Microphone gaffe

A microphone gaffe, sometimes referred to as an open microphone (in aviation, a stuck mic), is an apparent error whereby a microphone is switched on in proximity of a subject who is unaware that their remarks are being broadcast. The error allows unintended listeners to hear parts of private conversations. Errors usually involve live broadcasting in radio or television, and sometimes material is recorded and played back via media outlets. Such events can cause embarrassment for the person or organization involved, sometimes resulting in serious confrontations and employment termination.

Noted occurrences

Television broadcasts

• In 1999, during a cricket test match between Australia and Pakistan, Australian Scott Muller misfielded a ball and a voice was heard saying, "Can't bowl, can't throw." Teammate Shane Warne was suspected, but a cameraman, Joe Previtera, confessed.^[1]
• On 22 June 2000, Australian newsreader Marie-Louise Theile was recorded as calling her husband an "arsehole" during what she thought was a commercial break on Ten News in Brisbane.^[2]
• During television coverage of the Canadian federal election, 2000, a CBC Television producer covering Stockwell Day's campaign was heard on-air making a gratuitous comment about the breasts of Juliana Thiessen Day, Stockwell's daughter-in-law. His words were cut off mid-sentence: "This is Logan Day's wife. I've never met her, but apparently she's got tits that'd stop a--" The producer was forced to apologize.^[3]
• One of the most famous microphone gaffes in the UK was that of Ron Atkinson, a well-known football broadcaster and former player and manager, in April 2004. Speaking of Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly after the team's defeat he said "He's what's known in some schools as a fucking lazy big nigger." The microphone was open to some countries in the Middle East, with UK broadcasts having already finished. Atkinson was forced to resign his position at ITV and left his role as a columnist at The Guardian by mutual agreement.^[4][5]
• A series of technical problems on 9 March 2006 forced ESPN2 to switch from its SportsCenter broadcast to that of ESPNEWS. Caught unprepared by the move, ESPNEWS broadcaster Danyelle Sargent struggled for words, forcing fellow anchor Robert Flores to finish her sentence. After the broadcast cut to taped footage, Sargent was heard exclaiming "What the fuck was that?"^[6]
• On 8 August 2006 former cricketer and Australian Network Ten sports commentator Dean Jones said "the terrorist has got another wicket" when Proteas fielder Hashim Amla (the first player of Muslim descent to play test cricket for South Africa) caught Kumar Sangakkara during a match between South Africa and Sri Lanka. Jones claimed he thought the microphone was off and made prompt formal apologies, but he was dismissed from his post.^[7]
• On 29 August 2006 American news channel CNN was broadcasting the live Hurricane Katrina anniversary speech from U.S. President George W. Bush when the microphone of anchorwoman Kyra Phillips was left on. She was taking a break and around 90 seconds of her conversation with another woman was broadcast over CNN's coverage of Bush's speech. During the conversation she discussed her husband, whom she called "a really passionate, compassionate, great, great human being," and her sister-in-law, who she called a "control freak." CNN apologized to viewers and the White House.^[8]
• In August 2007, Australian journalist Kerry O'Brien, presenter of the ABC's The 7.30 Report, was recorded criticising his production staff for a mishap with the teleprompter while a story was running.^[9]
• On 14 August 2008, Ernest Borgnine was interviewed on FoxNews when he was asked about the secret to his longevity. Laughingly Borgnine responds "I don't dare tell you," but then he leans over to whisper into the ear of his interviewer, but the whisper is caught by the microphone, "I masturbate a lot."^[10][11] This incident was lampooned in the 30 Rock episode "The Funcooker" which aired in March the following year, where Tracy Jordan, who has just been fined by the FCC for cursing on air, believes his paying for his transgression gives him increased license: "I can even say what Ernest Borgnine whispered to me."
• News wires picked up the gaffe of a newscaster with Irish public service broadcasting in January 2009, concerning the need for IMF intervention in the Country. Bloomberg noted how German stocks fell sharply, while Reuters reported that the euro dipped by a cent against the dollar before it stabilised following a strong denial.^[12]
• Veteran sports presenters Richard Keys and Andy Gray made remarks that a female referee wouldn't understand the complex offside football rule. This controversy led to Gray being sacked and Keys resigning.^[13]

Political

• At the height of the Cold War in 1984 U.S. President Ronald Reagan was about to appear on a radio interview and, as a soundcheck, said "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes." The comment, while not actually broadcast, did eventually spread via rumor around the world... It was not appreciated in Moscow. ^[14]
• On 16 February 1993, U.S. President Bill Clinton snapped at an aide "Listen, goddamn it. Come here. You can't do that. You can't take me out here with a mayor and a congresswoman and push them back" after a member of his staff tried to prevent the mayor and Congresswoman Eleanor Norton from joining the President walking to a porch for a photo opportunity with construction workers.^[15]
• In 1993 British Prime Minister John Major, after an interview with ITN political editor Michael Brunson, forgot about the recording equipment. He called some members of his Cabinet "bastards" and promised to "crucify" them, and saying of recent revelations "I can't stop people sleeping with other people if they ought not to." He also called himself a "wimp" and said that he had no idea how to win an election.^[5][16]
• During his 2000 presidential campaign, George W. Bush called New York Times reporter Adam Clymer a "major league asshole" just before a campaign speech to Vice-President Dick Cheney, whose response ("big time") was also audible. The media reaction was intense, with news stations repeatedly broadcasting it and the New York Post running two pages about the incident.^[16][17] Bush said of the incident: "I regret that a private comment I made to the vice-presidential candidate made it onto the public airwaves. I regret everybody heard what I said."^[18][19]
• During a televised debate between U.S. presidential candidates George W. Bush and Al Gore during the 2000 presidential campaign, Gore's sighs (in response to some of Bush's statements) were heard through Gore's live microphone. In regards to the incident, Gore was quoted as saying "Both the governor and I have learned lessons about when the microphone is on, and when it's off."^[20]
• On 11 March 2004, following a satellite address to the AFL-CIO, U.S. presidential candidate John Kerry turned to one of the Union workers he was standing near and said "Oh yeah, don't worry man. We're going to keep pounding, let me tell you -- we're just beginning to fight here. These guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group of people I've ever seen." Although being removed by an assistant at the time, Kerry's microphone was still live and captured his statement.^[21] His words were presumed to be directed at his political rivals, the U.S. Republican Party and U.S. President George W. Bush. Kerry spokesman David Wade later claimed that Kerry was indeed aware that his microphone was recording and was not referring to Republicans in general but to their use of "crooked, deceitful, personal attacks over the last four years."^[22]
• On 1 July 2006 a technician did not turn off the audio feed during a closed-door lunch between U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov amongst others. Journalists, on listening to the 20 minute broadcast, referred to the conversation as "bickering" about the Iraqi aid programme.^[23]

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Bush and Blair conversation

• On 17 July 2006 a private conversation between U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg was picked up by a nearby microphone. Bush told Blair he hoped the UN would "get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit" (referring to Syria's influence over and support of Hezbollah in the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon), and that by doing so, the crisis would be over. This was reaffirmed by the suggestion to "get Kofi [Annan] on the phone with [Bashir] Assad and make something happen." He also revealed that Condoleezza Rice would visit the area.^[24][25]
• On 19 October 2006 during an official meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Moscow Russian President Vladimir Putin was overheard praising Israeli President Moshe Katsav for raping ten employees of his office.^[26]
• Before a Fox News interview on 6 July 2008, a live microphone picked up Jesse Jackson whispering to a fellow guest: "See, Barack's been, ah, talking down to black people on this faith-based... I want to cut his nuts off... Barack, he's talking down to black people" in an apparent response to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's recent speeches on values.^[27]
• On 28 April 2010 British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was caught on microphone describing an encounter with a female voter as a "disaster" and called her a "bigoted woman".^[28]
• In June 2010, US Republican Senate nominee from California Carly Fiorina criticised the hair of her Democratic opponent, Barbara Boxer when she didn't realise her microphone was on during an interview for CNN.^[29] There was popular question as to whether this was staged as an attempt to undermine respect for Boxer, or whether it was an honest mistake.
• On 8 November 2011 a private conversation between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and U.S. President Barack Obama were overheard criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Sarkozy branded Netanyahu as a 'liar' and Obama expressed his displeasure with having to deal with Netanyahu on a regular basis.^[30]
• On 26 March 2012 at the tail end of his 90 minute meeting with the outgoing Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, President Obama said that he would have "more flexibility" to deal with controversial issues such as missile defense. He was heard telling Medvedev, "On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it's important for him to give me space." Medvedev told the president in English, "Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you…" and President Obama continued his statement with, "This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility." Medvedev responded saying, again in English, "I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir."^[31]

Other

• Britney Spears, about to go out in front of her largest ever concert audience in Rio de Janeiro in 2001, allegedly complained about the organisation of her entourage saying "Don't tell me that they're just letting the audience just fucking stand out there like that. Oh my God! This is retarded." Her record company denied that it was Spears' voice that was broadcast to the 170,000 in attendance at the event.^[5][16]
• In March 2005 Prince Charles was heard saying, "Bloody people. I can't stand that man [referring to Nicholas Witchell]. He's so awful, he really is." He was heard to say this while posing for photographers with his sons in Klosters, Switzerland.^[5][32]

Madonna didn't realise her microphone was switched on during a show of her Blond Ambition Tour in Barcelona. She ran off the stage and was heard telling the stage hand to "get the fuck outta my fuckin' way".

See also

• Public relations
• Media strategy
• Media relations

References