PRIVATE PARTS

So, someone tried to extort 2 million dollars from David Letterman under threat of revealing to the public details about Letterman's sexual affairs with members of his staff. Letterman reported the extortion attempt to the police, and the man was criminally charged. On his television show, Letterman acknowledged having such affairs.

Now, I myself am not convinced the attempted extortion is criminal since, presumably, telling the truth about a celebrity...something done every day and night by gossip reporters for money...is protected under free speech. But that is not my focus in this post.

My focus today is this: Who is the guilty party? Who is it that is engaging in unseemly behavior that triggered this event?

Letterman, for having sexual encounters with coworkers and/or subordinates? No, presumably everything was done voluntarily by all parties concerned.

Letterman, for apparently being sexually active? No, sounds healthy to me.

The extorter, for trying to make money in what many would say is a dishonorable way? No, unless you also say that all those gossip and sensationalistic television shows and magazines are equally dishonorable.

So who is the guilty party?

You. Not you individually, but You the Public that cares about, relishes hearing about, is voyeuristic about, other people's private sexual activities. Shut off the light when it's you under the covers, eh?...but turn up the spotlight when its someone well known. Who's he doing it with? What does he like doing? How often does he do it? Gotta know, gotta know, gotta know.

We have a litany of words to describe the activities of those who "overindulge" in the activity almost all of us would love to overindulge in: licentious, lewd, lascivious, lecherous, libidinous, lustful, libertine, carnal, debauched, profligate, ribald, dissolute. They are meant to be negative words, but they continue to titillate most of us. Sexual stories were understandably titillating to us when we were young teenagers because sex was new and provocative to us at that time. But we've all grown up, haven't we?

I, myself, don't give one whit as to who Letterman, Clinton, Edwards and all the rest of them sleep with, and care only about how well they do their jobs. Sex involves private parts...underline private. The public would be well advised to keep it that way.