Steve Rannazzisi, from "The League", Lied About Being in 1 of the Twin Towers on 9/11

[Schlosser85]

"He's a comedian"

What kind of excuse is that?

 

[MadVillainy]

He admitted this about 3-4 years ago. Why this has blown up now, I have no idea?

???

The most I got was that 2 years ago he kinda changed it to say that he was just working downtown

 

[Travesty]

He talked about it on Ari's podcast. Not sure what episode, as Ari has hundreds, and Ranazzisi has been on dozens of times, as they're good friends.

 

[terry78]

Yeah, that is a little shady. I'm still watching the show tonight, but whatever.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

That's fine and dandy, but his age is irrelevant. Anybody with any sense at any age would know it wasn't a good thing to do.

Age is not irrelevant, age determines one's perspective. As a younger person, some people are more inclined to lie if they think they stand to benefit from it. And then as a person gets older they realize it was a stupid thing to do just to try and impress people when they could have told a dozen other stories that were true and made them look better/funnier whatever. So age is very relevant, just because you're this pillar of moralness for your entire life does not mean the rest of us had the some experience

 

[Black Narcissus]

I don't know who the guy is and glad i ain't outraged about this. lol

 

[Lencho01]

Age is not irrelevant, age determines one's perspective. As a younger person, some people are more inclined to lie if they think they stand to benefit from it. And then as a person gets older they realize it was a stupid thing to do just to try and impress people when they could have told a dozen other stories that were true and made them look better/funnier whatever. So age is very relevant, just because you're this pillar of moralness for your entire life does not mean the rest of us had the some experience

His age really doesn't matter. Any person (young or old) of sound mind would know that saying they were a survivor of 9/11 is a messed up thing to do. Whether they care that it is or not is different thing. People lie all the time for various reasons. His excuse of being young is ******** though. There is no excuse for this, so he shouldn't bother trying to come up with one.

Never said I was pillar of morality.

 

[Blind_Lawyer]

It irritates me when people get called out on their bulls*** like this and offer an explanation along the lines of "I don't know why I said it" or "I have no idea what I was thinking." You do too. Just give people that reason and people will be a lot more forgiving.

I'd have more respect for him if he said, "Yeah, I said it. There was this girl, and I thought she might give me a sympathy lay" or even "I thought it might help me get ahead in my career" anything other than I don't know. That's the answer my six year old gives when I ask him why he did something wrong.

 

[Prison Mike]

Yeah it was stupid of him to say this but at the end of the day...does anyone really care?

 

[Sawyer]

It irritates me when people get called out on their bulls*** like this and offer an explanation along the lines of "I don't know why I said it" or "I have no idea what I was thinking." You do too. Just give people that reason and people will be a lot more forgiving.

I'd have more respect for him if he said, "Yeah, I said it. There was this girl, and I thought she might give me a sympathy lay" or even "I thought it might help me get ahead in my career" anything other than I don't know. That's the answer my six year old gives when I ask him why he did something wrong.

In this day and age of consistent outrage about everything and everything, I don't believe for a second that him giving an actual reason would get anyone to let up on him. If anything, that would just give them more fuel.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Yeah it was stupid of him to say this but at the end of the day...does anyone really care?

I am sure everyone who survived 9/11 or lost someone that day cares about it.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

His age really doesn't matter. Any person (young or old) of sound mind would know that saying they were a survivor of 9/11 is a messed up thing to do. Whether they care that it is or not is different thing. People lie all the time for various reasons. His excuse of being young is ******** though. There is no excuse for this, so he shouldn't bother trying to come up with one.

Never said I was pillar of morality.

Well, you sure are passing judgement on him like you are. It's pretty obvious why he said it, he was young and had recently moved to NYC and was in the process of becoming a "somebody". What better way to fit in and have New Yorkers accept you than by saying you survived one of their most traumatic moments with them in the belly of the beast? I'd like to think had I been in his shoes I would have been a better person but I also know as a young man I constantly lied about things to try and make myself seem or "cool" or to fit in with people. It's a very common thing for people who are inseucre about themselves to do.

 

[Lencho01]

Well, you sure are passing judgement on him like you are. It's pretty obvious why he said it, he was young and had recently moved to NYC and was in the process of becoming a "somebody". What better way to fit in and have New Yorkers accept you than by saying you survived one of their most traumatic moments with them in the belly of the beast? I'd like to think had I been in his shoes I would have been a better person but I also know as a young man I constantly lied about things to try and make myself seem or "cool" or to fit in with people. It's a very common thing for people who are inseucre about themselves to do.

Nope, I'm just calling him out on him using "being young" as an excuse, especially when he was an adult. If he said he did it because it would help him out in some way, I'd have more respect for his answer. I mean, this isn't some dude talking about some "cool" activity he did. It's 9/11. Take any major event where many people were died or harmed and think how messed up it is for someone to use that event to gain some sort of fame for being there when they weren't.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Nope, I'm just calling him out on him using "being young" as an excuse, especially when he was an adult. If he said he did it because it would help him out in some way, I'd have more respect for his answer. I mean, this isn't some dude talking about some "cool" activity he did. It's 9/11. Take any major event where many people were died or harmed and think how messed up it is for someone to use that event to gain some sort of fame for being there when they weren't.

Well that is exactly what he said in his statement. I'm not saying that it isn't messed up but it still doesn't change the fact he did it to try and fit in. You trying to argue that age, which correlates directly with ones maturity, wouldn't somehow be a factor is pretty laughable

 

[MadVillainy]

i mean the guy was 31 when he first stated it to a "major" outlet (at least from what Ive seen)
That's too old to use age as an explanation. At least to me.

I mean we all make mistakes, but I think at a certain point just say it. Don't blame your age; be an adult.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

i mean the guy was 31 when he first stated it to a "major" outlet (at least from what Ive seen)
That's too old to use age as an explanation. At least to me.

I mean we all make mistakes, but I think at a certain point just say it. Don't blame your age; be an adult.

He first told the story when he moved to NYC in his early 20's. There is a huge difference in maturity from early 20's to 30's as well as the 40's. Age is most def a factor in this lie

 

[Spider-Who?]

He first told the story when he moved to NYC in his early 20's. There is a huge difference in maturity from early 20's to 30's as well as the 40's. Age is most def a factor in this lie

That isn't correct. He was living in NYC during 9/11 and working in midtown. Shortly thereafter, he and his wife (then girlfriend) moved to LA to pursue careers in entertainment and that's when the lie started.

 

[MadVillainy]

He first told the story when he moved to NYC in his early 20's. There is a huge difference in maturity from early 20's to 30's as well as the 40's. Age is most def a factor in this lie

That isn't correct. He was living in NYC during 9/11 and working in midtown. Shortly thereafter, he and his wife (then girlfriend) moved to LA to pursue careers in entertainment and that's when the lie started.

Exactly.

The first place I saw him mention it was that podcast in 09. He wouldve been 30-31

 

[Donnie Darko]

Now I can also use this as an excuse as to why I don't watch The League. I have friends who have been trying to get me to watch for years and swear by it, but I've never even seen a commercial that makes it look funny.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

That isn't correct. He was living in NYC during 9/11 and working in midtown. Shortly thereafter, he and his wife (then girlfriend) moved to LA to pursue careers in entertainment and that's when the lie started.

I'm was going off of the statement he made that he said he started saying it not long after he was in the entertainment industry. From that it sounded like he started that process in NYC. I'm not super familiar with his career trajectory but he did say he started saying it when he started becoming in the public eye. Makes more sense that he would say the lie in LA since nobody there would be able to call him on it

 

[Lencho01]

Well that is exactly what he said in his statement. I'm not saying that it isn't messed up but it still doesn't change the fact he did it to try and fit in. You trying to argue that age, which correlates directly with ones maturity, wouldn't somehow be a factor is pretty laughable

I know what he said and I'm saying it's ******** to use youth (even though he was still an adult) as excuse, especially for this type of lie. Simple as that.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

I know what he said and I'm saying it's ******** to use youth (even though he was still an adult) as excuse, especially for this type of lie. Simple as that.

Well, you're wrong. It's pretty simple, even 5 years can have a vast effect on one's maturity. So I'm 31 now and by the time I'm 35 I will not only be more mature but I will also have a completely different worldview and perspective on life and why I do things.

 

[THUNDERSTRIKE]

what was the whole purpose of the lie?... to make himself seem big and important?... what a dirtwad, trying to capitalize on a major and tragic historic event for his own trivial and inconsequential reasons... hope he can live with himself now for doing what he did and looking like a complete s**thead now...

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Yeah it was stupid of him to say this but at the end of the day...does anyone really care?

I sure don't. I'm a big fan of Steve's and my life(nor the lives of anybody who lost a family member on 9/11) was not positively or negatively affected by his lie. We'll all be ok.

 

[TheBat812]

Ya, the guy did something stupid and inane. but seriously, people need to stop being so sensitive. Reminds me of all the 'trigger' ******** going on in colleges these days. Just think of him as a little exploitative and insensitive and move on. Not to mention this is old as ****.