Brian Williams misremembers -- and the Internet won’t let him forget it
The social media reaction to "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams' admission that he was in fact not aboard a U.S. military helicopter that was hit by enemy fire and grounded during the 2003 Iraq invasion has been swift and brutal.
On the show Wednesday night, Williams said he "made a mistake in recalling the events of 12 years ago" when he talked about the incident during a segment last week. Williams and his crew were not on the chopper hit by rocket-propelled grenades, but rather on one following that helicopter, he said in his apology Wednesday.
Last week's segment wasn't the first time Williams told the inaccurate story. Last year, on "Late Show With David Letterman," he also said he was on the aircraft that was hit -- and social media users are making sure that's not forgotten.
People are also Photoshopping pictures of Williams into historical images and sharing them on Twitter with the trending hashtags #BrianWilliamsMemories and #BrianWilliamsMisremembers. Here are a few examples:
#BrianWilliamsMemories
"I said Martin, do you dream?, he said yes. I said, 'well, tell the folks about your dreams" pic.twitter.com/SnjbvOm1Pn
— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) February 5, 2015
"That one live shot I did from the moon" #BrianWilliamsMemories pic.twitter.com/FbND6jAqc7
— Greg Dutra (@DutraWeather) February 5, 2015
Collect the full set of action figures
#BrianWilliamsMemories pic.twitter.com/Bc3FccHWih
— JavaJoe (@JavaJoeX) February 5, 2015
Saving Private Brian
#BrianWilliamsMemories pic.twitter.com/IWMRKGxDrk
— Ivan the K™ (@IvanTheK) February 5, 2015
riding shotgun with O.J. #BrianWilliamsMemories pic.twitter.com/52E6h5tVcl
— Calhoun (@linkcalhoun) February 5, 2015
#BrianWilliamsMemories
I said to Lt. Col. Kilgore, Charlie Don't Surf pic.twitter.com/cEGyCFs3Tn
— JavaJoe (@JavaJoeX) February 5, 2015
#BrianWilliamsMemories pic.twitter.com/xwDCeZOB7v
— ¿ob (@robx_d) February 4, 2015
#BrianWilliamsMemories
"Losing to Jesse Owens in Berlin was tough, but I knew I was part of history" pic.twitter.com/LgLOCAKU1g
— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) February 5, 2015
#BrianWilliamsMemories pic.twitter.com/MtNGJH1PsH
— ¿ob (@robx_d) February 5, 2015
"I cut on the slant-route and made the play" - Brian Williams
#BrianWilliamsMisremembers
@TheRevBobLevy
@OpieRadio pic.twitter.com/qtEuNDzCrt
— Pin Head (@TomAdelsbach) February 5, 2015
"I was really the first man to walk on the moon." #BrianWilliamsMisremembers pic.twitter.com/fsCphD3S9M
— Bipartisan Report (@Bipartisanism) February 5, 2015
Gibson's home run. 88 World Series. Who was there coaching him up? #BrianWilliamsMisremembers pic.twitter.com/hVSIFymVqU
— Todd N Tyler (@tntradioempire) February 5, 2015
#BrianWilliamsMisremembers Reporting Live from the Declaration of Independence creation. pic.twitter.com/xfVp6rKEA5
— Teresa Wendt (@projectmat) February 5, 2015
Okay this one he just plain forgot. #BrianWilliamsMisremembers pic.twitter.com/Nh8QwSLf3T
— STERN FAN GIRL (@SternFanGirl) February 5, 2015
"It wasn't a dream. It was a place. And you were there, and you, and you ...." #BrianWilliamsMisremembers #WizardOfOz pic.twitter.com/0T51hqBY9u
— Tracy L. (@ViewFromAskew) February 5, 2015
@BradThor @BWilliams was a General during the Civil War. #BrianWilliamsMisremembers pic.twitter.com/6Lnf1QjIxg
— DontTreadOnMyLiberty (@j2runner) February 7, 2015
amazing hes done it all!!
#BrianWilliamsMisremembers pic.twitter.com/nfRoTaJWOc
— ★¿TexasRose¿★ (@jerrilyn71) February 7, 2015
He was there.... #BrianWilliamsMisremembers pic.twitter.com/lucCvlfIiy
— EROCK (@TheMightyEROCK) February 6, 2015
#BrianWilliamsMisremembers the Battle of Thermopyle pic.twitter.com/KSZCC3uoo7
— [adult swim] (@adultswim) February 5, 2015
I'll never forget that pregame speech you gave @BUrlacher54 and I, down in Miami in '07! #BrianWilliamsMisremembers pic.twitter.com/Z3cgjte0WH
— Lance Briggs (@LanceBriggs) February 6, 2015
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