Brian Williams got me watching evening news again. For years he had struck me as just one of a number of interchangeable news readers, but then I saw him on Saturday Night Live and discovered that he was funny, and an excellent mimic.
So I started watching him on weekday evenings. I didn't expect him to be the king of comedy, but neither did I expect him to be the prophet of doom.
When Ebola appeared in the U.S., Williams had me fearing for my life. His dire, urgent tone made it seem as if it were only a matter of time before the virus spread to every corner of the country. Soon after, severe winter storms pounded New England and Williams’ harrowing reports on them had me scared to go outside – and I live in Florida. Every week there seemed to be some new threat that he couldn’t wait to dangle over our heads.
So I was not at all surprised when the news broke that he had embellished stories of his personal escapades. He had shamelessly sensationalized the news; why shouldn’t he shamelessly sensationalize his life? As he steps down as anchor, but stays on at NBC, one wonders if he brought this point up in talks with his bosses, who had surely encouraged him in the first offense.
