5 Apologies of the Week

A look at some of the week's high-profile public apologies that made headlines:

• Customer service: "We have apologized to our customer for this unacceptable situation and addressed it directly with the employee who will no longer be working on behalf of Comcast."—Charlie Herrin, senior VP of Comcast, after a customer's name was changed to "A--hole Brown" on the cable bill.
• Storm fizzle: "My deepest apologies to many key decision makers and so many members of the general public."—Gary Szatkowski, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Mt. Holly, N.J, after the feared "snowpocalypse" turned out to be a routine winter storm.
• Use of 'colored': "I'm devastated to have caused offense by using this outmoded terminology. I offer my sincere apologies. I make no excuse for my being an idiot and know the damage is done."—Benedict Cumberbatch, after the actor used the term "colored" in describing racial barriers minority actors face in Britain. (Unlike a lot of celeb apologies, his won praise for sincerity.)

• Sorry, Henry: “Dr. Kissinger, I hope on behalf of all of the members of this committee on both sides of the aisle—in fact, from all of my colleagues—I'd like to apologize for allowing such disgraceful behavior towards a man who served his country with the greatest distinction. I apologize profusely.”—John McCain to Henry Kissinger, after protesters disrupted a Senate hearing and called the latter a war criminal. (McCain called them "low-life scum.")
• Bieber on Bieber: "I’m not who I was pretending to be. When I say pretending, often you pretend to be something we’re not as a cover up of what we’re truly feeling inside.”—Justin Bieber, fessing up to acting "conceited" and arrogant" over the last year or so, in a video apology.

Click to check out more public apologies. (More apology stories.)