Letterman's choice of words

Just a minor observation about David Letterman's televised admission of affairs with co-workers/subordinates.

He repeatedly used two words to describe what he did. One word was fairly typical:

"Terrible."

It's a word you can focus inward as well as outward.

I have done terrible things.

But the other word wasn't.

That word was 'creepy.'

That is not a word whose natural focus is internal. You don't call yourself creepy. Things done by others are creepy.

But Letterman said what he did was creepy.

And why did he do that?

Because he knows that at least some of details of his misdeeds will end up make it into the public eye - so he's telling you up front that some of it will make your skin crawl.

And that - for lack of a better word - is creepy.