On Monday night's program, David Letterman just couldn't help but rub a little salt in the wounds of Sarah Palin, and was ready with many pointed jokes and barbs about the resigning Alaska governor. And CBS is hardly shying away either, featuring Letterman telling fresh Sarah Palin jokes in all the promo ads for Letterman's program on both Monday and again Tuesday. If Sarah Palin had hoped to send a chilling effect over Letterman with the recent dust-up over his joke about her daughter, then it certainly didn't work. If anything, Letterman seems to be taking some real enjoyment and revenge, sensing that he clearly won the first round battle with Palin.
Letterman might have lost a few advertisers over his recent battle with Sarah Palin, however it also gave Letterman an important ratings boost just at the time that Conan O'Brien was taking over the helm at the TONIGHT SHOW. It was a worthwhile trade-off for Letterman, that gave him a critical ratings leapfrog boost just as Conan O'Brien struggles to add as much of Jay Leno's audience to his own core of die-hard late night viewers.
Undoubtably, Letterman is only hoping to reignite a new slap fight with Sarah Palin. It's good for ratings because the controversy draws the viewers to Letterman to see what's coming next and puts Conan O'Brien's ratings on the skids. So far, over at the Conan O'Brien's TONIGHT SHOW, no one has come up with any new ideas how to match any of this. There has been no attempt to create some controversy, and the guest quality is only about as good as the old late night show that O'Brien once hosted, giving Letterman a rare clear opportunity to cement a fresh ratings lead over the TONIGHT SHOW.
Letterman's performance on Monday looked far more like provocation that anything. Letterman appears to be deliberately looking to get under the thin skin of Palin once again, and reignite a fresh round of attacks and counterattacks. Outrageous. Yes, indeed. But the ratings bump that Letterman scored in round one apparently has CBS encouraging Letterman to do more of the same, as last night's program and promo ads all seem to clearly indicate. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that fact coming all the way up Broadway.
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David Letterman
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Comments (8)
I didn't catch it, but I ho... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Jay Tea | July 7, 2009 10:47 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
I didn't catch it, but I hope like hell he limited himself to shots at Palin herself, and for once left the kids alone...
J.
1. Posted by Jay Tea | July 7, 2009 10:47 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on July 7, 2009 10:47
2. Posted by Paul Hooson | July 7, 2009 11:20 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Hello Jay. Letterman did stick to attacks on just Palin. But it sure seemed like he was really trying to stick the knife in and turn it. And that part I personally found very bothersome. But I know that revenge as well as ratings are at the heart of all this latest round of slap fights. And Letterman has more Palin jokes ready to roll again tonight. Likely he'll do everything possible to provoke her once again to respond, which I think is sort of absurd. But Letterman and CBS know that ratings are what they're looking out for here.
2. Posted by Paul Hooson | July 7, 2009 11:20 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on July 7, 2009 11:20
3. Posted by Wordygirl | July 7, 2009 1:29 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Stopped watching Letterman years ago when he ceased being a comedian and started with his left-wing vitriol.
3. Posted by Wordygirl | July 7, 2009 1:29 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on July 7, 2009 13:29
4. Posted by JLawson | July 7, 2009 1:30 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Makes me wonder which direction his ratings are actually going... as I recall, Couric's haven't exactly zoomed since her Palin interview.
4. Posted by JLawson | July 7, 2009 1:30 PM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on July 7, 2009 13:30
5. Posted by Jay Tea | July 7, 2009 6:59 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)
Palin never complained against attacks or jokes against herself. She complained about bullshit ethics charges that were bankrupting her family and attacks on her children -- and it looks like Letterman learned his lesson.
If that means he felt the need to assert his masculinity by doubling down with attacks on her, so be it. She's shown she can take that.
And Letterman is still an asshole...
J.
5. Posted by Jay Tea | July 7, 2009 6:59 PM |
Score: 7 (7 votes cast)
Posted on July 7, 2009 18:59
6. Posted by Oldflyer | July 7, 2009 7:44 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Let Letterman and his ilk have their little jokes. The time will come when even the jaded American public will tire of them. Most Americans still don't like bullies and are glad to see them get their sorry asses kicked.
I wish I could kick Letterman's ass (figuratively) by not tuning into his program; but since I never tune in anyway that won't work.
6. Posted by Oldflyer | July 7, 2009 7:44 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on July 7, 2009 19:44
7. Posted by SCSIwuzzy | July 8, 2009 10:11 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
#4
There is a reason the European Fecal Standards and Measurements Institute uses the Couric scale in their measurements.
7. Posted by SCSIwuzzy | July 8, 2009 10:11 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on July 8, 2009 10:11
8. Posted by GarandFan | July 8, 2009 1:55 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Letterman is just pandering to his audience. Small things amuse small minds.
8. Posted by GarandFan | July 8, 2009 1:55 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on July 8, 2009 13:55