Brian Williams suspended for six months for false Iraq story
NBC News anchor suspended without pay
If only he had Ed McMahon to tell him his war stories were “correct, sir.”
NBC News anchor Brian Williams once made a bizarre bid to quit the serious world of mainstream journalism to try his hand at late-night comedy by replacing Jay Leno as host of “The Tonight Show," according to a report.
Before Leno stepped down last year, Williams lobbied NBC execs for the legendary funnyman’s job, according to New York magazine.
“Brian wants to be a late-night comedian,” said a former colleague. “He traded on being 'Nightly News' anchorman-war reporter to ingratiate himself with Jimmy Fallon, Lorne Michaels and Jon Stewart.”
The job helming “Tonight” — made most famous by host Johnny Carson — eventually went to former “Late Night” host and “Saturday Night Live” alum Jimmy Fallon.
Critics said Williams had taken on too much of a celebrity role recently, appearing in regular “Tonight” sketches with Fallon, including “Slow Jam the News.”
“You can’t escape Brian Williams. He’s showing up in prime time,” another former colleague told New York magazine. “He’s hosting 'SNL,' his daughter [Allison Williams] is Peter Pan. She’s on HBO in the hit series 'Girls.'"
In 2006, Williams upset a delegation at a Congressional Medal of Honor Society event in Boston when he ducked out early to appear on “SNL,” according to the Boston Herald.
Williams agreed to be the master of ceremonies at the Boston event but told members when he arrived that he had a “pressing engagement.”
This article originally appeared in The New York Post.
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