Imagethief does a lot of spokesperson training, in which we work with clients to help them get better results from interviews. In those sessions we show videos of people doing well in interviews and doing badly. One of our basic rules is to remain composed at all times, especially in front of a camera or microphone. Among the "bad example" clips for this rule is one of an Australian minister physically assaulting a television journalist in his office who asked him about corruption allegations during a sit-down interview. New York City Councilman James Oddo has just given us a possible replacement for that video.

Oddo was being interviewed by a Norwegian comedienne who appears to be Norway's Ali G (although significantly less talented than the original). Her shtick is to interview politicians and other people in the guise of an idiot foreign bombshell and to hit them with completely moronic questions. Oddo, to his credit, figured out that he was being played. To his discredit, he then went off the handle completely, and unloaded an on-camera profane tirade that included a particularly colorful threat to "beat the fucking shit out of you right now".

Bad idea.

With complete inevitability, the segment has been immortalized on YouTube. IT ain't just the Norwegians watching. Go have a watch before you keep reading. A more complete version of the comedienne's whole US tour is here.

Also on YouTube, American PR blogger Peter Shankman attempts valiantly to explain what Oddo did wrong, and what he should have done. Unfortunately, he tries to explain it on Fox News, where the anchor seems most interested in ranting about fake journalists and justifying Oddo's actions. Perhaps this is because Oddo is a Republican. Or perhaps this is because Fox News has become more belligerent and illiterate than I, in my foreign exile, can possibly have imagined. Either way, it's a bit difficult to take seriously this particular anchor's rants about "fake journalists".

Shankman's point, which is correct, is that the way to defuse that kind of situation is to calmly announce that you are not interested in continuing the interview and to leave. Once you realize you're being played, the goal is disengage in a way that gives the interviewer the minimum amount of material with which to embarrass you later. This would be the approach even if it was a real journalist and for some reason you felt that it was inappropriate to continue with the interview.

Of course, if you're well prepared, neither situation should ever arise. With the help of a little research and the miracle of Google, your media team should spot a fake coming and you, being the consummate media professional, will no doubt have been fully trained and prepared to handle difficult or unexpected questions during any interview with a real journalist. Right? (If not, contact me.)

In Shankman's discussion on Fox News the anchor essentially tried to make light of Oddo's response, pointing out that his voters might find it acceptable and even admirable, and suggesting that the perfidy of "fake journalism" was deserving of such invective and threats.

Possibly. But I'll add something to Shankman's points. Oddo's current constituents may find Oddo's profanity, threats and loss of cool completely appropriate. But this segment, now immortalized on the Internet, is a persistent hammer with which Oddo's future political opponents will be able to beat him. Maybe in his tiny, urban constituency that won't matter. But it might matter if he has his sights set on something bigger down the line. Unfortunately, no matter what else he may say or do, he's on YouTube threatening to "beat the fuck" out of the pretty, blonde dingbat.

Oddo's own explanation of the situation, apparently from a radio interview, is here. He comes off significantly better, expressing his embarrassment and regrets relatively articulately, and positioning himself as a folksy, everyman kind of guy who expressed sincere sentiment in what was perhaps not the most constructive way. He also suggests that he was sticking up for America (against the Norwegians?). It's not bad, but you can't un-YouTube the moment.

As for Fox News, in the interview with Shankman the anchor suggests that he might also contemplate violence under similar circumstances. But what else would one expect from America's most fair and balanced news source?