There are some common unsaid rules when it comes to preparations for an interview. One of them is research. It usually helps to know what the person you’re interviewing is currently working on, what’s lined up for them in the future, and it’s best to gather up a few personal details. This can all avoid the embarrassment Kathie Lee Gifford went through while interviewing actor Martin Short yesterday.
If you interview someone famous, do the research. Because otherwise this happens: http://t.co/p1enBWpL [credit to Martin Short. What a pro]
— Michael Moran (@TheMichaelMoran) May 31, 2012
Kathie Lee asks Martin Short how long he’s been married to dead wife. Regis must be rolling in his grave. Oh he’s still alive? Whatever.
— Lisa Lampanelli (@LisaLampanelli) May 31, 2012
Next up for Kathie Lee: asking Barry Gibb how he and his brother, Robin, still manage to work together after all these years.
— Nell Scovell (@NellSco) May 31, 2012
Kathie Lee Gifford made possibly one of the biggest blunders an interviewer can make, asking questions about Martin Short’s late wife, and talking about how they’re still madly in love and make each other laugh. It’s not a recent event either; Short’s wife passed away 2 years ago.
An apology was made by Kathie Lee, thanking Martin for handling it with such grace:
I send my sincerest apologies to @MartinShort and his family. He handled situation w/enormous grace and kindness and I'm so grateful.
— Kathie Lee Gifford (@KathieLGifford) May 30, 2012
Granted, that’s not Martin Short’s twitter she mentioned, but it was an apology just the same.
what a drunk tit she is.. @backseatcuddler Kathie Lee Gifford Gaffe: Asking Martin Short How His (Late) Wife Is http://t.co/jwKNN4e0 #fb
— Baker of Burnt Pizzas (@TheCrawdaddy) May 31, 2012
https://twitter.com/KardynalSyn/status/208230209613336577
https://twitter.com/joaniepepperoni/status/208229680497700865
Martin Short handled it well. It was awkward as shit, though. #waytogokathie
— Stephanie (@stephylou20) May 31, 2012
Martin Short, true proffessional. Kathy Lee, kind of a cunt.
— BeastlyPubesBackAgain (@FeelNutts) May 31, 2012
Let this be a lesson to all to come to an interview prepared as possible, so terrible moments like these don’t happen.
Check out the excerpt from the interview below, and see for yourself how well Short was able to handle the off-putting comments.
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