Stephanie Birkitt Connected to David Letterman Affairs Extortion Plot (Pictures)

Who in the world is Stephanie Birkitt? It seems that Stephanie Birkitt (and her pictures) has become a much sought-after individual in the last few hours, ever since David Letterman admitted Thursday night to having sexual affairs with staff members from his show. He did so explaining why he went before a grand jury earlier in the day. He had testified against Robert J. Halderman, an Emmy-winning producer from CBS' "48 Hours," who had been arrested in an extortion attempt against the talk show host. The extortion attempt involved $2 million not to disclose the names of the talk show staffers David Letterman had had affairs with over the years. So where does Stephanie Birkitt (and the search for her pictures) fit into the extortion plot and secret affairs scandal that has enveloped the late night talk show world?

Stephanie Birkitt was a "Late Show with David Letterman" staffer, often playing the foil for many small comedy skits on the show. According to Newsday, she also lived with David Letterman for some time before Letterman married Regina Lasko, with whom he fathered a child in 2003, in March. So why is everyone so interested in Stephanie Birkitt? Where is the scandal in revealing the name of Stephanie Birkitt? It was public knowledge that David Letterman and Stephanie Birkitt had an affair and lived together, so what has provoked such a desire to know more about the 34-year-old former staffer?

And that connection to both David Letterman and Robert Halderman makes her an object of curiosity. People like to see a face with a name, which is why her pictures are also in high demand.

It seems that Stephanie Birkitt has known Robert Joe Halderman for 15 years. Extra reported Friday that she is still his girlfriend. They were supposedly still "seeing" each other when Birkitt had her affair with Letterman as well.

Extra also reported that a source informed them that Stephanie Birkitt knew nothing of Robert Halderman's plans to extort Letterman and that she was "mortified."

But part of the extortion attempt was information and a screenplay Halderman had possession of that was written around e-mails and a diary of Stephanie Birkitt's that spoke of the affair between her and Letterman. That information and screenplay were being used for leverage in the demand for the $2 million.

But could Stephanie Birkitt be involved in the extortion plot, despite Extra's source's information? At present, the manner and extent of her involvement has not been determined. But authorities cannot rule it out.

As for David Letterman's admission of having sexual affairs with his staffers over the years, he used the plural form. It is also doubtful that his admission, although it undoubtedly included Stephanie Birkitt because of the screenplay, was entered into just to get ahead of the bad publicity that might surface from whatever was in those e-mails and in the diary -- unless there were more staffers named.

Does the diary contain the names of other staffers that Letterman had affairs with over the years? And just how many were there? Although pure speculation, it would explain Letterman speaking as though he was talking about more than one person when he made his confession Thursday night.

Robert J. Halderman was indicted Friday on one count of grand larceny for his extortion attempt. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

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Stephanie Birkitt pictures at Bitten And Bound.

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Sources:

Newsday.com
Extratv.Warnerbros.com
"The Late Show with David Letterman," CBS Television
Bittenandbound.com