'Letterman's' Eddie Brill axed

"The Late Show With David Letterman" has lost its comedy booker, Eddie Brill, who is also Letterman's warm-up comic. Larry Getlen of freshman comedy industry mag Mirth reported Monday that Brill was given the pinkslip for "speaking to the press without authorization," and a source confirmed the report. Brill caused a stir this weekend when he told the NY Times that "there are a lot less female comics who are authentic. I see a lot of female comics who to please an audience will act like men." The article in question was a profile of Brill by Jason Zinoman, and Brill was responding to a question about why so few female comics were booked on the show. The controversy was dissected over at Mirth, where Brill said in the comments section that his words had been taken out of context. Zinoman responded with transcribed questions and quotes, and Brill subsequently apologized to "all who have been affected by this." Brill is expected to remain at Letterman as warm-up comedian, and the booking process will likely return to its pre-Brill system, in which comics scouted at standup venues will be invited to perform for producers of the show. A spokeswoman for "The Late Show" declined comment. Contact Sam Thielman at sam.thielman@variety.com