Selma Blair Apologizes For Her Plane Outburst

Several days after being removed from a plane due to an "outburst," Selma Blair is apologizing and explaining her actions in an incredibly courageous statement. The American Crime Story actor, who was reportedly rushed to the hospital after the incident, was on a flight from Cancun to L.A. with her son and ex-husband and was drinking a glass of wine when she got upset and started crying, saying, "He burns my private parts. He won't let me eat or drink. He beats me. He's going to kill me," TMZ reports. According to Blair, the incident was due to mixing medication and alcohol.

"I made a big mistake yesterday. After a lovely trip with my son and his Dad, I mixed alcohol with medication, and that caused me to black out and led me to say and do things that I deeply regret," the actor told Vanity Fair. "My son was with his Dad asleep with his headphones on, so there is that saving grace. I take this very seriously, and I apologize to all of the passengers and crew that I disturbed and am thankful to all of the people who helped me in the aftermath. I am a flawed human being who makes mistakes and am filled with shame over this incident. I am truly very sorry."

While the incident was undoubtedly frightening for all involved and deeply mortifying for Blair, it takes a great deal of courage to own up to her actions and apologize — and that should be celebrated.

For a regular, non-famous person to go through such a public incident would be embarrassing enough, but to do it on a celebrity level — one in which the story is spread throughout the world and blasted on the Internet — the shame is even more extensive. Which is exactly why Blair's honest, candid statement is incredibly brave. Instead of sweeping her actions under the rug, she faces them head-on, even going as far as to explain why the incident occurred. Her apology, perhaps unnecessary, is yet even more proof of the deep remorse that she must feel, and is another example of why her statement is so courageous. This was no PR-spun statement — it was honest and emotional and real.

It takes an incredible amount of inner-strength to address an incident that you desperately would just like to disappear, and Selma Blair should be commended for the brave way in which she did it: Truthfully, candidly, heartfelt. And above all, courageous.