Fred Willard on lewd conduct arrest: "I did nothing wrong"
(CBS/AP) LOS ANGELES - Fred Willard stopped by "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" on Thursday, where he said his recent lewd conduct arrest at an adult movie theater was "very embarrassing" but insisted he did nothing wrong.
"It's the last time I'm going to listen to my wife when she says, 'Why don't you go and see a movie?"' Willard joked during the appearance.
The 72-year-old actor and Fallon cracked racy jokes about possible titles for the movie that might have been playing when Willard was arrested July 18 during a routine check by police at the Hollywood-area theater.
"It's very embarrassing. It's as embarrassing as hell," Willard told Fallon. "But let me say this: Nothing happened. I did nothing wrong. Everything is being sorted out as we speak."
"I have great respect for the authorities," he continued. "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 tried to laugh it off but the incident is "very painful," said Willard, who was fired as narrator of the PBS series "Market Warriors" immediately after his arrest.
The Los Angeles City Attorney's office determined that Willard's case was eligible for a diversion program that will keep him from being formally charged with lewd conduct if he completes the required courses. Willard will pay $380 for the program.
Fallon was sympathetic to Willard.
"You're a good man. ... You're one of my favorites," Fallon said, then needled him with, "You can come to our show and do whatever the heck you want, except for certain things."
The "Best in Show" actor joked about the arrest on Twitter earlier this week, saying, "Wait til u hear my version; much more PG. & my review, lousy film, but theater would make a terrific racquetball court. Full story 2 follow."
Willard is hosting "Trust Us With Your Life," an improv series airing this summer on ABC.
