This year we're bombarded with television and movie vampires and zombies as we inch our way toward Halloween. At both of our offices there are plans for costume contests and the little ghosts and goblins will be visiting. Meanwhile, though, I polled our team for some of the scariest words that have been heard by our fellow PR people in recent times. They came up with a great list.
Kristen Dattoli-Orfanos pointed out that "Billy Bob Thornton's" publicist was mopping up gravy for a while after one of the scariest radio interviews ever, complete with an actor-turned-zombie on the spot who referred to Canadian fans of his band as mashed potatoes without the gravy. The interview went viral in less than 24 hours. The best part was that during his band's concert the following evening in Toronto the entire place started to boo and began chanting “here is your gravy!!!” He canceled the remainder of his tour in Canada and is not welcome back in Maple Leaf country.
Jim Crook assumes that A-Rod's PR person told him: "This Details Magazine photo shoot is a win-win, Alex," but was probably haunted by those words when the photos appeared and were met with scorn.
I can imagine Kanye West's publicist trying to crawl down the aisle and away from the boos and hisses after hearing him grab the mike from Taylor Swift at the VMA Awards and declare, "I'm sorry, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!"
And speaking of Kanye's gaffe, it is a good reminder that it isn't only Republican VP candidates who mis-speak. A couple of beauties from the winning ticket this election include our President's derogatory (and colorful) remark about Kanye's stunt that got more coverage than the President's media blitz for health reform that weekend.
Richard Wadsworth pointed out another political beauty, also from our President during an appearance on the Tonight Show: "No, no. I have been practicing...I bowled a 129. It's like -- it was like Special Olympics, or something." (The listening White House press person must have been cringing while writing the apology on the spot that Obama later gave when he called the head of the Special Olympics.)
Although he is a great (and frequent) communicator, the President stepped in it again when he said "The Cambridge Police acted stupidly" after the mistaken identity confrontation and arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates. That remark scared his press aides into setting up a meeting, over beers, with the President and the two antagonists from Cambridge to clear the air.
Lucie Mann added her favorite line from Rhode Island Representative Patrick Kennedy, “I never worked a [bleeping] day in my life.” He delivered this a number of years ago at a gathering of Young Democrats in Washington, DC. We know first-hand that his press aides got the chills when they heard this.
So when you hear scary words from your internal or external clients like . . .
“It’s not really a new product. It’s the same product, but packaged differently.”
(After the pre-briefings have been completed) “We need to move the launch date.”
(After the story has appeared.) “I don’t like my quotes. Can you have the reporter change them?”
Just remember there are many scarier words that have been heard by our peers. And have a relaxing and fun-filled Halloween!
