'It's Like a Cult'

Like your typical cult leader, it appears this one preys on the weak and naive.

To "Late Show" viewers, David Letterman comes off as a geeky talk-show host uncomfortable in his own skin.

But behind the scenes, the gap-toothed king of late-night TV is a "Jesus"-like figure to his female staffers -- his sexual "electricity" driving them insane with desire, a new report says.

"It's like a cult," a former "Late Show" insider told Vanity Fair magazine for its feature on the 62-year-old Letterman.

"You arrive as an intern and stay for life, and people do fall in love with Dave and behave in a way that might not be considered appropriate in a professional working environment.

"It was intoxicating to me, and I could see how someone could cross the line. It's like Jesus Christ saying, 'Hey, let's go to dinner!' You're going to go, 'Wow! He chose me!' If he'd hit on me, I probably would have accepted."

Goodness, are these women stupid.

That confession stunned the public, which had not previously viewed the socially awkward, self-loathing funnyman as a lustful Lothario whose mojo made maidens moan.

"I've come in contact with countless celebrities, and only two emit a tangible, almost magnetic force, an electricity that draws you to them: David Letterman and Bill Clinton," former Letterman segment producer Madeleine Smithberg cooed to Vanity Fair.

"The man is electric! I was there for six years. You want to be with him, you want to be close to him. And when you are, you feel good. It's like you're basking in the buzz of Dave."

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