What do you think happens to the losing dogs after the fight?
Probably fortunate for Jesus that he met Vick now, rather than before the investigation. Poor guy’s already been crucified once.
Not to mention Hampshire forgot God. It’s not even a real apology unless some form of divine creator has been mentioned.
That would make an awesome bumper sticker:
I FOUND JESUS
He was hiding in my glovebox!
Just out of curiosity, what do y’all think of this exchange?
Interviewer: You crashed you car last summer while driving “under the influence.” Do you think a fairly typical teenage scrape like that was magnified unfairly by the press because of your status?
Haley Joel Osment: With regard to that incident, whatever attention has been given to it, I brought it upon myself. So I would definitely not say that my childhood in this business caused that in any way but the response to it is definitely something that is affected by my place in the business. So for me it was a good lesson. You can’t blame the press for giving attention to incidents like that. It was an extremely important learning experience for me to try and stay in check and do the right things, like I always should.
There was also a recent interview in which he called it “a colossally stupid decision.” And he didn’t mention Jesus. So, perhaps I’m biased, but I think that’s one celeb apology that doesn’t read as “I’m sorry I got caught.”
There was a new one yesterday, but it may have not made it out of the horseracing world. This one involves Russell Baze, North America’s all time winningest jockey and member of the Racing Hall of Fame.
This is what happened:
“Baze was riding 3-to-5 favorite Imperial Eyes, who had a 7-length lead in midstretch of the $8,000 maiden-claiming race. Imperial Eyes took a bad step inside the sixteenth pole but recovered momentarily, and Baze hit him with his whip right-handed. A few strides later, Imperial Eyes had slowed to nearly a stop, and Baze used his whip one more time.”
Hold the Peace ran past the injured horse and won by 2 lengths, with Imperial Eyes able to make it to the finish line in second place 4 lengths clear of third-place Jet Brella.
Baze then pulled up Imperial Eyes, who was able to walk into the horse ambulance but later had to be euthanized with a fracture of the cannon bone in his left front leg."
The rules of racing are quite clear on rules of using the whip, and pulling up a horse who is in distress. Baze has a great reputation, plenty of experience, doesn’t need the purse money that would have come from that low level claiming race, so it was a mystery why he did what he did.
He was suspended for 15 days, and fined.
His apology:
“I’m not going to try to make any excuse for what I did, because there is no excuse for it,” he said. "In the heat of the moment, right at the finish line, I made a bad decision. I felt he (Imperial Eyes) was off, but I never felt in great danger of going down or that he could be a hurt horse. I made a bad decision, it’s my responsibility and I’ll take the punishment for it.
I hope this is not the defining moment in my career. I hope I’ll be judged by the right decisions I’ve made and that I will make in the future. I’m sorry if I was the cause in some way for the horse to suffer any more than necessary. In this day and age of athletes and public figures making public apologies, it can begin to ring hollow. I want people to know that I am truly sorry. Nobody knows how contrite I am in my heart."
In his case I believe he really is sorry, and that had he known the horse was seriously injured, and didn’t just take a bad step and wobble, he would have immediately pulled the horse up and not tried to finish with him.
Up to this point, he was very well respected by those in racing, so it isn’t hard to give him the benefit of the doubt.
But with some of these celebrities who have made a career of being a “bad boy” or “bad girl” there is no reason to take them seriously when they say they are sorry. Seems like they are just sorry they weren’t able to get away with something one more time.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/08/27/SP9IRPTP1.DTL&type=printable
Rilchiam, I don’t think anyone here is going to razz on HJO for that - it does sound honest and sincere.
Similarly, I have the impression that Matthew Broderick’s mea culpas after he’d gotten into that accident in Ireland that killed a woman and her daughter were sincere and heartfelt.
I also think that they’re pretty damned rare examples.
IIRC the case when HJO was in the accident he started off by accepting guilt, as did Matthew Broderick. (Though it’s harder to pass on the guilt when you’re behind the wheel, I’ll admit.) That is still contrary to the sequence that Sampiro suggested for the “Stereotypical Celebrity Apology.” Where denial is always an important first step.
On preview, Grits and Hard Toast seems to be showing another apparantly sincere apology. They do happen.
They’re also, I think, the exception. Politicians, in particular, have a particular loathing to accept responsibility for error. A local State Assemblywoman had been the head of the Assembly’s Drug and Alcohol commission, when she got caught DUI. Her first statements at the time included a claim that she felt her experience would make her more effective in that role! :eek:
Now THAT is how to apologize.
Actually, I thought Hugh Grant’s appearance on Jay Leno immediately after his arrest was also pretty good.
And also in the case of HJO, he took the further step of keeping his yap shut until someone asked him what he had to say for himself. The interview I quoted took place almost a full year after he flipped his car, and AFAIK, it was the first time he made any kind of statement, directly or indirectly. I’m not impressed by Paris Hilton’s publicist saying, “She’s going to rededicate her life and she’s carrying a Bible around.” Just shut it and try to convince people with deeds, not words.
I do think, though, that Vick’s case calls for some exception, because the dog-fighting angle makes it news no matter who’s being charged. Still, notice how he made it all about him? Not “I regret what I did to those dogs,” just “I fucked up, I found Jesus, me me me.”
Well, I just watched Vick’s apology, and I’m going to swim against the current of this thread.
Vick was not reading from notes. He led off by apologizing for his lack of public speaking ability, and then offered some comments “from the heart” in his words. From what followed, it sounded to me like he was speaking extemporaneously, and not by rote.
Now, it may be fair to question the sincerity of the apology, but it did not appear to me to be a “canned” statement prepared by someone else. It appeared to be Vick’s own thoughts, in his own words.
Has anyone ever apologized before they were caught?
Mark Bradley has a column up on the apology (and note that Bradley has been very critical of Vick in the past). Bradley’s comments are in line with my perception of Vick’s speech:
I don’t remember, did Vick initially deny the allegations?* If so, shouldn’t he be apologizing for lying in the first place?
*Even if he didn’t, MOST people seem to deny, deny, deny until caught, then confess with an apology for the deed, not the lie.
I’m of the thought that anyone can say anything, it’s what they do that matters. So, you fuck up–ok, we all have done that in one way or another. Saying sorry doesn’t make it better or make it “go away.” Next time you’re faced with whatever it was that tempted you to fuck up–LEARN from your past and don’t do it again. (note: that does not say “don’t get caught again.”).
IMO, the jockey would get a pass–unless he does it again. I have no words for Vick. Somethings just aren’t covered by an apology–certainly not 7 years worth of what he did.
That was part of his apology.
Ok, thanks…I’ve only caught bits and pieces of the story today.
I agree with you. The apology did seem sincere and it seemed to come from someone who’s recently recognized several character flaws in himself and will be looking to make a change. Perhaps his finding Jesus will be of great benefit for changing. Who knows, why is becoming religious a bad thing? And even if you are a Christian, why be offended by it? Isn’t one’s religion a very personal belief and practice? If so, why does it matter what anyone else’s thinks or says about their own? Further, I don’t think Vick was making an apology to get out of accepting any responsibility, nor did he seem to think that his apology would make it all go away. What did you expect from the guy? He did the best thing he could have possibly done, and I’m guessing that no matter what he said or did, this pit would have existed. Just think of this: He plead guilty. He admitted what he did without hiding behind lawyers (of which he has plenty of money to pay great ones). I think this speaks volumes given the limitations of Michael Vick’s character.
You know, celebrities (especially athletes) grow up constantly being told how great they are and how they never do wrong, and oftentimes, every adult around them is so focused on whatever talent they have that character development seems to be ignored. Then THEY have kids and treat them the same way, etc, etc… Why is it such a surprise then that Michael Vick is the way he is? Have you noticed how many great actors/politicians/athletes have fucked up lives? They make most of you seem like well-adjusted, positive members of society.
Considering that he was making appeals to the divinity to help him get through this, and show his innocence, I’m not buying it.
With the implication that he was already a believer, and expecting God to help him weather this - I’m not going to buy that he just suddenly “found” Jesus. I’ll admit that there’s a bit of “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.” there, but given that I believe that there are people who use religion and the faith of others to evade the consequences of their actions - I’m afraid that Michael Vick is going to have to back up his words with a good deal of action before I’ll accept that he’s had any kind of meaningful conversion experience.
To put it more bluntly: He ‘Godded up’ back when the charges proved they weren’t going to disappear, having him ‘Jesus up’ now carries no weight with me.
Fucking yourself up is fine, it’s fucking up other people or killing animals thats beyond the pale…
Well, his turning to religion carries no weight with me either. It’s none of my business.
I’m just saying that I don’t get all the anger about it. He’s going to jail and chances are likely that he’ll get a reduced sentence, but that will have everything to do with his plea bargain and nothing to do with his newly-adopted faith.