John: "If I had said television is more popular than Jesus, I might have got away with it, but I just happened to be talking to a friend and I used the words "Beatles" as a remote thing, not as what I think - as Beatles, as those other Beatles like other people see us. I just said "they" are having more influence on kids and things than anything else, including Jesus. But I said it in that way which is the wrong way."
Reporter: "Some teenagers have repeated your statements - "I like the Beatles more than Jesus Christ." What do you think about that?"
John: "Well, originally I pointed out that fact in reference to England. That we meant more to kids than Jesus did, or religion at that time. I wasn't knocking it or putting it down. I was just saying it as a fact and it's true more for England than here. I'm not saying that we're better or greater, or comparing us with Jesus Christ as a person or God as a thing or whatever it is. I just said what I said and it was wrong. Or it was taken wrong. And now it's all this."
Reporter: "But are you prepared to apologize?" John (thinking that he just had): "I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious thing. I apologize if that will make you happy. I still don't know quite what I've done. I've tried to tell you what I did do but if you want me to apologize, if that will make you happy, then OK, I'm sorry."
Brian talks to the press about possible tour date cancellations.
The press generally printed that Lennon had apologized, a planned second bonfire of records was called off, and no Beatles performances were cancelled. But the whole episode left a dark cloud over the public as far as the Beatles were concerned, and the upcoming tour would be their last.
John talks about his fear of touring again.
Postscript: Radio Station KLUE in Longview, Texas, one of the stations which organised the public bonfires of Beatles records on August 13, was knocked off the air the next morning when a bolt of lightning struck their transmission tower, causing extensive damage to their radio equipment, and according to the book
Beatles In Their Own Words edited by Pearce Marchbank, knocking their news director unconscious.