Disgraced anchor Brian Williams photographed in public for first time since he was suspended from NBC on happy family day out as predecessor Tom Brokaw breaks silence on 'really, really serious case' 

• Brian Williams was spotted in New York City on Monday with his wife Jane and daughter Allison celebrating Allison's birthday
• This is the first time Williams has been photographed in public seen since he was suspended from NBC Nightly News in February 2015
• Williams was suspended for six months and replaced by Lester Holt
• Nightly News has been beaten in the ratings the past two weeks by ABC's World News Tonight, ending a five-year run as the ratings champion
• Tom Brokaw addressed Williams' suspension at an event Monday night, saying it was a 'really, really serious case' 

By Chris Spargo For Dailymail.com

Published: 10:02 EST, 14 April 2015 | Updated: 17:45 EST, 14 April 2015

Brian Williams was spotted for the first time since he was suspended from his position as the anchor on NBC Nightly News.

The disgraced newsman was joined by his wife Jane as they celebrated daughter Allison's birthday with a walk around New York City.

This as new reports claim that ABC's World News Tonight continues to gain viewers over Nightly News, beating it in the ratings for the second straight week.

Scroll down for videos 

Brian Williams was spotted in New York City on Monday with his wife Jane and daughter Allison

The three were also joined by Allison's new Golden Retriever Moxie

Allison was celebrating her her 27th birthday

The Girls actress adopted the Golden Retriever last month

Williams received a six month suspension in February after it was reported he had fabricate stories about the Iraq War, Hurricane Katrina and fall of the Berlin Wall.

Another story some questioned involved him saving two puppies from a house fire.

He was replaced in the anchor chair by Lester Holt.

Since then he has avoided being seen in public, with his only other known appearance coming at a fundraiser for his high school alma mater, Mater Dei Catholic Prep,at a casino in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey last month. 

The Williams family enjoyed a stroll through the city Monday, and were also joined by Allison's new puppy, Moxie.

The Girls actress adopted the Golden Retriever last month.

Also on Monday, former Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw addressed Williams' suspension at an event held at the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics.

He said it was a 'really, really serious case,' and that there was 'a process underway.'

According to CNN, Brokaw also told the audience; 'The important thing is that the process is very carefully constructed, and we owe it to everybody - including Brian and his family and certainly the people who work at NBC News who risk their lives everyday, and to the integrity of what NBC News has stood for all these years - to let the process play out, to hear what the final conclusions are and then deal with it at that point.'

When pressed, Brokaw said he and Williams had a 'cordial' relationship. 

He added; 'You know, it was tricky because he succeeded me and I had my own strong feelings about how things should be done, but I never interfered with it. And I would make suggestions from time to time.' 

This in response to a Vanity Fair story that quoted a friend of Brokaw as saying; 'Tom will never say this for the record, but I've talked to him about this, and I can tell you for a fact Tom is livid about this. Tom didn't push Brian out, but he didn't try to save him, either.' 

Brokaw denied this claim, and blasted the story, saying they never reached out to him for comment. 

The veteran anchor also called this a 'a very, very difficult time' for everyone at NBC. 

EXCLUSIVE: Brian Williams FINALLY emerges for family stroll

Tom Brokaw (above) addressed Williams' suspension at an event Monday night, saying it was a 'really, really serious case'

This is the first time Williams has been seen since he was suspended from NBC Nightly News in February 2015

Williams was suspended for six months and replaced by Lester Holt

NBC described Williams' actions as 'wrong and completely inappropriate,' and which jeopardized 'the trust millions of Americans place in NBC News.'

Nightly News has been beaten in the ratings the past two weeks by ABC's World News Tonight, ending a five-year run as the ratings champion

This now has some wondering if NBC might shorten Williams suspension to get him back on the air

Meanwhile, The Wrap reports that World News, anchored by David Muir, scored 8,250,000 viewers, as compared to 8,022,000 viewers for Nightly News last week.

The program also won the also won the 25-54 demo and the 18-49 demo.

Having done the same the previous week, this marks the first time ABC has won all three demos in consecutive weeks in seven years. 

That week also marked the end of Nightly News' five-year run as total viewers champion. 

The situation is remarkably similar to what happened with Good Morning America overtaking Today in the wake of Ann Curry's departure in 2012.

This now has some wondering if NBC might shorten Williams suspension to get him back on the air. 

There are also those who think the network may decide to keep Holt on the air even after Williams' suspension is over.

Other reports have claimed that the network is in talks with Katie Couric about possibly joining the program. 

The Washington Post reports that the decision will likely come in the next month as the networks prepare for their annual upfront presentations. 

And while Holt may be more advertiser friendly than the embattled Williams, one unnamed executive at the network said that there is a fear of Williams going to another network if he is not reinstated at the end of his suspension.

They also said of Williams; 'We have an enormous talent here. He has skills no one else has.'

There are also those who think the network may decide to keep Holt on the air even after Williams' suspension is over

Williams confessed shortly before his suspension that he 'made a mistake recalling' a flight he took on a Chinook helicopter over Iraq in 2003

Williams has not spoken publicly since he was suspended in February

While some in the news world have come out against him, his family has stood by his side

Williams confessed shortly before his suspension that he 'made a mistake recalling' a flight he took on a Chinook helicopter over Iraq in 2003.

He has previously said the aircraft he was on was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade that miraculously didn't explode, and managed to land with no loss of life.

In the most extreme version of the tale, told to David Letterman in March 2013, he said: 'Two of our four helicopters were hit by ground fire, including the one I was in, RPG and AK-47.'

In fact, he was on a different aircraft entirely, which by some accounts was as much as an hour behind the one helicopter which was actually hit.

He recanted his account after being called out by veterans who really were on the chopper.

NBC launched an official probe into Williams, led by Richard Esposito, its top investigative journalist.

NBC launched an official probe into Williams, led by Richard Esposito, its top investigative journalist

Since the apology, questions were also raised about statements Williams made on coverage of Hurricane Katrina

He claimed to see a body floating down the street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, past the Ritz-Carlton hotel where he was staying 

Some are skeptical of the story, as the French Quarter was not extensively flooded in the disaster 

Since the apology, questions were also raised about statements Williams made on coverage of Hurricane Katrina.

He claimed to see a body floating down the street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, past the Ritz-Carlton hotel where he was staying.

In a 2006 interview he referenced the moment: 'When you look out of your hotel room window in the French Quarter and watch a man float by face down, when you see bodies that you last saw in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, and swore to yourself that you would never see in your country'.

Some are skeptical of the story, as the French Quarter was not extensively flooded in the disaster, bringing into question whether there would have been enough water for a body to float down the street.

He has also claimed that flood water gave him dysentery, which medics have said was not prevalent during Katrina. 

He has also claimed that flood water gave him dysentery, which medics have said was not prevalent during Katrina

NBC also began looking into claims made by Williams that he met Pope John Paul II while in college and was in Germany for the historic fall of the Berlin Wall

In a 2004 interview, Williams said he 'arrived at the Berlin Wall a day after -- more like 12 hours after -- Tom Brokaw did.'

However, at a November 8, 2014 gala he stated; 'Here's a fact: 25 years ago tonight, Tom Brokaw and I were at the Berlin Wall.'

Allison Williams defends news anchor father Brian Williams

NBC also began looking into claims made by Williams that he met Pope John Paul II while in college and was in Germany for the historic fall of the Berlin Wall.

Brokaw was historically the only American anchor who was present the night the Berlin Wall fell, but it seems that Williams may have claimed he too was there, while working with WCBS-TV.

'I've been so fortunate,' said Williams in a 2008 forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library according to CNN.

'I was at the Brandenburg Gate the night the wall came down.'

And while Williams did witness some of the wall's removal, an NBC source said as a matter of fact; 'Brian arrived the day after the wall came down.' 

In a 2004 interview, Williams said he 'arrived at the Berlin Wall a day after -- more like 12 hours after -- Tom Brokaw did.'

However, at a November 8, 2014 gala he stated; 'Here's a fact: 25 years ago tonight, Tom Brokaw and I were at the Berlin Wall.'

As for his meeting with Pope John Paul II, while Williams did acknowledge the fact the Pope visited Catholic College while he attended, it wasn't until 2004 that he suddenly said during a commencement speech at the same university that he met the man, and shook his hand.

Following his death however, Williams said; 'I was a student at Catholic University, and over the course of two hours, chatted up a Secret Service agent who spilled like a cup of coffee and told me that the pope would be coming our way, straight up the steps of a side door at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. I positioned myself and held out my hand and said, "Welcome to Catholic University, Holy Father." And he embraced my hand with both of his, made the sign of the cross, and said a blessing to me.' 

World News, anchored by David Muir (above), scored 8,250,000 viewers last week

This as as compared to 8,022,000 viewers for Nightly News, hosted by Holt (above)

Brian Williams is not the only NBC figure hoping a puppy makes him more likable as Today show has been featuring guide dog in training Wrangler as its mascot for months 

Acknowledging that it was 'an enormously difficult story' to report, the show aired a segment about Williams' six-month suspension back in February, and pledged to make itself worthy of viewers' trust.

Replacement anchor Holt opened the report by saying: 'And now to the story many of you are talking about tonight and one that for us not only hits close to home but in our home.'

Holt quoted from statements from Turness and Burke, in which they described Williams' actions as 'wrong and completely inappropriate,' and which jeopardized 'the trust millions of Americans place in NBC News.'

Holt then added: 'Now if I may on a personal note say it is an enormously difficult story to report.

'Brian is a member of our family, but so are you, our viewers and we will work every night to be worthy of your trust.' 

NBC suspends Brian Williams for six months without pay

 

Comments (384)

Share what you think

• Newest
• Oldest
• Best rated
• Worst rated

 View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

 View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Add your comment

Enter your comment

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Submit Comment Clear

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now