Shandling: Weathermen Never Say 'Sorry'

Garry Shandling was interviewed on Tavis Smiley Tuesday night, an exchange that nearly had me laughing on the floor. Of course, it's impossible to synopsize a 30-minute interview with someone as creative (and, therefore, as tangentially impaired) as Shandling, especially when the interviewer is as adept as Smiley (who's so skilled at heading off the boring tangents and letting the promising ones run themselves out).

One of my favorite comments was a criticism of the lack of accountability among both Los Angeles weather forecasters and the administration of former US President G. W. Bush.

Although the weather bit is not part of the clip above, it is in the transcript and also available online in audio form at this link. Here's the gist of it from the transcript:

... You have Bush saying, "Mission accomplished," as he's landing on an aircraft carrier in a camouflage suit. It's a cartoon. I'm sorry; I actually get upset with hypocrisy like that. I don't even like when the weather man on TV gets the temperatures wrong and he doesn't the next day say, "Sorry." (Laughter)

Because I'm prepared for whatever he says. They don't take responsibility.

— TJ Sullivan in LA