# Worst Screw-Ups/Acts of Stupidity in the Public Eye. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 17, 2002, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300 "2002-12-17T10:34:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diff\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@Diff\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diff_T)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/1 "2002-12-17T10:34:10Z")
I’m talking Live TV, Rock Concerts, plays, in front of press… Things that are so bad, they make YOU feel embarrassed. For example: (SNL) What’s-Her-Name rips up a picture of the Pope. Or it could just be a bad acting host, that turns the show into a train reck… Like that one skater who got her leg jacked up. (FOX News) That one reporter said something about old neighbors of J Lopez won’t be so quick in giving a blowjob. Or something. (someone help me out here?) A band says: "It’s great to be here in… " but lists the wrong town. The whole Trent Lott thing. Anything that makes YOU uncomfortable, even though you have nothing to do it, you’re just watching it. It can be little things too… like at the office someone says something “off color”. Whatever… ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/2 "2002-12-17T11:39:59Z")
Dan Quayle’s ‘miscorrection’ of the little kid’s spelling of potato ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/3 "2002-12-17T12:04:35Z")
George W. Bush on [Dave Letterman](http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/GuidePageServlet/showid-3015/epid-117528/). The joke he made about Dave surgery, really the whole thing, was one of the most excruciating things I’ve ever seen on TV. Now I’m no Republican but I felt really and truely bad for the guy. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/4 "2002-12-17T13:13:37Z")
I hadn’t heard anything about Bush on Letterman, and was curious as to what the “joke” was, so I looked it up: > [@](#): > > Letterman: “You often say, ‘I’m a uniter, not a divider.’ What does that mean?” > > Bush: “It means when it comes time to sew up your chest cavity, we use stitches as opposed to opening it up!” Apparently, the audience booed. I agree, **Osiris** – what the _hell?_ I nominate Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s being utterly [duped by a pair of pre-pubescent girls](http://www.smithsonianmag.si.edu/smithsonian/issues97/sep97/doyle.html). (I’ve often wondered if they used a [“Brownie”](http://machaut.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/WEBSTER.sh?WORD=brownie) to take those pictures…) Ah well, what do you expect of someone who’s capable of writing “Eliminate the impossible and whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” It’s _possible_ that Sir Arthur habitually kept half-a-dozen silver half-crowns up his bum in case of emergency… I admit, it’s _very_ improbable, but it _must_ be the truth! What a weirdo. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/5 "2002-12-17T13:27:50Z")
What about when Bush Sr. puked on the Japanesse ambassador? ---
**Author:** ![Ruffian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@Ruffian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruffian)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/6 "2002-12-17T14:12:21Z")
There’s always Pee Wee jacking off in a porno theater. And Hugh Grant getting blown by a $50 hooker, un public. There are others, but it’s early. Someone else can think of them for me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/7 "2002-12-17T14:28:43Z")
Unless we’re viewing Public Acts of Stupidity as an art, this thread shouldn’t be in the Cafe. (Even though I DO consider them to be a form of entertainment.) I’ll move it to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/8 "2002-12-17T14:28:54Z")
Gerald Ford’s “There is no Soviet dominance of eastern Europe.” George Romney’s “brainwashing” comment. Louise Lasser’s mental breakdown on SNL (somewhat obscure, since the episode has never been rerun). ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/9 "2002-12-17T14:43:32Z")
Anything Dan Quayle ever said. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/10 "2002-12-17T14:48:14Z")
**Farrah Fawcett** ’s appearance on David Letterman. She started the interview as a somewhat respected and much lusted after t.v. icon; she left a has-been and a walking poster for why we should stay away from drugs. **Ronald Reagan** ’s on-the-air joke about nuking the Soviets. **Nancy Kerrigan** ’s fall from grace (and any further endorsement deals) when she publicly dissed Mickey Mouse. The 2nd debate with W, when **Al Gore** showed up resembling Mimi from “Drew Carey.” ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/11 "2002-12-17T14:57:21Z")
Any of the washed-up celebrities appearing on “Celebrity Boxing” on that paragon of high culture, the Fox network. Anything Michael Jackson does in public. Anything the British royal family does in public, including: [http://vatican.rotten.com/famous/qe2-digs.html](http://vatican.rotten.com/famous/qe2-digs.html) The Clash selling the rights to “London Calling” to sell Jaguars. Anytime Jesse Ventura opens his mouth. And **RealityChuck** : Where can I learn more about Louise Lasser’s mental breakdown on SNL? ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/12 "2002-12-17T15:13:25Z")
Donny Osmond sticking his foot in his mouth calling Rosie O’Donnell fat when he was a guest on her show. Quite an uncomfortable moment. (He had to sing “Puppy Love” while waering a dog suit as an act of contrition.) ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/13 "2002-12-17T15:13:49Z")
Jefferson Airplane (or was it Jefferson Starship by that point, I can’t remember) was playing a concert in Germany. I very inebraited Grace Slick takes the stage, starts chanting “who won the war?” and other slurs. The audience started to leave, then turned around and took their seats again to watch her self-distruct. I was ashamed for her. Also, the Quayle/Murphy Brown debacle. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/14 "2002-12-17T15:23:52Z")
“Louise Lasser’s mental breakdown on SNL (somewhat obscure, since the episode has never been rerun).” Did anyone actually see this? I never heard of it, but I’d like some details. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/15 "2002-12-17T15:24:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spiff \* > \*\*Where can I learn more about Louise Lasser’s mental breakdown on SNL? \*\* If you search the net, you may be able to find transcripts of the show. She may have been under the influence of drugs (she’d been busted recently) and just beofre the live broadcast, she locked herself in her dressing room and refused to come out. They were getting ready to send Chevy Chase on in her place wearing a wig! They managed to get her out of the dressing room and in front of the camera where she forgot all her lines. She then started to ad lib somewhat incoherently and it went downhill from there. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/16 "2002-12-17T15:30:53Z")
Oh, quick addendum: Officially Lasser’s behaviour was explained as a panic attack brought on by the stress of her recent drug bust and personal problems. ---
**Author:** ![bayonet1976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@bayonet1976](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bayonet1976)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/17 "2002-12-17T15:34:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PunditLisa \* > \*\*[ **Ronald Reagan** ’s on-the-air joke about nuking the Soviets. > \*\* Reagan’s joke was not on-the air. It was during a sound check, and not broadcast. It was however caught on tape and the networks ran with it. ---
**Author:** ![MSU\_1978](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@MSU\_1978](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MSU_1978)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/18 "2002-12-17T15:41:59Z")
Remember Jimmy Carter’s Polish translator? He meant to tell the Polish people of his affection for them, but it was translated to say that he desired them carnally. ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/19 "2002-12-17T15:54:22Z")
**PunditLisa** beat me to Farrah Fawcett, but how about **Anne Heche’s** interview with Barbara Walters a couple of years ago? Yeesh. ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300/20 "2002-12-17T16:00:01Z")
. . . and then there’s [this one](http://www.goofups.com/quotes/104_88.html) . . . [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-screw-ups-acts-of-stupidity-in-the-public-eye/143300.md?page=2)