Author Topic: Brian Williams (Read 4819 times)

Nate Colbert · « **on:** February 10, 2015, 09:26:09 pm »

Regarding NBC suspending him for 6 months:

Quote

Ian Millhiser ‏@imillhiser 2 hours ago
BREAKING: Brian Williams becomes first person in human history to suffer professional consequences for lying about the Iraq War.

Mr. Happy · « **Reply #1 on:** February 11, 2015, 03:58:09 am »

Quote from: Nate Colbert on February 10, 2015, 09:26:09 pm

Regarding NBC suspending him for 6 months:

NBC was in a pickle because they need him, but they had to do something. Six months seems reasonable and fair.

Fredia · « **Reply #2 on:** February 11, 2015, 09:00:32 am »

5 million for 6 months. hope he does not have to get on food stamps

juliogotay · « **Reply #3 on:** February 11, 2015, 09:40:42 am »

I don't believe he will be back on NBC. Too bad. By all accounts he was a great guy.

Bench · « **Reply #4 on:** February 11, 2015, 10:01:42 am »

I haven't been following this story too closely, but the big issue is that he said he was in a helicopter that took enemy fire and had to make an emergency landing when really he was in a helicopter convoy that took enemy fire and had to make an emergency landing? If that's the standard we're holding news readers to it's amazing that Rupert Murdoch is allowed to employ anyone.

Maybe Lena Dunham will write a role for him in Girls.

homer · « **Reply #5 on:** February 11, 2015, 11:12:18 am »

Quote from: Bench on February 11, 2015, 10:01:42 am

I haven't been following this story too closely, but the big issue is that he said he was in a helicopter that took enemy fire and had to make an emergency landing when really he was in a helicopter convoy that took enemy fire and had to make an emergency landing? If that's the standard we're holding news readers to it's amazing that Rupert Murdoch is allowed to employ anyone.

Maybe Lena Dunham will write a role for him in Girls.

He was on a helicopter in the same country. He arrived an hour after the incident. He has told and retold the story since then and has even said on occasion that he 'stared down the barrel of the RPG' or something similar.

There are also questions about his claims that he saw a dead person floating down the street from his hotel room in the French Quarter during Katrina (there were no flood waters near his hotel), or that he had dysentery from ingesting the flood waters (there were no other reported cases).

MusicMan · « **Reply #6 on:** February 11, 2015, 12:01:57 pm »

Quote from: homer on February 11, 2015, 11:12:18 am

There are also questions about his claims ... that he had dysentery from ingesting the flood waters (there were no other reported cases).

Give the guy a break. Oregon Trail is a heck of a way to pass the time.

juliogotay · « **Reply #7 on:** February 11, 2015, 12:45:08 pm »

Maybe John Stewart to Williams' job.

Dark Star · « **Reply #8 on:** February 11, 2015, 02:39:57 pm »

I am inclined to fall on William's side on this. I don't think his, well, lying caused any particular harm. But damn ...

There is a psychological term (which I cannot remember at the moment) for appropriating other peoples' adventures as one's own, and/or injecting oneself into stories/situations one only hears of or witnesses second hand, presumably for some sort of self-aggrandizement ... I have a friend - actually the husband of one of my wife's friends - who does this, particularly. It is harmless, mostly. He is a good guy, and a great story-teller. I just take everything he says with a grain of salt.

But if you are a network news anchor, that is probably not so good.

chuck · « **Reply #9 on:** February 11, 2015, 08:39:30 pm »

If someone who worked for me as the public face of my franchise were found to be a consistent liar I would fire that person immediately and without any further thought. But I keep coming back to this:

Quote from: Dark Star on February 11, 2015, 02:39:57 pm

But if you are a network news anchor, that is probably not so good.

He is a network news anchor. I can scarcely think of anyone more irrelevant than a television news anchor, network, cable, whatever. I mean, do people really watch that sort of thing and think they are receiving information? Do people really watch that sort of thing at all? If you're watching TV at six shouldn't you be watching Wheel of Fortune? Seriously, who the hell watches this nonsense and who the hell cares about this guy's lying besides the person who signs his paycheck?

Limey · « **Reply #10 on:** February 12, 2015, 08:53:28 am »

Quote from: Bench on February 11, 2015, 10:01:42 am

I haven't been following this story too closely, but the big issue is that he said he was in a helicopter that took enemy fire and had to make an emergency landing when really he was in a helicopter convoy that took enemy fire and had to make an emergency landing? If that's the standard we're holding news readers to it's amazing that Rupert Murdoch is allowed to employ anyone.

Maybe Lena Dunham will write a role for him in Girls.

Jon Stewart made this point exactly.

News reporters these days insert themselves into the news to increase their star power ("Broadcast News" should be mandatory viewing). Williams went further than most by exaggerating his involvement - an act that's even more stupid when you realise that his later retelling of the story conflicted with his contemporaneous reporting.

Limey · « **Reply #11 on:** February 12, 2015, 08:57:27 am »

Quote from: chuck on February 11, 2015, 08:39:30 pm

He is a network news anchor. I can scarcely think of anyone more irrelevant than a television news anchor, network, cable, whatever. I mean, do people really watch that sort of thing and think they are receiving information? Do people really watch that sort of thing at all? If you're watching TV at six shouldn't you be watching Wheel of Fortune? Seriously, who the hell watches this nonsense and who the hell cares about this guy's lying besides the person who signs his paycheck?

Jimmy Fallon's ribbing of Williams as being the host of the 16th hour of the Today show, is hilarious because it's so close to being true.

Ebby Calvin · « **Reply #12 on:** February 12, 2015, 10:18:25 am »

I'll go on record saying that I like Brian Williams more than any other anchor since Brokaw (Stewart/Colbert/Oliver notwithstanding), but it's sheer stupidity for him to put himself in this situation. He's there to convey the news, not to be a part of it. I don't give a flying fuck if a news anchor has been in a war zone or a flood or a koala's vagina. That's what reporters are supposed to do.
Anchors read the news, toss to an on-site reporter, then toss to the weather person. Anchors are necessary to TV news because they look good, read well and instill confidence in what they're telling you. He's now 2/3.

Ty in Tampa · « **Reply #13 on:** February 12, 2015, 10:36:37 am »

I didn't like him at first...thought he was smug. Grew to like him over time due to his self-deprecation and willingness to not take himself too seriously. I'm back to not liking him.

Limey · « **Reply #14 on:** February 12, 2015, 10:49:01 am »

Quote from: Ty in Tampa on February 12, 2015, 10:36:37 am

I didn't like him at first...thought he was smug. Grew to like him over time due to his self-deprecation and willingness to not take himself too seriously. I'm back to not liking him.

This exactly.

Also, I'm going to miss these.

Col. Sphinx Drummond · « **Reply #15 on:** February 12, 2015, 06:21:43 pm »

I don't often watch the evening news but I find him interesting because of the asymmetrical shape of his head.

Fredia · « **Reply #16 on:** February 13, 2015, 10:27:07 am »

wait there is news other than Fox

Dark Star · « **Reply #17 on:** February 13, 2015, 11:31:52 am »

Quote from: Sphinx Drummond on February 12, 2015, 06:21:43 pm

I don't often watch the evening news but I find him interesting because of the asymmetrical shape of his head.

Sort of the agnatic Nancy Grace.

Col. Sphinx Drummond · « **Reply #18 on:** February 13, 2015, 01:23:34 pm »

Quote from: Dark Star on February 13, 2015, 11:31:52 am

Sort of the agnatic Nancy Grace.

I don't know what that means but yeah (unless it envolves waterbeds).

Goo goo, goo goo barabajagel... Sorrow more distant than a ~~Darktar~~ Dark Star.

Dark Star · « **Reply #19 on:** February 23, 2015, 08:18:46 pm »

Quote from: Sphinx Drummond on February 13, 2015, 01:23:34 pm

I don't know what that means but yeah (unless it envolves waterbeds).

Goo goo, goo goo barabajagel... Sorrow more distant than a ~~Darktar~~ Dark Star.

Multi-color run down over your body
Then the liquid passing
All into all ...

Limey · « **Reply #20 on:** February 24, 2015, 09:30:15 am »

Bill O'Reilly is now having his own "Brian Williams Moment" over his claims that he's reported - under fire - from war zones. In order to defend his claims, O'Reilly has split more hairs than he has left on his head but, in reality, he's in the same boat as Williams. It's just that finding out that O'Reilly lied about something to make himself look good is far less of a shock than Williams doing the same.

Mr. Happy · « **Reply #21 on:** February 24, 2015, 10:06:36 am »

Quote from: Limey on February 24, 2015, 09:30:15 am

Bill O'Reilly is now having his own "Brian Williams Moment" over his claims that he's reported - under fire - from war zones. In order to defend his claims, O'Reilly has split more hairs than he has left on his head but, in reality, he's in the same boat as Williams. It's just that finding out that O'Reilly lied about something to make himself look good is far less of a shock than Williams doing the same.

O'Reilly really is a blow hard.

Limey · « **Reply #22 on:** February 24, 2015, 10:15:20 am »

Quote from: Mr. Happy on February 24, 2015, 10:06:36 am

O'Reilly really is a blow hard.

His melting down over this has been quite spectacular.

Mr. Happy · « **Reply #23 on:** February 24, 2015, 10:25:10 am »

Quote from: Limey on February 24, 2015, 10:15:20 am

His melting down over this has been quite spectacular.

I've not seen any of it. I don't watch his show.

chuck · « **Reply #24 on:** February 24, 2015, 11:38:38 am »

I was thinking about this the other day. Who the hell watches these shows? The target audience, the keep the government out of my Medicare crowd, is back home from Luby's and in bed well before the show airs. Maybe they tape it on their VHS machines and watch it when they wake up at 4 the next morning.

Bench · « **Reply #25 on:** February 24, 2015, 11:40:32 am »

Quote from: chuck on February 24, 2015, 11:38:38 am

I was thinking about this the other day. Who the hell watches these shows? The target audience, the keep the government out of my Medicare crowd, is back home from Luby's and in bed well before the show airs. Maybe they tape it on their VHS machines and watch it when they wake up at 4 the next morning.

I think there is a large swath of the populace whose TV's are permanently tuned to Fox News.

Limey · « **Reply #26 on:** February 24, 2015, 12:06:09 pm »

Quote from: Bench on February 24, 2015, 11:40:32 am

I think there is a large swath of the populace whose TV's are permanently tuned to Fox News.

Along with the TV in the lobby of pretty much every office in Houston.

Ebby Calvin · « **Reply #27 on:** February 24, 2015, 12:15:35 pm »

Quote from: Bench on February 24, 2015, 11:40:32 am

I think there is a large swath of the populace whose TV's are permanently tuned to Fox News.

My wife's aunt/uncle fit this description. I doubt they know where their remotes are.

Dark Star · « **Reply #28 on:** February 24, 2015, 12:32:03 pm »

Quote from: Limey on February 24, 2015, 12:06:09 pm

Along with the TV in the lobby of pretty much every office in Houston.

Every doctor's office, for sure.

Mr. Happy · « **Reply #29 on:** February 24, 2015, 12:33:12 pm »

Quote from: Bench on February 24, 2015, 11:40:32 am

I think there is a large swath of the populace whose TV's are permanently tuned to Fox News.

This. This right here.