Letterman Continues No Kiss-On-The-Cheek Policy With Lady Guests

Nearly a week after admitting that he was the target in a $2 million extortion plot—and admitting he had sex with female staffers of the Late Show—David Letterman refrained from joking about the scandal last night. The Post noted, "Instead, he joked that it’s more fun to drive a jeep into a tree than read Sarah Palin’s new memoir."

One thing we've noticed: He's been relatively hands off with the lovely female guests—Lea Michele (of Glee), Eliza Dushku (of Dollhouse), and Carey Mulligan (of An Education)—that have appeared since the announcement. He sticks to a handshake and then perhaps post-interview kiss on the hand (example), whereas before he'd often hug and perhaps kiss the female guest on the cheek.

Variety's BLTv adds that his interviews with Michele and Dushku "were especially awkward. The host seemed distracted in both cases, a complete stranger to both of the Fox series (he told Dushku he's asleep when he isn't doing his program) and perhaps -- and maybe I'm projecting here -- uncomfortable being juxtaposed visually with beautiful young women in extremely flattering dresses while conjecture swirls around him about who he might have slept with on his show's staff."

Former 48 Hours producer Robert "Joe" Halderman is accused of trying to shake down Letterman—Halderman had dated Stephanie Birkitt, a former Late Show assistant that Letterman apparently had an affair with. The Post and Good Morning America say that Halderman spotted Letterman and Birkitt making out in his driveway (Letterman had driven Birkitt home) in August.