Conan O’Brien ‘apologizes’

Late-night comedian Conan O’Brien sought to defuse a flap over a recent segment poking fun at the French-Canadian province of Quebec by issuing a self-deprecating “apology” on Tuesday night in French.

“People of Quebec, I’m sorry,” the host of NBC’s “Late Night” show said in English, as a translator recited in French, with English subtitles, “People of Quebec, I’m an albino jackass.” A series of similar jokes followed.

O’Brien sparked a burst of outrage from the Canadian government last week with a segment in which a rubber hand-puppet known as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog said to a Quebecer: “You’re French, you’re obnoxious and you no speekay English.”