For decades, Brian Williams was seen as one of the most trusted anchors in network news.
Now?
He's hosting a show at 11 p.m. on MSNBC.
How did Williams go from the face of NBC News to a late-night cable sideshow?
"My pres Obama…"
"My Pres Obama don't want none until you pass bills, hun!"
Here's the real reason we don't hear much from Brian Williams anymore.
He lied
In March 2003, while reporting on the U.S. invasion of Iraq for Dateline, Williams recounted
a story in which the Chinook helicopter he and his camera crew were flying in was unexpectedly
forced to make an emergency landing in the desert - to assist a different helicopter
that had been attacked.
"On the ground we learned the Chinook ahead of us was almost blown out of the sky.
That hole was made from a rocket-propelled grenade, or RPG.
Fired from the ground, it punched cleanly through the skin of the ship, but amazingly
it didn't detonate."
That was all well and fine, until Williams began to alter the events of the story.
As years passed, his version of events became much more exaggerated and dramatic.
"Two of our four helicopters were hit by ground fire, including the one I was in—by RPG
and AK-47."
Then, in January 2015, Williams invited Command Sergeant Major Tim Terpak, one of the soldiers
who was with him in Iraq, to a New York Rangers hockey game to celebrate Terpak's retirement.
Williams covered it on the news, embellishing the details even more, and even getting the
Rangers to lie about the attack on the jumbotron!
"During the Iraq invasion, US army command, Sergeant Major Tim Terpak, was responsible
for the safety of Brian Williams and his NBC news team, after their Chinook helicopter
was hit and crippled by enemy fire."
He got caught
After Williams' report aired, Lance Reynolds, one of the crew members on that Chinook helicopter,
accused the news icon of lying about what happened in Iraq via a blistering post on
Facebook:
"Sorry dude, I don't remember you being on my aircraft.
I do remember you walking up about an hour after we had landed to ask me what had happened."
The military newspaper Stars and Stripes subsequently spoke to Reynolds and other crew members,
who confirmed that Williams was not on the helicopter that had been hit — but rather
on another Chinook that arrived on the scene about an hour later.
Needless to say, the reports forced an immediate apology from the embattled anchor, who blamed
it on, well, an overinflated sense of patriotism:
"This was a bungled attempt, by me, to thank one special veteran, and by extension, our
brave military men and women, veterans everywhere, those who have served while I did not.
I hope they know they have my greatest respect, and also now my apology."
Suspended
The scandal dealt a quick and devastating blow to Williams' career.
Amid reports that he may have also lied about coverage during Hurricane Katrina in 2005,
NBC launched an internal "fact-checking" investigation into the anchor's past reporting.
The following day, Williams announced he would be taking a leave of absence and that Lester
Holt would be taking his place in the interim.
In an internal memo to his colleagues, Williams wrote: "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.
Upon my return, I will continue my career-long effort to be worthy of the trust of those
who place their trust in us."
But that return...never happened.
Booted to MSNBC
That voluntary leave of absence turned into an involuntary six month suspension courtesy
of NBC News President Deborah Turness.
Finally, after laying low for months, The New York Times confirmed in June 2015 that
Williams would indeed be returning in mid-August 2015.
But he'd be returning to MSNBC instead, as an "anchor of breaking news and special reports,"
while Holt would continue to anchor NBC Nightly News.
"And I want to express my sincere thanks to my friend and colleague Brian Williams for
his kind words of support."
Redemption?
One day after Williams' gig at MSNBC was announced, he sat down with the Today Show's Matt Lauer
to give his first interview since the suspension.
"Did you know it was not true?"
"I told the story correctly for years, before I told it incorrectly.
I was not trying to mislead people."
Williams quietly made his official debut on MSNBC in September 2015, covering Pope Francis'
much-anticipated visit to the United States.
His role with the network has gradually increased in prominence, culminating in the September,
2016 debut of his new show, The 11th Hour.
"We are rapidly nearing the 11th hour for this presidential campaign.
So we'll be here at this hour from now until election day."
Of course, Williams' time at MSNBC hasn't been without hiccups.
In July 2016, he accidentally referred to President Barack Obama as "President Reagan"
during a report on troops in Afghanistan.
"President Reagan at the White House.
Brian Williams with you here in New York."
Hey, it may have been dumb, but at least this time it was an honest mistake.
"And then I pull off my mask, and I'm a lizard person too.
Blackout.
End of episode."
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