Bombs Away!

It was quite a weekend for the potty-mouthed if the world! I'm not about to cast aspersions at Serena or Roger, Kanye or even the President...I've been known to go volcanic a time or two myself. If you're honest, you will admit that you, too, have used a few ill-chosen words in anger or frustration or...just because it feels good to explode once in a while. Relieving the pressure with expletives is all fine and dandy, unless there's a microphone handy or unless you are somewhat violently shaking a tennis raquet in your hand at the time.
It usually only takes mere seconds to realize when you've said something untoward: something that felt good at the time but that you realize should have been placed in the "Don't SAY that, you idiot!" file before escaping your lips. After that, it becomes a matter of damage control.
I'm relatively adept at apologizing...I think because I've had so much practice, perhaps. I can and will look you in the face and admit that I was, in fact, an idiot, and I will attempt never to be so again (though I'm not making any promises in that regard). I'd like to focus on two recent incidents and examine how the damage control was handled.
Kanye West interrupted an award presentation to Taylor Swift Sunday night, berating everyone who didn't know that the award should have gone to Beyonce. Maybe, maybe not. I barely know either of the women's work. His moment of truth came last night when Jay Leno asked him about it by saying, "What would your mother have thought of what you did?" Ouch. Either a very good actor or truly remorseful, West could barely speak for a minute: Jay had to put words into his mouth to get him to speak. I actually squirmed in my seat watching it. I don't remember hearing him actually say, "I was an idiot," but what he did say seemed contrite.
Serena Williams, having already smashed a raquet for causing her to lose a set (?) threatened to shove a ball down a lineswoman's "F'ing" throat while brandishing a raquet (though I thought she was just emphasizing the words NOT threatening to hit the poor woman). Anyway, the next day, when given a chance in an interview to apologize, she refused to do it, saying simply she'd like to give the affronted woman a "big hug." Her apology appeared on her website. Seriously. If you've got the guts to demean someone in person, DO NOT offer the apology in an electronic media form. Of course, she may have done that by now...I stopped following the story. Did she get hosed on the foot fault call because she was a woman or African-American? Don't know. Was the line judge especially offended because SHE was a woman? Don't know. However, I DO know that:
Roger Federer dropepd the same F-bomb several times on a tennis official during his final match at the U.S. Open: no fine, no loss of point, and no apology.
Hmmmmmm.
Say what you want, but watch for microphones.