David Letterman Makes a Whore Joke On “The Late Show,” Leaves Audience Stunned

Perhaps it’s time for David Letterman to start pulling in those Social Security checks, like, right now.

Like a drunk uncle at the sloppy tail end of a wedding, Letterman, 68, apparently seems to have lost what little of a filter he had. While warming up the audience at a taping of his show on Monday, the late night host offered this gem of advice to a soon-to-graduate college student. “Treat a lady like a wh–e, and a wh–e like a lady.”

While we’d love to imagine that Letterman’s next act will include advocating for the benefits of beleaguered sex workers, there’s really no reasonable explanation for his use of the ‘30s saying attributed to Wilson Mizner (a real gent!)

The joke provoked a stunned silence, according to Page Six, and does little to alter the host’s image as a crotchety old guy with a sleazy streak (in 2009, Letterman famously issued a mea culpa to his wife and fans after news leaked of his affair with a CBS subordinate).

Letterman is set to retire from The Late Show on May 20, with Oprah Winfrey, Howard Stern and George Clooney confirmed among his final guests; he reportedly also hopes Brian Williams will make an appearance.

Let’s just pray Stephen Colbert does a thorough sage burning ritual before he makes his debut in Letterman’s old seat.

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