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New Canaan's Brian Williams Cancels Appearance On 'Letterman'

NEW CANAAN, Conn. -- "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams, a New Canaan resident, has canceled a planned appearance on "Late Night With David Letterman," according to Politico.

NBC’s Brian Williams addresses the Iraq RPG helicopter story last week.

Photo Credit: NBC News

Williams was scheduled to be a guest Thursday and give a "serious interview" as "a high-profile, controlled way for Williams to clear the air," Politico said.

Williams has been under fire since last week after making a statement on the news clarifying that he "incorrectly remembered details in a 2003 reporting mission to Iraq," according to NBC News. 

In a piece that aired on "Nightly News," Williams said that during an assignment in Iraq in 2003 he was in a military helicopter that took on enemy fire. But on Wednesday, Williams told viewers he had made a mistake in recalling the incident, saying that he and his team were actually in an aircraft that was following the helicopter that was hit. 

Since then, Williams has faced ridicule and attack from social media. Photos of the longtime anchor have been photoshopped into iconic pictures. Under the Twitter hashtag #BrianWilliamsmisremembers, Williams' face has been included in images such as the invasion of Normandy, the Last Supper, the moon landing, the Civil War, the movie "Titanic" and in the car chase with O.J. Simpson. 

Williams announced over the weekend that he is also taking a break from anchoring the evening news broadcast for "the next several days." Lester Holt is filling in as anchorman. 

"NBC Nightly News" is the top-rated evening newscast in the nation. 

Here is Williams' full statement about his self-imposed hiatus, as released by NBC News:

"In the midst of a career spent covering and consuming news, it has become painfully apparent to me that I am presently too much a part of the news, due to my actions.

"As Managing Editor of NBC Nightly News, I have decided to take myself off of my daily broadcast for the next several days, and Lester Holt has kindly agreed to sit in for me to allow us to adequately deal with this issue. Upon my return, I will continue my career-long effort to be worthy of the trust of those who place their trust in us."

Read the full story here at Politico on the Letterman appearance. 

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