"Late Show with David Letterman" Contributes to Problematic Reporting on Amanda Simpson

January 6, 2010 by Anna Wipfler, GLAAD's Transgender Advocacy Fellow

http://glaadblog.org/2010/01/06/late-show-with-david-letterman-contributes-to-problematic-reporting-on-amanda-simpson/

Yesterday we reported on President Obama's appointment of Amanda Simpson as a senior technical advisor at the Commerce Department and some of the problematic news coverage about her becoming one of the first openly transgender presidential appointees.

Unfortunately, as coverage of her landmark appointment continues, so does the disrespectful treatment in the media.  During last night's "Late Show with David Letterman" on CBS, David Letterman announced Simpson's appointment and reported that she is a transgender woman. He also showed a photo of her.  The show's announcer Alan Kalter then reacted to the news with disgust and mock horror, saying, "What? Amanda used to be a dude? My God!" He then hurried off stage to hearty laughter from the audience, apparently to go collect himself after the shock of this discovery.