Brian Williams discussion?

[javadog]

Originally Posted by island911

that is, you are putting far too much weight on "everybody does it"

Read this sentence and see if you understand it:

"The point I was making is that we hold celebrities to higher standards than we hold ourselves..."

Now, do you see any difference in my sentence and your "everybody does it" comment?

JR

[island911]

that is simply not true.

SOME may hold celebrities to higher standards than they hold themselves. But those would be the exceptions. Not the rule.

Is Denis Rodman a celebrity?

Charlie Sheen?

OJ Simpson?

[Rikao4]

well he wasn't alone during these harrowing events..
figure his camera guys and support team were in the other Helo's..


Rika

[javadog]

Originally Posted by island911

SOME may hold celebrities to higher standards than they hold themselves. But those would be the exceptions. Not the rule.

Answer these two questions for me. Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever exaggerated a story you told?

JR

[island911]

if you are unwilling to see the difference between a private "no, honey, that outfit does not make you look fat." and going in front of a nation on a lying campaign, then I don't know what to say to you.

PS, I don't even lie about fat outfits. I'm blunt.

[javadog]

You didn't answer either question.

JR

[island911]

How old are you?

btw, we call that a rhetorical question.

[javadog]

I'm 55. You still haven't answered my questions. Should be easy... A simple yes or no, to each. No explanations or elaboration required.

Or you can keep focusing on your rhetorical question and dodging mine.

JR

[BE911SC]

Originally Posted by intakexhaust

Tell me why this Brian Williams guy is paid millions per year? What an insult. NBC - No credibility reporting and he's the top tier?

Their obedience comes at a cost. Pay a news reader enough money and they read anything that is handed to them. Their career becomes too valuable to risk doing actual news stories so they seek to protect their careers while the news suffers. We get the now ubiquitous "human interest" stories and soft news peppered with big pharma commercials.

[BE911SC]

Originally Posted by 911_Dude

Williams is done. He is under the microscope now, and every claim he's ever made will be investigated by someone.

He is being very closely watched by his hyper-ambitious peers in the TV news business. The public, largely, is asleep. It's Williams' competitors and the hyper-ambitious sharks in his business who are eating him alive. Yes, there is no chance he can come back. Williams now undoubtedly knows he handed himself to the sharks.

Remember how David Gregory seemed so excited to take over Meet The Press after Tim Russert's sudden death? That's the same hyper-ambitious types who are after Williams. How are the guys lower down on the ladder supposed to move up into the big money if guys like Williams sit there for 10-15 years? Williams handed himself to the sharks below him.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by javadog

Clearly, you aren't understanding the point I'm trying to make.

JR

I'm gonna throw this in:
Williams made $MILLIONS because he was supposed to be BELIEVABLE. The reason he had that incredibly high-paying job was his persona, his celebrity status, his image.

You, I, the rest of us, do not get paid $millions for our personality.
He royally flocked up that persona, that image, and now it is no longer worth $millions. It is worth squat. his only value now is to be the butt of jokes.
Live by the sword, die by the sword.
He got stinking rich off an image or characterization, He is gonna loose that fortune when he tarnished that image because he is a total lying douchebag.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

Time to call Al Sharpton
He is the new Henry Kissinger to everyone.

[oldE]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

I'm gonna throw this in:
Williams made $MILLIONS because he was supposed to be BELIEVABLE. The reason he had that incredibly high-paying job was his persona, his celebrity status, his image.

You, I, the rest of us, do not get paid $millions for our personality.
He royally flocked up that persona, that image, and now it is no longer worth $millions. It is worth squat. his only value now is to be the butt of jokes.
Live by the sword, die by the sword.
He got stinking rich off an image or characterization, He is gonna loose that fortune when he tarnished that image because he is a total lying douchebag.
]

Sammy,

I was with you until the last phrase. Having said that, I must say I do not watch TV and TV News is one of the reasons. I had no idea who BW was until I opened this thread. When you make your living based on the believability of your persona, you'd better not screw it up. I would say BW did just that. I reserve judgement on the lying douchebag bit, but maybe you know him.

Javadog,
I consider myself a truthful person, but I have indeed withheld what I felt was truth to avoid hurting someone's feelings. In my business dealings, where I make my living, I can't afford NOT to be truthful. I have given up sales because I knew the product would not meet the customer's needs. Why? Because I knew I would have something else I wanted that customer to try and the only tool I had was my believability. Getting a reputation as a lying POS does not do your career any good.

Best
Les
Les

[javadog]

No question that Brian Williams has ruined his career. Some of the public outcry is a little over the top.

Sammy's comment, for instance, might be better directed at someone like Kanye West.

Jar

[john70t]

I agree with Sammy.
A public persona should be held to higher public standards.
Especially when it is a newscaster.
That said, even the greatest of flaws can be completely covered up or the smallest blown out of proportion.

(I don't watch nightly news btw, and have zero idea of what happened.)

[widebody911]

[yazhound]

Funny and ironic bit from Jon Stewart, to paraphrase: "finally someone is getting called to the carpet for lies about Iraq". Funny what gets forgotten and swept under the rung and what does not...

[jamesnmlaw]

I think Williams could have learned from Bob Simon. Check out Forty Days.