Jun 16, 2009 5:30 pm US/Eastern
Group Wants Letterman Fired Despite Palin Apology
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin Says She Accepts David Letterman's Apology
Fire David Letterman Group Holds Rally Outside 'Late Show' Building In NYC
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
-
-
The group calling itself Fire David Letterman holds a rally outside the Ed Sullivan Building in New York City where the "Late Show" is filmed on June 16, 2009.
Nicola A. Menzie/CBS
Poll
Should Letterman be fired over his Palin joke?
You need the latest Flash player to view our Poll.
Click here to download.
Click here to
bypass this detection if you already
have the latest Flash Player.
Sarah Palin says she accepts David Letterman's apology for the joke about her daughter.
The Alaska governor, in a statement issued Tuesday, said the apology was accepted "on behalf of all young women, like my daughters, who hope men who 'joke' about public displays of sexual exploitation of girls will soon evolve."
On his CBS' "Late Show" on Monday night, Letterman said his joke about one of Palin's daughters being "knocked up" by Alex Rodriguez can't be defended.
He said the joke referred to 18-year-old Bristol Palin, not her 14-year-old sister Willow. But Letterman said it's his responsibility that people believed that he intended to target Willow, who had attended a New York Yankees game with her mother.
"I'm sorry about it, and I'll try to do better in the future," he said.
Palin may have accepted Letterman's apology, but a group organized by New York State Assemblyman Brian Kolb, attorney Gwendolyn Lindsay-Jackson, and radio talk show host John Ziegler is urging CBS to fire the late night host.
The group, responsible for the Web site
www.firedavidletterman.com, had gathered Tuesday afternoon across the street from the Ed Sullivan building in New York City where the "Late Show" is filmed. As of 4p.m., there were a handful of protesters in a closed of area along Broadway yelling "fire him!" The "Late Show" is filmed daily at 4:30p.m.
Assemblyman Kolb has already publicly sent a
letter to CBS CEO Les Moonves stating that CBS should fire Letterman, according to a
press release from the group.
During the pre-tape of the "Late Show," Letterman acknowledge the protesters and Palin's reaction his apology. "The good news is Sarah Palin has accepted my apology," he said. "She also accepted a $500 gift certificate from Lens Crafters."
Letterman also noted that apologizing wasn't easy. "I was really nervous about an apology to Palin," he said. "I rehearsed by apologizing to Tina Fey."
Letterman last week tried to make light of the joke after the first indications that it fallen flat. Palin had called the comments "sexually perverted," and her husband, Todd, said that "any jokes about raping my 14-year-old are despicable."
Palin said Tuesday that Letterman has the right to joke about whatever he wants to, and "thankfully we have the right to express our reaction."
"This is all thanks to our U.S. military men and women putting their lives on the line for us to secure American's right to free speech," she said. "In this case, may that right be used to promote equality and respect."
Although Bristol, an unwed mother, was the target of his joke, Letterman didn't name her when it was originally made on June 8.
It was "a coarse joke," "a bad joke," Letterman told viewers. "But I never thought it was (about) anybody other than the older daughter, and before the show, I checked to make sure, in fact, that she is of legal age, 18."
"The joke, really, in and of itself, can't be defended," he declared.
If there's a misconception that he was making the joke about a 14-year-old, Letterman said he understands why people are upset. "I would be upset myself," he said.
"I feel that I need to do the right thing here and apologize for having told that joke," he said. "It's not your fault that it was misunderstood, it's my fault that it was misunderstood."
Letterman made several references to the issue during his monologue, introducing himself as "Dave Letterman, good will ambassador." He said he got a call from his mother earlier in the day telling him she was siding with Palin.
When he began a joke about Bernard Madoff, whom he called "the most hated man in America," he then amended that to a list of two.
"Me, Bernie Madoff," he said. "He was waaay out in front until a couple of days ago."
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments