Fred Willard Addresses Arrest, PBS Firing on 'Late Night' (Video)

NBC

At least it got him on Late Night?

our editor recommends

PBS Chief Addresses Fred Willard Firing After Actor's Lewd Conduct Arrest

Frank Ocean Sells Out Month-Long Tour, Sets 'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon' Performance

Commence the Fred Willard comeback tour: featuring a little penis innuendo humor, some humility and his side of the story, the 72-year old's effort to take back his name made its first stop on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Arrested last week for alleged lewd activity inside LA's XXX Tiki theater -- an incident that quickly cost him a job with PBS -- Willard has since claimed that the public display of self-affection alleged by police never took place, and he repeated his defense on Late Night.

After a game of phallic movie titles, of course.

It turns out, Willard says, that what he thought was an innocent polynesian adventure was, well, not that.

“It’s very embarrassing,” he said. “It’s embarrassing as hell! But let me say this: nothing happened. I did nothing wrong, everything’s being sorted out as we speak. I have great respect for the authorities. I mean, when we need a policeman, God bless 'em, they’re there. But, if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, everything seems suspicious."

He's trying to laugh off the incident, he told Fallon, and proved it by cracking a joke similar to one that he tweeted earlier in the week.

"My summary of the evening is that it’s an interesting theater, boring movie, and a great place to take a nap," Willard said.