Charlie Rose Mistakenly Declares George Butler Dead

1/2/2009
Kristin Hunt
The host of "The Charlie Rose Show" confuses the "Pumping Iron" director with a deceased jazz producer.

Charlie Rose prematurely presented an obituary for filmmaker and friend George Butler on his PBS show, mistaking the very much alive man for a jazz record executive of the same name.

Rose featured a segment dedicated to 2008's notable celebrity passings on his New Year's Eve broadcast, including Butler in the tribute. A tombstone bearing Butler's name and years of birth and death even appeared on the screen.

The PBS show staffers later realized they had confused the director with record producer George Butler, who died on April 9, 2008.

"I am bemused," Butler said. "Charlie did a great job retracting the huge error. Still, it's very disconcerting."

Another filmmaker broke the news to Butler, who missed the show. He later discovered that some of his friends were planning a wake.

Rose reportedly apologized to Butler three times over the phone the next day, and opened his Thursday show with a formal retraction.

0
No votes yet
Your rating: None
  • |