LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Late-night TV comic David Letterman has quietly married his longtime girlfriend, telling audience members of his show on Monday that he almost missed the ceremony because his truck was stuck in mud.
Letterman, 61, and Regina Lasko tied the knot during a courthouse ceremony near their Montana ranch last Thursday. The couple, who have been dating since 1986, were accompanied by their 5-year-old son, Harry.
" ... I had avoided getting married pretty good for, like, 23 years, and I -- honestly, whether this happened or not -- I secretly felt that men who were married admired me ... like I was the last of the real gunslingers," Letterman said, according to a "Late Show" transcript provided by a spokesman.
But the afternoon ceremony at the Teton County Courthouse in Choteau (pop. 1,700) was delayed by an hour because the family's pickup truck was stuck in mud two miles from their house. Letterman was forced to walk back in a howling gale to get the car.
"So then we get in the car and Harry says, 'Are we still going into town?' and I said, 'Yes, we are,' and he gets very upset because Mom had told him if I wasn't back in an hour, the deal was off."
Letterman's spokesman declined to reveal any details about the ceremony, or to give Lasko's age. Letterman, who was married once before, is intensely private, and is rarely photographed with his family.
The news of his nuptials was first broken by celebrity tabloid US Weekly.
(Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)
David Letterman has married his girlfriend of more than 20 years.David Letterman, host of the late night American television show ''Late Show with David Letterman'', has married his girlfriend of 23 years, he told studio audience during a taping of his show on Monday.

Letterman, 61, announced he and Regina Lasko, with whom he has a five-year old son, were wed in a courthouse ceremony in Choteau in Teton County, Montana last week, near the ranch they own together.

"They say, 'Well, why did it take you so long to get married?' and, of course, the answer honestly is we wanted to make sure we had the prenup just right," Letterman joked.

Letterman and Lasko began their relationship in 1986. Their son, Harry, was present for the ceremony. The late night talk show host previously swore off marriage after his 1977 divorce with Michelle Cook.

"I secretly felt that men who were married admired me ... like I was the last of the real gunslingers," Letterman said during his Monday show, where he made the announcement shortly after congratulating Bruce Willis for getting married last week.

Letterman told the audience he nearly missed the ceremony because his truck became stuck in mud two miles from their house. The ceremony was delayed one hour while Letterman walked back in 50 mile per hour winds to get his car.

"And the whole way, I'm thinking, 'See ... you try to get married and this is what happens,'" he said.