Letterman declines to take it on the chin
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Say, here’s a fun party game: Click through to the clip of David Letterman’s 7-minute response to the Sarah/Bristol Palin kerfuffle , the one slugged “Letterman apologizes to Palin,” and see if you can find the part where Letterman apologizes. I’ll wait.
Letterman apologizes to Palin (video)–The Live Feed.
Are you back? Good. Here’s the thing: I’ve watched the video three times and I can’t spot the apology. So I’m wondering: What led The Live Feed, a blog run by The Hollywood Reporter, to characterize Letterman’s lengthy remarks as apologetic? What led the AP to do the same? (For the record, AP gave itself some wiggle room in its headline — “Letterman Sort Of Apologizes About Palin Wisecrack” — but flatly called the statement an apology in its lede.)
Maybe it was this: Nobody on TV handles these moments quite like Letterman. His statement on the Palin business was an exquisitely calibrated blend of indignation, humor and exegesis. Faced with a demagogic attack from the Palins, who are apparently retooling the “Average Folks vs. Out-of-Touch Lefties From The Coasts” line for 2012, Letterman reacted appropriately. He quoted the jokes in their entirety so his remarks would have context. He deftly deflected any pressure to defend them or disclaim them — “There are thousands of jokes I regret telling on this program” — and then went right to the thornier but more relevant issue of intent. In other words, the statement was complicated, and it was nuanced. And right here is where the coverage was doomed. When was the last time TV beat writers had to recognize and describe anything nuanced in late night? The poor guys: They never knew what hit them.
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Classic Letterman. Not only doesn’t he apologize, but he points out the inanity of Palin’s claims in an understated, wandering back-door stroll. Underneath,though, there’s the faintest hint of an edge.
With all the noise recently about Leno and Conan, this shows why Dave is still the sharpest shooter in late-night TV.
Bill, I was going to blog about this — but I can’t improve on what you posted. Well said.
It was Dave being Dave — the one I’ve always liked, the one who has no patience for pomposity and posturing.
Thanks. I think he’s got the wind at his back on this one.
Kudos to Dave for not giving in to the absurd noises coming from PalinVille.
And btw when did knocked up equate to rape?
Dave is still as brilliant as ever. Not only did he not apologize, he took a moment to let us all enjoy the “slutty flight attendant” joke one more time.
I can only hope that Sarah Palin takes him up on his offer to appear on the show.
And four days later, Letterman caves. Fully and abjectly. All this over Embassy Suites? Related: Cancel my reservation at Embassy Suites, please.