Tom Brokaw, Ambien

Tom Brokaw seems to have a problem.

Everyone by now is probably familiar with Brokaw being rushed to a hospital in Charlotte.

From the Los Angeles Times:

NBC News special correspondent Tom Brokaw was hospitalized Thursday morning after he said he mistakenly took Ambien.

Brokaw was taken to a Charlotte, N.C., hospital following an appearance on MSNBC's “Morning Joe.”

NBC reported that Brokaw felt "lightheaded" on the set. "Out of an abundance of caution, he was taken to a hospital. He is being evaluated, is in good spirits, and is expected to be released shortly," NBC News President Steve Capus said in a statement released to the media.

For his part, Brokaw appeared to sheepishly joke about the incident.

He tweeted: "All is well. Early AM I mistakenly took a half dose of Ambien and made less sense than usual. Made a better comeback than Giants..."

But the newsman didn't explain: How do you "mistakenly" take an Ambien? (Ambien is a prescription medication typically used to treat insomnia.)

It's good news that Brokaw is in good health, and this scare was due to his personal negligence.

However, the incident is rather embarrassing.

"Mistakenly" taking an Ambien before a TV appearance is weird.

What did he think he was taking?

Does he have a bowl of pills and picked the wrong one?

If one takes a number of prescription medications, one certainly is familiar with their color and shape. One doesn't just grab an Ambien getting ready to go to work in the morning.

Brokaw's carelessness is a bit strange.

When I heard the news yesterday of Brokaw's Ambien "mishap," I was reminded of an appearance he did with Bob Costas for the London Olympics. Brokaw was in the studio with Costas to introduce a taped piece. I think it was something related to World War II, London, and an athlete. Whatever, the segment was historical in nature.

As Brokaw introduced it, we thought something was terribly wrong with him. He looked pale and frail. His speech was slurred beyond his normal way of speaking. We thought maybe he was drunk.

Yet when they cut to the tape, Brokaw seemed more like his usual self.

We were concerned that Brokaw was having some sort of serious health problem because the contrast was so stark.

Upon hearing of Brokaw's Ambien mix-up, I thought his London behavior now made sense.

Brokaw needs to be more careful with his drug use, especially when he's on the job.