Advertisers Not (Really) Leaving Letterman

An Olive Garden spokesperson has disputed a Politico report that the restaurant chain has pulled its advertising from CBS’ Late Show with David Letterman in response to the comedian’s jokes about Sarah Palin’s daughter.

Olive Garden spokesperson Rich Jeffers disputed the claim from an anonymous company source in the Politico article who said that Olive Garden had pulled its remaining ads from the program. 

Jeffers told the Christian Science Monitor  and the New York Times that the company’s scheduled ads on Letterman were completed earlier this month.

Politico quoted from a letter sent from Olive Garden spokesperson Sherri Bruen to a “Letterman critic,” in which Bruen asserted that Letterman’s jokes were “not consistent with our standards and values.”

A headline on the Fire David Letterman web site stating that Embassy Suites has pulled advertising from Letterman’s program also appears to be specious. The hotel chain is not an advertiser on CBS or CBS.com.