Exec made public apology over comment about Obama

A commercial real estate exec sent apology letters to Minikahda Club members for an offensive crack he made about President Obama that could merit Secret Service attention.

"Quite honestly, I don't recall," said Whitney Peyton, senior managing director at CB Richard Ellis and a member of the exclusive club, when asked exactly what he said at a semi-annual gathering known as the Good Fellowship Luncheon.

Suffice it to say that Peyton's remark was incendiary. Since I didn't hear it, I'm not repeating it, as only one person present at the luncheon was courageous enough to contact me. "It went over like a dead balloon, as many members in attendance were very upset," claims my tipster.

"I offended somebody and I made a written apology related to that," Peyton told me. "One written apology to everybody in the room," said Peyton, who estimated the crowd at, "I would guess, 100 or so."

"The bottom line is that there's a deal we do called the 'Good Fellowship,' and it is an introduction of the new members to the club and club membership. Their sponsors give me something that's funny about them and I try to have fun with it. In this particular case, I crossed the line."

This was an impressive display of owning up to a gaffe until Peyton told me: "I will tell you that several people came to me and said, You didn't say anything wrong."

Then why pen an apology, on Minikahda stationery no less? I asked Peyton.

"The people who came to me and said it was OK came to me after they got the letter," he said. "The sequence of events was, I offended the people, I wrote an apology letter because I found out I had offended them, and I stand by the apology letter, and I'm trying to be fair and reasonable and honorable. The people who I offended requested that I apologize to everybody for those who might have been offended."

Two Whitney Peytons

Whitney Peyton is also the name of a Philadelphia hip-hop recording artist.

There was a time when Minnesota's Whitney Peyton said he was "ahead of her as a Google hit, when she was less famous than she is now."

"She and I have corresponded a lot," Minnesota's Peyton told me. "Funny part of it was she sent me some of her music and I said, 'I don't know that I'd be a buyer,' and she said, You don't need to buy it -- it's free on the Web.

"It's a unique name and I've been active in business in Minnesota a long time," he said.

A reader's Kim K sighting

"Sorry this is coming late, but we saw Kim Kardashian at the Graves last Saturday night. We had just gotten off the elevator on the 4th floor (Cosmos) to wait for room down at Bradstreet Crafthouse in the Graves Hotel, street level. Have the most amazing cocktails -- definitely worth the stop! They [Kardashian and company] walked out of the restaurant toward the elevators, pulling their suitcases.

"She was with two other girls, one of whom I guessed was Khloe (who I previously wanted to give the benefit of the doubt about the camera adding 10 pounds, but she really is a tall, big girl). I tried not to rubberneck too badly. Kim looked pretty (she was wearing her coat) with her trademark makeup. I'm not sure how tall her shoes were, but I'm 5'8" and she was easily at eye level, and I don't think barefoot she's much over 5'.

"From behind they just looked like a group of girls at a hotel. After we walked into the bar I excitedly whispered to my husband, 'That was Kim Kardashian!' but he had no clue who I was talking about and so the conversation pretty much stopped there. Emily Tremel."

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. E-mailers, please state a subject -- "Hello" doesn't count. Attachments are not opened, so don't even try. More of her attitude can be seen on Fox 9 Thursday mornings.