Bert, lending Brian Williams some credibility. (image via muppet.wikia.com.)
Anchorman. It’s a job title that implies a measure of stability and reliability.
It implies reliability, but in the game that now passes for broadcast journalism in the United States, we can no longer count on that being the case on any channel. Time after time, network after network, we find that the people who we count on to bring us truth are only loosely acquainted with it.
In the latest instance, NBC anchor Brian Williams has admitted that he “made a mistake” about the facts surrounding a helicopter ride he took with members of the US military. On more than one occasion since 2003, when the incident Williams has described didn’t occur, he has described how the helicopter he was in was hit by rocket-propelled grenades and forced down in the desert.
Not surprisingly, when you misremember enough on national television, the people who do remember will often speak up. As you likely know by now, Mr. Williams is now admitting that his helicopter landed an hour after the one that was hit and forced down and was never hit by enemy fire.
Would we have had this admission if the military members involved remained silent? Doubtful. So not only do we owe these brave soldiers our gratitude for their service overseas, we should also be grateful to them for protecting the truth here at home.
And what of Mr. Williams? Well, he’s still on the job. Do we know if he’s telling us the truth? Not really. The only thing we are sure of is that Brian Williams hasn’t been in a helicopter that was hit with anything as dangerous as a rocket-propelled sponge-cake
Being shot at is a life changing event. We ask thousands of men and women in our military and police forces to do it on our behalf every day; they do it and never ask for our gratitude. A public figure who steals valor from those folks to glorify himself is worthy of derision.
And who does derision better than the staff and readers of Long Awkward Pause? No one. So, my friends, I am asking that each of you post in our comment section your best mistaken remembrance stories involving you and Brian Williams.
Wasn’t Brian the drunken best man who gave an obscene toast at a wedding you attended? I think I remember you telling me about that.
Or was he the aggressive panhandler who wanted to squeegee your car windows and then urinated on your tires when you waved him off?
I’m pretty sure Brian Williams was the hotel maid that was arrested for stealing a watch out of my luggage a few years ago, unless I’m mistaken…like Brian Williams was.
This man has abused your trust. It is only right that you fire your best misremembered recollections of your encounters at him through the comment section below.
Help us out, throw this up on your social media accounts so we can hear what other folks who don’t know about The Pause forgot what they don’t remember about Mr. Williams.
————————–
MORE PLACES TO FIND LONG AWKWARD PAUSE:
Facebook: Long Awkward Pause
Twitter: @LongAwkPause
Tumblr: Long Awkward Pause Mag
Podcast: iTunes or PodOmatic
LAP TV: YouTube
Would you like to see a topic discussed on LAP? Click HERE.
