Keith conducts media training.
Is it a bad publicist? Is it bad media training? Or is it simply all of the above? Many of us dream of the fame and fortune that only a few achieve. And one of the wonders of the entertainment world is when a star inexplicably opens his or her mouth and puts at least some of it at risk within minutes.
The latest controversy involves Hank Williams Jr. ESPN pulled his famous long-running musical introduction to Monday Night Football after he made controversial comments about President Obama. Comedian Gilbert Godfrey got an earful earlier this year after Tweeting jokes about the Japan earthquake. How does this happen?
We conduct media training and make it clear what not to say. We stress the importance of reflecting your brand. In fact we recently wrote a blog about our own decision not to air a compelling video, which includes plenty of cursing. That’s just not who we are. Before making that decision, we discussed it in detail. Yes, we had a conversation. Can you believe it? That seems genius when you look back and listen to people pop on national television and pop off at the mouth. When celebrities go off script and give interviews, isn’t there someone to review the talking points? Isn’t there somebody who explains where to draw the line? Hasn’t a media trainer run these people through mock interviews and put them to the test?
When we conduct media training for executives, our biggest concern is they will say something slightly off message or struggle with a tough question. We assume it’s unnecessary for us to remind them not to make references to Hitler or make insensitive jokes about people struggling with a horrible natural disaster. We assume they won’t have a slip-of-the-tongue and make a sexual joke on national television about a former vice presidential candidate. I guess when our business hits the big time and Hollywood’s A-list starts asking us for media training or public relations, I better put together a thick packet covering every possible horrendous scenario.
My best guess is some celebrities are on top and live in their protected bubble for so long, surrounded by a bunch of yes people, they forget that the controversial comments they share with their friends aren’t always for the public. Maybe they lose track of reality. We all have free speech. Say what you want, but sometimes, like it or not, free speech comes with consequences.
What surprises me is that the people who prepare (or do not prepare) these celebrities for interviews don’t see the train wreck coming. They must hear some of these off-color comments behind the scenes. Are they too afraid to speak up or are they being ignored? The spin meisters always seem to show up after the fact to corral the crisis. But why weren’t they there to prevent it in the first place?
If one of my clients went on TV and a journalist made him look like an idiot, part of that would be my fault. It’s my job to research who’s conducting the interview. It’s my job to prepare these clients for the curve balls. And if my client ends up singing the blues and loses his job, then I lose, too. You can be yourself without talking to the TV like you talk to your best friend. If you can’t figure that out, just shut up or stick to the script.