Mark S. Allen apologizes for CW 31 ‘Good Day Sacramento” interview with Janet Jackson and Tyler Perry

Mark S. Allen, entertainment anchor of CW 31's Good Day Sacramento, has apologized to Janet Jackson and Tyler Perry for an on-air assault he delivered to them last week.  Allen referred to himself as "an absolute jerk" for how he handled the interview as he delivered his message.

Jackson and Perry appeared on the CW Morning Show on Thursday October 11 to promote America's #1 Movie Why Did I Get Married.  According to an entry made by Tyler Perry at his website (www.tylerperry.com) "…I made it perfectly clear before we went live on the air that I wasn't talking about the Super Bowl or Janet's family." Allen went on to rehash Janet's Super Bowl snafu before 

I have searched the net for video of the interview, but CBS/CW had postings removed early last week.  They have done a good job of keeping this story quiet.  A friend of mine gave me the heads up earlier of the week.

On Wednesday the 17th, the station issued a semi-apology to viewers and fans, stating "While we certainly did not intend to offend anyone during this interview, we do sincerely apologize to anyone who may have been offended, including Ms. Jackson and Mr. Perry."

Click here to see video of Allen's apology. 

Then on Thursday the 18th, Allen himself apologized. "…it didn't go well largely because of me,"  Allen said.  "This incident in no way reflects how I feel about Janet or Tyler or their work," said Allen.  He received over 19,000 emails condemning his actions and the station's general manager received even more.  

Television stations seem to encourage this type of behavior than they dissuade it.  Reporters are passed off as "asking the tough questions."  Even if Perry and Jackson fans had not responded the way they did, Allen's actions would still be out of line.

One thing that we learn from an episode like this is that the media has a system in place which drives their reactions (outside of revenues).  When television, or radio, or newspaper outlets receive letters, emails, and phone calls from the public they respond. They may not always respond to the public's liking, but they do respond.  It's important that citizens write their local media outlets when they feel something has been mishandled or misreported. 

It seemed like Janet was moving past all the SB/WM fallout.  Justin seems to be making out just fine, but haters have to hate.

A quick Google search would find that Mark S. Allen has made his own mistakes, as all of us have.  Should he have to hear about those mistakes for the next 3 years, or should America allow him to show he's learned and move on? 

Reports of Allen's interview reminded me of David Letterman's most recent interview with Paris Hilton.  Letterman pelted her with a barrage of questions regarding her jail stay after she was assured the topic was off the table. 

It puzzles me how the interviewer feels that he or she is serving their audience in any meaningful way with these questions. There needs to be a shift in behavior and tolerance for these verbal bushwhacks.

As an aside, I found it interesting how Perry described his push for wider distribution of Married.   "In the midst of all of this I was fighting, trying to get more screens because every other movie that opens with a track record like mine have not had to deal with fighting for screens," Perry said.  "Most of the movies of my counterparts open on at least 3,000 screens.  MARRIED was given 2,000."