The truth usually isn’t sexy. Saying you were flying in a helicopter that was hit by an enemy RPG in Iraq is sexy. Saying you were in the other helicopter soiling your pantsuit and cowering in fear ISN’T sexy. I should know, I’ve pissed myself before and let me tell ya, no one wanted to fuck me after it.
Brian Williams wanted what we all want. He wanted to be sexy. He wanted to be interesting at dinner parties. So he misremembered. Or, as most people would call it, he “lied.” We all do it. Whether it be flying in a helicopter that was attacked by an RPG or saying you kicked a 75-yard field goal in a high school football game and then got blown by a 75% percent of the team’s cheerleaders, it’s still a lie. Our lies just don’t happen on a national level.
Since Williams lives his life in the public eye, Jon Stewart thinks there’s more to it. He thinks Williams couldn’t possibly help himself from not telling the more interesting story.