Comedian and star of "The League" Steve Rannazzisi, who was worldly known for his tale of how he escaped the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on 9/11, is now admitting that he lied about his story just days after the world both celebrated and mourned the 14th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed over 3,000 lives.
During his rise to fame, the 37-year-old actor told stories of how he worked for Merrill Lynch on the 54th floor during the time of the attack and would detail how he escaped from the building before the second plane hit and the towers collapsed.
"I was there and then the first tower got hit and we were like jostled all over the place," he told Marc Maron during an interview in 2009. "I went downstairs walked outside, saw all pandemonium, and then five, six minutes later, BANG (the second tower went down)."
Rannazzisi released a statement Wednesday to New York Times apologizing for making up the story, saying, "I was not at the Trade Center on that day. I don't know why I said this. This was inexcusable. I am truly, truly sorry. For many years, more than anything, I have wished that, with silence, I could somehow erase a story told by an immature young man. It only made me more ashamed. How could I tell my children to be honest when I hadn't come clean about this?"
Rannazzisi also gave a lengthy explanation on his Twitter account, calling his actions inexcusable and apologizing to the 9/11 victims and their families.
"It is to the victims of 9/11 and to the people that love them--and the people that love me--that I ask for forgiveness. It was profoundly disrespectful to those who perished and those who lost loved ones. The stupidity and guilt I have felt for many years has not abated. It was an early taste of having a public persona, and I made a terrible mistake," he wrote.
However, Rannazzisi apology only comes after the New York Times found some inconsistencies in his story. The outlet reported that Rannazzisi was not working for Merrill Lynch banking company; instead he was working in Midtown Manhattan, miles from the World Trade Center. The company, that reportedly did not have an office in either tower building, said they have no employment record for Rannazzisi.
Buffalo Wild Wings, the restaurant chain that is currently endorsing Rannazzisi for its NFL campaign, also released a statement following the actor's apology.
"We are disappointed to learn of Steve's misrepresentations regarding the events of September 11, 2001," Buffalo Wild Wings said in a statement, according to the NYT. "We are currently re-evaluating our relationship with Steve pending a review of all the facts."
FXX hasn't commented on the matter.
