Jay Leno on The Huffington Post

Bill Maher Talks Afghanistan, Banking Rates, And Tiger Woods (VIDEO)

2009-12-01T12:30:27Z

Bill Maher appeared on The Jay Leno Show Monday night, and discussed current events, including the Tiger Woods media frenzy, and the imminent troop surge in Afghanistan.

"I thought the whole cowboy-liberator dreamworld was over, but this is more sameness I can believe in," Maher said of President Obama's Afghanistan strategy.

Of the Tiger Woods debacle, Maher said, "What a bunch of vultures the media are. Who has not left their house at 2:30 in the morning and crashed into their neighbor's mailbox?"

WATCH:

Joseph A. Palermo: California: Killing the Goose that Lays the Golden Eggs

2009-12-01T09:55:24Z

Like the GI Bill that gave access to a college degree for the first time to a generation of Americans, the creation of the California State University system fifty years ago did the same for Californians. In the decades that followed there was an explosion of innovation in all fields and an era of unprecedented economic growth. These mid-20th Century public investments tapped into the talent of millions of people who would otherwise be denied access to a quality education. The highly skilled labor force these investments created helped make California the most vibrant state economy in the nation.

In a "white paper" titled, "'Restructuring' the CSU or Wrecking It?: What Proposed Changes Mean and What We Can Do about Them," the California Faculty Association (CFA), the largest faculty union in the state (to which I belong), has identified the perilous path our "leaders" both in Sacramento and among CSU administrators are leading us down. "On every one of our campuses, we are seeing signs that a profound change in the mission of our California State University is being implemented from the top under cover of the economic crisis," said CFA President Lillian Taiz, a professor of History at CSU Los Angeles. The state that brought the world microprocessors, cell phones, computers, and the Internet is in the process of gutting its system of public higher education in the name of "restructuring." In effect, they're killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

Governor Arnold Scwharzenegger and the Republicans in the Legislature who control California's finances have apparently concluded that it is not even worth trying to compete with India and China anymore. California's "leaders," by abandoning the CSU, are throwing in the towel. They've given up. One would think that even Republicans like Senate Minority Leader Dennis Hollingsworth and Senator Dave Cogdill would care about maintaining America's competitive edge against its commercial rivals. Yet they are pursuing an irresponsible and cynical "restructuring" of the CSU that is terrible for California's future and bad for the United States' position in the world economy.

State officials and CSU administrators have sent faculty contradictory signals. On the one hand, they tell us that we should willingly accept increased workloads, over-crowded classrooms, "furloughs," downsizing and lay-offs; while, on the other hand, they tell us we should retain all the idealism and dedication that led us to become professional educators in the first place. Wave after wave of devastating budget cuts to the CSU have undermined academic excellence and have had a demoralizing effect on the people who have sought careers in higher education in California. "Faced with a seemingly endless onslaught of bad news about changes on our campuses that just 'can't be helped,'" the CFA paper sadly notes, educators are experiencing a growing "sense of futility and paralysis."

"The current economic crisis provides cover for the destruction of public higher education in California," the CFA "white paper" bluntly states. And it calls for organized resistance against any permanent "restructuring" of the CSU in the current context of widespread economic insecurity. The CFA document also points out: "The provision of a broad liberal education for communities that might have no other access is at the heart of the CSU's mission and at the heart of what is under attack." CSUs located in rural communities and those serving underrepresented students are currently being targeted to take the hardest hits.

". . . The "restructuring" process is already under way on a number of CSU campuses including Bakersfield, Dominguez Hills, Humboldt, Pomona, San Diego and Stanislaus. The process is different from campus to campus and has begun under a number of different labels including "program planning," "restructuring" and "prioritization." Whatever the process is being called . . . there is a profound shift in public policy taking place concerning the CSU's mission."

CSU Chancellor Charles Reed and the Board of Trustees show zero leadership amidst the severest fiscal crisis the CSU has ever faced. They, along with visionless state politicians, are presiding over the systematic dismantling of public higher education in California. In the midst of the current economic crisis brought about by the failure of unregulated financial markets and twisted profit maximization schemes, California's "leaders" have concluded that investing in higher education is no longer affordable. "There's no money!" Chancellor Reed proclaims.

Yet the CFA's position paper connects the "trillions of tax-payer dollars" that have been "spent in just the past year on bailing out banks," with the bogus claim that there is no money available for higher education. It also notes that the draconian cuts to higher education in California contradict President Barack Obama's stated commitment to a more enlightened educational policy.

Not only are we able to find the money to bail out banks and fight foreign wars but there are potential revenues right here in California that could be tapped to save public higher education. Perhaps Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Jay Leno and other wealthy people who choose to live in the Golden State could be asked to chip in a little more? Or maybe the Taco Bells and the KFCs and the Burger Kings and the McDonalds and the Home Depots and the Wal-Marts and all the other giant corporations that make a killing each year off California consumers could be asked to pay a little extra? Or perhaps we could pass Assembly Bill 656 to create a severance tax on oil extraction just as George W. Bush's Texas and Sarah Palin's Alaska do? Or maybe we could modify Proposition 13 to remove huge commercial real estate holdings from the tax exemption while retaining it for residential homeowners?

And where do Chancellor Reed and the Board of Trustees stand on these and other revenue-raising proposals that might save the college system they are charged to protect? They refuse to take a stand. And because they won't take a stand it's perfectly reasonable for Californians to demand an explanation.

The public must be made to appreciate what's at stake here: A precious public resource that took decades to build is in the process of being "restructured" out of existence. Once it's gone it will be very difficult (if not impossible) to build up again. And it will undermine the quality of life in California for decades to come. The CSU system produces 60 percent of all bachelors degrees in California. The Governor, the Legislature, and the CSU administrators have formed a wrecking crew. They seem willing to allow California's workforce to become low wage and less educated, even though a low-wage society can never be an affluent society. The recent protests by University of California students and faculty show that those who support public higher education in California won't go down without a fight. The CSU will only survive if students and their families heed the alarm bells CFA is ringing and stand up together and say: "Enough!"

Jay Leno Losing His Audience To DVR Machines

2009-11-29T14:08:33Z

NEW YORK — Much of the prime-time audience lost to NBC when Jay Leno moved into prime-time has gone not to its rivals but the digital video recorder.

Rival network executives seemed almost giddy at the possibilities last spring after NBC announced Leno would do a comedy show five nights a week at 10 p.m. There will be more viewers available "for people who put on great dramas," said Leslie Moonves, CBS chief executive, "and that's what we do."

Charles Barkley On "Jay Leno" VIDEO: Trashes Reporters, Talks Sammy Sosa, Politics And More

2009-11-25T15:57:16Z

Charles Barkley stopped by the "Jay Leno Show" last night and touched on a range of topics with his typical candor. Barkley expressed his interest in becoming a NBA GM, and struck back at people who have questioned his fitness for the job:

"It's funny, people talk about you like you're dead, they're like, 'he's not gonna want to work hard.' Dude, I'm in the basketball Hall of Fame. Ain't no lazy people in there. Funny thing about it, it's like reporters calling me lazy. Reporters are the laziest people in the world. They're going to call me lazy. I've actually accomplished something in my life."

He singled out Skip Bayless and Jay Mariotti, calling them "idiots" and criticizing them for being excessively negative. Asked what happened to his desire to run for governor of Alabama, Barkley told Leno that "politics have become a scumbag business." He also told Leno which reporters he likes and discussed Sammy Sosa's skin. Watch the rest of the interview below.

WATCH:

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Jonathan Leigh Solomon: 12 Comics Who Aren't Funny? Or, Let Us Now Bash Robin Williams Part. 1

2009-11-23T09:29:00Z

Who is Sarah Ball and why is she saying awful things about Emo Phillips? And, why is she not saying awful things about Robin Williams? I.E., if she is going to bash those twelve, she ought to also be brave enough, and have the critical eye required, to take on sacred cow comedians like Williams and George Carlin.

Okay, first, let's run down the twelve she does go after:

1) Larry the Cable Guy: Is funny to the type of people who think Larry the Cable Guy is funny. And, he's likable, likable, likable. That's how he Git(s) Er Done.

2) Carlos Mencia: Ms. Ball got this one right. (If Carlos Mencia didn't steal jokes he'd be the unfunny-ist comedian since ... Carlos Mencia.)

3) Howie Mandel: Is not doing stand-up when he's hosting Deal or No Deal - he's a game show host. To say that he is not funny based on the venue? Howie Long is retired from the NFL and is now a studio analyst with FOX Sports. Does that mean he currently sucks as a defensive end?

4) Dane Cook: The super finger won't get Dane into the Hook Hall of Fame alongside "I don't get no respect" and "take my wife, please," but it will get votes - and, Rodney and Henny never had a Garden full of fans doing it with him unison.

5) Gallagher: For a prop bit, early Sledge-O-Matic demonstrations were funny. Second point in his favor: a pretty good definition of decent funny is when people will pay to your brother do your act. But, if you want to see the prop act who really brings the fun, check out the Legendary Wid.

6)Andrew "Dice" Clay: With him, funny/not funny, is besides the point. What's important is Dice confused making jokes about getting an anvil dropped on your head, with dropping anvils on heads. And, whatever happened on CNN, on Dice Undisputed he revealed himself to be quite a sweet fellow.

7) Emo Phillips: Enjoyment of comedy delivery is, of course, subjective, but writing, "if you saw Emo Phillip's jokes on paper you'd probably laugh," is, ipso facto, to say that he is funny. And, another thing - check out this clip. You will laugh. Outloud.

8) Jay Leno: Sure, the Tonight Show monologue and the Tonight Show's 10 PM offspring is easy to slam. But, before the Peter Principle of Rising to a Station of Comic Venue Beyond Your Comfort Zone got his delivery in a vice, Jay was one of the most monster funny club comics around. When The Jay Leno Show finally gets canceled, he will be again.

9) Jeff Dunham: Agreed. And, how Dunham is a star and Otto and George are not, is worthy of a special on the Mystery Channel.

10) Pauly Shore: Personally, I think he's funny. But who cares what I think. What's undeniable is that his career is funny.

11) Carrot Top: No reason to kick a man while he's orange.

12) Yakov Smirnoff: What, did Ms. Ball do - drive out to Branson, to confirm he's still not funny? In any case, he's not bothering anyone and this is no way to treat an immigrant.

Stay tuned for part 2 of this column and the bashing of George and Robin. As a prelim - if I didn't let put up my own days in stand-up and let you decide if I belong in the Unfunny 12, I'd be quite the comedy coward, so, if you'd like, take a look.

Rebecca On Jay Leno: Biggest Loser 2009 Contestant Rebecca Meyer Talks Life (VIDEO)

2009-11-18T10:15:40Z

Rebecca Meyer, a recently ousted Biggest Loser contestant, made an appearance on the Jay Leno Show last night.

She addressed a wide range of issues on Leno, including her experience with the Biggest Loser, her weight transformation, being bullied as a kid, healthy eating, and even her romantic relationship with fellow Biggest Loser contestant Daniel Wright.

WATCH PART ONE OF THE REBECCA MEYER JAY LENO INTERVIEW:

WATCH PART TWO OF THE REBECCA MEYER JAY LENO INTERVIEW:

Don McNay: President Obama's Entrepreneurial Mindset

2009-11-16T14:07:48Z

I can give you
anything but time

-Elvis
Costello

I'm sometimes critical of President Obama because it often seems to me that he doesn't understand people like me – an owner of a small
business in a small town.

I have not seen much evidence of Obama being in touch with
small-town
Kentucky, but
after reading David Plouffe's new book, The
Audacity to Win, I have become
convinced that he knows what it takes to run a business.

I'm a devoted student of Dan Sullivan, the “Strategic Coach" for
entrepreneurs. I went through Sullivan’s program in Toronto. Dan has devoted
his life to helping entrepreneurs become better at their craft. I am convinced that President
Obama operated his 2008 Presidential
campaign with a classic entrepreneurial mindset.

Common
traits of successful entrepreneurs include setting
seemingly impossible goals and challenging conventional wisdom.

Planning to be President of the United
States is a pretty high goal.
Especially for a guy who had been an Illinois state legislator just five years
ago.

When history goes back to studying the Obama
campaign, it will compare it to the William Jennings Bryan campaign of 1896 or
Ross Perot's in 1992. Those unconventional
styles of
campaigning set the standard for every
campaign after them.

No one focused on Larry King before Ross Perot did.
Now,
all candidates find their way to Larry, Leno, Dave, Ellen, Tyra and Oprah.

Now, every campaign is going to organize and raise
money using the
Obama model.

Like a Steven Jobs or Bill Gates, Obama changed the dynamic.

But unlike
Bryan and Perot,
Obama won.

And he
did in classic entrepreneurial fashion. He developed a campaign plan that
exploited
opportunities that seemed crazy to "Washington insiders.”

It was the same way Steven Jobs and Bill Gates seemed crazy to IBM and Xerox. Or the way that Google seemed crazy to Microsoft.

A good entrepreneur takes what "the
professionals" see as disadvantages and turns them into advantages.

Jimmy Carter had one of the most innovative
campaigns of
the modern era. People laughed when an unemployed, former governor of a Southern
state decided to be president. Carter understood that being unemployed
allowed him to campaign full time, and that being Southern allowed him to connect to a large segment of
the population who didn't want George Wallace as the primary symbol of southern
politics.

Obama took the unconventional candidate theory to a new
extreme. We have not had many senators become president, and especially not many one-term senators. I can't think of another president who was raised by an unmarried,
single mother. I’m sure
Obama is the first president born in Hawaii. He’s younger than all but a
handful of presidents and has an unusual name.

Also, did I mention that
he is African-American?

As Plouffe's book points out, Obama's
"negatives," like Jimmy Carter's negatives, turned out to be
positives.

Plouffe noted that among people who voted in the 2004 George W. Bush- John
Kerry election, Obama beat McCain by only a 50% to 49% margin. Depending on how
the electoral votes would have played out, Obama could have narrowly won, narrowly lost or faced the
same fate as Al Gore.

Instead, a huge turnout by African-Americans and younger voters propelled Obama to a landslide victory.

Obama did not run the
campaign by conventional rules. He
developed his own rules and made them work for him.

It’s tough to challenge conventional wisdom. Everyone wants to tell
you what you are doing wrong.

Programs like the Strategic Coach teach
entrepreneurs to develop written goals and to have ways to measure how people are progressing
towards those goals.

Plouffe noted the discipline exhibited
by the Obama campaign in sticking to their game plan.
The early campaign was roundly criticized by "experts" who didn't see the same
vision that the Obama people saw.

I was impressed by how they were able to use matrices to measure
every aspect of the campaign, like fundraising, organizing and coordinating, to track how successfully the campaign was meeting its plan.

It has been said that anything that
can be measured, can be obtained. In Obama's case, that
included the Presidency of the United States.

Dan Sullivan built most of his
coaching philosophy around something called the "entrepreneurial time
system." An entrepreneur's time is the
most precious resource of any business, and it needs to be treated as such.

I've seen way too many political candidates and business people
try to be everywhere, doing everything, and who wind up being nowhere and
getting nothing much done.

Until I read The Audacity to Win, I had no idea how
much campaign focus was directed
to proper use of Omaba's time. Time was also scheduled for the
candidate to relax and spend time with his family. There was a lot of pressure
to have Obama go to outside debates and rallies, but the plan called for him to stay focused on the Iowa primary and never to waver from
his central message.

His highly favored primary opponent, Hillary
Clinton, did not manage her time as
well and had a litany of campaign messages. Obama against Clinton was like
watching an energetic start-up go against a bureaucratic
mega-corporation.

We all rooted for David over Goliath. Entrepreneurs are those who
can look at Goliath and recognize
that a giant can be taken down.

Just like Barack Obama took the Presidency.

Don McNay, CLU, ChFC, MSFS, CSSC is
one of the world's leading authorities in helping people deal with “Big
Money” issues.

McNay
is an award winning, syndicated financial columnist and
Huffington Post Contributor.

You can read more about Don at www.donmcnay.com

McNay
founded McNay Settlement Group, a structured settlement and financial
consulting firm, in 1983 and Kentucky Guardianship Administrators LLC
in 2000. You can read more about both at www.mcnay.com

McNay
has Master's Degrees from Vanderbilt and the American College and is in the
Eastern Kentucky University Hall of Distinguished Alumni.

McNay
has written two books. Most recent is Son of a Son of a Gambler: Winners, Losers
and What to Do When You Win The Lottery

McNay
is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Round Table and has four
professional designations in the financial services field.

Jay Leno Hits New Low, George Lopez Debuts Strong

2009-11-10T18:16:24Z

"The Jay Leno Show" hit a new ratings low Monday night, while the debut of George Lopez's "Lopez Tonight" posted strong and promising numbers.

Leno registered a 1.15 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic, its lowest A18-49 rating to date, reports the New York Times' Bill Carter. Carter notes that NBC uses the A18-49 metric "to define success because of the number of advertisers who want to reach that group."

Meanwhile, Lopez premiered strong on three Turner networks, averaging 3.2 million total viewers across TNT, TBS, and truTV. The show premiered on all three networks, but will air on TBS, where it averaged 1.7 million total viewers and 1 million A18-49 viewers.

The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd says these numbers are promising for Lopez.

"That's higher than the current season averages (though not the premieres) of the adult demo draws for talk shows like CBS' 'Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson,' ABC's 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' and Comedy Central's 'The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,'" Hibberd writes. "If you use the combined three-net number, the show was sampled by more adult demo viewers than Conan O'Brien or David Letterman's average.

In related news, Broadcasting & Cable's Alex Weprin reports that NBC is shaking up the format of Leno's show. Whereas the show had been designed to save "Tonight Show" features like "Headlines" and "Jaywalking" for the end — to keep viewers for the 11PM local newscasts — those features are now following the monologue, almost identical to Leno's "Tonight Show" format.

Watch Lopez's debut monologue:

Watch Leno's Monday night show:

Andy Borowitz: Damning New Memo Compares Afghanistan to Jay Leno Show

2009-11-10T08:39:05Z

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) - A scathing new memo on Afghanistan written by one of President Obama's top security advisors emphasizes the futility of a continued U.S. military presence there, at one point going so far as to compare the war to NBC's "Jay Leno Show."

"When you go at it day after day and there are no signs of improvement, no chance of success, that is what you have in 'The Jay Leno Show,'" writes General James Jones. "Also, Afghanistan."

But moments after the memo was released, administration officials were quick to say that General Jones' comparison of Afghanistan to the Leno program were "too harsh."

"We are very cognizant that Afghanistan is challenging and will continue to be so," said White House press secretary Robert Gibbs. "But have you seen the Leno show? Come on."

Mr. Gibbs added that while the situation in Afghanistan was very violent, it was "still not as bad as women's soccer." More here.

Lloyd Grove: Don't Count Leno Out

2009-11-03T10:24:06Z

With his ratings tanking, critics and competitors smell blood. But the hardest working comic in show business has always had the last laugh.

Read more: Lloyd Grove, Jay Leno, Media News

Jay Leno On Letterman Scandal: "Dave Has Never Pretended To Be Mr. Moral America"

2009-11-02T08:49:55Z

In a wide-ranging interview with trade publication Broadcasting & Cable, Jay Leno weighs in on everything from his negative press to his relationship with NBC affiliates to the sex scandal plaguing his old rival David Letterman.

When asked if he regretted moving to 10PM to host "The Jay Leno Show," Leno told B&C, "Would I have preferred to stay at 11:30? Yeah, sure. I would have preferred that. I think it's too soon to say whether I regret anything or not."

Leno also said that while he "wouldn't trade places with [Letterman] now for anything!" he doesn't believe the sex scandal will ultimately affect Letterman's reputation as he "never pretended to be Mr. Moral America":

He's not being a hypocrite; Dave has never set himself up as [a model citizen]. If it were me, it would kill me. I'm the guy who's been married 29 years. But Dave has never pretended to be Mr. Moral America, he's never set himself up that way. He's not a hypocrite. I don't know how it will be viewed. He doesn't do corporate days like me, he's not as advertiser-friendly as I am. I'm the guy when Coke or Pepsi is here, I come down and shake hands and take pictures, but he doesn't do that. I don't think it will have a big effect at all.

Leno also added that he phoned several NBC affiliates — rumored to be upset with his show as it bleeds viewers for the late-night local newscasts — and that the affiliates seem to be taking a long view on his performance.

"Unless they are the greatest actors in the world, they seem to be hanging in there and say they are in it for the long haul," Leno said. "I called Baltimore, Boston, the head of the affiliate board. They don't see it as dire as a lot of people are making it out to be....I think they seemed pleased that someone on at 10 o'clock is concerned about their well-being and their lead-in."

Read the full interview at Broadcasting & Cable.

Huff TV: Arianna Discusses Balloon Boy, Rush Limbaugh, More On Jay Leno Show (VIDEO)

2009-10-22T01:30:37Z

Arianna was a panelist on The Jay Leno Show tonight, along with actor Stephen Baldwin, comedian Jim Norton, and Daily Beast columnist Meghan McCain, to discuss current events from what has been a bizarre week of news.

Among the topics they covered were the relentless and absurd media coverage of the balloon boy hoax; Rush Limbaugh being forced out of a group bidding for the St. Louis Rams; and free second honeymoons in Malaysia for couples on the verge of divorce.

WATCH:

Check out this backstage video in which all the panelists are asked which one of their co-panelists they would bring to a desert island. They all chose Arianna! (Albeit for very different reasons.)

WATCH:

Steve Parker: Is Harley-Davidson the Next Casualty?

2009-10-20T03:00:12Z

Question: Can Harley-Davidson survive the world economic disaster?

The company itself paints a bleak picture of its present and future. To quote from an October 15 corporate press release:

Worldwide retail sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles declined 21.3 percent in the third quarter compared to last year's third quarter, an improvement from the 30.1 percent decline in this year's second quarter. An 84.1 percent decline in net income and an 84.5 percent decline in diluted earnings per share from the year-ago quarter reflected lower motorcycle shipments and the effects of the economy on retail and wholesale loan performance at Harley-Davidson Financial Services.

Hummer, which became an iconic brand in just a few years, has been sold to a Chinese industrial manufacturing company. Now H-D, which is for many a Hummer-like example of housing bubble-fueled consumer product overkill, seems in danger of going down a similar road.

This past week H-D shut down the East Troy, Wisconsin, factory where their Buell sport bikes are built, putting about 180 people out of work, and announced they're looking for a buyer for their MV Agusta brand (which also builds Cagiva bikes), based in Italy.

Harley bought Agusta in 2008 for $109 million, just before the Bush Depression hit the world economy.

A 1907 Harley-Davidson track racer

In 1993, Harley-Davidson bought a minority interest in Erik Buell's bike-making company, which used H-D XL 883 and 1200 engines in sportier, racier chassis. In '98, H-D bought the remaining 49% of Buell.

And Buell just last month won the American Motorcyclist Association's SportBike championship -- the first for an American motorcycle maker since 1986. MV Agusta is perhaps the world's most-storied name in two-wheel racing, with a history of one world championship title after another in road racing.

H-D itself laid-off 1,100 factory workers this past January.

And in another instance of what would turn-out to be bad timing, Harley opened their 130,000 sq ft museum in downtown Milwaukee in July, 2008; the next few years would not prove to be the best time to say "Welcome!" to tourists.

Until the downturn, H-D had been enjoying the best years of their long, long existence. Their Harley Owners Group (known as HOG) remains the biggest motorcycle club in the world and the machines were sought-after everywhere, especially popular in Japan during that nation's awash-in-cash housing bubble in the 1980s and '90s.

2008 MV Agusta "750 America"

Japanese bike enthusiasts considered Harleys acceptable symbols of American high technology and they represented a very different lifestyle from what one would experience in Tokyo or Osaka.

Harley-Davidsons, like Hummers, are overpriced, overweight and overwrought. Buyers who wanted a Harley would accept nothing less, though, similar to Hummer buyers, and with fast and easy cash pouring through the economy starting in the 1980s and continuing through the end of 2008, the bikes sold in record numbers.

The company even established a modern image while still considered ruffian and gangster-like, something H-D does little to downplay in its advertising or even on its website.

Many recent owners probably would never have bought a H-D if "bigger is better" vehicles didn't become a symbol of success in those phony mortgage-backed security years.

Is a Harley-Davidson nothing but a two-wheel Hummer? And is that necessarily a bad thing?

Doctors, lawyers and celebrities of all sorts were financing new Harleys, earning these buyers the derisive nickname Rubbies, short for "rich, urban bikers," considered by "real bikers" as mere poseurs who didn't really understand what made a Harley a Harley (which, after years of study, I consider to be the bone-rattling noise they produce; in fact, that sound has been trademarked by the company).

And Jay Leno, who posed with his Harley in front of the Hollywood sign for an article I wrote about him and his bike collection for Popular Mechanics magazine in 1986, saw his growing popularity encourage more sales of these loud, boisterous and often chrome-laden machines.

But in the past 18 months, since the economy began its tanking maneuver, Harleys, like Hummers, became representative of obnoxious excess to more and more Americans.

And this past week there was yet another "sign o' the times" when it comes to the economy and involving Harley-Davidson.

Seen in Jay Leno's garage -- along with mere motorcycles, here's an over-$1 million McLaren

The Love Ride, an annual biker extravaganza in southern California staged and sponsored by Glendale Harley-Davidson, was to celebrate its 26th anniversary this year. Started in 1984 with 600 riders as a fundraising event for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, it now benefits more than a dozen children's charities and raises over $1 million a year.

The event morphed over the years into one of the largest single-day motorcycle events in the world, attracting 20,000 riders including celebrities like Jay Leno (there he is again!), Peter Fonda, Lorenzo Lamas (well, they can't all be big-time), Robert Patrick (of "Terminator" fame) and Willie G. Davidson, grandson of company co-founder Arthur Davidson (those celebrity-watchers wanting to catch Guvernator Schwarzenegger on his H-D should stake-out San Vicente Boulevard in Santa Monica, CA, on a nice, warm weekend afternoon).

Last year, ZZ Top and Foo Fighters entertained the Love Ride-rs at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds in Pomona, about a 40 mile ride from the Glendale Harley store. This thing is a big deal (and all motorcycles are welcome, not just H-D machines).

But this year, the Love Ride was canceled, due not only to a dearth of bikers willing (or able) to pay the $70 minimum entry fee, but also because local businesses, which normally pick-up some of the tab for the festival, bowed out, ending their sponsorships and support.

Many of the Love Ride participants (and I've been one several times) are some of the most highly-visible Rubbies/Harley owners in the Los Angeles area; if $70 is a big hit for them, then what's the possibility of their buying a new $20,000 motorcycle anytime soon?

Of the hundreds, more likely thousands of motorcycle companies which have existed in the US in the past 110-or-so years, only Harley-Davidson, that icon of Milwaukee, biker gangs and those Rubbies, has been an ongoing success.

This is what many people see in their mind's eye when someone says, "Hey! Check-out that Harley!"

H-D has been a dominating presence on race tracks made of wood, concrete and dirt since the company's inception up until right now. While it also innovated and perfected many bike powerplant and chassis features which have become standard throughout the industry, the company's motorcycles were never able to really overcome a reputation for poor reliability.

Until 2001, that is, when the VRSCA V-Rod was introduced for the 2002 model year. Designed with help from Porsche Engineering, the V-Rod was Harley's first bike to combine fuel injection, overhead cams and liquid cooling, and delivers 115 horsepower. Plus, it was a great-looking machine and quickly became known for its dependability.

Harley's VRSCAW V-Rod has changed the image of the company, with help from the folks at Porsche when it came to engineering and design

H-D started selling bikes in 1903, two years after William Harley, then age 21, designed the machine to be a track racer. Arthur Davidson was his partner and in 1904 the first H-D dealership opened in Chicago, selling one of the first three H-D bikes ever produced.

1909 saw the six-year-old company introduce what would become its signature "look," its first V-twin motorcycle, with a displacement of 49.5 cubic inches. Two cylinders in a 45-degree configuration would fast become one of the most enduring icons of Harley-Davidson (and world motorcycling) history. Also available this year for the first time from H-D were spare parts for motorcycles.

Seeing both success and tough times through the years, H-D produced machines for the war efforts in both WWI and WWII and became part of the American psyche. Biker gangs like the Hells Angels and Mongols admitted new members only if they rode Harleys, and the bikes became representative of a "Buy America" feeling among motorcycle purists as reliable Japanese motorcycles began pouring into the US in the 1960s, hurting H-D sales and supplanting Euro-made machines for most buyers, too.

Ford sells a pricey "Harley-Davidson"-themed version of their Super Duty F-series truck ... and it's damn popular

It was also in the '60s that H-D formed a single-cylinder, small-displacement bike-building division in Europe (Aermacchi Harley-Davidson), bought 60 percent of the stock in the Tomahawk Boat Manufacturing Company and, in 1969, became part of AMF, American Machine and Foundry Company, a longtime producer of leisure products. H-D eventually would make everything from small off-road motorcycles to snowmobiles, diluting the company's image and whatever engineering prowess the company could claim.

In 1981, the company's senior executives began the buy-back of Harley-Davidson from AMF. By mid-June, the deal was official and H-D was once again in-charge of its own destiny.

And almost instantly, corporately-speaking, in 1983, Harley-Davidson successfully got an import tariff tacked on all imported Japanese motorcycles 700cc or larger. This tax on American buyers was to last five years.

The tariff worked, "encouraging" Americans to buy H-D bikes, and by 1987, the company was doing well enough to ask for the tariff to be ended a year early. By this time, H-D had opened a new assembly plant in York, Pennsylvania along with new R&D and engineering facilities in their Milwaukee HQ and various other warehouses, R&D, manufacturing and assembly facilities in the US and, in 1998, even in Brazil.

H-D was listed on the American Stock Exchange in 1986. Many, though, questioned the company's choice to further diversify its holdings, purchasing Holiday Rambler Corporation, a motor home manufacturer. A decade later, the motorcycle maker sold Holiday Rambler to Monaco Coach Corp., a manufacturer of luxury Class A motor homes near Eugene, Oregon.

But as it has for Hummer and other American motoring products including Plymouth and Saturn, the economy seems ready to come down on Harley-Davidson.

Harley's first competition venue was in board track racing ... yes, the tracks were made out of wooden boards, and the first one in the country was in Playa del Rey, CA; falling down resulted in splinters the size of, well, boards

Has Harley made deadly mistakes by too often diversifying in what appears to be to some a wild attempt to build a gigantic, world-dominating multi-faceted "leisure products" company?

Which image, the biker gang or the Rubbie, should H-D cultivate as it tries to pull out of its sales spiral? (But don't expect an H-D version of the famous "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" ad campaign which established that company's two-wheelers in this country).

Has Harley-Davidson established their credentials as a dependable, reliable and common-sense machine which appeals to a wide-range of buyers, or would that be anathema to the company's heritage?

What must H-D do now to stem the bleeding of red ink?

Michelle Obama On Jay Leno Show (VIDEO): First Lady Does "10 @ Ten"

2009-10-19T16:24:49Z

(AP) BURBANK, Calif. -- What's President Barack Obama's most annoying habit?

Practicing his speeches for hours in front of the bathroom mirror? Talking too much foreign policy at the dinner table?

Jay Leno Show "Wreaks Havoc" For NBC Affiliates' 11PM Newscasts

2009-10-19T09:36:10Z

Call it the Leno effect. NBC's controversial decision to shift the late-night talk show host to 10 p.m. has been billed as a savvy business move that enabled NBC to substitute a low-cost talk show for expensive scripted dramas. But now it's playing havoc with many of NBC's more than 200 affiliates, where Leno's weaker "lead-in" is undermining audiences of 11 p.m. newscasts. News programs are crucial for local stations, which draw upon them for a third of their revenue.

Dana Carvey Does 18 Impressions In One Minute (VIDEO)

2009-10-13T09:26:26Z

Dana Carvey appeared on the "Jay Leno Show" last night and had to earn the right to plug his upcoming haircut by setting the world record for most impressions done in 60 seconds. He sent up several political figures including Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, George Bush Sr., Al Gore and Dick Cheney.

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Beverly Wettenstein: No Women Featured in NY Comedy Festival! No Joke!

2009-10-11T13:38:57Z

We're With The Banned: Cracking The Crass Ceiling

The New York Comedy Festival ad features ten men and no women.

Broadly speaking, comedy is, obviously, still a male-dominated bastion within the entertainment business. The Primetime Emmy Awards showed that women writers on a comedy or variety series are a rare and endangered species. Only seven of the 81 writers were women. There are no women writers on Leno (of 19), Letterman (of 14), and O'Brien (of 16). Colbert has two women of 14 writers. The Daily Show has one of 16. Samantha Bee is a busy worker bee and a "correspondent." "Saturday Night Live" has five women of 22 writers.

LOL: Larry Summers School for the Advancement of Women

Historically, some men have difficulty accepting women comedians. The Larry Summers School for the Advancement of Women should hire Tom Shales, Christopher Hitchens and Jerry Lewis, to teach "Why Women Aren't Funny." The three wise men opined as much in the Washington Post, Vanity Fair and at the Aspen Comedy Festival, respectively.

Shales, Washington Post TV critic, wrote that ex-SNL "Michaela Watkins may have been just too classically pretty to be hilarious." Lewis told the Aspen audience in 2000, "I don't like any female comedians" and couldn't think of one who was good. He only viewed women as baby-making machines.

SNL announced two new women for the 35th season to much press attention: Jenny Slate and Nasim Pedrad. Just hours later it was reported that Casey Wilson and Michaela Watkins were gone. Does SNL have a female quota? Is their comedy calculus: addition = attrition? The two new women are "featured performers," rather than full repertory players.

Kristin Wiig was SNL's MVP Iron Man last season, earning the most screen time of any cast member, with 124 sketch appearances. She is currently the only official woman cast member.
Plus, she has seven feature films in development. And she is beautiful. Please explain, Mr. Shales.

Having joined as a staff writer in 1997, Tina Fey's term as SNL's first woman head writer (1999-2006), coincided with the most women cast members in regular performing roles in its history: Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph and Rachel Dratch. Much to her credit, Fey teamed with Poehler, to create the groundbreaking "Weekend Update" all-women anchor team in 2004. The dynamic duo proved they were not "Mean Girls" and sparked no cat-fight messages in the media. When Fey started on "Update," there hadn't been a woman anchor since Jane Curtin in the late 1970s and she was not afraid to promote her BFF Poehler. In fact, the two newest women are troupers from the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, co-founded by Poehler.

Kudos to Fey and Poehler for empowering women, following decades of male-dominated sketch comedy. Fey and Poehler know that women succeed when they are responsible for their own material. They play comedic roles, perform standup and write and direct films and TV shows. Fey's "30 Rock" was nominated for a record 22 Emmy awards. She was named the AP Entertainer of the Year in 2008 for the greatest impact on culture and entertainment. Poehler is the lead star on "Parks & Recreation."

Timing is everything in comedy and in life. SNL mirrors the advances of women in society. In 2002 Ana Gasteyer was their first on-air pregnancy. The TV management "suits" have matured since the 1950's when the word "pregnant" was forbidden and Lucille Ball was asked to hide behind furniture, which she refused to do. The fact that nine-months pregnant Poehler posed as Hillary Clinton was a non-issue. Her absence and baby's birth were announced on "Update."

Now that SNL has accepted the pregnant pause, perhaps they may consider hiring a Black woman to play Michelle Obama and other women newsmakers and celebrities? Do they think it adds to the levity to dress men in drag or is there a women shortage? I don't communicate with Eleanor Roosevelt very often. But I do think of her and her personal equal opportunity employment act when I see a man playing a woman on SNL. Upon learning that women reporters were not admitted to the National Press Club where newsmakers spoke, Roosevelt held regular news conferences exclusively for women reporters and photographers, thus creating jobs for women. You go, girl!

Actually, in the first season in 1975, the original SNL cast was equal with three women (Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman and Gilda Radner) and three men (John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and Garrett Morris) and Chevy Chase was promoted to "Update" anchor from writer. By 1993, the ratio was three women to eight men. Janeane Garafalo quit halfway through the '94-'95 season because of the male writers who "didn't write for women."

Chicago's Second City improv-sketch troupe, an SNL talent feeder incubator, only allowed two women on a six-person improv team into the '90s. Fey and Poehler are alumnae.

This is Wanda Sykes' banner year. Her HBO special just aired and "The Wanda Sykes Show" will debut in November, at 11 PM, against SNL. Sykes was the featured entertainer this year at the White House Correspondents Association dinner. This annual event honoring the president is a prestigious gig with the nation's dignitaries.

Traditionally, even though women were fully-accredited White House reporters and members of the association, they were barred from attending the dinner. Prompted by Helen Thomas, for the first time in 50 years, women were finally admitted in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy agreed not to attend unless the women did. Thomas was inducted as the first woman WHCA president in 1975.

The old boys club network is alive and, well, begrudgingly coming into the 21st century at The Friars, the premiere club for professional comedians and entertainers. Founded in 1904, Liza Minnelli was admitted as the first official woman member in 1988. This followed the Supreme Court upholding a New York City statute that barred discrimination at large private clubs. Previously, women couldn't join or enter the Townhouse before 4 PM to attend the notorious stag roasts.

Sally Jessy Raphael was the first officer (Prior) in 1999. Previously, women were honored but could not join. Sophie Tucker was the first woman roasted, in 1953; followed by Martha Raye, 1954 and Lucille Ball, 1961.

Joy Behar was the first woman Roastmaster, at a tribute for Danny Aiello in 1997. Rita Rudner was the first woman performer at a Roast for Chevy Chase in 1980. Phyllis Diller, dressed as a man in a suit, wig and mustache, attended the 1983 Sid Caesar Roast, because women were not allowed. She was outed at the end of the event and honored at her own roast in 1985. Diller was the first woman inducted into the California Friars Wall of Fame in 2001. Last year, at the behest of Behar, the Friars named one of its chambers for a woman, Lucille Ball. Currently, women comprise 20 percent of the Friars membership.

Women need to showcase their talent to survive and succeed in the comedy business. Barbara Walters first saw Joy Behar at a benefit for Milton Berle's 89th birthday at the Waldorf Astoria. Walters then invited her to audition for The View. Behar just debuted her nightly talk show on HLN. Her co-hosts on The View include comediennes Whoopi Goldberg and Sherri Shepherd, who stars in her own show on Lifetime. Goldberg was the first woman and fourth honoree to win the Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2001; Lily Tomlin won in 2003.

More Than Chick Shtick: "Seinfeld" Without Elaine? Get Out!

Imagine Seinfeld without Elaine. Get out! Actually, Elaine was not in the first show but executives insisted they add a woman to the cast by the second episode. Would an all-male cast have become the same audience success story without her? Not!

Liz Lemon told Oprah on 30 Rock that she hates her feet. Nora Ephron told the world that she hates her neck. It took Elle Woods' life experience in Legally Blonde to solve the murder case. Her Harvard Law colleagues didn't have a clue about women's hair treatments. Chris Rock parlayed that message into a feature film. Maybe the sexes can learn to live together and better understand each other through humor and women comedians?

One of the challenges for women comics is that society expects good girls to be well-behaved and to act lady-like. Comedians have to be aggressive and take control of the audience. The boys who were the class clowns and spent more time in the principal's office than the library are now making big bucks for their antics. Not to pooh pooh Winnie-the-Pooh, but the first new authorized female character believes that everyone should follow the correct etiquette. Lottie the Otter will be more like Martha Stewart than Martha Raye.

It's easier for women to get to the moon than to get a network late-night talk show. Conan O'Brien and Craig Ferguson had no experience as late-night talk show hosts when they were given their shows. Ferguson had not performed stand-up for ten years and had a strong Scottish brogue. O'Brien was an unknown SNL comedy writer with little performing experience. Joan Rivers was the first and only permanent host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. When Rivers learned that she wasn't on the list to replace Carson, she accepted the offer to host her own late night talk show to launch the Fox Network in 1986. She was fired six months later.

The talk show format is a cheap alternative to scripted TV and yields self-contained YouTube-friendly takeout promos. As viewers migrate away from appointment network TV, cable should create new opportunities for women. But the old boy network ways persist. The Daily Show was co-created by Lizz Winstead and Madeline Smithberg in 1995. Winstead was also the head writer. Then host Craig Kilborn made an offensive remark about her in Esquire in 1998. He was suspended for a week. She left the show soon after. Chelsea Handler has her own late night talk show on E!

Only two women comedians were listed on the Forbes "100 Celebrity" list: Ellen DeGeneres, Power Rank #40, $35 Million Pay and Tina Fey, #86, $7 Million Pay.

She Who Laughs, Lasts: "50/50 in 2020"

Last month more than 200 women met to hear a panel address and outline a "50/50 in 2020" initiative to advance women in the theater business. Three sponsors are taking the lead: the League of Professional Theatre Women, the New Perspectives Theatre Company and the Women's Project.

In 2007 Oxygen presented the "50 Funniest Women Alive." There are women who are ready, willing and able to perform at comedy festivals. They can turn the world on with their smile... and spunk.

Stand Up For Women In Comedy! Parody and Parity Proposals

1. Action! Organize a meeting during the New York Comedy Festival, November 4-8, to focus on "The State of Women in Comedy Today," to become part of the media coverage and raise public support. Since there is no professional organization for women comedians, create one or develop a Comedy subcommittee of the "50/50 by 2020" project or another industry-related association.

2. Produce a counter "Funny Femme Festival" during the New York Comedy Festival to showcase talented women comedians, become part of the media coverage and raise public support.

3. Distribute this treatise and contact the New York Comedy Festival.

4. Submit your comments and suggestions here.

5. Stay tuned. Watch this space for announcements and progress reports. Thank you.

See Beverly Wettenstein's PBS interview on youtube.com.

See Beverly Wettenstein's Letter in the NY Daily News, Sept. 4, 09
nydailynews.com/opinions/

See Beverly Wettenstein's Letter in the NY Times Science Times, July 21, 09

_________________________________________________________________________

"Celebrate Women Every Day!"

October 13

B. 1901 Edith S. Sampson First Black woman elected judge, in Illinois, 1962.
First Black woman named UN delegate.

1905 English suffragists Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney arrested.
Women over 30 got the vote 12 years later; all women in 1928.

B. 1925 Margaret Thatcher First woman Prime Minister in England and Europe, 1979-1991.

B. 1969 Nancy Kerrigan Olympic silver medalist, 1964; Oksana Baiul, 16, won gold medal.

1986 Rita Levi-Montalcini earned Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Source: Beverly Wettenstein's "Women in History and Making History Today
- 365-Days-A-Year Database"

Reyne Haines: Comedian Lenny Bruce Memorabilia at Auction

2009-10-09T14:02:20Z

On October 13th, the 84th birthday of legendary icon Lenny Bruce, there will be an auction of rare memorabilia consisting of more than 25 items from his Estate, overseen by his daughter, Kitty Bruce.

The auction is being held to raise funds for Lenny's House, a non-profit recovery house for women healing from drug and alcohol addictions.

Among the items going up for auction are Bruce family photos, personal letters, a typewriter from his early years, his bedroom set and one of his trademark trench coats which he was so famous for being arrested in. This is the first time the Estate has ever auctioned off any of its items.

Bidding for the Internet based auction will start on Tuesday, October 13th and conclude on Wednesday, October 28th. Complete auctions details and registration are available at www.lennybruceofficial.com.

Besides items from the Lenny Bruce Estate, numerous celebrity friends and supporters have also contributed items for auction. They include: Yoko Ono, Hugh Hefner, Jonathan Winters, Elizabeth Taylor, Chris Rock, Jay Leno, Richard Lewis, Carl Reiner, Clarence Clemens, Penn & Teller, Richard Belzer and Arianna Huffington.

Kitty Bruce remarked, "For more than 40 years, I held onto these items, but I am happy to let them go because it will help so many."

Bruce continued, "I also wanted to honor my father's memory in a way that will change lives. And with Lenny's House, I have never felt so right about anything in my entire life. And in these times we need to help each other and those who cannot help themselves."

The auction bidding will conclude on October 28th which is the same day that a comedy benefit will take place at the famed Laugh Factory Comedy Club in West Hollywood, California with comedian Richard Lewis headlining.

Lenny's House will be a place for women to learn life skills, to navigate in a sober world by building self esteem and a strong foundation in sobriety. There will also be a focus on nutrition and physical exercise for the women. Lenny's House is projected in the summer of 2010 in North East Pennsylvania. Lenny's House is overseen by The Lenny Bruce Memorial Foundation a 501C3 organization.

Lenny Bruce (1925 - 1966) was a brilliant comedian and satirist, who literally changed the rules and landscape of modern stand-up comedy. Bruce single handily influenced and affected generations of performers including: George Carlin, Bill Maher, Dennis Miller, Richard Pryor, Jon Stewart and Robin Williams.

Nicole Williams: Celeb Career Thermometer: Kate Gosselin vs. Martha Stewart

2009-10-09T09:48:30Z

Best Career Move of the Week: Kate Gosselin Has a Sense of Humor

Who woulda thunk that nightmare wife Kate Gosselin would come out of her ugly mess of a divorce as the good guy? In a desperate attempt to save TLC ratings and rebrand her image as mildly likable, the reality mom just might have taken a step in the right direction with her spoof video on Jay Leno. In the video, Gosselin pokes fun at the paparazzi and at the public's perception that she is borderline insane. And get this: it's kind of funny! Another few more videos, along with another idiotic public statement from Jon, and Kate will be well on her way to becoming the next comeback queen.

Kate's Girl on Top Rule: Treat Him Mean, Keep Him Keen

Worst Career Move of the Week: Martha Stewart Gets Sued

We always had our sneaking suspicions that Martha Stewart runs a tight ship, but just how tight was uncertain... until now. A former employee at Body and Soul magazine is suing Stewart's company, claiming that she was pressured to work immediately after being severely injured in a car accident. (She also claims she was asked to use her pain to score sympathy points with clients. Ew.) Sounds like Martha is the one wearing Prada these days!

Martha's Girl on Top rule: Get a Life

Wanda Sykes Defies CBS Boycott, Appears On 'Leno' To Talk Twins, Roman Polanski, And Legalizing Marijuana (VIDEO)

2009-10-08T10:49:56Z

Despite an informal boycott from ABC and CBS stars, Wanda Sykes appeared on Jay Leno's show last night and talked about her new twin babies, the economy, Roman Polanski and legalizing marijuana.

The "New Adventures of Old Christine" star has strong feelings about Governor Schwarzenegger's plan to legalize marijuana saying it's stupid to think that will increase productivity. "How many pot heads do you know with a to do list?" She asked. Instead, Wanda suggested he legalize cocaine which would make everyone work around the clock and help in the fight against global warming because everyone would run to work. Sykes also addressed the state of the economy saying, "Illegals are complaining that Americans are taking their jobs...I saw a white man mowing his own lawn."

Wanda and Jay went on to talk about Roman Polanski, who the comedienne says made films that "aren't that good." She questioned Hollywood stars rallying around the director: "Does this mean Spielberg can go on a rampage?"

WATCH:

After the break, Wanda was forced to "earn her plug" by bowling with Jay so that he would mention her upcoming HBO special. She tried to play the race card to get out of it, but it didn't work.

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Kate Gosselin Scolds The Paparazzi: 'What Did Mommy Just Say?' (VIDEO)

2009-10-08T09:53:44Z

Kate Gosselin can make fun of herself! She appeared on Jay Leno's JMZ comedy segment Wednesday night mocking her inability to snap out of mommy mode.

"Seriously, I am exhausted. Leave me alone," she told a pack of fake paparazzi that descended upon her outside the grocery store. "Hey, what did Mommy say? I asked you to stop taking pictures and you continued."

The photogs point out they are not part of her plus 8 and she continues her "MILF meltdown."

"Don't talk back to your mother! That is it. You are on time out, mister. Go to your room."

Maybe she doesn't have a future in sketch comedy, but it's better than seeing her cry.

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Carolita Johnson: The Potential of Blackmailing Other TV Hosts

2009-10-07T11:11:57Z

Andy Borowitz: NBC Pressures Leno to Have Affair

2009-10-07T09:45:06Z

With its primetime and late night lineups in free fall, NBC is reportedly putting pressure on talk show host Jay Leno to have a scandalous affair, a network source confirmed today.

"[NBC chairman] Jeff Zucker is adamant about this," the source said. "He wants Jay to be up to his neck in sexual monkey business by sweeps."

"This isn't about morality," Mr. Zucker reportedly told the talk show host. "This is about staying competitive."

But even if Mr. Leno agrees to have an affair, creating a ratings-worthy scandal may be easier said then done.

"If Jay had an affair, he'd probably get away with it," the source said. "Nobody's watching." More here.

Letterman Becomes Late Night Target After Admitting To Affairs (VIDEO)

2009-10-03T08:54:13Z

(DAVID BAUDER, AP) NEW YORK -- Late-night hosts didn't waste a moment poking fun at the troubles of one of their own, after a CBS newsman was charged with trying to blackmail David Letterman for $2 million in a plot that forced the late-night comic to acknowledge having sex with some of the women who have worked for him.

The bizarre case has created a messy legal and professional problem for one of CBS' most valuable personalities. Commentators and bloggers quickly accused Letterman of hypocrisy because he has made a career of mocking politicians mercilessly, often for their sexual transgressions.

Robert J. "Joe" Halderman, a producer for the true-crime show "48 Hours Mystery," pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan court to one count of attempted first-degree grand larceny, punishable by five to 15 years in prison. Prosecutors said Halderman, who was released after posting $200,000 bail, was desperate and deep in debt.

Jay Leno, Letterman's longtime late-night rival, kicked off his monologue Friday on NBC: "If you came here tonight for sex with a talk show host, you've got the wrong studio."

WATCH:

On NBC's "Late Night," Jimmy Fallon also worked it into his monologue: "There's a new book out called "Why Women Have Sex" that says there are 237 reasons why women have sex. And folks, Letterman knows the top 10."

It remains to be seen whether Letterman will suffer long-term damage just as his career appears to be peaking. Letterman has taken over as the king of late-night in the ratings this summer, and last week he beat NBC's "Tonight" show host Conan O'Brien for the first time among young viewers.

Friday night's "Late Show" was taped in advance on Thursday, meaning Letterman won't be taping an episode after his revelation until at least Monday. But Friday's show did include a moment – coincidental in retrospect – when guest Larry David unwittingly suggested that he beat Letterman's record of having the fewest number of dates for someone with a TV show.

"Oh, I don't know," replied Letterman, grinning knowingly.

Halderman's connection to Letterman was not immediately clear, but public records show that until August, he lived in Norwalk, Conn., with Stephanie Birkitt, a 34-year-old woman who works on the "Late Show" staff and used to work at "48 Hours."

Birkitt was an assistant to Letterman on the "Late Show" and frequently appeared on camera with the host in comedy bits. Last month, Birkitt moved to Manhattan. There was no answer Friday at a phone listed in her name.

Halderman wouldn't speak to reporters at his house Saturday morning and threatened to call police if they didn't leave the private road that leads to his modest three-bedroom house.

It was unclear how many women were involved with Letterman, 62, who married longtime girlfriend Regina Lasko in March. The couple began dating in 1986 and have a son, Harry, born in November 2003.

All the affairs took place before Letterman's marriage, said Tom Keaney, spokesman for Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants. Keaney also said Letterman "is not in violation" of the company's harassment policy "and no one has ever raised a complaint against him."

CBS issued a statement Friday: "We think it was appropriate for Dave to disclose the matter publicly as he has, and we are continuing to cooperate with authorities."

CBS would not address questions about whether Letterman faced any disciplinary actions for relationships with subordinates.

Halderman gave the talk show host a package of materials that "contained clear, explicit and actual threats that indicate this defendant ... (wanted to) destroy the reputation of Mr. Letterman and to submit him and his family to humiliation and ridicule," Assistant District Attorney Judy Salwen said in court.

Halderman, hands cuffed behind his back, stared at the floor during most of Friday's court hearing and said only "not guilty."

His lawyer, Gerald Shargel, said Halderman worked at CBS for 27 years and had no prior criminal record. He described him as an involved father who coached soccer, baseball and football and has two children, ages 11 and 18.

"This story is far more complicated than what you heard this afternoon," Shargel said outside court, but he would not elaborate.

Halderman allegedly left an envelope in Letterman's car early Sept. 9. According to authorities, he wrote that he needed money and said Letterman's world would "collapse around him" if damaging information about him were made public.

Letterman acknowledged that the letter contained proof that the late-night host had sexual relationships with members of his staff.

Three meetings between Letterman's lawyer and Halderman subsequently took place, the last two with the lawyer recording the conversations and prosecutors listening in, District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said.

At the last meeting, on Wednesday, the lawyer gave Halderman a phony check for $2 million, Morgenthau said.

Halderman deposited the check Thursday and was arrested that day, he said.

It's the second set of embarrassing headlines for Letterman in four months. He apologized on the air earlier this summer for a crude joke involving Sarah Palin's family. But when the controversy continued to swirl, he came back after a weekend to offer a stronger mea culpa.

Letterman's contract with CBS runs through next August, though the network has been in negotiations to continue that through 2012.

___

Associated Press writers Emily Fredrix, Jake Coyle, John Christoffersen, Colleen Long, Mesfin Fekadu, Jennifer Peltz, Hillel Italie, Ryan Nakashima and news researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed to this report.

Huff TV: Arianna On Leno : Memo To Men: Don't Have Affairs With Your Employees Unless You're Letterman

2009-10-03T01:25:02Z

Arianna appeared on the "Jay Leno Show" Friday night alongside Stephen Baldwin, Meghan McCain and Jim Norton for a segment called "Who Cares What They Think?", in which Jay and his guests discuss ridiculous stories that have been in the news recently.

At one point, the group decided to talk about the mayor of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, who was recently forced to apologize after being overheard making fun of his sister-in-law at a bar. Arianna pointed out that the same mayor had had sex with one of his female employees, leading her to observe, "if you're going to be having sex with the people who work for you, you've got to be David Letterman. Otherwise, forget it."