Joe Halderman, Letterman Extortionist, Nominated For An Emmy

The list of nominees for the News and Documentary Emmys was released on Thursday, and one name is sure to raise eyebrows: David Letterman's blackmailer Joe Halderman.

Halderman, who is currently serving a 6-month jail sentence for attempting to extort money from Letterman, is among the nominees for an episode of CBS's "48 Hours Mystery" called "American Girl, Italian Nightmare," about the case of Amanda Knox.

Halderman was a producer for "48 Hours" when he was busted in the Letterman plot. The extortion attempt forced Letterman to disclose his infidelity, allegedly with an employee, Stephanie Birkitt, who had dated Halderman.

(H/T TVNewser)

Below is the applicable part of the official Emmy press release:

Comments

[knerd]

07:26 AM on 07/18/2010

For an outstandin­g guest blackmaile­r in a late night comedy talk show, the Emmy goes to....

[esgabel]

11:14 AM on 07/17/2010

makes it all the more pathetic that he felt he had to blackmail Letterman.­..either as revenge or a revenue stream.

[Zebrawalk]

08:15 AM on 07/17/2010

He didn't get nominated for an Emmy for being an extortioni­st. He got nominated for a show he produced for 48 Hours that had nothing to do with the Lettermans­cum affair.

[jojobinx]

12:42 AM on 07/17/2010

What the hell happened to morals. He is nominated for being an extortioni­st. The SEC watches porn on tax payers money. Wallstreet and the banks near cause an economic collapse, double digit unemplomen­t, NO feasible jobs bill,we were leaking oil for what? 85 days. The repubs ( not all) want Obama to apologize for accepting "slush fund money". Are you sick yet??????

I am damn sick and tired of the crime ridden government running this country right off the rails. We have become a nation of puppets thanks GW. All the republican­s saved all their NO votes for Obama because they are all spineless, and the only yes vote is for their raises. I have had enough.

[Mister Biggles]

02:26 PM on 07/16/2010

He's an Emmy award winning extortioni­st.

Take that, Oksana. Try again, Elin.

[ramal]

01:00 PM on 07/16/2010

Well, if he wins perhaps he can barter it for cigarettes or somesuch with his roomies.

[garymc8]

11:34 AM on 07/16/2010

who nominated him glen beck?

[Bepa150]

11:14 AM on 07/16/2010

I couldn't be happier for him. He's a great guy and a terrific producer. CBS was right to put his name in. I he did the work, he deserves the credit for it. Don't you agree?

[ramal]

12:58 PM on 07/16/2010

No. Sometimes character should negate one's accomplish­ments.

[Bepa150]

01:04 PM on 07/16/2010

if character negated someone's accomplish­ments, where would Letterman be?

[appacom]

05:20 PM on 07/18/2010

I don't know if he's a great guy, but you are right - he did the work, and he deserves credit. Faved!

[tttom]

10:43 AM on 07/16/2010

It cannot be denied that he was directly responsibl­e for Dave's best shows.

[BillyClub]

09:32 AM on 07/16/2010

Sometimes, thanks to Hollywood, it's hard to separate fact from fiction. It's like
listening to Barbara Walters. How can anyone take her seriously? I suppose it is true
we shouldn't condemn someone's artistic efforts, simply because they are a creep.
I believe that is the case with Roman Polanski. His last movie, "The Ghost Writer"
was terrific. But, that doesn't signify that you would trust your 13 year-old granddaugh­ter
around that justice-fl­eeing-fugi­tive from an overdue punishment­.

[whyus]

09:25 AM on 07/16/2010

Do you think he'll appear on the Letterman Show?

[RandomMandarin]

09:12 AM on 07/16/2010

They have an extortion Emmy?

Who won it last year?

[clinickid]

09:24 AM on 07/16/2010

The Democrats.

[garymc8]

11:35 AM on 07/16/2010

blind as a dingbat

[Clarabell]

01:03 PM on 07/16/2010

You've really got "it" bad.

[Black Misfit]

09:02 AM on 07/16/2010

Oh the irony! You extort money to keep someone quiet, go to jail, get nominated to an Emmy. Where does crime pay in this case?

[hidenout]

10:13 PM on 07/16/2010

Welcome to the alternate universe that is Entertainm­ent....any­thing goes.
Just ask Polanski.

[Bepa150]

12:34 PM on 07/19/2010

Oh pull-eaze!

People would have been more sympatheti­c if he pulled Letterman out of the car and gave him a face for radio. Crime of passion.

[HDR]

08:49 AM on 07/16/2010

I know that the Emmy this guy is up for is not televised but what a hoot it would be if they were and he won! Via satellite, have his gray shrouded mug up there with the other nominees. And then, speech, speech!

[Karmamamma]

08:46 AM on 07/16/2010

moral or talent....­to be nomenated