Meredith Vieira: I Wasn't Sure Jane Fonda Said "C*nt"

About 10 minutes after Jane Fonda said "cunt" on "Today," Meredith Vieira apologized to viewers for the slip-up. "It was a slip and obviously she apologizes and so do we," Vieira said. "We would do nothing to offend the audience, so please accept that apology."

But in a blog post on NBC's iVillage.com, reported by the New York Post, Vieira admits that at first she was unsure whether Fonda actually used the vulgar slang word:

When Jane said that word during the interview her head was turned slightly away from me and I wasn't sure I had heard her correctly. I didn't want to stop the interview and ask, "What did you say?" because if she had said the word I didn't want her to repeat it, and if she hadn't, I didn't want to confuse the audience. But when the interview was over one of the producers spoke into my earpiece and asked me, "Did she say what I think she said?", at which point I looked over at the floor director and he gave me a glance that told me she sure had. I know it was an honest mistake on her part, but we certainly owed the audience an apology.

Watch the clip:

Watch Meredith's apology: