The prerecorded opening segment began with Emmy host Conan O'Brien boarding a private plane to Los Angeles. Asked by a stewardess if he was nervous about hosting the show, O'Brien answered "Nervous? What could possibly go wrong?"

The plane then shook and pitched violently, sending O'Brien out of his seat and seeking shelter in an overhead baggage compartment.

The skit didn't show the plane crashing. Instead, it cut to O'Brien emerging from the ocean onto an island resembling the one in Lost, where he meets a cast member.

While a skit parodying the ever-popular Lost series seems like prime material, a tragedy early Sunday day put things in a different light. Hours before the show, a plane crash in Kentucky killed forty-nine people.

"It was a live telecast. We were completely helpless," Tim Gilbert was quoted as saying on the Lexington Herald-Leader's Web site.

"By the time we began to react, it was over. At the station, we were as horrified as they were at home," Gilbert said.

Gilbert claimed he expects an apology from NBC for the tasteless skit.

"They could have killed the opening and it wouldn't have hurt the show at all," Gilbert said. "We wish somebody had thought this through. It's somewhere between ignorance and incompetence.

Gilbert got his wish: NBC executives issued a formal apology.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to the many families who lost loved ones in the plane crash in Kentucky on Sunday, and to the entire community that has suffered this terrible loss," NBC said in a statement the day after the ceremony.

"In no way would we ever want to make light of this terrible tragedy," NBC said. "The filmed opening during the Emmy telecast was meant to spoof some of television's most well-known scenes. The timing was unfortunate, and we regret any unintentional pain it may have caused."

In case you missed it, heres the skit in question.

Vestril

Coronado, CA

February 2003

AUG 29, 2006 12:16 PM

It seems like the general manager of Lexington's affiliate was grabbing for some headlines, that was hardly insensitive.

_kungfoo_

Los Angeles, CA

April 2005

AUG 29, 2006 12:25 PM

Fuck him. How's that for insensitive?

_kungfoo_

Los Angeles, CA

April 2005

AUG 29, 2006 12:25 PM

double post, but still, fuck him

camalot

Canada

April 2006

AUG 29, 2006 12:26 PM

GAWD, people have become such fucking whiners! I cannot see how that could have offended anyone that was not just looking for attention. Seriously.

Phoenixgirl

I'm lost

May 2006

AUG 29, 2006 12:31 PM

That was good, and the south park reference made it all worth while!!!

J_Scrivner

Salt Lake City, UT

March 2005

AUG 29, 2006 12:34 PM

Dude, that was the only part of the show I actually remember. "Wouldn't have hurt the show" my ass.

JonnyJonnyH

Seattle, WA

June 2003

AUG 29, 2006 12:34 PM

The crowd at the Emmys gave the Tom Cruise joke a good reception.

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

Eternalxile

Irving, TX

March 2003

AUG 29, 2006 12:41 PM

it would have been different if they had wreckage and bodies somewhere but there's not so, fuck that guy. by his logic, the series lost should be offensive to anyone who's had a family member die in any plane crash.

hadees

Austin, TX

December 2003

AUG 29, 2006 12:48 PM

I bet he was also really offended that the movie Alive was being played somewhere in the world that day also.

zyryx

Tyler, TX

April 2004

AUG 29, 2006 01:04 PM

fuck him and the sister he married...

Crivelli

United Kingdom

January 2005

AUG 29, 2006 01:14 PM

Lost ........... very topical.

seen

Salem, OR

June 2004

AUG 29, 2006 01:19 PM

so fifty people died in a planewreck in some state.
and because of it the whole country can't make jokes about planewrecks?
(even though it was more about lost than anything)
that makes sense!
i love that it was only hours before as well.

the world doesn't stop when people die.
shocking i know!

also that skit was pretty damn funny.

Crivelli

United Kingdom

January 2005

AUG 29, 2006 01:26 PM

Award ceremonies, why do people watch them? Whay do people care who wins? Who gets the money out of a ceremoney?

zyryx

Tyler, TX

April 2004

AUG 29, 2006 01:32 PM

Crivelli said:
Award ceremonies, why do people watch them? Whay do people care who wins? Who gets the money out of a ceremoney?

the losers... $42,367 "loser gift baskets"

DaGhost

USA

December 2003

AUG 29, 2006 01:47 PM

Oh shut the fuck up.

Fucking asswipe.

ChrisSick

Philadelphia, PA

March 2008

AUG 29, 2006 01:49 PM

sportbikepilot said:

Crivelli said:
Award ceremonies, why do people watch them? Whay do people care who wins? Who gets the money out of a ceremoney?

the losers... $42,367 "loser gift baskets"

I will lose in any contest you name, right this second, for forty thousand dollars in cash and prizes.

Name it.

applextrent

Long Beach, CA

October 2005

AUG 29, 2006 01:52 PM

I don't watch them, I just wait for the next day and see if anything worth while makes it to YouTube and is posted on SG's news blog.

Mystik

SUICIDEGIRL

Florida, USA

AUG 29, 2006 02:02 PM

I am truly sorry to anyone who lost a family member in that plane crash, my heart goes out to you.

Having said that, I absolutely loved the skit especially since I am a huge fan of "Lost, The Office, House and 24.

Vestril

Coronado, CA

February 2003

AUG 29, 2006 02:06 PM

applextrent said:
I don't watch them, I just wait for the next day and see if anything worth while makes it to YouTube and is posted on SG's news blog.

Exactly, who needs a television anymore?

zyryx

Tyler, TX

April 2004

AUG 29, 2006 02:15 PM

ChrisSick said:

sportbikepilot said:

Crivelli said:
Award ceremonies, why do people watch them? Whay do people care who wins? Who gets the money out of a ceremoney?

the losers... $42,367 "loser gift baskets"

I will lose in any contest you name, right this second, for forty thousand dollars in cash and prizes.

Name it.

couldn't find a source, but I believe the presenters got baskets worth over $100,000

blackroseMD1

San Diego, CA

April 2003

AUG 29, 2006 02:44 PM

Yeah, that guy was just trying to grab some press any way he could. 30 seconds of that clip was about a plane crash, and it was prerecorded. Bad timing, not tasteless. Also, that is the funniest thing I've seen since the GI Joe PSAs, especially the Tom Cruise reference.

DominaNefret

Reston, VA

February 2004

AUG 29, 2006 02:45 PM

Yeah, but now they all have to pay taxes on their gift paxes.
HAHAHA.

zyryx

Tyler, TX

April 2004

AUG 29, 2006 02:54 PM

DominaNefret said:
Yeah, but now they all have to pay taxes on their gift paxes.
HAHAHA.

yeah! that'll learn them cheeky fuckers!...

guitargeek

Shawnee, OK

November 2003

AUG 29, 2006 03:06 PM

sportbikepilot said:
fuck him and the sister he married...

Yeah! Fucking NASCAR fans...

PAGE:

1 | 2

BOARDS:

TOPICS:

Alyk

Boston, MA

February 2005

AUG 28, 2006 04:49 PM

Coronado, CA

February 2003

AUG 29, 2006 12:16 PM

_kungfoo_

Los Angeles, CA

April 2005

AUG 29, 2006 12:25 PM

_kungfoo_

Los Angeles, CA

April 2005

AUG 29, 2006 12:25 PM

Canada

April 2006

AUG 29, 2006 12:26 PM

Phoenixgirl

I'm lost

May 2006

AUG 29, 2006 12:31 PM

Salt Lake City, UT

March 2005

AUG 29, 2006 12:34 PM

Seattle, WA

June 2003

AUG 29, 2006 12:34 PM

Irving, TX

March 2003

AUG 29, 2006 12:41 PM

Austin, TX

December 2003

AUG 29, 2006 12:48 PM

Tyler, TX

April 2004

AUG 29, 2006 01:04 PM

United Kingdom

January 2005

AUG 29, 2006 01:14 PM

Salem, OR

June 2004

AUG 29, 2006 01:19 PM

United Kingdom

January 2005

AUG 29, 2006 01:26 PM

Tyler, TX

April 2004

AUG 29, 2006 01:32 PM

USA

December 2003

AUG 29, 2006 01:47 PM

Philadelphia, PA

March 2008

AUG 29, 2006 01:49 PM

Long Beach, CA

October 2005

AUG 29, 2006 01:52 PM

SUICIDEGIRL

Florida, USA

AUG 29, 2006 02:02 PM

Coronado, CA

February 2003

AUG 29, 2006 02:06 PM

Tyler, TX

April 2004

AUG 29, 2006 02:15 PM

San Diego, CA

April 2003

AUG 29, 2006 02:44 PM

Reston, VA

February 2004

AUG 29, 2006 02:45 PM

Tyler, TX

April 2004

AUG 29, 2006 02:54 PM

Shawnee, OK

November 2003