The same networks that refused to cover shocking revelations about the Obama administration derailing efforts to fight drug trafficking by Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah, on Thursday, were eager to tout the former president talking about his bad dance moves during an interview with David Letterman for a new Netflix show. In addition, only NBC’s Today mentioned Letterman’s past sex scandals being a source of “controversy” in light of the #MeToo movement.
Eager to welcome Obama and Letterman back to the public stage, the CBS, ABC, and NBC morning shows all promoted My Next Guest Needs No Introduction premiering Friday on the streaming service. On CBS This Morning, new co-host John Dickerson announced: “The former president, Barack Obama, shared his secret to successful dad dance moves with David Letterman. He is the first guest on Letterman’s upcoming show on Netflix.”
Fellow co-host Gayle King chimed in: “I love the name of that series, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.” Norah O’Donnell agreed: “Yeah, I like that too.” Moments later, O’Donnell gushed: “You have to admit, though, Barack Obama is just cool.”
On ABC’s Good Morning America, co-host George Stepahonopoulos happily proclaimed: “And former President Obama back in front of the cameras. You see him there for a new Netflix interview with David Letterman, talking about dad dancing.” After a clip played of the frivolous discussion, Stephanopoulos declared: “It’s good to be an ex-president.” Fellow co-host Robin Roberts thought it was like something out of a movie: “...it reminds me of the movie Hitch. Remember in Hitch, he was talking about staying in – you gotta stay right there in your zone...”
In a report for NBC’s Today, correspondent Stephanie Gosk fawned: “His new show on Netflix is called My Next Guest Needs No Introduction. Up first, Barack Obama, the former president’s first TV interview since leaving office....Obama jokes about his own terrible dancing.”
However, unlike CBS and ABC, much of the NBC segment examined the “controversy” surrounding Letterman’s return to television. “We’re gonna start this half hour with a comeback for David Letterman. The late-night legend starting a new show, but it isn’t without controversy,” noted co-host Savannah Guthrie while introducing Gosk’s report.
The reporter explained: “...he’s back with a new show on Netflix. It launches with the #MeToo movement sweeping the country, raising questions about misconduct he has long since admitted to and apologized for.”
After playing a portion of Letterman’s sit-down with Obama, Gosk turned to the comedian’s scandals: “The Netflix series launches as the #MeToo movement reaches a fever pitch, bringing back memories of this moment in 2009, when Letterman revealed he was being blackmailed and had gone to police.” A soundbite ran of Letterman admitting to having “sex with women who work on this show.”
Gosk highlighted one of his former writers describing a “toxic” work environment:
A month after his admission, Nell Scovell, who wrote for Late Night in 1990 and was not sexually involved with Letterman, said the behavior created a toxic environment. “Did that make me feel demeaned? Completely,” she wrote. “Did I say anything at the time? Sadly, no.”
The correspondent even pointed out: “Two years ago, Letterman told The New York Times, ‘Looking at it now, yes, I think they would have had good reason to fire me. But at the time, I was largely ignorant as to what really I had done.’”
“Letterman stayed on the show for another six years, the public forgiving the behavior. His new show on Netflix launching right now, amidst this public reckoning, it’s going to test how deeply that forgiveness goes,” Gosk concluded.
Here is a portion of the January 11 segment:
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7:33 AM ET
#METOO PROTESTERS: Stop the violence! Stop the rape!
STEPHANIE GOSK: The Netflix series launches as the #MeToo movement reaches a fever pitch, bringing back memories of this moment in 2009, when Letterman revealed he was being blackmailed and had gone to police.
DAVID LETTERMAN [2009]: The creepy stuff was that I have had sex with women who work for me on this show. Now, my response to that is, yes, I have. I have had sex with women who work on this show. [Laughter and applause]
GOSK: A striking on-air admission, the live audience clearly in his corner. The popular show host kept his job at CBS. A month after his admission, Nell Scovell, who wrote for Late Night in 1990 and was not sexually involved with Letterman, said the behavior created a toxic environment. “Did that make me feel demeaned? Completely,” she wrote. “Did I say anything at the time? Sadly, no.” Two years ago, Letterman told The New York Times, “Looking at it now, yes, I think they would have had good reason to fire me. But at the time, I was largely ignorant as to what really I had done.” In 2013, Letterman spoke with Oprah.
OPRAH WINFREY: Have you forgiven you?
LETTERMAN: No. No. I don’t have that luxury. I have to figure out what I did, why I did it, and live with it. But I can’t forgive that behavior. I’m at the top of the flowchart, it’s my fault, everything.
GOSK: Letterman stayed on the show for another six years, the public forgiving the behavior. His new show on Netflix launching right now, amidst this public reckoning, it’s going to test how deeply that forgiveness goes, guys.
(...)
