David Letterman Has Been With His Wife, Regina Lasko, for Over 30 Years

The Gist:

• David Letterman is a well-known talk show host.
• David has been with Regina Lasko for over three decades.
• They share one son, Harry, who was born in 2003.

For 33 years, David Letterman was the host of the Emmy-award-winning program Late Night with David Letterman. He began his television hosting career in 1982, and met his wife, Regina Lasko, four years later. By the late 80s, David had become a prominent figure in late-night TV. Late Night with David Letterman aired after The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson. David later left his post at NBC, after losing the Tonight Show gig to Jay Leno, to host the Late Show with David Letterman on CBS.

David and Regina have been together throughout most of his talk show career. They have experienced plenty of triumphs and challenges together. Let's get to know Regina better.

David’s wife, Regina, has chosen to remain out of the public eye. The pair met in 1986 and quickly began a romantic relationship. Per ABC, Regina was a member of David’s staff, but she quit the show a few years after their relationship began. In 2009, the pair tied the knot after 23 years together. The same year, David admitted to cheating on his wife.

Amid his flourishing television career, David’s relationship with Regina hit a rough patch. In 2009, the comedian was the victim of a blackmail attempt that resulted in him making a public apology for cheating on his wife. According to CBS, David had a romantic relationship with his former assistant, Stephanie Birkitt. She was dating CBS news producer Joe Halderman. Joe found out about the affair and demanded that David pay $2 million or be exposed for his indiscretions.

Halderman was arrested for the extortion plot, and David fessed up to his affairs on his show. “My wife, Regina, she has been horribly hurt by my behavior,” David explained. Regina hasn't publicly commented on the affair, but chose to stand by her man.

"I have no one to blame but myself," David said, during an appearance on Oprah’s Next Chapter (via USA Today). “I think if you’re going to have a flow chart of the responsibility for this circumstance, this sex scandal, my name is at the top.”

Despite the cheating scandal, David and Regina’s relationship remained solid. The couple share one son, Harry, who was born in 2003.

David and Regina's son was the target of a kidnapping plot in 2005. Kelly A. Frank, who was hired to paint David’s Montana ranch, concocted a plan to hold Harry for a $5 million ransom, CBS News reports. “The thought was to kidnap the nanny and the child so the nanny could take care of the child during this period of the kidnapping,” said the Montana Dept of Corrections. Harry was not harmed in the incident, and Kelly was arrested before he could execute his plan.

These days, Harry spends his time in college. David opened up about becoming an empty nester and admitted that dropping Harry off at college was heartbreaking. “The separation of the kid leaving home, I thought it would be nothing but it's devastating,” David said during an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live. “Am I the only one that feels that way?”