Authentically saying “I’m sorry” can be a very challenging action to take.
Last week, however, Jonah Hill delivered an excellent apology on “The Tonight Show.” While Hill was on the show to plug his new “22 Jump Street” movie, he insisted on clearing the air first regarding the circumstances in which he was caught on video using a gay slur directed at a paparazzo.
Hugh Grant also delivered a skillful apology on “The Tonight Show” in 1995 for his dalliance with a prostitute. Grant effectively summed it up by saying, “I did a bad thing, and there you have it.”
Finally, David Letterman was deft in his apologies related to having sexual liaisons with female staff members.
How come these three apologies worked? They were sincere. They were timely. Above all, they essentially said, “I screwed up and I’m sorry.”
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