Tiger Woods is going to make some sort of announcement in less than an hour. I’m writing this at 10:15 am on Friday, February 19th. The media is abuzz over what Tiger will say, how he’ll say it and whether his wife will be there. Will he apologize and will the public accept it? I’ve got to say, this business of television media I work in, seems to have no end to the ways in which it disappoints me. This is a frenzy that has been created by the media and continues to fuel itself. All the outrage being expressed by the public seem to be fed to us by the very media we look to for facts. In almost every conversation I’ve had with anyone regarding Tiger’s misdeeds, the upshot has been “Why is the media making such a big deal over this?”
If I were asked in conversation, or even for an opinion poll, what my opinion was of Wood’s behavior, it would unquestionably be that he screwed up on a nuclear level. But that, my friends, is where it ends with me. The man has his issues and his problems and has to deal with them how he has to deal with them. It doesn’t involve me. This is 
the point I think the vast majority of columnists, commentators and pundits are missing. It doesn’t involve you! Tiger Woods doesn’t owe anybody but his family or immediate circle anything. All this talk about how he needs to make a public apology and owes the public an apology is pure, unadulterated crap. Unless you’re a member of Tiger’s family, he doesn’t owe you shit! This is a man who has committed some seriously egregious mistakes in his marriage and how he deals with his wife and his family as they cope with the aftermath of those mistakes isn’t anybody’s business but his. The national media really needs to get hip to this fact.
It used to be that breaking in to programming was reserved for announcements of the utmost importance or for a national crisis. Now, at least one of the national networks has said it will break into programming to carry this announcement, apology, self-whipping, whatever you want to call it. That’s just sad. The kids in school to learn what journalism is, are being taught that this is what passes for news these days. Make no mistake, they will follow suit. The media is being run today by the people who were in journalism school when O.J. happened. Look at what it has sown. It’s not going to get better folks, it’s only going to get worse.
Let’s cut it back to the basic facts. Tiger Woods is a man who gets paid an obscene amount of money, because he is exceedingly good at hitting a little white ball with a stick, and knocking it into a hole. That’s it! Nothing more! He made some serious errors in his marriage. At this point, you have to ask yourself, why do you care what he does now? Does it directly affect you? My guess is you care because the media is saying you should. If you’re having trouble seeing through that, then the real question is not whether Tiger woods owes you an apology, but when are we going to demand better from the media?
Edited to add:
As it turns out, every network broke into programming with this. Let me say this again so it’s unquestionably clear. Every major television network broke into regular programming, to carry a live statement, not a press conference, but a live statement, of a professional golfer apologizing for cheating on his wife. Now I have a great many friends in the news business who will argue that “It was news, it’s what people are talking about…” and things along that line. This wasn’t news. This was merely the continuation of a culture of fascination with celebrity downfall that came into it’s own with O.J. Simpson, and has festered through Bill Clinton, Anna Nicole Smith, Gianni Versace, Michael Jackson, Jenny Jones, Charlie Sheen, etc.
Take a moment to think about what real news isn’t going to be covered tonight in your town to make room for analysis of Wood’s speech. Think about what you’re not learning, so you can hear about something that has no effect on your life whatsoever. When I was a kid, I wanted to be famous…Now I’m beyond thankful that I’m not.
