Letterman Issues Public Apology to His Wife

Late-night television host David Letterman apologized to his wife Monday for his multiple sexual relationships with members of his show's staff, telling his audience that she "has been horribly hurt by my behavior."

Adopting a more abject tone than when he disclosed his sexual misbehavior last Thursday, Letterman made clear during a taping of CBS's "The Late Show" that his disclosures have created difficulties in his seven-month marriage to Regina Lasko, the mother of their son, Harry. He described his conduct as "stupid."

"When something happens like that, if you hurt a person and it's your responsibility, you try to fix it," the late-night comedian said. " And at that point, there's only two things that can happen: Either you're going to make some progress and get it fixed, or you're going to fall short and perhaps not get it fixed. So let me tell you, folks, I got my work cut out for me."

Letterman also directed part of his remarks to those who work for him. "I'm terribly sorry that I put the staff in that position," he said. "Inadvertently, I just wasn't thinking ahead. And, moreover, the staff here has been wonderfully supportive to me, not just through this furor, but through all the years that we've been on television and especially all the years here at CBS, so, again, my thanks to the staff for, once again, putting up with something stupid I've gotten myself involved in."

When he revealed Thursday what he called his "creepy" behavior, Letterman focused mainly on what he described as an attempt to blackmail him. But the audience laughed at several junctures, apparently unsure how serious he was. Monday's remarks seemed designed to help repair his public image and to mend fences with his family and staff.

While Letterman married Lasko in March, he has been dating her for more than two decades, and their son was born in 2003.

A grand jury Friday indicted CBS News producer Robert "Joe" Halderman, saying that he threatened to disclose the sexual relationships and deposited a bogus $2 million check from Letterman, allegedly in exchange for his silence. Halderman has pleaded not guilty and is free on $200,000 bail.