Dueling Confessionals
Talk show host David Letterman is getting high marks for the way he handled his public confession of adultery, while S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford’s “horrifying spectacle” appears to be the case study for “what not to do.”
That’s according to The Daily Beast’s Rebecca Dana, a “New York media elite girlcrush” who has also written for the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.
Here’s an excerpt from Dana’s column, dubbed the “Immaculate Confession …”
(Letterman) didn’t euphemize. He didn’t dissemble. He didn’t confess alcoholism, drug addiction, or personal weakness. He didn’t appeal to Jesus or the state of New York; didn’t define simple verbs, praise his in-laws, haul out his wounded spouse or dwell on how much he’d let everyone down. It was the most skillful handling of a sex scandal in the modern era.
Compare Letterman’s frank confession to the horrifying spectacle of South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford ‘fessing up to infidelity (this) spring …
You know … as much grief as we’ve given the governor, this obviously isn’t the world’s fairest comparison.
As infidelity goes, the apparent breadth and inappropriateness of Letterman’s multiple dalliances is far worse than what we currently know of Sanford’s behavior.
Of course, the governor did say he had “crossed lines” with other women (just not the “ultimate line”), but we never got a practical definition of what he meant by those terms.
For us, this is the “ultimate line.”
But for what it’s worth there’s always spooning afterward …
Comments
By Trey on October 8th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
So is God less mad at Letterman than he is Sanford?
By Crooner on October 8th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Letterman wasn’t married.
By Jonny D on October 8th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Stupid is the first word that comes to mind, and I’m talking about Rebecca Dana and her Letterman/Luv Guv analysis. Methinks Ms. Dana has tasted one too many dirty Sanchez. I mean she actually makes Mande’s mindless musings on Swayze-Polanski look good in comparison. But one thing that I have seen around, and that I totally agree with, is the Late Show with Letterman and the Luv Guv would be Must See TV. Fits, would you kindly use your infinite influence to make it happen. Thanks in advance!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8×5JqZNYpRQ
By Jonny D on October 8th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
and BTW, here’s a better version of Luv Guv’s press conference…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAzg4PDcyyE
By Sunnyvaleboy on October 8th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Letterman is in show biz —- free pass. Those ass clowns answer to no one.
By Mike on October 8th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Letterman not only was married (certainly under common law – they’ve been together for 23 years – formally married this past March) but has a 5 year old child with his wife. Few comedians were tougher on our not-so-beloved Luv Guv than Letterman, but I seriously doubt there will be many media types screaming “hypocrite” at Letterman…
By Strom's Daughter on October 8th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
When it comes to public confessionals, Mark Sanford couldn’t carry David Letterman’s sperm-stained jock-strap.
Part of the problem is that Mark Sanford talked about his love life in the same monotone voice he’d use at a Budget and Control meeting.
He’s fundamentally only interesting to himself.
Both men register high on the Creep-o-meter, though — with Sanford’s long pauses as he collects his adulterous thoughts especially unpleasant.
It was like waiting for a pervert to flash you as he fumbled for the buttons on his raincoat.
By Elizabeth Collier Shepherd on October 8th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
*** L CROSS MOON**** scheduled for 7:30 or 7: 31 am at 1733 Budon Court is a LIE> cooked up by C STREET.
L CROSS MOON means that my home will be raided folks.
It’s “dust, rocks and ice” that will be found BUT I DON”T DO DRUGS!
Reverend Sun Myong Moon is attempting a bloodless coup of the United States of America. He has been discovered and reported. No one is doing anything.
SO THEY ARE GOING TO ATTEMPT TO PUT ME AWAY OR MURDER ME>
a slow miserable death from late stage lyme disease isn’t enough.
Sanford wants me dead now.
Sanford is a one man death panel itching to catch a star.
L CROSS MOON> 1733 BUDON COURT COLUMBIA SC
7;30 am tomorrow morning.
By Pat Hendrix on October 9th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Letterman didn’t compare himself to biblical figures and Letterman wasn’t the Governor using taxpayer dollars to score some puntang in South America. Letterman was an unmarried dude having consensual sex with an employee. Tacky and unethical but it doesn’t touch the Luv Guv in lameness.