It has been a little more than a month since we last saw Brian Williams explaining to NBC Nightly News viewers that he was going to step away from the anchor desk for a bit, and it has taken him this long to surface anywhere, at least in public. On Saturday night, March 21, Williams and his wife appeared at a fundraiser for his cash-strapped high school, which is struggling to keep its doors open. This is his first public appearance sine his NBC suspension.
According to a report by Page Six, "Williams donated $50,000 in response to an appeal by supporters of Mater Dei HS in New Monmouth, NJ, which needs the cash to keep its doors open. Williams, a 1977 graduate, attended the Save the Seraphs Gala at Shore Casino in Atlantic Highlands with his wife, Jane, according to the Asbury Park Press.
"This is Mater Dei. It's been a very, very important part of my life," Williams said at the gala. "It's a wonderful school, and it should be open for a long time, for everybody."
Williams's life first began to unravel in late January, when some of his recollections about coming under enemy fire were challenged. Within a few days it became pretty clear that the man in the top anchor seat at NBC had quite an embellishment problem, often insinuating himself into the stories that he had been hired to report on.
Williams was suspended for six months without pay in February, and whether or not he will ever return seems to depend upon who you ask.
Many insiders believe there is no coming back from this for Williams, but once the network brought back Andy Lack as news chief, things started to shift a bit. Lack is the guy who groomed Williams to take over for Tom Brokaw 10 years ago, and if anyone can somehow salvage his career, it will be him.
Are you surprised Williams made a public appearance the other night? Should he continue to lay low while the dust settles at NBC? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.
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