rodriguez. >> there was a pretty vocal group of people calling for his oising, his firing. do you think that group of people speak up again? >> i think he took his audience with him. he seemed to have his audience on the side by the end of it. >> narrator: david letterman has redefined comedy and has taken his place alongside legendary bro casters of days past. >> sullivan, carson, they're all good television guys, made their mark on this business, changed the business. >> david is a comedic genius. on two major network, he truly does fall into line with people like burrell and benny and bob hope. he's in the pantheon. david letterman's childhood idol was johnny carson. when he passed away in 2005, letterman dedicated his entire show to his mentor, even giving

a monologue of jokes written by carson in his final months. then he said, "i owe everything in my profession career, whatever success we've attained to johnny carson." i'm lester holt, thanks for watching. do you feel like a story? >> it all started mildly enough like another funny bit, but then the mood turned. >> i get into my car and in the backseat of my scar a package. i don't recognize. and there's a letter in the package.

and it says i know that you do some terrible, terrible things. and i can prove you do these terrible things. there's quite a lot of terrible things he knows about and he's going to put nit a movie unless i give him some money. i'm like you, i'm thinking really? that's a little -- and this is the word i actually used. that's a little hinky. >> narrator: tales of extortion and a late-night bombshell. >> i have had sex with women who work for me on this show. now, my response to that is yes, i have. i have had sex with women who work on this show. >> a man demands $2 million or he will reveal potentially damaging information. working with authorities,

letterman gave the suspect a fake check. joe halderman pled not guilty to charges of grand larceny. >> we intend to bring this case to trial. there is another side to the story. i'm not telling it today. there is another side to the story. it's not the open and shut case that you just heard about. >> narrator: david letterman has spent a career making his audience laugh and using comedy to get through difficulties in his personal life. somehow, this feels different. >> i need to certainly protect my family, myself, hope to protect my job and the friends, everybody that has been very supportive through this.

>> this is "headliners & legends." >> welcome to the program. thank you for selecting us as your late night viewing entertainment. >> narrator: david letterman was born to be on television. for more than 20 years he's performed his brand of irreverent fun in front of millions of viewers. his show redefined comedy in the 1980s with pioneering humor and david's quick-witted midwestern style. >> what do you want to talk about? >> i don't care, but touch me again. >> but the road is long and his fame far from the childhood stage he now calls home. it's a story that begins in 1947. david michael letterman is born in a quiet midwestern suburb of indianapolis. he dreamed of growing up and someday being on tv.

>> he remembers watching steve allen and building a microphone just like steve allen had on his desk. >> narrator: johnny carson is one of his favorites. >> he told me he used to watch johnny on "who do you trust." that was a huge eye opener for dave to see johnny crack wise with contestants. >> narrator: but the indianapolis of david's youth is world's away from show business. his father is a florist, a gregarious man with a knack for comedy. >> people knew joe letterman as a cutup. a boisterous man. dave likes to say when he walked through the room, the lamps would rattle. >> narrator: his mother dorothy is more straight-laced. she's the one who doled out the discipline in the household. >> dave is is a middle child. he has an older sister and a younger sister. he was the only boy. and i think his brother didn't

know what to do with him at some level. >> narrator: in 1951 when david is just 4, his father suffers a heart attack. he survives, but from that moment on, it never leaves david's mind that it could happen again. david grows into a self-conscious, awkward teen. in high school, girls aren't interested in him. he's not popular or particularly athletic. he hides his insecurities behind his sense of humor, which alternates between sarcasm and just plain silliness. at the atlas, he's known for practical jokes. one is stacking cans so high they actually touch the ceiling. >> you couldn't get anything out. you couldn't get anything in. it was just there. everybody was having a ball with it, laughing. >> narrator: during school

hours, david does find one class that catches his attention -- public speaking. like the father he adores, david is a natural entertainer and this is a place he can perform. >> and now, here's johnny! >> narrator: it's not surprising that david is also consumed by what he sees on television, especially comedy. and johnny carson, who begins hosting "the tonight show" in 1962 becomes a life-long role model. >> when johnny carson succeeded jack paar, he became the equal of cool. >> narrator: letterman graduated high school and enrolled in ball state university, about 60 miles from his hometown. from coast to coast, the hippy movement, rock 'n roll and protests of all kinds are sweeping campuses. but not at ball state where life is more traditional.

david fits right in. >> most of the ball state people back then were from the state of indiana. maybe not highly attuned to the most current emotional issues of the day. >> narrator: it's david's first time away from home. he joined a fraternity and does a fair amount of socializing. he also pursues his interest in broadcasting by majoring in television and radio. as students on radiation, he broadcasts daily reports on an imaginary sport he created, fungo ball. >> fungo ball was a 2,000 pound steel ball. the way you score was to roll it out into the middle of the stadium, through the turnstiles into the other team's bus. eight forward snyders, 12 defensive gorbers and 40 flying troutmen or notchers. >> he built a small campus following.

but the station's management is not amused by his satirical style. david is soon fired. the administration may not like his antics, but michelle cook does. david is smitten when the attractive six fool tall music major shows interest in him. michelle is david's first serious girlfriend and quickly becomes his biggest fan. >> first time i caulk talked with her, she let me know her boy friend was funnier than i was on the radio. year. and after graduating in 1969, the couples move to indianapolis so david can pursue his broadcasting career. things are about to start going david's way. but with success will also come a devastating loss.

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>>. >> narrator: it's 1969 when david letterman and his new wife return to his hometown in indianapolis. he finds a job at local station channel 13. there are few jobs in a city the size of indianapolis and finding one is a real coup. he hosts not one but two. "clover power" is sponsored by the 4-h club. he can't help but infusing the show with his sardonic style. >> hi. we've been waiting for you folks. >> we've got the power-packed, dynamite, big-time, histrionic extravaganza for you today. >> his others is "freeze dried movies." >> scotland yard, three feet six

inches, which is different from the american yard which is three feet even. >> but it's as a weatherman that he gains most notoriety. it's the perfect vehicle to show case his wit. >> i think you'll see that once again we've fallen to the pray of political dirty dealings. the higher-ups have removed the border between indiana and ohio, making it one giant state. personally, i'm against it. for almost four years his offbeat approach to broadcasting keeps him thriving professionally. but without warning at the age of 57, david's father suffers another heart attack. this time it's fatal. david is devastated. >> his father just walked into the flower shop one day and keeled over and it was dead. i think it just left this gaping hole in his life, but it also created this fear of what's

lurking around the corner. >> i know that it was a personal loss in his life. it was a kind of mourning he did very personally and very privately. >> david loses himself in his work. but by now, tv weather has become too small a forum for his talent. >> i did the weather and then i got bored with occluded fronts. /didn't see much humor there. the home viewers aren't up for a lot of funny stuff in the weather and i got a little frustrated. >> at the same time, jane pauley another fresh-faced broadcaster, is making a name for herself on the indianapolis airways. it's not until years later that the two would become friends. >> i'm jane pauley reporting at the supermarket. >> narrator: in 1974, david decides to leave television and try his hand in radio. he lands a job where he hosts an afternoon drive-time show. it's here that david develops a reputation for the outrageous. >> one of the bits that he did

on that program was reporting that the soldiers and sailors monument in downtown indianapolis had been sold by the city fathers of indianapolis to the island of guam. the island of guam was going to spray paint it green and use it as a giant asparagus. >> narrator: but david's audience doesn't always appreciate his on-air humor. feeling discouraged, he lets his sights on becoming a comedy writer in hollywood. but in the back of his mind, david dreams of performing his material in an arena like "the tonight show." >> i came out as a writer because it's easier to tell people you're going to hollywood to become a writer as opposed to telling them you're going to become a comedian. >> to say to someone i'm going to hollywood and be a comedian is like saying when i grow up i'm going to be a cowboy. dave just didn't want to do that. so he left us without that information. >> narrator: in the spring of 1975, david finds the courage to load his red pickup truck and

together with his wife michelle, they leave everything they know for the city of angels. still, he clings to the notion that he can come back home if things don't work out. >> i was confident that i could go back to indianapolis or some other comparable broadcasting market, you know, without a great deal of difficulty, probably get another job. >> narrator: to david's surprise, he quickly finds an audience for his come dycomedy,t as a writer. >> he was there for a very short time when he decided he would throw caution to the wind and go to the comedy store, a club in l.a. that had basically become the comedy haven. it was the only comedy club out here. it was the only place where abc, nbc, cbs would come and see you. >> narrator: the shy midwesterner is more than a little intimidated his first time out. but once he ascends the lighted stage, david comes alive. >> and on the back of the foam in red letter it says do not

spray shaving cream towards open flame. thank god they finally had the sense to put that warning on there, huh? >> when i first met david letterman, first of all, he was very shy about going on stage, almost terrified. then he would get up there and he would be very funny. >> how many time have we been seriously injured after you go to the trouble of building a roaring fire in the bathroom sink. >> he has a profoundly sarcastic demeanor, and that combined with his sort of midwestern homespun, you know, innocence to some degree was sort of a potent combination. >> narrator: david's act begins to gain popularity, but he still lacks training. he looks to a more experienced comedian for direction. his name is jay leno. still in his 20s, leno is already one of the most talked about comics around. >> leno was a big influence in dave's standup comedy. he really appreciated and

admired the way jay delivered jokes, the way jay set up jokes and paid off. >> narrator: before long, david becomes skilled at some of leno's basic techniques and begins retailoring his own act. but as david's career starts to come together, his marriage begins to fall apart. the showbiz life is too enticing for the young comedian and he begins to spend more and more time away from home. >> he was working all night, she was working all day and they grow apart. >> narrator: after eight years of marriage, they divorce in 1977. but he won't be alone for long. and with her help, dave's career will skyrocket. it's not always easy living with copd, but i try not to let it hold me back... whether i'm at the batting cages... down by the lake or... fishing at the shore. i'm breathing better... with spiriva.

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>> narrator: it's 1977 and david letterman and his wife of eight years have just split up. he must now fend for himself in the fast-paced world of show business. at the same time, david's career is picking up momentum. he signs with a high-powered agent and writes material for bob hope and paul lynn. >> i think dave was the first guy who secretly thought that maybe standup was a way to another place. >> narrator: and for david, that place is television. he's soon making tv appearances on game shows and comedy programs like "the 60 minutes" parody "peeping times." >> why are you making phony footprints? >> i'm helping to keep big foot alive. >> why would you want to do that? >> because in the little town of yule -- hi, luke.

in our little town of yule, we all have to work together. >> narrator: he also continues performing standup as a way to get noticed. one night at the comedy store he attracting the attention of a fellow comedian, a woman named merrill marco. >> he said did you ever meet a woman who you thought was as smart and funny as you? i said gee, i don't know. >> narrator: she was a berkeley graduate. they seem like a likely pair but a shared assistance of humor forms the basis of a relationship that quickly becomes professional. >> she realizes, boy, his style works with my material really well. so she started giving him her jokes, which wound up being a sort of story of their lives. and as dave progressed, she was the true woman behind the man.

>> narrator: so with merrill's help, he gets an invitation on the show hosted by his idol, johnmy carson. >> i watched him, liked him, admired him. i've been in awe of him all his career. >> everybody was out at the comedy store, trying to get on at the comedy store. then second of all, once you got on, trying to get "the tonight show" to come and see you. >> carson's people do see his act and they're impressed. they ask him to appear on the show that until now david has only dreenled dreamed about -- the tonight show."amed about -- tonight show." >> i was with him when "the tonight show" came up and approached him. he said, you know, i would consider it a great honor to be on. maybe make a few people on your show laugh or whatever he said. it was something -- you could tell he had going on -- a script he had written a long time ago. >> narrator: he confides in merrill that his ambitions go far beyond performing a standup routine. >> he opened up to her like no

one before. he said yes, it was his dream and he would someday be the host of "the tonight show." >> narrator: for the moment, he's content to focus on his upcoming appearance. the way he sees it, this could be his big break or the end of his career. >> he's saying to me, after tonight, i'm getting into my pickup truck and driving back to indianapolis. he was always insecure. >> narrator: despite his fears, david appears on the empty stage to face millions of television viewers. to everyone who sees him, one thing is clear -- david letterman is a star. >> i'm looking on the can and it says for the dog that suffers constipation. the way i look at it, if your dog is constipated, why screw up a good thing, huh? that was the biggest thrill for me and even today, nothing was more exciting to me or as satisfying as appearing on that program with johnny. >> narrator: carson immediately

connects with david's midwestern sensibility. in the shortest warm-up in "tonight show" history, david begins guest hosting after only two more appearances. he'll take carson's chair more than 20 times over the next few years. but it's not david's tv appearances that catch the eye of nbc president fred silverman. it's a last-minute performance at a charity function that gets silverman thinking about giving david his own show. nbc is looking to compete against the usual morning fare of game shows and sitcom reruns with a folksy talk show format to appeal to housewives. what they get is "the david letterman show." >> pretty much all you need for a show, isn't it? [ buzzer ] the bible? [ buzzer ] no, i'm sorry, it's not the bible. >> when i first saw him do his morning show, i was attracted that he seemed unlike other broadcasters. he seemed like he didn't belong there. he was talking with a regular

person's voice on television. >> narrator: david's girlfriend merrill comes onboard as the show's head writer and producer. she takes his sensibility outside the studio. >> tom snyder's dressing room. let's just see if mr. snyder is -- come on in, if you will. why, it's almost like a shrine in here. breathtaking, ladies and gentlemen. what's your name? >> brian. >> do you work for mr. snyder? >> yes, i do. >> what do you do? >> prepare cocktails. >> oh, i really shouldn't, but what the heck. >> narrator: they also come up with a new concept that welcome a david letterman classic -- stupid pet tricks. inspired by david and merrill's only beloved canines.

these inane students are always a crowd pleaser. unfortunately, the "david letterman show" is inundated with problems. not the least of which is its early morning time slot. >> the show was an immediate disaster. just his brand of humor just didn't work in the morning with the housewives looking at television at that point in time. >> narrator: after only a few months on the air, affiliates start dropping david letterman. then the call comes in. the david letterman show is canceled. although the show's ratings are abysmal, by the time the last show airs, david letterman has a cult following and critical acclaim, winning david and merrill two emmys for their efforts. his one chance at hosting a network show has failed miserably. he's certain he will never work again. what he doesn't know is that he will soon get another break and this one will make him a star.

here's what's happening. proemt met with the top military commander in the war in afghanistan today. the white house says that 25-minute meeting was helpful but produced no decisions on troop levels. the man accused of trying to blackmail "late show" host david letterman is out on $200,000 bail tonight. he's being charged with first degree larceny. now back to "headliners & legends." >> narrator: cancellation of lederman's daytime show sends him into a deep funk. though still under contract and good money, letterman retreats

into the isolation of home. it's not his character to seek the favor of anyone, be it his audience or network brass. >> someone asked president ford if the three years he spent in the white house were his most difficult three years and he said no, actually, he spent his most difficult three years in the fourth grade. >> narrator: during the next four years he has a lucrative holding contract where he does little more than guest host for johnny carson. >> at this point, there are no late-night openings, so i'm not optimistic for that to come through, but in the meantime, i'll certainly be happy to take their money. >> narrator: then in november of 1981, nbc cancels the long-running "tomorrow with tom snyder," opening up the coveted

12:30 time slot after carson. nbc executives think it's perfect for david's unusual brand of humor. >> fortunately, i was very, very lucky. i have been as lucky as anybody can get in show business and television because i got another chance. >> david letterman! >> narrator: his second chance comes on february 1, 1982. while most of america is sound asleep, david letterman makes a grand entrance on the 6-a stage. >> i'm very excited about this new show. and it's a big three or four days for nbc. >> narrator: "late night" is a talk show with a twist. it's unpredictable, original, and for a young audience bored with the form lay -- formulaic approach to tv, it's liberating. his first guest is comedian bill murray. ♪ let's get physical physical i want to get physical ♪

>> narrator: it's safe to say that no one has ever seen anything quite like david letterman. >> dancing with stage managers now is routine. in those days, it was something. >> narrator: david enlists the talents of his girlfriend, merrill marco to be his head writer. they bring back viewer favorites like stupid pet tricks and comic excursions outside the studio. >> we sell just bulbs. >> besides bulbs, what do you have here? >> nothing. >> shades? can you get shades here? >> no, just bulbs. if you want shades, go to a place called just shades. >> we sell just lamps. >> what is the name of the store? >> just shades. >> what can you get in here? >> what can you get in here? shades. >> narrator: "late night" surpasses everyone's

expectations, grabbing a college audience. the show looks like a winner. >> 100 shows felt like, made it. and another cake and a party after 200 shows. and i think the cakes and parties pretty much stopped. >> narrator: but with success comes the pressure to keep succeeding. and no one feels that burden more than david. >> it was always like we're going to be canceled, we're going to fail. if next week's show isn't funny, we'll be off the air. that's what he would say because the self-doubt never went away. >> narrator: david's feeling of anxiety affect his relationship with merrill. the show consumes both their lives and for merrill, trying to live up to david's high expectations is not easy. >> she was tremendous coming up with fresh ideas, although she did feel like she was battered by rejection because david rejected so many of them. >> narrator: but despite the tension behind the scene, he

pushed the limits of late night. >> let's go behind the scenes. let's go outside. let's do something with the camera that we haven't seen before. let's have recurring crazy characters like a guy living under the seat. >> david? >> yes, sir, what can i do for you? >> do you have any a-1 sauce? >> narrator: but david never hears the applause. as late night becomes more popular, david becomes increasingly self-critical. >> he would throw things. he was angry. he was volatile about the show. that's because he was a perfectionist. he wanted the show to be a great every night. >> narrator: he's accused of being mean spirited. his reputation for undiplomatic offhanded banter leads to some awkward exchanges. >> i thought i would never want to do this show for you. >> now why? let's explore this a little. why?

because you thought i was -- >> an [ bleep ]. >> narrator: cher's remark surprises david. he knows what people say about him, but he doesn't view himself as malicious and defends himself publicly on nbc's "today show." >> if there's going to be some incendiary display, i usually wait for the other person to start. it's really -- there's nothing premeditated about this. there's no malice involved here. we're not looking to be mean or hurtful. >> narrator: david does get along with many of his guests. one of his favorites is fellow hoosier, jane pauley. the fellow journalist gets a chance to have fun. >> don't you just want to say one thing? willard lose some weight or something. just hi or hello.

>> okay, fine. >> narrator: another frequent guest is jay leno. david is loyal to the comedian who helped him develop his early act. >> he made jay a national figure, being on that show. >> narrator: "late night's" ratings are the highest ever when ge acquired a nbc in 1986 but he feels neglected under new management and shares his rising discontent with his audience. >> one of the more hilarious things he did soon after ge took over nbc, he and a video crew went to connecticut to the ge headquarters. >> we thought what the heck, let's just drop in and, you know, say hello. hi, i'm david letterman, nice to meet you. what's your name? >> i'm going to ask you to turn off the cameras, please. >> we want to give this basket of fruit. it's a gesture of good will. >> turn off the cameras, please. >> you have to talk to the director over there.

>> it was sort of funny, but underscored his outsider status. >> narrator: meanwhile, behind the scenes, nbc is taking notice of jay leno. in 1987, leno is made "the tonight show's" permanent guest host. >> at no time his david letterman say he's getting too popular, too big. he was always very gracious. >> narrator: david is too absorbed by the demands of late nights to notice anything else. he rarely has time for his girlfriend of eight years, merrill marco. >> every night they would drive home to connecticut and he would say this didn't work, i'm unhappy. he was disappointed in the show. it just put tremendous strain on the relationship and eventually it broke. >> narrator: merrill leaves the show in 189 -- 1986 and their relationship ends a few years later. by the late '80s, late night has

made david a celebrity. but he doesn't embrace showbiz life. in fact, his lifestyle is quite solita solitary. >> you don't get much of a chance to see him off the show. and i made a joke out of it saying i want to be your friend. we've got to spend time together. let me come over and watch football with you or something. >> narrator: but david is spending time dating a young nbc staffer, but it's his relationship with another woman that will soon make headlines. you've wanted to quit smoking so many times,

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talk to your doctor about prescription treatment options. and make this time, your time. talk towhen it comesabout prescripto italian sauce,tions. some people prefer this jar. but more people prefer this sauce. winner of the blind taste test. the sweet and savory taste of prego. it's in there. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 when my broker said, "i make money when you make money,"

tdd# 1-800-345-2550 he neglected to mention tdd# 1-800-345-2550 he also makes money when i lose money, tdd# 1-800-345-2550 withdraw money or do nothing with my money. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 tdd# 1-800-345-2550 >> narrator: by 1988, "late night with david letterman" is in its sixth season and more popular than ever. david celebrates the show's long run with an anniversary special at renowned radio city music hall. >> we've come into the most

famous theatrical structure in the world and overnight we've turned it into a lousy drive-in. >> narrator: offstage, letterman is extremely guarded about his personal life. then without warning, david suddenly finds himself being stalked by a mentally ill woman named margaret ray. his personal life is now exposed to all. >> he found her on the grounds, he found her at the pool. various places. one night he was asleep in bed, in bed with his girlfriend and he was like what is that? she was in the house, walking around the house. >> narrator: ray is arrested >> in my wallet, it says in case of an emergency, notify the stranger living in my house.

this is going to be my last he continues to talk. could not be here, but it seems, david, that you are the $1

biggest battle in late night tv >>-a no brainer. he begins to leverage his

popularity by seeking outside number of him. cbs that david finds the offers million a year and the not surprisingly, nbc soon

of one person who values "the nbc and accepts cbs' offer. >> i want to thank them for

welcome to the program, ladies and gentlemen. excited, very happy man. earlier today for the first competing for the title king of late night television. xwxwxwxwxw

1993 is a year of great change for david letterman. after 13 years at nbc, david will go head to head with jay leno. it's hyped as a clash of the titans. >> i think it will be exciting once we go against each other. we'll be watching both shows on a nightly basis. i think it will make our show better and his show better. you're always better when

there's competition. >> the day finally arrived on august 30th, 19 # 3. scores of david's fans line up outside the studio, the premiere of cbs' "late show with david letterman." when david walks out on stage for the first time, he emanates an aura of a man in charge ready to assume the mantle, king of late night. >> if i think about it, all i did was take the summer off. >> he was sort of a new man when he stepped on that stage at the ed sullivan theater for the first time. he was a man coated in confidence. he looked like a million bucks. >> for good luck, bill murray is booked hz letterman's first show. dubbed by the press as the late-night wars, david is also pitted against arsenio hall and chevy chase.

chase's show is canceled after eight weeks. and the arsenio hall show is gone within the year. for nearly two years, david tops an embarrassed nbc in the ratings. in 1994, david gets his mother into the act as the correspondent for the 1994 olympics in norway. by 1995, the tide starts to turn. on july 10th, an appearance by hugh grant propels jay into the lead for the first time since "late show's" premiere. >> there was a very famous episode where hugh grant got arrested and everybody wondered what was going on. and he had already been book ed on jay's show. >> it's beginning to wear david down, not getting much help from cbs's primetime lineup either. >> they had no shows working in primetime. initially you could see the

difference on thursday night because nbc has "er" on. >> the result is "late show" ratings not only lagged behind "the tonight show" but often behind abc's "nightline." then in the year 2000, david's troubles reach far beyond his sagging ratings. on january 14th, david announces that he's going in that night for tests on his heart. the next day, it's all over the news, david letterman had undergone emergency heart surgery. >> doctors say the operation went smoothly and letterman who is 52 years old should make a rapid recovery. >> five weeks later on february 21st, a gaunt david takes the stage. the entire show revolved around david's health. >> my father dropped dead when he was in his mid-50s. and i kind of had a hunch that i was going to have to deal with this one day and i thought, thank god i'm dealing with it now and taking care of it. >> as david introduces the

medical team that saved his life, something extraordinary happens. he becomes emotional on the air. so it was five weeks ago today that these men and women right here saved my life. >> he revealed a softer, sentimental side to him. yeah, david letterman loves his life. and we all found out that night. >> that evening, the program received its highest rating in six years. and for the first time, david openly jokes about being passed over for the one job he has coveted most of his life. >> bypass surgery is when doctors surgically create new blood flow to your heart, bypass surgery. a bypass is what happened to me when i didn't get "the tonight show." whole different deal. >> in november 2003, at the age

of 56, david is a dad. he and long-time girlfriend welcome a son they name harry joseph after david's father. the new family experiences a close call in march 2005 when police uncover an alleged plot to kidnap harry. authorities apprehend kelly frank who worked as a painter at letterman's ranch in montana. frank makes a deal with prosecutors and pleads guilty to obstruction and felony theft. he's sentenced to ten years in prison. >> i had a little story that i would like to tell you and the home viewers as well. >> david again shares big news with his audience. >> the creepy stuff was that i have had sex with women who work for me on this show. now, my response to that is, yes, i have. >> when david letterman had that flap with sarah palin -- >> one awkward moment for sarah palin at the yankee game, during the seventh inning,