Letterman Paid for Assistant's Degree: Rumor

David Letterman can be a great boss for certain special employees. In the case of Stephanie Birkitt, who once dated alleged blackmailer Robert Halderman, Letterman paid her way through college, Gawker reports, citing “the scuttlebutt on the set.” Birkitt was Letterman’s top assistant—the host employed at least three at all times, all of the young and attractive persuasion—and frequently appeared on air.

Letterman’s employees say they had always wondered why the late-night titan took so long to marry Regina Lasko, the mother of his now-5-year-old son; the pair wed in March. They also say Letterman would send impressive bouquets to every woman on the staff every year, with a handwritten note from “Your Friend Dave.” (More David Letterman stories.)