Twice within the three days following the pope’s resignation, David Letterman got a little too cute for us. When spliced together, it suggested a disturbing pattern.
The first night, Letterman let loose saying, “He’s [the pope] got a chronic neck problem and apparently the chronic neck problem is for looking the other way so many times.” He then said the Vatican “is already holding auditions to see who might be the next pope and we have one of those auditions that’s going on.” Footage was then shown of acrobats taking off their shirts and then performing for the pope; he looks on while rock music is played.
Two nights later, Letterman said that besides looking for someone who is a biblical scholar and at least 60 years old, the Vatican is looking for “a guy who is good at transferring creepy priests.”
Letterman’s attack on the pope and gays was despicable. (Though he didn’t cite gays by name, we know who he meant.) In fairness, just because most molesting priests have been homosexuals, doesn’t mean that most gay priests are molesters.
It is bad enough when someone who carries the baggage of sexual harassment is also guilty of serial adultery. Even worse is when that person throws stones at those accused of sexual wrongdoing.
Perhaps at his next weekly session with his shrink, Letterman will discuss this issue. Meanwhile, he ought to refrain from taking sweeping shots at homosexuals, however nuanced they may be.
