Three months after the confusing and bizarre incident that saw Tiger Woods crash a car and then watch his personal life slowly unravel, the world's most famous golfer appeared on TV earlier today to talk about his current situation, apologize to people (especially kids who look up to him) and let the press know that he won't be talking in depth any time soon. It was a straightforward confession, though it's not entirely clear what it was meant to accomplish or how it would help Woods' progress.
Still, it will immediately become one of the most famous and high-profile celebrity apologies of all time, joining the following pantheon.
Kanye West
Only 24 hours after he crashed Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, West appeared as a guest on the premiere episode of "The Jay Leno Show," where he appeared contrite and regretful for his actions the night before. Key Moment: Leno asks West what his late mother would think, which nearly devastates the rapper.
Hugh Grant
In the summer of 1995, Grant was arrested in Los Angeles for soliciting a prostitute, leading to one of the most unfortunate mug shots of all time. Two weeks later, he went on "The Tonight Show" (Leno again!) to promote "Nine Months," and he said, "I think you know in life what's a good thing to do and what's a bad thing, and I did a bad thing. And there you have it." Grant was healed, and Leno shot to the top of the late night ratings (where he stayed). Key Moment: Leno opens the interview with the question, "What were you thinking?"
Mark McGwire
The former home run champ and MVP for baseball's St. Louis Cardinals always denied that he used performance-enhancing drugs (he even refused to answer questions about drug use during a Congressional hearing in 2005). Fast-forward to last month, when he admitted that he did indeed use steroids on and off for a decade. Key Moment: McGwire's quote, "I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era."
Mel Gibson
The Oscar-winning director and actor took a lot of heat for his anti-Semitic comments while he was being arrested for DUI back in 2006. (It didn't help that his film "The Passion of the Christ" was perceived as somewhat anti-Semitic already.) Gibson issued a long apologetic statement shortly thereafter. "There is no excuse, nor should there be any tolerance, for anyone who thinks or expresses any kind of Anti-Semitic remark," he said. "I want to apologize specifically to everyone in the Jewish community for the vitriolic and harmful words that I said to a law enforcement officer the night I was arrested on a DUI charge." Key Moment: People were so wound up about Gibson's comments that they tend to forget that he was also driving while drunk.
David Letterman
Late last year, in the middle of the late night wars, word broke that a former staff member of "The Late Show with David Letterman" had come forward about a sexual relationship with the host and was trying to extort him for money. Letterman nipped it in the bud on his show, announcing to his studio audience, "I have had sex with women who have worked for me on this show." Key Moment: A week later, he took more time out of his show to apologize to his current staff and to his wife for putting them through such a public ordeal.
Chris Brown
After assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna during Grammy weekend in 2009, Brown went underground for a while. When he finally emerged (conveniently around the time his new album was coming out), he apologized to anybody who would listen (including MTV News' Sway). Key Moment: The fact that Rihanna — who also was promoting a new album — was on the same shows talking about the same thing at the same time.