Monday, October 5, 2009

Dark Night of the Soul with David Letterman



Actually, my heart goes out for David Letterman. Not because I condone his actions as he cheated on his wife at the very place where I'm sure she hoped he could be trusted: at work. (Though I'm also convinced that is the place where most affairs start.) Now it's come to light that he putatively has a bedroom at the studio. Of course, his alleged extortionist, Robert J. Halderman, has drawn more ire for now, but it looks like Dave may get more heat.


Dave's Mars, his Sun's ruler is very strong in his chart. Mars is not only a warrior, but a paramour as well. He's very virile and sharp. Dave isn't a warrior, per se, but he's been able to build the empire he has because it helps to have a strong Mars, who represents our ability to assert and define our desires in the world. Weeeeelll, it looks like his Mars is about to get a visit from two ruffians: Pluto and Saturn. Pluto is "squaring" his Mars, meaning he's facing an internal struggle to hold on to his power; Saturn is "opposing" his Mars, meaning he's facing an external struggle to hold on to his power. When Saturn and Pluto team up, there's a showdown. Things (and people) get busted and roughed up. Astrologers like to say nice fluffy words like transformation and getting in touch with our own authority. But it's really a nice way of saying that the "fit is about to hit the shan." But it isn't the end of the world.


Never forget that what the planets want of us: they want our respect and to heed the Divine messages they have for us. We show "them" that we've heard the messages in action, either in ritual or taking proactive steps to honor the message. Dave's message is clear with Pluto and Saturn coming around: take ownership of your actions and face the consequences. And here's where I feel for Dave. He did that and he's still gonna hafta pay the piper, but not the extortionist. I wonder if Dave will be able to keep his job.


This is the second time in a year that Dave's had to eat his humble pie on national TV. His show is starting to feel like a late night confession box. I'm glad he can admit to his errors in judgment, but say sorry more than a few times and people start to feel like you're messing up on purpose. Or you're incompetent. I don't know if either conclusion directly applies to Dave, but his extortionist left him vulnerable at a pretty bad time astrologically. (I don't believe the planets CAUSED this; they reflect the truth of the moment!) So there's blood in the water and many, mostly conservatives, have had it in for Letterman for years. And I think they're going to go in deep.


Here's exhibit A from the New York Post: Andrea Peyser is not one of my favorite columnists, but she usually gives me a feel for how conservative mainstream America might feel on an issue. With Hollywood rallying around a convicted pedophile, it won't be too hard to get protest votes from smug, self-righteous or even conveniently ethical people of Middle America on an easier target. Hollywood is NOT going to rally around Dave like they do Polanski, because he's not committed a crime (which is high drama) and Polanski is no one that Hollywood has to fear. Dave is.


Show business can be dirty business and when you have power, as Dave does, he can expect that some people are going to want to take him out. I'm not saying that there's a conspiracy to do so from Hollywood itself. I'm saying there are some people who have been trying to get rid of Dave, since even before the Palin-Bristol episode, and he's now given them a smoking gun. Now, I don't think Dave can count on the measured support of Hollywood to back him as he's not really a cause celebre. He's a guy who got caught with his pants down, literally. I mean, can you picture Madonna coming to Dave's rescue after this: Madonna vs. Letterman. Yeah, I know it's 1994, but I'm sure her memory is long. She's been on the show several times since then, but there's always some measure of tension between those two. Regardless, I don't think people will be coming out the woodwork to help good ole Dave.


So I think as Saturn comes closer to opposing Dave's Mars during the month, we can expect the heat to go up on Dave. I like Dave, as he's really the only late night guy I will watch four or five times a year. (I'm either already in bed or out.) But he's dealing with the self-righteous judge (Saturn) in what we call exaltation (in Libra) and his bailiff (Pluto). I hope he has a good lawyer or a whole team of PR wizards to help him get out of this before Saturn directly opposes his Mars at the end of the month. He did as much damage control as he could by being upfront about his dalliances, but he's gonna hafta repent and convince TVland that he's serious. Or else we're gonna have some long, dark winter nights without Letterman.


Click here for Dave's chart.





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