LETTERMAN

This guy. I tell ya. He's had some problems,eh?

The same thing that makes David Letterman appealing as a performer -- his Midwestern normal self-deprecating funny guy personality -- is probably the same thing that has made him seem like an easy target for lunatics, kidnappers, and extortionists. Too trusting of too many, it is likely.

He handles these incidents publicly with exceptional finesse. This is the first time, however, he has had to admit to some questionable behavior on his part -- having sexual relations with several women who worked for him. This issue has two parts: the ethical problem of the boss procuring "talent" from a pool of eager showbiz/power-dazzled young things, probably making CBS pretty unhappy with potential HR/lawsuit problems, and that Letterman was supposedly in a monogamous relationship with former Late Show employee Regina Lasko since 1986. Lasko and Letterman married earlier this year; they have a young son together.

Dave, Dave, Dave. You couldn't keep it in your Worldwide Pants. But now it seems obvious why you did not marry Ms. Lasko earlier. You could always say, hey, right? No paper on me.

I would think that at age 62 Letterman would just be completely tired of all of this, and the very serious costs all these incidents have had to his family. But past the normal Midwestern self-deprecating guy, there's another guy -- the one who pursued the spotlight, wanted attention, wanted people to see him, wanted to be someone in a big arena, wanted every perk a guy can get from fame. Those two guys duke it out inside him all the time, count on it.

I still like the guy because he is sharp as hell and makes me smile. Would I like him in real life? I guess that depends on which person I was: lunatic, kidnapper, extortionist, dalliance, boss, car salesman, scholarship recipient, or wife.