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Ann Curry Talks About Wrong Wheaton College At Commencement Address
Ann Curry, NBC "Today" host
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When Ann Curry, news anchor of the Today Show, gave the commencement speech at Wheaton College in Massachusetts last Saturday, she listed several famous graduates -- Wes Craven and Billy Graham among them -- of the wrong Wheaton College.
Curry mistakenly listed the graduates of an evangelical school in Illinois rather than the secular, once all-women college in Massachusetts.
"I am mortified by my mistake, and can only hope the purity of my motive, to find a way to connect with the graduates and to encourage them to a life of service, will allow you to forgive me," Curry said in an open apology letter on Wheaton's web site.
The text and video of her speech, posted on the site, have been edited of the mistakes.
Curry has worked on the Today show since 1997. She also hosts Dateline NBC and subs for Brian Williams on NBC Nightly News.
"It is with a heavy heart that I ask you to forgive me for mistakenly naming graduates of the other Wheaton College in my address," she later wrote. "I now know I should have named National Medal of Science winner Dr. Mary Ellen Avery, former New Jersey Governor and former EPA Director Christie Todd Whitman, literary agent Esther Newberg, Oscar-nominated actress Catherine Keener and Ken Babby, the youngest senior officer in the history of the Washington Post, among others. Thank goodness I got Lesley Stahl right."
She also thanked the students for being polite in the face of her gaffe.
"Even with my blunder, the students were also gracious enough to react with a standing ovation. Now THAT is good manners," she wrote.
She was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters.
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Sailormarlowe
May 24, 2010 6:38 PM
Mann Curry, doofus lamestream shill, on a fast track to irrelevance just like Katie Couric.
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DownriverDem
May 25, 2010 1:03 PM in reply to Sailormarlowe
Gee, why so negative????? We get the idea you don't like her.
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slb
May 24, 2010 6:43 PM
Ooops!
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miles born
May 24, 2010 6:45 PM
At least Katie does a little homework. Ann is not nearly as lazy as Matt Lauer. Matt is a teleprompter-reading tool. Partial retard.
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wildisthewind
May 25, 2010 2:52 PM in reply to miles born
DOCTOR OF HUMANE LETTERS ..... Does that mean that in addition to kissing the ground she walks on we have to call her Doctor.
Actually at one point in time I held Doctor Curry in high regard. But about three years ago she started behaving as though she really new what she was talking about. She started to ask questions of people she was interviewing and not giving them a chance to answer. She started to interrupt her interviewees (?). She also started to take a decidedly political stance. All without knowing what she was talking about.
In this case she must have just googled the name of the University and did not pay attention. I guess not inconsistent with the reason I stopped having any respect for her.
Maybe she should just give her "honorary" degree back?
last word ..... "phoney"
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Steve the K
May 28, 2010 11:55 AM in reply to miles born
@miles born: Perhaps your use of the term "retard" indicates your own lack of intelligence, sophistication, or sensitivity that you seem to abhor in Mr. Lauer. If he were black and you did not like him would you use the "N word"?
Or it may be a simple lack of awareness. In which case, well, OK, but have a look at this site.
http://www.r-word.org/
Offensive words and terms that denigrate groups of PEOPLE creep into our language. This is NOT about being politically correct either. That canard is the last refuge of individuals that can not see an issue in a new way and then modify their behavior. Call him an a**hole, doofus, nincompoop, or some equally accurate slang word, but the "R word" is not only inaccurate in this instance, but slurs people who have done nothing to deserve such opprobrium.
If you have seen the tears of a person with this particular disability, as I have as a special needs teacher, you get a whole new perspective.
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miles born
May 24, 2010 6:46 PM
Hey Sailor, were you in the navy?
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cwnidog
May 24, 2010 7:21 PM in reply to miles born
Only long enough to look for the golden rivet.
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Cornelius
May 24, 2010 8:05 PM in reply to miles born
yes he was. Rumor has it he shared a bunk with Marinus van de Lubbe. The story goes that Sailormarlowe always insisted on being Napoleon while Marinus was relegated to the role of Mrs. Napoleon. It was an abusive relationship as they say, and still is.
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larsvanness
May 24, 2010 9:09 PM in reply to miles born
Oh, you didn't know? The sailorman's ship went down and there were no survivors. He was lost at sea. Rumor had it that he was a galley slave aboard a trireme (ahh, that's an ancient Greek rowboat sailorman).
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mageduley
May 24, 2010 6:49 PM
The dangers of a lazy intern with da Google.
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jsdc007
May 24, 2010 6:52 PM
Ann Curry was always one of the dimmer bulbs on NBC, although nowhere as dim as the bimbos on Fox. I remember her interviewing a Cuban dissident and asking him "what if Castro never dies????" The look on his face was priceless, as if to say "OMG, are Americans really this dumb?" This was in the pre-Palinoid era, so that issue was still a matter of debate, and not having been put to rest by the Idiot Palin.
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FreemanW
May 24, 2010 8:00 PM in reply to jsdc007
Careful so as to not be stupid on this one.
The FUX NEWS bobble-heads are only as dumb as their paycheck requires them to be and not one degree more.
They're morally and ethically bankrupt, not stupid.
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voreason
May 24, 2010 7:09 PM
I cannot conceive of how she made this mistake. Perhaps she turned the writing of her speech over to an overworked staff member or intern - which by itself would seem incredibly lame. The alternative, and perhaps most likely possibility, is that she is just that sloppy. A sad reflection on the state of TV 'journalism'.
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jeaton
May 24, 2010 7:14 PM in reply to voreason
Ann Curry is a newsreader - just reads, doesn't write. My guess is she had one of her minions write it.
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seanman01
May 25, 2010 10:00 AM in reply to jeaton
Yeah, that's what they call them in England as opposed to Journalists, Commentators, Opinionators, Thought Leaders, Telestrator Helmsmen (I made that one up).
Yep, they read the news to you. That's all, folks.
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FreemanW
May 24, 2010 7:58 PM in reply to voreason
If someone's paycheck is dependent upon their maintaining a certain level of ignorance, don't be surprised when they do.
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SqueakyRat
May 24, 2010 8:41 PM in reply to voreason
If you Wiki "Wheaton College" it takes you straight to a disambiguation page. Can't really miss that. But if you just Google it, the Illinois Wheaton comes up first. The Massachusetts one is way down there at . . . second. Very understandable mistake!
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larsvanness
May 24, 2010 10:20 PM in reply to SqueakyRat
Ahh, not so understandable if that's where you are headed to give "commencement speech" and pick up an honorary degree.
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slb
May 25, 2010 12:00 PM in reply to larsvanness
Maybe she's really bad at geography...
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Marinus van der Lubbe
May 25, 2010 12:08 PM in reply to larsvanness
No attention to detail...
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SqueakyRat
May 25, 2010 1:21 PM in reply to larsvanness
Irony dies again,
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Reasonable
May 24, 2010 7:14 PM
"She was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters."
Grade inflation?
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stefsstuff
May 24, 2010 7:26 PM
I never thought that Curry was a bastion of brains - more like a drama queen.
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iVoted4Nader
May 24, 2010 7:46 PM
Interesting how she went for the "Evangelical" talking points before the, ya know, "woman empowerment." It's what you call a tool; just feed her caviar, NO THINKING REQUIRED.
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iVoted4Nader
May 24, 2010 7:49 PM in reply to iVoted4Nader
...and I bet she'll keep her job, but she'll have a new assistant.
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wildisthewind
May 25, 2010 3:01 PM in reply to iVoted4Nader
or a new intern ....
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FreemanW
May 24, 2010 7:55 PM
I cannot understand how someone so steeped in investigative reporting could commit such a grave oversight.
Oh, wait, . . . nevermind.
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Max Thrax
May 24, 2010 7:58 PM
She gets paid to read whatever gets put in front of her. It's the research people that should all be fired.
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VexSmith
May 24, 2010 8:03 PM
I like Ann but good God what a stupid mistake. I believe Wheaton has only accepted males for the last twenty years or so. Billy and Wes are a bit older than that.
And why would a NC evangelical be matriculating at a suburban Ma school, in the 30's-40's?
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Cornelius
May 24, 2010 8:16 PM
As they come around the back turn here at the Blue Grass Stupid Stakes and head down the stretch it's Chicken Lady by a beak with Clueless Curry closing fast!
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bostonwheaton
May 24, 2010 8:17 PM
Let's not overlook the fact that she gave the same speech at Providence College 6 days before...http://www.providence.edu/About+PC/College+News/Press+Releases/Ann+Curry+Address.htm. Lame.
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quoyle
May 24, 2010 8:48 PM
Yeah, dumb mistake, but her apology seemed sincere enough. Giver her a break. I'll bet the intern who did her pre-baccalaureate research is in the mail room now.
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G144
May 24, 2010 9:08 PM
Oh dear. To be fair, if Greta or any of the other Faux news bobbleheads did this in, I would be all over them. And so, sorry Ann, you don't get a pass on this one. That was a major screw up. It shows just why schools should think more carefully about whom they invite to give a keynote speech. Fame of any sort does not necessarily equate with true accomplishment or mean the person will do anything but phone it in. This should be a lesson to colleges and graduation speakers alike. Put some thought and effort into it if you don't want it to be a joke.
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hoppycalif2
May 24, 2010 9:12 PM
I don't care what Ann Curry did, she has me on a leash anyway. If I weren't married I would make it my lifetime work (the few years I have left) courting her.
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Cornelius
May 24, 2010 9:41 PM in reply to hoppycalif2
I know, I know. Posted a small joke above but always had (still do) the hots for Ann. Hard to explain but the fantasies keep comin'.
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barrelhse
May 24, 2010 11:41 PM in reply to hoppycalif2
If you were to tape a couple of shows during the week, you could have some strokin' porn for those week-ends, too!
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Slack
May 24, 2010 9:30 PM
She's not even a blonde. Wouldn't you like to see a vid of her going at the staff later?
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Cornelius
May 24, 2010 11:09 PM in reply to Slack
it's the Asian thing. Old memories. And of course clueless with a nice smile always works for me.
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bluestatedon
May 24, 2010 9:44 PM
I'd never heard of her before. Why in God's name did she merit an invite? Does nobody who sits in front of a camera for a living know how to use the internet tubes? Is it really too much to ask that someone in her shoes actually do her own fucking research for something as rudimentary as a commencement address? Jesus, it's just one boilerplate cliche following another.
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chameleon
May 24, 2010 10:12 PM in reply to bluestatedon
I agree!! How pathetic. It's shameful and she should be embarrassed.
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Mitchell Rose
May 24, 2010 10:10 PM
And now she's Dr. Ann Curry. Wheaton, this is the best you can get?
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The Zug
May 24, 2010 11:11 PM
It was really stupid and she ought to be embarrassed, and it sounds like she was.
We all make mistakes--hopefully not as big and public as that one--but politicians could learn a little from her "I f****d up big time, I can't apologize enough, please forgive me" approach.
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acf_ma
May 24, 2010 11:25 PM
This should make schools think twice before choosing some celebrity, unconnected to their school, for commencement speaker.
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conniptionfit
May 24, 2010 11:34 PM
Doesn't anyone think she deserves kudos for the immediate mea culpa? She stood up, and she didn't blame anyone else for her responsibility. I thought she was rather classy.
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slb
May 25, 2010 12:05 PM in reply to conniptionfit
Good point.
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dustbunny44
May 24, 2010 11:36 PM
I think she gave the graduates a great lesson in contemporary journalism.
They don't check news sources, they don't check anything.
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conniptionfit
May 24, 2010 11:37 PM
Plus, wanna bet that the graduates didn't have any idea, at the time, that she was talking about the wrong Wheaton?
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davcbr
May 25, 2010 7:57 AM in reply to conniptionfit
You go to school for four years there, and somewhere along the way you will discover that it was not always coed.
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LiberalRedneck
May 25, 2010 12:00 AM
How long before Wikipedia is being sourced on cable news?
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diegueno
May 25, 2010 12:12 AM
Does any journalist that reads the true crime stories that fill in for more costly programing have any self-respect, care about their work?
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Arundhati
May 25, 2010 6:18 AM
Ann Curry, Campbell Brown, Nancy Grace, Katie Couric: Four reasons the corporate media makes people sick. Thank God for the internet.
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Apphouse50
May 25, 2010 6:49 AM
I'm really impressed that so many people seem to have actually formed opinions on Ann Curry. I find that whole crew unwatchable, having realized over a decade ago that just about all they do is barely-disguised advertising: "Hey, ovah heah! We gotcha movies! We gotcha tech-toys! We gotcha books! We gotcha appliances!"
It's unwatchable, like QVC just with a little nooz thrown in to take a shot at adding dignity. Epic fail on that one.
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Sir T
May 25, 2010 7:13 AM
At least she has the fortitude to admit she goofed up royally. If she was a Fox bobblehead they would be screaming at people for DARING to question their research before muttering an apology under her breath then yell "LOOK OVER THERE!"
But yeah, silly mistake.
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Kevin Shay
May 25, 2010 7:40 AM
At least she didn't name Wil Wheaton.
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Dorn76
May 25, 2010 9:39 AM
None of the commenters here has ever fucked up, ever.
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bluestatedon
May 25, 2010 9:51 AM
Dorn, if you were being asked to deliver a commencement speech at an institution that you did not personally graduate from, are you saying you wouldn't be able to do research on the level of a moderately serious ninth-grader?
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dumdedumdum
May 25, 2010 10:06 AM
I bet someone on Curry's staff got a hell of a spanking for this -- sounds like fun! "Please, ma'am, may I have another?"
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Mooser
May 25, 2010 11:00 AM
This is a completely understandable mistake! After all, which of the two Wheatons has anybody heard of? Frankly, when Billy Graham graduated, the other Wheaton should have changed its name, or better still, closed up shop and consumed itself in one big auto de fe if that's the expression I want to ad. If not, I'll be nonplussed.
I mean, how could any secular female girl's school compete with an Evangelical college?
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Mooser
May 25, 2010 11:03 AM
Oh, and it turns out I've been spelling my name wrong. During a discussion about Palestine somebody told me it should be "Moser". It was hard to hear it through the foam, but I think that's what he said.
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greenmean
May 25, 2010 1:15 PM
Hey we all make mistakes and Ann Curry seems to be a beautiful person inside and out.
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JBL1955
May 25, 2010 2:12 PM
Describing the graciousness of the Wheaton students, Ann Curry wrote, "Now THAT is good manners."
My mother-in-law graduated from Wheaton (MA) in 1939 with a degree in math, and she attended class reunions every five years until her passing just before the 70th reunion. When she returned from the 65th she enthused about how the current students treated her and her contemporaries like comrades as well as the honored guests they were.
She was disappointed when Wheaton began admitting male students, but she kept an open mind and came to praise the decision.
No doubt my MIL would be as gracious to Ms. Curry as the Wheaton students were. That's just the kind of people Wheaton grads are.
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Tosh
May 28, 2010 8:55 PM
Oh dear. To be fair, if Greta or any of the other Faux news bobbleheads did this in, I would be all over them. And so, sorry Ann, you don't get a pass on this one. That was a major screw up. It shows just why schools should think more carefully about whom they invite to give a keynote speech. Fame of any sort does not necessarily equate with true accomplishment or mean the person will do anything but phone it in. This should be a lesson to colleges and graduation speakers alike. Put some thought and effort into it if you don't want it to be a joke.
m65 kamagra
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