 48 Hours Mystery.
- Mid-September: Letterman, his lawyer and Halderman meet for a second time. During this visit, Letterman's lawyer tapes the conversation and prosecutors from the D.A.'s office listen in.
- Late-September: Letterman, his lawyer and Halderman meet for the last time. Again, the conversation is taped and prosecutors listen in. During this visit, Halderman is given a phony check for $2 million.
- End of September: Halderman allegedly tries to cash the check. He is soon arrested.
- October 1; Letterman decides to reveal the affairs and the extortion plot to his audience.
- October 2: Halderman arrives in court, where he pleads "not guilty" to charges of one count of attempted first-degree grand larceny, punishable by five to 15 years in prison.
- October 2, Late Night: The polish wears off the apology almost immediately, as rival talk show hosts Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon skewer Letterman with jokes. Conan O'Brien makes no comment - even when prodded by comedian Drew Carey - during The Tonight Show.
- October 3: Halderman refuses to speak to reporters and threatens to call police if they don't leave his property.
- October 6: Letterman apologies again to wife and staff on first day back after revelations. Scores big ratings - 5.7 million viewers - crushing Leno and The Tonight Show.
- October 27: A former writer for Late Night with David Letterman describes in an article for Vanity Fair online how she found the Late Night work environment hostile - even one in which female staffers who had sexual affairs with male employees received preferential treatment.
- November 11: Halderman asks the court to drop his case because, he claims, he was onlytrying to sell a script to Letterman.
- March 9, 2010: Halderman pleads guilty to grand larceny. "I attempted to extort $2 million from David Letterman by threatening to disclose personal and private information about him, whether true or false," Halderman read from a statement prepared for the court. "I knew throughout this time that I was not engaged in a legitimate business transaction with Mr. Letterman and that what I was doing was against New York law. I feel great remorse for what I have done."
