The Woman at the Center of the David Letterman Scandal

Airdate : 10/5/2009

The woman at the center of the David Letterman extortion scandal has fled New York City for her hometown of Plymouth, New Hampshire, where she's in seclusion with her mother. Stephanie Birkitt is reportedly "mortified" that her past romantic relationship with Letterman is now the talk of the nation.

Birkitt first worked at The Late Show with David Letterman as a summer intern and was later hired as Letterman's personal assistant.

She soon found herself appearing on air and told the Manchester, New Hampshire, Union Leader, her hometown newspaper, "He teases me and gives me a hard time and I'll give it back, but overall, he's super nice."

Birkitt became the "gift girl," handing out prizes to audience members. Letterman playfully called her "Vicky." She also introduced mail from viewers in costume and covered the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics for The Late Show.

"Stephanie Birkitt is one of a long line of Letterman staffers who have these funny kind of cameo roles in the show; Letterman's always used that, it really is part and parcel of what he does," says J. Max Robins of the Paley Center for Media.

Their chemistry was clear; Birkitt could really crack him up.

Over the years, Birkitt has opened up about their relationship in various interviews:
"We eat food together, we sit around and watch TV together and goof on people," she told the Fort Worth Star Telegram in 2004. To another publication she said, "It's kind of just like hanging out onstage with your buddy," and in 2003 she said, "Dave is truly the greatest boss I could ever have."

It was after Letterman ended their relationship that Birkitt reportedly started dating 48 Hours Mystery producer Robert Halderman, who is charged with extortion and has pled not guilty. According to the New York Post, Letterman didn't want her new boyfriend at any Late Show parties. Birkitt lived with Halderman for four years in his Connecticut house, but the 34-year-old moved out in August.