Public apologies are an art form. Put it this way: if you're a celeb and you've messed up, there's a certain way to say sorry to fans. You've got to admit you were wrong, while still retaining your respectful reputation. After all, your career depends on it. Some famous figures nailed it, but for others, they only made things worse.
The Dalai Lama, the holiest figure in Tibetan Buddhism worshipped by millions around the world, came under fire in February after a video of his interaction with a young boy went viral. A group of 100 young students who had just graduated from an educational program organized by the M3M Foundation visited the Dalai Lama at his temple in Dharamshala, India. One young boy approached him and asked to give him a hug. The 87-year-old spiritual leader motioned for the boy to join him on the stage and told him to kiss his cheek saying, "first here." The child kissed his cheek and gave him a hug. The Dalai Lama held onto the boy after the hug and said, “I think here also” before kissing him on the lips. Then, with his face close to the child's, he said "And suck my tongue,” sticking his tongue out. The boy quickly stuck his own tongue out before trying to move away. The Dalai Lama laughed and pulled him in for another hug, as the audience laughed along.
The video was widely criticized as grossly inappropriate, scandalous, and disgusting. The public outrage prompted an apology from the office of the Dalai Lama, who explained that he "often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras." They stated that he regretted the incident and "wishes to apologise to the boy and his family as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused."
Click on to see which other public figures had to apologize to their fans...